Which would you suggest between Maya Chan or Nohoch Kay?

[kiraryker]

Booking thru Maya Chan beach club would be $280 for my family - with Island Marketing going to Nohoch Kay Beach club it would be $160 plus the cost of transportation.

 

So the first one is double the price but if it is worth it??? Or would we be just as happy with the 2nd place???

 

I tried to read everything about both and they seem to have good reviews each with the only difference is Nohoch Kay doesn't have transportation included.

 

We will be there in January 2011

 

Thanks!!

[gratefulgurl]

Anybody out there? I would also like a comparison!!

[Friscorays]

IMHO, Maya Chan all the way.

 

My wife and I have been to Maya Chan twice, once in November 2008 and again in 2010. For us, it is an absolute perfect relaxing beach day. We travel pretty extensively and so far it is our all-time favorite excursion in the Caribbean (and the only one that we have made a point of repeating).

 

I can not fault a single part of the experience: the private secluded location with small number of guests, beautiful landscaping, extremely friendly staff, delicious food, free-flowing drinks (whatever your heart desires), and amenities such as kayaks / snorkeling / bicycles are all first-rate.

 

In my opinion, Maya Chan could easily justify raising their prices as the current price is a bargain for everything that is included. When you look at paying for round trip transportation to the other beach club that you mentioned (which I do not have any experience with), the extra cost for Maya Chan will be pretty minimal.

 

My wife is already booked for her third visit to Maya Chan in March 2012. My only regret is that I won't be along this time, as she is taking a birthday trip with her mother. They specifically picked a western Caribbean itinerary so that they could visit Maya Chan together.

 

Hope that you enjoy your visit no matter who you end up picking!

[Friscorays]

I was looking through the thread on Cruise Critic that first introduced me to Maya Chan and realize that my brain short-circuited. I actually first visited in February 2010 (not 2008). The thread is lengthy but I think it is a good resource for those that might be interested in visiting as a lot of people share their experiences, pictures and opinions:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1087631

 

I did take a peek at the pictures of the other beach club on Trip Advisor and their web site. I must say that Maya Chan is much better suited to what we enjoy. The Maya Chan beach is more secluded / private with fewer people allowing unimpeded views of the ocean. In addition to beach chairs, Maya Chan has day beds and hammocks. There is nothing like a nice afternoon nap after a tasty lunch and a few alcoholic beverages....

[crewsweeper]

I agree with FriscoRays that Maya Chan is an excellent and very very relaxing AI and Mark and his crew will take excellent care of you. It is a premier AI and much better than even Nachi Cocum in Cozumel. However, if price is a consideration, Nohoch Kaye is a fabulous AI too, and somewhat similar to Nachi. Jaime is a congenial host, loves his work, has excellent food, he used to own the Oasis seafood restaurant in Playa del Carmen (many of the ship captains stop here if they have time) and his staff provides great service. It's at the southern end of the malecon and a little ways away from the main hustle and bustle there. Jaime keeps the hawkers away too. If you want to look at some native crafts for sale at prices lower than the cruise port, you can easily walk up the malecon and look/shop and comeback. The malecon is less than a mile long from end to end. Your only problem will be fending off the beach lounger hawkers at the other beach clubs along the strip. My avatar feet are at Nohoch Kaye's beach.

 

So if the money isn't as big of hurdle and peace and quiet reign supreme in your priorities, Maya Chan is the choice. Money over exotic locale, Nohoch Kaye without hesitation.

[calmpets]

When you look at paying for round trip transportation to the other beach club that you mentioned (which I do not have any experience with), the extra cost for Maya Chan will be pretty minimal.

Not sure how you're calculating that, because the transportation to Nohoch Kay is $5pp roundtrip ($3pp to get there, $2pp to get back to port). I have no experience with Maya Chan, but I LOVED Nohoch Kay! One of the best days I've spent in the caribbean was there. The service was just amazing!

[Friscorays]

We have always paid the minimum per person pricing at Maya Chan by joining a group via Cruise Critic Roll Calls.

 

Maya Chan pricing (http://www.costamayabeachresort.com/):

Adults: 1-4 $59

5-10: $56

11-20: $54

Greater than 20: Call

 

Children: Ages 3 and under $10

Ages 4 to 7 $30

Ages 8 to 17 $49.

 

Nohoch Kay pricing (http://costamayacruiseexcursions.com/AllInclusiveBeach.htm):

$40 adults, $20 child 7 to 17 and free under age six.

 

The original poster does not state group composition but three adults and two paying children would come to $275 at Maya Chan and $160 at Nohoch Kay ($185 including $5 per person minimum transort). For a family like that, this comes to at most a $90 price difference between the two options divided by five equals maximum price difference of $18 per person. By simply joining a group in the Roll Call, that price difference would decrease to $13 or so per person.

 

Again I can only speak for us as an adult couple (for whom the price difference is less than $10 per person) but that price difference is well worth the wonderful experience at Maya Chan. For example at Maya Chan, there are NO beach hawkers to be kept away. Both times we went the only people on the Maya Chan beach were the Maya Chan guests and staff.

