Beach Erosion in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Other posts by MountainMama

No, those kids aren’t playing on a beached whale. That’s a massive sandbag in the ocean in front of the Sandos Playacar Beach Resort & Spa. It’s just one of dozens of humongous bags of sand found up and down the beach along the hotel strip known as Playacar just south of Playa del Carmen.

The hotels put them up to protect what little sandy beach is left in the area. Beach erosion has been problematic in the past few years. There were no sandbags when my family visited the same area in 2005 (in fact we were at the Iberostar Tucan next door to the Sandos property). Since then, a series of storms and ocean currents have wreaked havoc on the sand, and the natural reef/sandbar that had formerly protected area beaches has disappeared.

The sandbags are decidedly unsightly. And in front of some of the resorts in this Playacar area, lounge chairs are packed like sardines on what little beach is left. (The Sandos and the Iberostar had decent beach for chairs and palapas.)

It’s just sad that in a few short years the makeup of the Playacar beaches has changed so much! Thankfully, my marketing friend at the Riviera Maya Tourism Office tells me that government officials recently approved a “beach restoration project” that will pump some money into pumping sand from deeper spots in the ocean to restore beaches to their former glory (sans sandbags).

One bright spot is that kids do love playing on the massive sandbags. Of course, there are warning signs telling visitors that they are not to climb on them (ha!), but kids have a ball jumping off the massive “whales” into the ocean. Since the “whales’ block the big waves and strong currents, the ocean is a bit friendlier for young children, too.

That said, for two days on our vacation, a tropical storm must have been brewing off the coast somewhere. We had major winds and HUMONGOUS waves, and we (adults included) played and laughed in the giant waves in an area in front of the hotel that was not blocked by the sandbags. I have no idea what those strong currents did to the sandy beach, but we sure did have a ball.

Don’t let the sandbags and smaller strips of beach stop you from booking a hotel stay in the Playa del Carmen area. Sure, it’s not as enjoyable to gaze out into the turquoise and royal-blue ocean with those massive lumps in the way, but all-inclusive properties, hotel activities, archaeological ruins, tequila bars, snorkeling expeditions, ATV rides, ziplines, tropical breezes and lots of sunshine still beckon!

Here are a couple more photos of the “beached whales” in front of and just north of the Sandos Playacar Beach Resort & Spa:

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December 29, 2008 | Filed Under Destinations, Flying High, Travel News 

Comments

10 Responses to “Beach Erosion in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico”

  1. ezineaerticles » Blog Archive » Beach Erosion in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico | Traveling Mamas says:
    December 29, 2008 at

    [...] Original unknown [...]

  2. Honeymoon Holidays says:
    December 29, 2008 at

    I went on the beach last week and it was beautiful and there didn’t seem to be any litter where I was at (I was at the beach by the Ancient Mayan Ruins). I thought it was beautiful,

  3. MountainMama says:
    December 29, 2008 at

    I agree – beaches VERY clean.

  4. Melody Moser says:
    December 29, 2008 at

    Great post. I was in Playa del Carmen in October and thought the beaches were beautiful. I didn’t stay at one of the Playacar resorts as I had an apartment in town – I was studying at a language school there – but the public beaches were nice. My favorite beach by far, though, was the one by the ruins at Tulum – it was heavenly!

  5. Sharlene says:
    December 30, 2008 at

    It is sad that the beaches are eroding so quickly. Do they know why?

  6. Nancy D. Brown says:
    December 30, 2008 at

    Well, I suppose I should have read this article on the Traveling Mamas website before I commmented on your FB photo.

    Thanks for the explanation.

  7. Barbara Weibel says:
    December 31, 2008 at

    Now I am truly jealous, as I sit here in Illinois suffering freezing rain, snowstorms, hail, sleet, ice jams on the river and major flooding – all in the space of 10 days.

  8. Carnival of Cities for 7 January 2009 says:
    January 7, 2009 at

    [...] del Carmen, Mexico Kara Williams presents Beach Erosion in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico posted at Traveling [...]

  9. Catherine says:
    January 7, 2009 at

    They do look really unsightly…hope it is not going to become a feature of other Mexican beaches I know and love…

  10. Experience Hawaii Like a Local says:
    June 25, 2009 at

    I found your site while looking for stuff to do while in Hawaii. Cool stuff, glad I stumbled across you.

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