PV if you want any gay nightlife at all. I loved Playa Del Carmen, but there is not much gay about it, expect the speedos worn by Europeans. Plus Playa Del Carmen you have to worry about the sargassum issues. If you want to do a lot of touring and spending the days away from the beaches, then Playa Del Carmen cannot be beat for the archaeological aspects. I plan on going back just to spend more time at the ruins. I found PV to be less expensive.