Quintana Roo is a state of Mexico, on the eastern part of the Yucaten Peninsula. The statewide population is currently expanding at a rapid rate due to the construction of hotels and the demand for workers The state, despite its status as a resort area, is also often hit by severe hurricanes due to its exposed location. Quintana Roo was made a territory of Mexico by decree of President Porfirio Díaz on November 24, 1902. It was named after an early patriot of the Mexican Republic, Andres Quintana Roo. The Mexican army succeeded in defeating most of the Maya population of the region during the 1910s, and in 1915 the area was again declared to legally be part of the state of Yucaten. In 1931 the territory of Quintana Roo was again separated from Yucaten. Quintana Roo was granted statehood within the United Mexican States on October 8, 1974. It is the Mexican Republic's youngest state.
Playa del Carmen is a city on the coast of the Caribbean Sea in the north east of the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Tourism to this little city began with the passenger ferry service to Cozumel, an island across the Cozumel Channel and world-famous scuba diving destination. While passing through, many people realized that it was a nice place to relax away from the crowds of Cancún but with the same quality beaches and turquoise waters. While not as incredible as Cozumel, Playa del Carmen's coast offers some good scuba diving opportunities, as well as cenote diving for the more adventurous.
Today Playa del Carmen, or just 'Playa' as locals like to call the city, is the center of the Riviera Maya concept, which covers from Cancún to Tulum and the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve. Tulum is a Pre-Columbian walled city of the Maya civilization located on the Caribbean Sea coast of the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. There is also a modern town of the same name nearby, often called Tulum Pueblo. All activity centers on the Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, located just one block inland from the beach, and lined with boutique hotels, shops, and small restaurants.
Caribbean beach town has grown tremendously in popularity during the last decade. There's a good reason for that - Playa del Carmen is a fantastic place to spend your vacation, hang out, or live. The town has grown along the beach, so wherever you go, you will feel the closeness to the ocean. The main street is called Quinta Avenida, or 5th Avenue. Sometimes it's just called La Quinta. It is a pedestrian walkway and a common point of reference. Avenues, avenida in Spanish, run parallel to the beach. They are given numbers in increments of five, 5th Ave, 10th Ave, etc. The town basically has two parts. Playa is small. To walk from the dock to Constituyentes will take you about 10 minutes and to Coco Beach another 10 minutes. So regardless of where you chose to stay, you will be within walking distance of everything in town. If you think it's too hot to walk, taxis are cheap and plentiful. Playa del Carmen has a sub-tropical climate, which means it's almost always warm or even hot.