Playa Colosio (Calle 72)
- Blue Flag certified
- Residential, little visited
- Free public access, no beach club
- Long uninterrupted walking
- Ungroomed, natural shoreline
- No built shade, bring your own
Overview
Playa Colosio, also known as Playa 72, is the free public beach of the Colosio district in the northern half of Playa del Carmen, between Coco Beach to the south and Playa 88 to the north. It is reached by a sandy path that starts at the corner of Avenida Luis Donaldo Colosio (Calle 72 Norte) and Fifth Avenue and runs for a few minutes through the protected Chen Zubul natural area, past wetland and mangrove that is fenced off from the path. There are no hotels, bars or beach clubs, and no services beyond a few free palapas, rubbish bins and a lifeguard tower that is not always staffed, so visitors should bring water, sun protection and, at dusk, insect repellent.
Since July 2024 Playa 72 has been Playa del Carmen's first official pet-friendly beach, and dogs run and swim off the lead here, so it is not the place for anyone uncomfortable around dogs. The crowd is mostly from the neighbourhood behind it; mornings and weekdays are quiet, and Sunday afternoons are the busiest. Skydivers also land on this stretch of sand.
Our current condition score for this beach is .
Photo summary of last month
Photographs are published unedited and in date order, and are replaced as newer submissions arrive, so what appears here is the most recent view rather than a promotional image.
Because there is no hotel frontage here, photographs from this beach show the coast as it is.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
Playa del Carmen faces east into the open Caribbean, and the sargassum carried north along this coast reaches the town's beaches directly.
The northern end of the town has not fared better than the centre recently. In September and October 2026, our photographs and drone flights often showed more sargassum from Playa 72 and Playa 88 to Punta Esmeralda than on the central beaches between Mamitas and Calle 38.
The sargassum season
The season on this coast runs broadly from March or April through to September or October, with the heaviest arrivals normally falling between May and August. Outside that window the water is usually clear for long stretches, and in the winter months the beach looks entirely different from its summer self.
Because there is no hotel frontage clearing the sand, the seasonal swing is plainly visible on this beach.
Our guide to sargassum season in the Riviera Maya sets out how the pattern behaves across the region and why it has intensified.
Swimming conditions and safety
The profile here is the standard one for this part of the coast: fine pale sand, a gradual shelf and no significant surf in normal conditions. There is a lifeguard tower, but it is not always staffed and there are none of the services of the central beaches, so swimmers should treat it as an unsupervised beach and stay within their depth.
Shade is scarce: there are a few free palapas, which fill up early, and no loungers. Bring an umbrella if you intend to stay for any length of time.
Choosing a hotel on this stretch
There is very little hotel frontage here, which is precisely why the beach is quiet. Accommodation in Colosio is mostly apartments and small condominium buildings a street or two back from the sand, aimed at long stays rather than resort holidays.
The practical options are condominium rentals in Colosio itself, or hotels around Calle 88 and Coco Beach a short distance south, which sit on the same northern run of coast while offering more in the way of services.
Access and getting there
The access is at the corner of Avenida Luis Donaldo Colosio (Calle 72 Norte) and Fifth Avenue, about a block from the sea; from there the path through the Chen Zubul area takes about five minutes on foot. Colectivos and taxis cover the ride from the centre, and cycling is an easy way to reach this part of town.
Cycling is the easiest way to reach this part of town, and the ride from Fifth Avenue takes roughly twenty minutes on flat ground.
Parking near the access is limited, and visitors park in the surrounding streets. There are no public toilets or showers on the sand, so bring water.
Check live conditions before you go
Colosio is an ungroomed public beach on the section of coast that local authorities count among the least affected in Playa del Carmen. On the live map we track it with dated photographs and a current condition score, so you can compare it against Punta Esmeralda, El Recodo and the central beaches on the same morning and see for yourself whether the pattern is holding.
See live conditions, photos & cams →