[chilimixx]

I would like to know what kind of food do you get at Maya Chan and Nohoch Kay.

 

Thank you.

[LaurieCM]

At Maya Chan they greet you with a drink, a fabulous fresh fruit cup, guacamole and chips. All you would like- the best fruit of our cruise! At lunch time they grill fish, chicken, and steak. There are flour tortilla and stuff to make frajitas. They have a few side dishes- beans, etc. The lunches we have had there were some of the best meals on vacation! They have any kind of regular or frozen drinks that you could think of and the hooch is all near or top shelf hooch- no plastic bottle no-name alcohol. You don't have to worry about their ice because they only use purified water. We love this place. You will fall in love with the people. Quality food and booze and location and activities. But the main thing is that these are such wonderful people that you will feel like you are visiting you best friends. When we were there last Preston was leading the kayaking out to the snorkling site. One lady had a little trouble getting back into her kayak and her husband couldn't quite help her up. I called Preston's name. He looked up from the water and I never saw anyone swim so fast. He got to the lady and had her securely in the kayak in seconds. I told him that he was our hero! He said that no he wasn't, but if you have ever had a moment of fear in the water, then you know that he was a hero to us. Go and have a great time.;)

[Friscorays]

....You don't have to worry about their ice because they only use purified water.....

 

I absolutely 100% agree with everything LaurieCM posted about her experience at Maya Chan but want to stress this particular point because it can actually be an issue in Mexico.

 

Other beach clubs may not use purified water for ice but Maya Chan does. DebbieNIU posted this in another thread: "Last time I booked a beach excursion we ended up at this beach in Costa Maya that had all you could drink and I got so SICK because I was drinking frozen drinks that I think were made with local ice (ice made from the water you shouldn't drink)." http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1480662

 

I don't know for sure whether or not it was actually the ice that made DebbieNIU sick at another beach club but it is something that you will not have to worry about at Maya Chan.

 

Maya Chan uses purified water for their ice.

[mazda]

We have been here twice, so my vote is for Nohoch Kay. Same type of experience listed as Maya Chan. Very short trip to Nohoch Kay so less time spent in transporation. As other poster stated it is cheap taxi ride.

 

Food excellent at Nohoch Kay, we had a blackened fish that we loved. Also had chips/salsa/guac. We drank beer and margaritas.

 

No hawkers in front of Jaime place, and we were there all day. He also limits the number of day visitors.

 

If cost matters, I am sure you will be happy with Nohoch Kay!!

[yoster1957]

Great info and thanks for sharing.... We will be in Costa Maya in Feb 2012 ... I noticed that Maya Chan mentions scuba on their site ... did anyone experience that? Maybe instead of snorkeling they offer tanks? I will write to them - but just curious...

 

Y

[TravelChick23]

I've been reading all about Nohoch Kay and plan on booking for our November visit. I have a silly question, what about tipping? What is reasonable? It sounds like Jamie and his staff work hard so I want to make sure I show my gratitude. :D

[LaurieCM]

If you are interested in scuba you contact Mark and he makes arrangments for you to do it. When we were there a couple were picked up by boat and later returned to the beach and partied the rest of the time. They seemed very happy with their scuba time.

[mitsugirly]

Maya Chan is the best! From the staff, all the things to do, the food, the drinks...we loved our day with them and didn't want to leave.

 

Here is my personal review for them:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30654861&postcount=12

[mitsugirly]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30655260&postcount=13

 

Sorry forgot the link to the pictures

[mafig]

Did your daughter get those bug bites at Maya Chan?

[mitsugirly]

Did your daughter get those bug bites at Maya Chan?

 

From the minute that we stepped off the ship and waiting for the van to take us to Maya Chan everyone was getting ate up. Also at Maya Chan and once we returned too. They said it was mosquito season there and they had been extremely bad that day because of the rain the previous days.

[mafig]

OMG. I'm one of those people that if I get a bug bite I scratch it until it bleeds.:o Then, I say "it doesn't itch anymore!"

 

When did you go again? We'll be there in January. I think I'll invest in some bug spray.

[LaurieCM]

We were there 2 weeks in a row in January and that must be the dry season because we saw no bugs. No bites or troubles of any kind.;)

[mafig]

Good! Thanks, Laurie.:)

[Mekamax]

When we emailed them on the scuba diving it was a lot extra - same as a normal dive price I think.

[EMc&DrS]

If you have the chance to visit Maya Chan, go for it! Best excursion we've ever had on a cruise. Here's the view from our private hut on their beach:

 

 

 

When I wrote about it in my review (link below), I had a few people ask me if I really worked for them. Ha! Not quite--but I wish!!!

[kate1970]

I've read amazing reviews on trip advisor about both of these beach excursions. But can anyone tell me which one would be better for teenagers. I heard that Maya Chan plays good old American music and that Nohoch Kay doesn't play any music at all.

 

We are travelling January 1st so we are probably cutting it close to get a spot now. Any advice is appreciated.

[CruisinWithUs]

We love Maya Chan. They are by far our favorite beach excursion. The staff are helpful, many extras are included & the price is awesome. Here is a video of the beach & huts. It's beautiful!