Question 1

Costa Maya on Your Own

Accepted Answer

A simple day here is a short ride into Mahahual, a swim or snorkel on the reef off its beach, and lunch along the boardwalk. The Maya sites inland are too far for an easy independent trip, so book a tour or hire a car if you want to see them. Into Mahahual: Take the port shuttle to the town entrance, or local transport from outside the port gate to the beach area. Along the boardwalk: Mahahual has a seafront boardwalk lined with restaurants, small beach clubs and shops. Watch the clock: Quintana Roo stays on the same time all year and does not use daylight saving time, so for much of the year it is an hour behind US Eastern time. All-aboard is given in ship's time, so set your watch by the ship, not your phone. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own, and the town gets busy when ships are in.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

Getting from the ship to Mahahual is easy, with shuttles inside the port and local transport outside the gate. For the Maya sites inland, plan on a tour or a rental car. Chacchoben is about 80 km from Mahahual by road, and Kohunlich about 170 km. Rental cars are available for driving the region at your own pace. Agree any fare before you get in, and use transport from the official ranks rather than drivers who approach you.

Question 3

Food and Drink

Accepted Answer

The dishes to look for on this coast include ceviche, tikin xic, cochinita pibil, and rice and beans. In Mahahual, restaurants line the boardwalk beside the beach. Tikin xic is a whole fish, split open, marinated in achiote and sour orange, wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked in an earth oven. Do not leave food or drinks unattended in bars and restaurants. There have been deaths in Mexico from alcoholic drinks containing methanol, which cannot be tasted or smelled, so drink in established places and get medical help quickly if anyone feels unwell after drinking.

Question 4

Tipping in Mexico

Accepted Answer

The currency is the Mexican peso, and card payments and US dollars are taken at most tourist businesses, usually at a lower exchange rate for dollars. In Mexico a tip of 10 to 15 percent is usual at sit-down restaurants. Carry some pesos in cash, because in some places cash is the only way to leave a tip. Staff at small, inexpensive restaurants usually do not expect a tip, and taxi drivers are not normally tipped unless they are giving you a tour. Adding a service charge to the bill without the customer's agreement is not allowed under Mexican consumer law.

Question 5

Culture

Accepted Answer

Costa Maya is the nearest port to several Maya cities that are less excavated than Tulum or Chichén Itzá, and Chacchoben is the most visited archaeological site in the south. Its original name is unknown, so it is called after the farming community where it stands. Chacchoben means "place of red corn" in Maya. A circular path at Chacchoben passes three excavated and restored pyramids, along with walls and stairways. Kohunlich, farther inland, is known for the Temple of the Masks, where large stucco masks line the stairway. Bacalar, on a lagoon inland, has an 18th-century fort, the Fort of San Felipe.

Question 6

History

Accepted Answer

People have lived around Chacchoben for more than two thousand years, but the coast was largely undeveloped until the cruise pier was built. Since then Mahahual has grown from a fishing village into a small tourist town. Early settlement, about 300 BC: The first small villages at Chacchoben grew up beside the area's permanent sources of fresh water. The city, from about AD 250: The street plan that survives today was laid out around AD 250, and the city kept growing for about 500 years before it was largely abandoned. A return, 1200 to 1450: Some of Chacchoben's civic and religious spaces were brought back into use in this period. Rediscovery: The ruins were reported to the Mexican government in 1972, excavation began in 1994, and the site opened to visitors in 2002. Hurricane Dean, 2007: Dean came ashore near Mahahual as a Category 5 hurricane in August 2007, tearing away parts of the cruise docks. The first cruise ship returned on October 31, 2008. To learn more ashore: Chacchoben itself, with its restored pyramids and two carved stone stelae, is the place to see this history; book a tour if you want a guide to explain it.

Question 7

Traveling with Kids

Accepted Answer

Costa Maya suits families who like the water: the reef starts just off Mahahual's beach, so children who swim well can snorkel without a boat trip. Younger children can stay at the port's pools or on the sand. Younger children: The shopping center at the port has saltwater pools, so a short day need not leave the port at all. School age: Children who swim well can snorkel from Mahahual's beach, because the reef is so close to shore. Pack water shoes and a hat. Teenagers: Chacchoben's circular path past three pyramids suits older children with an interest in the Maya, on a tour or with a rental car. Sun protection: Visitors are asked to keep sunscreen out of the water around reefs and marine life, even the biodegradable kind. A long-sleeved swim shirt is the alternative.

Question 8

Shopping

Accepted Answer

The port's own shopping center has jewelry stores and many small souvenir shops, and is generally open only to cruise passengers. In Mahahual, shops sit along the boardwalk among the restaurants and beach clubs. Carry pesos for small purchases in town, since cash is easier in small shops. Check whether a price is in pesos or US dollars before you pay. Banks and cash machines are available in the region, but use them in daylight and in busy places.

Question 9

Beaches

Accepted Answer

Mahahual's beaches face the Mesoamerican Reef, which lies a short distance offshore. Many beach spots are run by restaurants and beach clubs that provide food, drinks and other services. Banco Chinchorro, an atoll reef about 35 km offshore, is reached only by boat and is a diving trip rather than a beach outing. The town is busy when ships are in port.

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