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Shopping: Unforgettable Mementos

By Kyle Roderick

Shopping in the Playa del Carmen area means finding a wide variety of top-quality items from Mexico and around the world.

If your shopping time is limited, however, a trip to the open-air Paseo del Carmen Shopping Center on Avenue 10 and Calle 1 may be your best bet. There is a range of appealing boutiques here such as Diesel, Harley Davidson, American Apparel and Ultrafemme, a perfume shop featuring an enormous selection of scents that are considerably less expensive here than in the U.S. or Europe. There are also many beachwear and craft shops in Paseo del Carmen, along with Starbucks and other eateries where you can rest and refuel. As for other boutiques around town, here’s a short list of the best.

DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL: A dazzling selection of diamond and colored gemstone jewelry.  
Fifth Avenue and Avenida Juárez. Other stores are in Cancún, Cozumel and Costa Maya.

BOTANICUS: Eco-friendly bath and body products, including handmade soaps, creams, skin scrubs, shampoos and aromatic candles, created from natural ingredients like essential oils, herbs, and plant extracts.  
Corner of Calle Corazón and 14th Street.



JOE NATURAL: Everything in this hip unisex jewelry boutique is handmade. All pieces are made from leather and ornamented with natural material beads, feathers, etc.  
Located in the middle of Calle Corazón.

LA HIERBABUENA: Fine crafts, artistic clothing, wall hangings and other textiles. 
Fifth Avenue between 8th and 10th Streets.

AMBAR MEXICANO: Gold and silver jewelry, sculptures, raw and finished amber.
Fifth Avenue between 4th and 6th Streets.

PLAZA LA FIESTA: This souvenir bazaar could be your one-stop shop for vacation gifts and mementos.  
Paseo del Carmen at Fifth Avenue.

PLAYA MART: If tequila’s your souvenir of choice, then this is your place. Great prices on men’s, women’s and children’s T-shirts, plus a vast array of drugstore items.  
Avenida Juárez between 5th and 10th Avenues.

SHALOM: An internationally sourced beach boutique stocked with on-trend sandals, clothing, hats and decorative home accessories.
Fifth Avenue between 6th and 8th Streets.



OJOS MAYAS: This store sells crafts such as dolls, bowls, clothing and home accessories, plus food products such as papaya jam from various Mayan communities.
Galería Quinta Plaza, Fifth Avenue between 6th and 8th Streets; ojosmayas.com.

SIETE DETALLES: Gorgeous pewter serving bowls and utensils; authentic Talavera pottery and hand-blown glass items make this a superb shop for those looking for beautiful handmade tableware and house gifts.  
First Avenue between 14th and 16th Streets; sietedetalles.com.

VIVA MARÍA: Beachwear such as bikinis, shorts, tunics, pareos, sandals and more.  
On Fifth Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets.

WAYAN: This creatively curated art boutique sells traditional craft items from Mexico and Africa and tasteful, natural-fiber clothing that is ideal for tropical weather.
Located in Paseo del Carmen shopping mall and on Fifth Avenue between 2nd and 4th Streets; wayan.com.