When I first visited the town of Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula more than 20 years ago, I could have easily been on the set of one of those old Clint Eastwood Westerns. Windblown dust and dirt blinded me within seconds of getting out of my car. When the breeze died down, flies began to whiz around my head. As I made my way down to the docks to catch the ferry to Cozumel, I started humming the theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, half expecting one of those miserable-looking characters from the movie to suddenly appear and state in his horrible high-pitched Mexican accent, “Hand over your money, man.” Of course, that never happened, but I was not about to hang around and visit the sights.

South of Cancún, situated almost halfway down the well-paved, 100-mile coastal road, Playa del Carmen has changed significantly since those early days and is now suitable for a family getaway once your business duties in nearby North American cities conclude. The town itself is still slow-paced, an authentic seacoast village where miles of untrammeled beach border some of the most crystalline waters in the world. Downtown, near the docks, locals and vacationers dine on langosta (lobster), fresh red snapper, pollo pibil (chicken cooked in banana leaves) or poc chuc (spicy pork with onions and tomatoes), washed down with a cool Mexican beer at one of the many outdoor restaurants. Nearby, shop owners haggle with potential customers over the price of an embroidered dress, hammock or quartz sculpture. All of this hubbub happens within a one-block radius of the beach, undoubtedly the main attraction in the region.

The Yucatán is blessed with one of the finest stretches of sand in the Caribbean. This is the reason families like mine return year in, year out, especially during the doldrums of winter. Since many American cities have direct flights into Cancún, it’s easy to tack on a family trip after finishing up business in, say, Atlanta or Philadelphia. It’s also easy to join the already-vacationing family at the end of your business trip. Within a 45-minute drive from the Cancún Airport, you arrive at the pearly-white sands of Playa del Carmen, also known as the Riviera Maya and Playacar. Indeed, the destination has become so popular it could one day be an extension of Cancún. Every year brings new resorts, especially just north of town in Mayakoba.

Our family particularly loves the all-inclusive options in Playa del Carmen, where we don’t have to worry about paying hefty hotel fees for meals or search for restaurants nearby. At Iberostar, Dreams Resort or the higher-end Grand Velas, you can dine at numerous restaurants inside each property and drink as much as you’d like, since the price tag also includes alcohol. While away the week on that sublime beach, latest best-selling novel in tow. Swim and snorkel in water that offers excellent clarity; kayak and sail along the coast; or, in the cooler hours at sunrise or sunset, partake in everyone’s favorite activity, a quiet stroll along the beach where the breeze gently sifts through the royal palms.

Wherever you’re staying, resist the temptation to stay put. Diving enthusiasts should definitely take the ferry over to Cozumel. Palancar, the world’s second-largest reef after Australia’s Great Barrier, offers an underwater mélange of Day-Glo color. Snorkelers can head to Chankanaab Lagoon on Cozumel’s southwest coast, where vibrant jewelfish and parrotfish mingle in turquoise waters with visibility of 100 feet or more. In Cozumel’s largest town, San Miguel, quaint shops with whitewashed walls and tiled roofs are tucked under archways. Most of the stores center around the zócalo, or main square. Black coral jewelry is one of the best buys since Cozumel is one of only three places in the world where this type of coral is found. Artisans weave the fine coral into unique necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Snorkeling at Xcaret Park © Enrique Gomez | Dreamstime.com

The mainland has its share of popular snorkeling spots. One of the best is just north of Playa at Coco Beach. Twenty yards off the coast, a small reef attracts a colorful assortment of butterfly fish and sergeant majors. However, the current might be too strong for children. A good bet for families is Xcaret, an ecology theme park situated about five miles south of Playa del Carmen. A nature preserve, Xcaret features a lagoon, an underground river where you can bob like a cork though caves and inlets, dolphins you can swim with, even pony rides. Children will also have fun at Xel-Há, a series of shallow, calm lagoons where you can teach them to snorkel. Unfortunately, this Mexican national park attracts busloads of tourists from Cancún who ironically scare off the same fish they come to see. It’s best to arrive here very early or late in the day to avoid the tour groups.

