So here I am, day one. Playa del Carmen ('bout, say, 40 kilometers south of Cancun, which everyone seems to know). It's a pretty sleepy little town by most people's standards - one major street with a lot of stores and restaurants, and nothing but beach for miles. If you like your vacations, but think Cancun's too damn much, this is the place for you.

I, of course, found it a bit touristy and expensive. No, I'm looking for something a bit more native...