Playa del Carmen: Where to eat, shop and play

Playa del Carmen on the Caribbean coast of Mexico isn’t just any tourist town — it has a wild spirit that lurks around every corner.

A shop sporting Mexican-styled shirts and sombreros may have a secret garden in the back, and if you look closely, the facades of many venues are half natural rock, part tree and more organic than the knickknacks being hawked inside.

It’s like the jungle is trying to take over, sneaky and slow. Here’s where to seek that spirit out.