17 amazing Instagram spots in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Playa del Carmen is a place full of colors, tasty food, and palm-lined beaches. Here are some of the most beautiful and fun Instagram spots around Playa del Carmen town.

In this blog post, you will find all the Instagram spots in Playa del Carmen with photos, descriptions, how to get there, and exact locations where they can be found on Google Maps. Happy exploring!

1. Playa del Carmen letters

Obviously, one of the main photo spots in the town is the letters of ‘Playa del Carmen’. They are especially attractive because the letters are very colorful plus they have a beach in the background and a huge palm tree right behind and peaking above them. We came here at sunrise and got the sunrays beaming through the holes in the letters! Magic!

Location: Playa del Carmen letters

2. Portal Maya at Parque Los Fundadores

Right next to the letters of Playa del Carmen, you will find another amazing Instagram photo spot in Playa del Carmen – Portal Maya. It is a huge arched sculpture (50 ft. or 16m high!) at the main beach in Playa del Carmen.

It depicts figures of a man and a woman holding hands and leaning out of a spiral of water and wind. This sculpture symbolizes a new beginning of a new era.

It is a symbol of solidarity and hope. You can’t miss this place when visiting Playa del Carmen. Just come early in the morning if you wish to avoid crowds!

Location: Portal Maya

3. Quinta Avenida street

Definitely, the most famous street in Playa del Carmen is 5th Avenue or Quinta Avenida. This is probably the busiest of all the streets full of cafés, restaurants, shops, and street vendors.

It is often decorated with colorful statues, street art, as well as lines of vignettes. Simply walking this street from one end to another will be an adventure full of new and bright impressions. You can find Instagram spots in many places on this street in Playa del Carmen.

Location: Quinta Avenida · Photo location

4. Street art murals

As soon as you get to Playa del Carmen town you will be overwhelmed by how many street art pieces and murals are there! They do love street art here and you will find them all over the town!

These murals are amazing Instagram spots in Playa del Carmen because they reflect the style, feeling, and appearance of the town. Definitely find one you like the most and take a photo (for the photos above you will find the locations below!).

Location: Photo location (first photo) · Photo location (second photo)

5. Playa del Carmen beaches

There is no doubt that the white-sand beaches with palm trees lined along the clear blue water are the main attractions for visitors to this town.

Honestly, there are many great Instagram spots at the beaches of Playa del Carmen, so just take a walk along the beach and enjoy the scenery! I particularly enjoyed the beaches at sunrise as they were less crowded!

Location: Photo location

6. 3D Museum of Wonders

I am not one of those who include museum visits in travel itineraries. I visit museums quite rarely, but we had to see the 3D Museum of Wonders in Playa del Carmen.

It is the paradise for Instagram spots in Playa del Carmen! For an entrance fee of 35 USD, you can visit dozens of paintings in the museum that look three-dimensional. Especially through the lens of a camera!

Location: 3D Museum of Wonders

7. Lido Beach Club

Whether you are a beach club type of person who loves to enjoy them all day long or just want to relax and sit at the table in a restaurant with your feet in white sand, Lido Beach Club is a great choice for all of that.

We simply went there for a chill breakfast and enjoyed it very much. The beach club is very picturesque with an inner garden, coconut stands, swings at the bar, and wooden tables. You can sit right by the water!

Location: Lido Beach Club

8. Pink overgrown house

While taking a walk along Quinta Avenida we noticed this wonderful house that stood out a lot. It is actually a pink house but totally overgrown with plants and looks really cool. A fun and amusing Instagram spot in Playa del Carmen for sure!

Location: Pink overgrown house

9. Colorful Hacienda Maria Bonita Hotel

I have to admit that this colorful Hacienda Maria Bonita Hotel was probably the most colorful building we saw in Playa del Carmen. We actually stayed there for two nights and it was quite nice.

It is a traditional colonial-time mansion with an inner courtyard, decorated with many plants, benches for sitting, and statues. Everything was colorful. Even if you are not staying at this hotel you can easily access the front of the building and take a photo.

Location: Hacienda Maria Bonita Hotel

10. Alux – the underground restaurant in a cave

Having dinner at this underground restaurant built in a cave was the most unique experience we had in Playa del Carmen. And it provides some of the most unique Instagram spots of Playa del Carmen as well!

Although this will be a pricier dinner than at other bars and restaurants, I quite enjoyed it. I was surprised how long the cave system there is underground! After the dinner they let you walk around and see all the corners of this cave – quite impressive!

Location: Alux Restaurant Bar and Lounge

11. Heart-shaped bench at Soundset Beach Club

We noticed this heart-shaped bench while walking along the beach and I simply fell in love with this heart, haha! Especially because it has the most beautiful background – the Caribbean Sea and palm trees. Magical!

We did not go to the beach club as we saw it had bad reviews but we came early in the morning to take a photo here before the masses arrived. It is a cute Instagram spot in Playa del Carmen you can visit if you happen to be nearby!

Location: Heart-shaped bench

12. Benches with Mexican man statues

What can more perfectly tell that you are in Mexico than a photo with a Mexican man statue sitting on a bench, haha!? We noticed both of these bronze statues while strolling along Quinta Avenida.

If you see one of them – definitely take a photo! One of them is located at the Hacienda Tequila liquor store, but the other statue is in Plaza Paseo del Carmen shopping mall right at the end of Quinta Avenida.

Location: Hacienda Tequila store · Paseo del Carmen shopping mall

13. Quinta Alegría Shopping Mall

Quinta Alegría Shopping Mall is a big shopping mall at Quinta Avenida that you will definitely walk past if you decide to explore Quinta Avenida Street.

While we were there we used the opportunity to take this optimistic, fun, and colorful photo with street art. The location for the street art is below.

Location: Photo location

14. Butterflies at Paseo del Carmen Shopping Mall

Who doesn’t love butterflies?! I suppose some don’t, but these ones at Paseo del Carmen Shopping Mall are different – there are only colorful wings where you can take some cute and colorful photos. Both of these pairs of wings are located right next to each other (near Starbucks inside the shopping mall).

Location: Paseo del Carmen Shopping Mall

15. Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Carmen

This beautiful and modern white chapel is a stark contrast to the colorful streets of Playa del Carmen. That’s why it draws so much attention. It is located next to Parque Los Fundadores.

The most special thing about this chapel is that it has a glass wall facing the ocean so you can actually see the palm trees and the ocean while sitting inside the chapel. This is one of those very unique Instagram spots in Playa del Carmen!

Location: Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Carmen

16. Quinta Avenida ice-cream shop with swings

Can you imagine yourself eating ice cream while sitting in a swing and carelessly swaying around and watching people pass by? It was a reality for us when we went to the Amorino ice cream shop at Quinta Avenida.

Although ice-creams were a bit pricey, we enjoyed eating them and swinging next to the street. Remember to take a photo of yourself on the swings!

Location: Quinta Avenida ice cream shop

17. Playa Xcalacoco

In case it gets crowded at Playa del Carmen beaches, Playa Xcalacoco is a great alternative. Located right outside the town, this place is less accessible and less crowded.

There are hotels located next to the beach so there will be some people guaranteed however definitely less than at the center.

Plus you get all the amenities that the hotels have built at the beach like showers, toilets, a bar, massages, and so on (for a fee). We quite enjoyed this more remote option and the views are beautiful!

Location: Playa Xcalacoco