South of Xel-Há is the region’s No. 1 tourist attraction, Tulum. These well-preserved Mayan ruins, 60 gray-black buildings in all, perch on a cliff directly above a palm-fringed beach. Archaeologists place the beginnings of Tulum somewhere between 700 and 1000, a period when the Mayan civilization had already passed its peak. The ramparts that surround the three sides of Tulum (the fourth side being the sea) leave little question as to its strategic function as a fortress. Averaging nearly 23 feet in thickness and standing 10 to 16 feet high, the walls have an interior walkway from which the Mayans could throw spears or rocks at invaders.

Most of the small ornate structures have stuccoed gargoyle faces carved into the corners of the buildings. In the well-preserved Temple of the Frescoes, you can peer through protective bars to see a mural painted in three levels. The mural symbolizes the three realms of the Mayan universe — the dark underworld, the middle order of the living and the heavenly home of the creator and rain gods. Look straight toward the sea from the Temple of Frescoes and you can’t miss Tulum’s tallest building, a watchtower fortress overlooking the Caribbean that the Spanish called El Castillo. The pyramid-like staircase to the summit’s temple offers good views of the sea.

About 30 miles northwest of Tulum lies a more impressive yet less frequently visited Mayan site called Coba. Perhaps the largest of all Mayan cities, Coba offers the chance to explore mostly unrestored antiquities set deep in the Mexican jungle. You and the kids will feel like archaeologists walking among the estimated 5 percent of Coba that has been unearthed.

Coba was one of the Mayas’ greatest cities, believed to house nearly 40,000 people in its heyday, somewhere around the year 600. Extensive stone-paved avenues branch out in every direction. The highlight of the ruins is Nohoch Mul, a 135-foot-high pyramid that is the tallest Mayan structure in the Yucatán. Climb the 120 steps to the summit for a panoramic view of the dense foliage which shelters these historical sites.

With its mix of Mayan ruins, white-sand beach, clarity of water and Mexican food (and margaritas), Playa del Carmen makes for an ideal first international trip for families. Once a setting better suited for spaghetti Westerns, it’s now a world-class destination with luxurious resorts, ones my family returns to regularly.

Mayan ruins at Tulum © Hugoht | Dreamstime.com

Playa Del Carmen Info to Go

All flights arrive at Cancún International Airport. Playa del Carmen lies approximately 45 minutes south of the airport via automobile. Most all-inclusive properties, including the ones listed, provide transfer to the resort as part of the package. Otherwise, expect to pay $60–90 for a taxi. If you prefer to rent a car, the road south to Playa del Carmen is well-traveled.

Where to stay in Playa del Carmen

Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa It may be 90 minutes from the airport, but the all-inclusive resort is a secret slice of paradise just five minutes from family-friendly sites like Tulum and Xel-Há. Carretera Chetumal-Puerto Juárez Km. 236.7, Tulum $$$

Grand Velas Riviera Maya Best known for its exemplary dining, this beachfront property gets high grades for its spacious rooms, modern architecture and service, and offers activities programs for kids. Carretera Cancún Tulum Km. 62, Playa del Carmen $$$–$$$$

Iberostar Paraíso Maya Iberostar unveiled five all-inclusive resorts north of Playa del Carmen, all linked so you can walk the long beach and never leave Iberostar property. This is the most upscale of the family-friendly properties. Carretera Chetumal-Puerto Juárez Km. 309, Playa del Carmen $$–$$$

Restaurants in Playa del Carmen

La Coqueta Enjoy affordable Mexican food with a seafood slant in Tulum. Avenida Coba, Tulum $

PapaCharly Pastas An Argentinean-Italian family creates fresh homemade pastas in tasty sauces at this Playa del Carmen eatery. Avenida 25 between Calle 30 and Calle 32, Playa del Carmen $$

Yaxche Maya Cuisine Restaurants and shops line Playa’s main thoroughfare, Avenida Quinta. For authentic Yucatecan food, try Yaxche Maya Cuisine. Avenida Quinta and Calle 22, Playa del Carmen $

Read more about cenotes in the Yucatán Peninsula.