Once a sleepy fishing village, Playa del Carmen is now a Riviera Maya destination in its own right. Here, lively bars and cool boutiques sit next to local taquerias and chic luxury hotels—all with a bit more authentic Mexican style than you’ll find up the coast in Cancun. By day, hit the beach or hop the ferry to Cozumel, and at night, stroll La Quinta (the city’s main pedestrian thoroughfare) for some people watching and the perfect margarita. And if all of that’s not enough, amazing diving and snorkelling are just off shore, while the ancient ruins of Coba tower over the inland jungles nearby.