Anchorage· Playa del Carmen· Mexico
Playa del Carmen Roadstead
20° 37.0′ N · 87° 4.2′ W · approximate
The open beach front of Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya's busiest town and the mainland terminal for the Cozumel ferries - a daytime stop to drop crew or shop rather than a sheltered anchorage.
Practical
Coordinate is approximate: placed about 300 m east-southeast of the ferry-pier light (SEMAR light 23-156 at 20 37'08.79"N, 87 04'21.76"W, white flash every 2 s, 6 nm range; reported back in operation August 2022). No cruising guide or cruiser report we found recommends anchoring here: the shore faces east into the prevailing trades with no reef or headland shelter, and the Winjet and Ultramar ferries run hourly 8 am-8 pm from the pier (a second dock, Muelle Constituyentes, is sometimes used). Pangas on the beach are mostly unlicensed fishing charters (Wikivoyage). Playa del Carmen has a Capitanía de Puerto (SEMAR issues local notices from it), but for clearance cruisers use Cozumel, Puerto Aventuras (agent) or Isla Mujeres. The nearest real shelter is Puerto Aventuras marina, about 20 km south.
Best for
Short daytime stop for crew changes and shopping in calm weather
Season
Calm, settled weather only
Nearby
- Playa del Carmen Ferry Terminal0.4 NM away
- Playa del Carmen Bull Shark Season0.5 NM away
- Chedraui (Playa del Carmen)1 NM away
- Barracuda Reef (Cozumel North)8.5 NM away
- Banco Playa / Puerto de Abrigo Anchorage (Cozumel)8.9 NM away
- Northers and Cozumel West-Coast Exposure8.9 NM away
- San Miguel Anchorage (Cozumel)8.9 NM away
- Puerto de Abrigo Marina (Banco Playa, Cozumel)9 NM away