Where should I go in Riviera Maya?

Question

i'm flying into cancun friday morning, and working in playa del carmen on monday.

for the weekend i want to chillax on the beach.

i'm comfortable backpacking and using hostels, i've traveled in india and belize on the cheap.

should i spend the whole time in playa del carmen, and find a cheap place for 2 days?

should i go down to tullum? is that a more chill town?

is there another town i should go to? something without the giant resorts and tons of tourists. you know, more for backpackers and travelers than tourists.

thanks for the help!

mr. x.

Answer 1

Plya del  carmen is rather small and there are small family owned hotels in town.Not much info. but not dure what is on the edge of town.

Answer 2

Tulum is now more hostel and cheap, Playa del Carmen has now about 300,000 citizens. It is a huge city (starbucks, macdonalds, etc). But there are hostels, in the middle of the town.

So Tulum is still more laid back, though this means: places with hammocks, not beds (some), no floor (sand), communal restrooms (not in your room).  The people you will find in Tulum might be like the travelers you met in Belize or India. Playa, in the last 2 years, has become more mainstream.

Also, Cozumel has hostels, you might enjoy it, it is an island and nothing much, since it has open sea, there are surfers (none in Playa).

Hope you enjoy it!