YOUR MISSION: Sun, snorkel, roam Mayan ruins, eat Mexican food and party on, señor.
DAY ONE: Hop in your rental car and drive 307 South to Tulum to take in the Mayan archeological sites (admission: US$3.50). With some history beneath your belt, head out to a natural park - Xcaret, Xel-ha or Tres Rios, all offering unique water fun. Scuba, snorkel or snuba (a combo of scuba and snorkeling) your heart out.
After a quick nap and shower, gear up for a night out. Se-or Frog's -which offers American dance music - is right by the pier where the ferry to Cozumel departs. At La Tequileria on 5th Avenue, sample 230 different kinds of tequila. With streetside tables, it's great for people-watching while sipping a margarita. The bar closes early, around midnight, so drink quickly. Pancho's Mexican Cafe, also on 5th, offers two-for-one drinks during happy hour on Fridays.
DAY TWO: Reach the beach the adventuresome way. First, drive 15 miles north to Tres Rios and rent a bike. Then it's off into the jungle on a trail that ends at Cenote Aguila, where you board a kayak or canoe and paddle down one of three rivers to the beach. Don't let the soothing river water fool you because it morphs into rapids as you approach the ocean's crashing waves. There are more than two miles of biking/walking/horseback-riding trails and jungle paths.
At the beach, park your boat and grab a light lunch at Restaurante Tres Rios, a Mexican eatery that also offers showers and restrooms to guests. Then don snorkeling gear for a look at the Riviera's reefs. Don't forget to save some energy for the upstream paddle back to your car (admission: US$20 per person).
A visit to a cenote - a freshwater-filled sinkhole where Mayans worshipped and reputedly made human sacrifices - is a must, so look for "cenote" signs on the drive home. Rinse off with a swim or snorkel at the Dos Ojos or Chac Mool cenotes (admission: US$3).
BIG NIGHT OUT: There is more to Mexican cuisine than bean burritos. For a romantic dinner, try Johnny Cairo's on trendy 5th Avenue where the eats are Ritz-Carlton quality - but the prices won't break you (average dinner: US$50-$70 per person). Start out with beef satay with soy sauce and garlic or a veal patê with onion marmalade. Entrees include roasted duck with sweet potatoes, a chipotle sauce, tequila and honey. Top off your dinner with a fancy nightcap.
Nightlife is tops in Playa. Remember its bars rarely close before 6 a.m., so be sure to power nap before bar-hopping. Start at the Blue Parrot Inn on 12th Street at 5th Avenue - a Playa tradition, known for its stage, tables and dance floor on the beach and its bar encircled with swings. The music is mostly rock; a live band plays strong until 12 a.m.
If you salsa, cumbia or merengue, the place to go is Calypso on 6th Street between 10th Avenue and 12th Street. Locals crowd the dance floor, but don't be surprised if a perfect stranger singles you out to test your dance skills.
WHERE TO STAY: Playa's most luxurious hotels are in the exclusive Playacar south of Playa. The Iberostar, Riu Yucatan, Riu Tequila and the Royal Hideaway are all five-star hotels with first-class service (US$250-plus). For less expensive digs, look for bed-and-breakfast inns in Playa, including Pension San Juan and Quinta Mija (about US$30 per night).
WHAT TO AVOID: Montezuma's Revenge. Don't eat at roadside stands. Also steer clear of those "watch a time-share video, get a free breakfast" deals. They'll take up several hours and those sales sharks may get you to sign on the dotted line.
E.T.A. FROM AIRPORT: Forty minutes south of Cancún International Airport.
Kathy Loretta, who was born in Mexico, is editorial director of The Miami Herald's Cancun edition.
Posted online 12/01/00.
