The best Costa Maya Shore excursions

A special Mexican region awaits visitors in Costa Maya. Located in the southeast of Mexico, this cruise port is near the cozy town Mahahual.

Costa Maya is a port built in 2001 and a popular destination for Caribbean cruises. Discover with us the best Costa Maya excursions and attractions.

The best Costa Maya Shore Excursions

>> All Costa Maya Shore Excursions

Shore Excursions Costa Maya

Shore Excursions Costa Maya: Tours for cruisers

A special Mexican region awaits visitors in Costa Maya. Located in the southeast of Mexico, this cruise port is near the cozy town of Mahahual. Costa Maya is a port built in 2001 and a popular destination for Caribbean cruises. Discover with us the best Costa Maya excursions and attractions.

Costa Maya overview

Costa Maya map for shore excursions, Source

The Costa Maya cruise port is located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan peninsula. Only three kilometers / 2 miles away from the cruise port of Costa Maya is the small resort city Mahahual.   In Mahahual there are many restaurants and souvenir shops, bars and a very nice beaches. Tourists stroll leisurely along the beach promenade (Spanish: Malecon) and enjoy the fresh breeze that blows from the sea.

Costa Maya Shore Excursions: The Mayan Ruins Chacchoben

Shore Excursions Costa Maya: The Mayan Ruins Chacchoben

Well preserved are the Mayan ruins Chacchoben in the woods near a Mayan village, also called Chacchoben. Although the original name is not known anymore, one can imagine the life of the ancient Maya at that time. The great square, the dwellings, the temples of the most important Mayan deities, and the government house; all form an impressive testimony of the past.   Our tour to the archaeological site Chacchoben includes not only an introduction to the world of the Mayan people and its historical embedding, but the guides, many of them Mayan descendants, enthusiastically tell about their traditions, diets and language.

Costa Maya Shore Excursions: Bacalar Lagoon

Costa Maya Excursions: Boat Tour on the Bacalar Lagoon

Turquoise water, deep navy blue, a pale light blue. The different  shades give the Bacalar lagoon the name:  Laguna de los siete colores, in English: lagoon of the seven colors. The water of the lagoon is fed bysubterranean cenotes – freshwater caves, for which the Yucatan Peninsula is so famous. If you come here, take a boat trip on the lagoon of Bacalar, enjoy a dip in the wonderfully refreshing water or relax in the pleasant tranquility that surrounds this place.

Costa Maya Shore Excursions: The Mayan Ruins Kohunlich

Excursions from Costa Maya: The temple of masks in Kohunlich

Far away from civilization are the Mayan ruins Kohunlich. From the well-developed streets leads a gravel road for about 10 miles inland. The journey alone is breathtaking. While at the beginning of the road, the typical low forest dominates the picture, the vegetation suddenly changes to tropical rainforest with meter-high palm trees. The green seems to swallow the road, as it has buried the impressive Mayan buildings for hundreds of years.   In the massive terrain, the structures are architecturally close to Guatemala, older than most Mayan sites in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula. The most impressive is certainly the Palace of the Masks, which is located at the very end of the complex. These masks show human faces, each with elements of the important Mayan sun god.

Beaches close to Costa Maya

Excursions in Costa Maya: Beaches

If you want to go to the beach in Mahahual, you have the choice between different, managed beach clubs. Most charge an entrance fee and provide beach chairs, umbrellas, food, installations and water activities For some visitors, the port offer of beach clubs and excursions in Costa Maya is overwhelming. Many sellers and taxi drivers take their guests to the beach clubs, where they receive the most commission. Therefore, it is advisable to inform yourself in advance about the activities and attractions in Costa Maya and book online. Below is an overview of the most popular beach clubs in Costa Maya. They are all located on the waterfront: At Maya Chan Beach Club, transport is included in the price Fantastic food and a beautiful beach at Nohoch Kay Beach Club The Blue Kay Resort includes 2 (alcoholic) drinks in the entrance fee and provides snorkeling gear The Tropicante Costa Maya also has offers for vegetarians Pitaya Beach Club offers international as well as Mexican cuisine and seafood

Shore Excursions Costa Maya: Port of call

Excursions in Costa Maya: The port

The Costa Maya port is relatively new and was built in 2001. The region around is still underdeveloped. There is little going on outside of Mahahual. Small Mayan communities are spread in the jungle. The nearest town is 70 kilometers / 50 miles away, Mahahual has not even a supermarket. The Costa Maya cruise port was hit twice by a hurricane, and parts of the port were rebuilt. The cruise terinal has a beautiful pool landscape, many restaurants and bars. Overall, the Costa Maya cruise port is slightly more expensive than Cozumel. The beaches in nearby Mahahual are beautiful and on the waterfront one beach club is next to the other. Everything is tailored to the needs of the tourists.

