A Families and Couples Photoshoot at Mahekal Beach Resort: Spots, Times and Prices

Playa del Carmen gives a session both the beach and a lively town. Here is how we plan one for guests of Mahekal Beach Resort.

The Session at a Glance

• ResortA beachfront resort of palapa-roofed bungalows near Playa Mamitas, in the north of central Playa del Carmen
• AreaCentral Playa del Carmen
• Beach facesEast, toward Cozumel

Where We Shoot

The water's edge. Away from loungers, with Cozumel on the horizon.

Around town. Parque Fundadores, with the Portal Maya sculpture and the ferry pier to Cozumel, is the classic Playa del Carmen backdrop, busiest in the evening and quiet at sunrise.

Sunrise or Sunset

Times for this beach on the 15th of each month in 2027.

The beach faces east toward Cozumel: sunrise lifts over the channel, and the hour before sunset is soft and even. From roughly November through February the sun rises from behind Cozumel, which makes a sunrise session here unusually striking.

How the Photographer Gets In

If you are staying at Mahekal Beach Resort, the photographer comes in as your invited guest: give the front desk our name and the session time a day or two ahead, and we check in at the lobby. For a private session, a staying guest is very seldom asked for the outside vendor fee that resorts charge for weddings, but policies change, so we confirm it with the resort in writing before your date. If you are staying elsewhere, expect a day pass for the photographer. Our guide to bringing an outside photographer to a resort covers both cases.

Sessions in the Riviera Maya, Through Our Lens

Real IVAE Studios sessions along the Riviera Maya. They show our work in the area, not necessarily at Mahekal Beach Resort.

Collections and Prices

Prices include editing and delivery in a private 4K gallery, usually within one to three business days.