1. Getting to Playa
Most BPM attendees will be travelling through Cancun International Airport which is about 45 minutes north of Playa Del Carmen. Taxis from the airport can run about $65 USD which is great if you happen to be arriving with a group of 3 or 4 people. But for solo travellers or those whose companions are arriving on different flights, an affordable alternative is the direct bus that takes you to Playa Del Carmen’s bus terminal at Juarez and 5th Av.
Look for the ADO bus lines ticket booth at the Cancun airport inside the baggage claim area. Ask the counter personnel about the schedule to Playa del Carmen and, if it works for you, buy a ticket. Beware, there are many touts trying to wrangle you into a more expensive option, but hold your ground until you find it. The non-stop buses are clean, comfortable and air-conditioned. Travel time is approximately 65 minutes and bus fare is about $10 USD
If you plan on returning to the airport via the bus, it is a good idea to find the return schedule back to the airport so you can snap a picture of it on your camera phone. Schedules that are posted online may change and the current schedule will be displayed at the bus station.
2. Stocking up
So, you got yourself a nice condo or villa and you want to be able to cook up some late night grub or maybe a healthy breakfast… or maybe stock up the liquor supplies to get your pre-party on?? Well Playa Del Carmen has some super-sized supermarkets to get you ready for your week of partying. In addition to the Wal-mart on Calle 10 Nte and 30 Av (they’re everywhere!), you can also head to MEGA on central Av. Constituyentes and 30 Av. (right across from the delicious El Sabrocito del Fogon taqueria!!!) It’s easy to do a big shopping trip there and load up the trunk of an available taxi to get you ready for your week.
3. Advance tickets
With the popularity of the BPM growing exponentially both internationally and within Mexico, I expect that there will be a large influx of new party goers for 2012. While the capacity for the main nighttime venue, the Blue Parrot Beach Club, is enormous, La Santanera is a much smaller club, so be sure to buy your pre-sales for this venue in advance and get there early to avoid lines. Pre-sale tix are available online through either Wantickets http://bpm.wantickets.com or from Resident Advisor (which you can print yourself). http://www.residentadvisor.net/tickets.aspx?ai=70. If you are there for the long haul like me, I highly recommend getting a VIP wristband. It is so convenient to walk to the front of the club bypassing the lines and get instant access.
If you want to wait to pay cash for your ticket (possibly without service charges, but don’t quote me) you can buy them in person at the BPM FESTIVAL Ticket Centre located outside KOOL BEACH CLUB. The center will be open from 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM starting December 26th, 2011 until January 8TH, 2012. After dark, the Night Will-Call Ticket Centre is located at THE BPM FESTIVAL Media Lounge in the ground floor of In Fashion Hotel (Malandrin Calle 12 between Av 5th & 10th) open from 10 PM TO 3AM December 30th , 2011 TO January 7th, 2012. You don’t want to wait to buy your tickets at the venue.
While the daytime parties at Canibal Royal and Mamita’s Lounge are free, they haven’t started selling tickets to the Kool Beach pool parties yet online; but I hear they will be charging this year since they are bringing in some big name talent like John Digweed and Mark Knight.
4. Keep it going!
So you’ve been dancing all night and its 5AM and the club is closing… you’re legs may be tired, but you’re just not quite ready to go to sleep… You don’t want to go back home and wake up your friends, so where do you go??? As of right now, there are no official BPM after-parties announced for 2012 festival. Afterparties were a nightly occurrence during the 2010 festival, but 2011 parties were conspicuously absent. However, there were some very generous festival goers that had a lovely villa in Playa-car that hosted some terrific afterparties featuring some of the festival headliners. So, how do you find these “back-to-mine” parties??? Well since they are spontaneous, word of mouth and subject to the good will of the villa hosts and DJs, I suggest you start networking and meeting as many people at the beginning of the week as possible. And if you do meet the right people and find your self in a taxi heading to a villa afterparty, be a hero and stop by a convenience store to pick up snacks, a 12 pack of beer and a case of water; restocking supplies is a pretty good way to get welcomed with open arms.
5. Learn Spanish
There are lots of free Spanish language tutorial podcasts on iTunes. Load up you podcast and listen to them as much as you can. At the very least try to learn how to say numbers in spanish so you will know what you will be charged for taxi fare or give address to the taxi driver.
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Related posts:
- The BPM Festival Brings You Inaugural PRIMAVERA FESTIVAL - Playa del Carmen, Mexico, April 21-24, 2011
- Featured Festival BPM Festival 2012 Playa Del Carmen Guide
- BPM Festival 2012 - Super Special 10-Day VIP Passes On Sale
- Burning Man, My First Time on the Playa
- BPM Festival 2012 - 1st Phase of Artists Released