Costa Maya Transportation

There is no public transportation in Costa Maya. This is due to the taxi monopoly, which gives taxi drivers special rights in passenger transportation. When a cruise ship arrives, the taxis wait in line at the only exit. The taxi drivers have precise rules about who is allowed to do the transportation. Due to the lack of public transportation, cruise ship guests have the following options:

Walking Although Costa Maya is relatively close to Mahahual, the distances in the heat are relatively far. The waterfront of Mahahual is long, so you should save your energy for walking up and down.

Taxis Right after arriving on Costa Maya, many taxi drivers are waiting. Taxis are expensive for the reasons mentioned above and it is always advisable to arrange the price in advance. Taxi drivers are used to charge a price per person.

Tours Excursions are the most convenient way to get to know the Costa Maya area. Our tour guides know Costa Maya for many years and show the most beautiful corners of the area. We have put together a selected package of Costa Maya excursions that will show visitors the highlights of the area in a matter of hours.

The best Costa Maya Shore Excursions

>> All Costa Maya Shore Excursions

Summary

Further information Costa Maya Shore Excursions

Clima

The Costa Maya has summer temperatures all year round. The best time to travel is between November and April, because in summer it can get very hot. Tourist high season is at Christmas and Easter, because many guests from Europe and the USA use the days off for a vacation. This is especially noticeable in higher flight and hotel prices. In the months of December to February, the average temperature is 22-28 degrees. Then it is winter with us. When the wind shifts and blows from the north, it can get fresh at night. Therefore you should pack a jacket.

In the months of March and April is the short dry season. The humidity is not yet too high and it is very pleasantly warm. From May the temperatures rise to 30 – 35 degrees. Then it can become humid. It rains from time to time, but usually not more than one hour. These downpours are very pleasant. The summer months are perfect for a beach vacation.

Visa

You do not need a visa for Mexico, but your passport should be valid for 6 months after your departure date from Germany. On the plane, the tourist card FMM with a validity of 180 days is handed out. Together with the tourist card you get a form on which you have to indicate if food or vegetable or animal products are imported into Mexico. Also, more than $10,000 in cash must be declared. These forms can be filled out at leisure on the plane. Therefore, it is advisable to pack a pen in your carry-on luggage.

The two forms must be handed in at immigration. The tourist card is required by the employee at the migration. The lower section will be stamped. This will remain as a copy in your passport. Do not lose it, otherwise you will have to pay a penalty fee of 25 euros when you leave the country.

After the migration, the suitcases can be collected. Before leaving the airport, the suitcases will be x-rayed. In the process, the section indicating what is being imported is retained. Occasional spot checks verify that all the information is correct.

Health

There are no vaccination requirements for Mexico. Nevertheless, it is advisable to take a look at the vaccination certificate before starting your trip. Tetanus and polio protection should be checked before long-distance travel, as well as typhoid and hepatitis vaccinations for stays in remote areas. Malaria is not common on the east coast of Mexico, but cases of dengue or Zika are rare. Therefore, mosquito repellent and long light clothing for the evening should be included in your luggage. Mosquito repellent can also be purchased locally.

You should not drink tap water in Mexico, it is only suitable for showering and washing. Bottled water or water from a canister (container with 20 liters of water) is suitable for drinking. Single cubes are made from drinking water. Medicines can be bought in pharmacies without prescription and are cheaper than in Germany.

Currency

The official currency is the Mexican peso. Especially in the tourist areas in Cancun, around Playa del Carmen and also on Cozumel there are exchange offices everywhere, which exchange Euros and Dollars into Pesos. The dollar is also widely used as a means of payment. In the big supermarkets you get a very good exchange rate if you pay with dollars. The rate is often better than at the exchange offices. In the tourist souvenir stores the exchange rate is worse. It is better to pay with pesos. Euros are also accepted in many places. However, only bills are accepted, since coins cannot be exchanged in the banks.

Basically, it is not necessary to exchange dollars in Germany. Many travel agencies recommend this, but you pay double exchange fees. Because you first have to exchange into dollars and pay the costs for the exchange. And then the dollar must be exchanged for pesos in Mexico. You can change Euros into Pesos just as easily almost everywhere. It is also easy to withdraw pesos from ATMs using major credit cards. For security reasons, the ATMs in the large supermarkets or banks are recommended.

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