Good writeup. I've never been to Playa, but have been to Cancun a few times. Sounds like Playa is a more genuine experience with somewhat less of the tourist chaos. Good to know on how cheap it is to live there though.
Also an excellent point on the crime/violence that has the potential to happen. It's true even in Cancun, the tourist mecca of Central America. I was at Mandala and two of my buddies went to the bathroom, got cornered by a group of locals with knives, and had to hand over all of their cash. Naturally, the perps then disappeared into the swarms of the club.
Mexico offers a ton of fun and a ton of game opportunity, but "use at your own risk" is 100% valid.
Also, and I'm sure this applies to Playa as well as Cancun: Do not piss in public. If one night you decide to punch someone in the face in front of a cop, and the next night you decide to take a piss in an alley and a cop sees you...you're going to jail the second night.
Also an excellent point on the crime/violence that has the potential to happen. It's true even in Cancun, the tourist mecca of Central America. I was at Mandala and two of my buddies went to the bathroom, got cornered by a group of locals with knives, and had to hand over all of their cash. Naturally, the perps then disappeared into the swarms of the club.
Mexico offers a ton of fun and a ton of game opportunity, but "use at your own risk" is 100% valid.
Also, and I'm sure this applies to Playa as well as Cancun: Do not piss in public. If one night you decide to punch someone in the face in front of a cop, and the next night you decide to take a piss in an alley and a cop sees you...you're going to jail the second night.