Playa del Carmen

Lying 41 miles south of Cancun, Playa del Carmen is a dream for Americans who don’t want to be surrounded by their countrymen (and women). Popular with Europeans, who account for 80 percent of the tourists who visit the lush locale, Playa del Carmen boasts pristine beaches, clear blue water and, yes, topless sunbathers. The crowd is older than the spring breakers who flock to Cancun every year, so the aura is relaxing, rather than frenetic.