Playa Del Carmen Deals

…getting it all at the right price…

Some buddies came to see me the other week and immediately starting abusing me.

They were like, “Rufus, you’re still wearing the same clothes from ten years ago!

And your point is…

Or “Rufus, do you have to ask for discount in every restaurant?

Yes I do.

They did occasionally compliment me.

Like when I reeled off the happy hour times for twenty different bars in Playa Del Carmen.

The thing is, I’ve never liked wasting money.

If it can be done cheaper with minimal effort, then it should be done cheaper.

So my buddies were falling for some classic tourist-just-arrived-in Playa Del Carmen rip offs.

I don’t want that happen to you.

Where To Find The Best Playa Del Carmen Vacation Deals

The big travel websites usually offer the best deals for your vacation.

They have the best negotiating power and generally the cheapest offers.

Check out my Playa Del Carmen vacations packages page for some research on which sites offer the cheapest vacations to Playa Del Carmen.

In general though, the sites offered very similar prices.

So don’t waste hours and hours searching for the sake of saving $10 USD.

It simply isn’t worth it.

The Best Playa Del Carmen Deals Depend On The Season You Travel In

Playa Del Carmen has clearly defined high and low seasons.

You don’t need to be a MENSA member to work out that the best Playa Del Carmen deals come in low season.

The seasons are loosely connected to the weather.

As you might have guessed, there are some prime times to be in Playa Del Carmen.

However, I don’t think weather should affect when you come to Playa Del Carmen.

Hurricanes are actually very rare, and it never gets cold here.

Make Sure You Avoid Special Season In Playa Del Carmen

Between December 20th and January 4th, Playa Del Carmen is hopping – really hopping.

You won’t get anywhere near getting a good Playa Del Carmen deal.

The whole city is jam-packed, every hotel bed is taken, and every tour inflates their prices.

This is when most people are off work, so everyone here makes sure they make money when its easy to do so.

While there are so some good parties at these times, it’s definitely not worth spending double on your vacation – of course, unless you have to because it is the only time that you have off work.

The Best Playa Del Carmen Deals Are Found During Low Season

High season in Playa Del Carmen runs from the start of November to just after Easter.

Low season runs from after Easter to the end of October.

There is one exception though.

Playa Del Carmen is very popular with Europeans during mid-July to the end August.

Why? I don’t know.

I wouldn’t say it’s high season, but it’s not the cheapest time to visit.

Plus, do you really want to be on a beach full of overweight sun-burned Europeans?

Why It’s Great To Come To Playa Del Carmen In Low Season

The low-season coincides with the hottest time of the year in Playa Del Carmen.

But so what?

You will have air-conditioning in your hotel – even if it’s a really cheap hotel.

You’ll also probably have a pool at your hotel or resort.

You’ll definitely have the ocean to cool you down.

The tour companies and activity providers are struggling for businesses so they offer discounts to get people on their trips.

Restaurants and bars go even crazier with the drinks offers.

In short, everything is cheaper!

But don’t worry.

It’s not like Playa Del Carmen becomes a ghost town.

There are still plenty of people around.

In fact, this relaxed time of year is when you’ve got the best chance of meeting locals.

Just don’t ever lend a Mexican any money. Uou will never get it back.

Tips For Negotiating Playa Del Carmen Deals

The time of year is the biggest factor when haggling for the best deals.

The second factor is how big your group is.

Four people will do significantly better than one.

Here are some easy and simple tips when negotiating:

  • Ask whether the company is on Trip Advisor. By suggesting you can help them out with a review they’re more likely to bring the price down.
  • Ask them if they have been reviewed on this site yet. Tell them that you will be leaving a comment on playadelcarmen.org about their services when the trip is over.
  • Try to group the activities together.  If you’re are doing three excursions, then you’ll get the best deal by doing them all with one company–and paying for them all together!
  • Use local companies that are owned by ex-pats.  They know the city well and are more flexible with prices than international companies.  Tell them that you are a regular visitor to Playa Del Carmen, or that you plan to come back every year.
  • Be flexible on dates (e.g. if a tour company already has a group of eight going on a different day, it’s cheaper for them to add you to that day).
  • Offer them something.  Are you a good photographer who can take some good photos for them? Can you write a great testimonial for their website? What do you bring to the table? Do you know loads of friends planning to book a trip to Playa Del Carmen?

Always ask.

It might sound silly, but if you don’t ask, you won’t get.

The worst they can say is no.

Build Relationships With People In Playa Del Carmen

Many people visit Playa Del Carmen year after year.

While it won’t save you any money immediately, by maintaining a relationship with your favorite hotels, great resorts, and activity providers, you can bag yourself a great deal the next time you come here.

Take photos of the tour guides / restaurants / hotels.

Then send them a nice email explaining how much you loved the experience and how you look forward to seeing them next year.

Who knows when it will pay off! Besides, it’s a nice thing to do!

Everyone in Playa Del Carmen is pretty chilled, and sending a nice email will definitely put a smile on their face.

Finally – Plan Exactly What You Need In Advance

It’s no good saving a bit of money and then wasting it on a tour that you didn’t really want to go on.

In most cases, the best way to save money is to plan all your activities in advance.

Believe me, you will not have time to do everything, so it is extremely important that you choose the activities relevant to your interests, physical abilities, and time frames.

If you don’t you end up booking the first one that gets offered.

For example, if you’re renting a car, then think about whether you need it for the whole vacation or just a few days.

Playa Del Carmen is mostly pedestrianized, so it’s only worth getting a rental car for day trips where you need to go a long distance away from the city.

So rather than spend countless hours searching for Playa Del Carmen deals, first make a plan about what you’re going to do on vacation.

One thing I’m certain of is that you will absolutely love it here and want to come back again and again!

I hope to see you here soon…

Lots of love,

Rufus

Rufus signature

Do you have any tips, advice, or suggestions about getting a great deal when coming here? Please leave them in the comments section below!

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