The main activity in Playa is hanging out on the beach and enjoying Quinta Avenida. But there are actually plenty of activities to do up and down this coast. The following is a brief list to help you consider your options.
Golf & Tennis -- If golf is your bag, the Playacar Golf Club (tel. 984/873-4990; www.palace-resorts.com/playacar-golf-club) has an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert von Hagge. It's operated by the Palace Resorts hotel chain, which offers golf packages. Greens fees are $180 (£99) in the morning (including tax and cart) and $120 (£66) after 2pm; club rental costs $30 (£17). The club also has two tennis courts, which cost $10 (£5.50) per hour.
Horseback Riding -- There are a few places along the highway that offer horseback rides. The best of these, Rancho Punta Venado, is just south of Playa past the Calica Pier. This ranch is less touristy than the others, and the owner takes good care of his horses. It has a nice stretch of coast with a sheltered bay and offers kayaking and snorkeling outings. It's best to make arrangements ahead of time and tell them you're a Frommer's reader, so that they can schedule you on a day when they have fewer customers. You can contact them through e-mail (ptavenado@yahoo.com) or by calling their office at tel. 984/803-5224 or by calling directly to the ranch's cellphone when in Mexico (tel. 044-984/116-3213); there is a charge for the call. Talk to Gabriela or Francisco; both speak English. You might also try dropping by. The turnoff for the ranch is 2km (1 1/4 miles) south of the Calica overpass near Km 279.
Day Spa -- To relax after all that exertion, try Spa Itzá (it used to be called Itzá Spa, but they must have gotten tired of all the jokes). It's in downtown Playa between calles 12 and 14 in a retail area called Calle Corazón. The phone number is tel. 984/803-2588.
Deep-Sea Fishing -- The largest marina on the coast is at Puerto Aventuras, not far south of Playa. Here's where you'll find most of your options for boating and fishing.
Scuba & Snorkeling -- In Playa, Cyan-Ha Dive Center (tel. 984/803-2517; www.cyanha.com) arranges reef and cavern diving. The owner, Carlos Quintanar, has been in Playa for over 20 years. His shop is in the Shangri-la Caribe Resort, and he and his staff speak English. Snorkeling trips cost around $20 (£11) and include soft drinks and equipment. Two-tank dive trips are $60 (£33); resort courses with SSI and PADI instructors cost $80 (£44). The area around Akumal has a number of underwater caverns and cenotes that have become popular scuba and snorkeling destinations. The Akumal Dive Shop specializes in cavern diving and offers a variety of dives. But the easiest way to try cavern diving or snorkeling is through Hidden Worlds Cenotes, which is right on the highway 15km (9 miles) south of Akumal. They provide everything, including wet suit.
Swimming with Dolphins -- In the two nature parks south of Playa, Xcaret and Xel-Ha, you can have the opportunity of interacting with these intelligent creatures. Also, there's an outfit in Puerto Aventuras called Dolphin Discovery that is quite good.
