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Chacchoben Ruins tour

als310

By als310,
in Costa Maya

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JoeyGA

JoeyGA

Posted
Posted

This was a great tour --- Thanks David and Ivan. You waited for some time for the others who booked your tour to show up. The owner of the Cat's Meow personally came and introduced herself and told us about her resturant and how clean they try to keep things compared to the other places.

 

Thanks David for your history lessons you gave and especially answering all our questions all along the way. You even told our group things we were curious about but didn't want to ask. The Mayan tour was great but I wondered at first if the temples were really that great -- but you should have said "The best will be the last ", wow, it was really great.

 

And thanks for telling us what to look our for in the village and how not to be taken. You even told us what to say in Spanish to get a better deal.

 

I would encourage anyone thinking about your tours to take it. It's much better than what the ship tours offer. At the Mayan ruins the ship tours left long before we did. Once again, THANKS David and Ivan for the great tour and history of your area !!!!!

 

Joey

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Sheffie

Sheffie

Posted
Posted

Kari, you still have a couple of weeks. Hang on! If you don't hear from them you can book through the ship when you are onboard, or book that now and cancel when you hear from David.

 

There are also things to do at the beach in the village.

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emtowle

emtowle

Posted
Posted
I sent an email Friday to the dvillagomez email and haven't heard back yet. I sent a message through their website over a week ago. What should I do now? I see people who sent messages on Friday have already received replies.

 

Kari

 

Destiny 01/04 Valor 02/06

 

I sent an email 2 weeks ago, 1 week ago, and then this Thursday or Friday to all 3 addresses. I got my response this morning from Ivan.

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larkwind

larkwind

Posted
Posted

We toured with them last Thurs. and rode home w/David. He said that Ivan was sick a week or so ago and, since the schools are on vacation, the use of the school's computer is limited right now. They weren't able to respond to inquiries for this current week's tours, 1/9--1/13, so if you are on the ship now and want to go, just meet in Majahual at the Cat's Meow and see if they have room. They are afraid they won't have many people this week because of the confirmation problems.

 

The tour was fantastic! David led ours and talked nonstop for well over an hour. He kept asking if the group wanted to walk or have five more minutes of talk--we all picked the talking. The walking is easy. The climbing is not too hard and there is a path up the side if steps are a problem. The lady in the wheelchair had a hard time being pushed over the roots in the ground, but they made it. She probably skipped the climbing part and I don't remember her at the top, so the path up was probably too steep for her chair.

 

Bugs were not a problem last week (early Jan). Temperature was pleasant. Bottled water provided. Time to shop in small gift area--these people make or bargain for their wares and sell them here. Not a corporate sponsored selling area as at the pier.

 

They dropped us at the pier on the way back, so I tipped the driver the money we would have spent ($10) on the taxi back. Wish we could have spent more time at the beach right there in Majahual--it looked pleasant. We have a little one, so didn't want to push his endurance too long. There would be plenty of time to enjoy the beach after the tour.

 

If you have high schoolers, have them ask their teachers for extra credit--they will learn so much about Mayan culture from David (and I assume from Ivan, too)!

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kelmac

kelmac

Posted
Posted

Hi Everyone,

 

I used the long form from their website and requested information about the Chacchoben Extreme excursion last night. This morning I received the information; send a reply back before noon; and just got my confirmation email early afternoon. Looks like no email problems using their website long form.

We are signed up for this excursion Friday, March 31 at 8:00am. We are arriving on Celebrity's Century. Anyone else interested?

 

Sounds like a great time!

Kel

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Sheffie

Sheffie

Posted
Posted
I got a response from David last night!! Woohoo! I am set for the tour. David did say they had been having internet problems. thank you all for the encouraging words to not give up.

 

Good news here, too. Ivan emailed me today and said their internet has been down for two weeks. He apologized and we should be booked for Feb. 2. Yay!

 

 

Kari and Cruisermama, have a great time!:) :)

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In the Pink

In the Pink

Posted
Posted

I filled out their form today to request a tour, but am also wondering about timing. I asked them the question, but since they seem to sometimes take so long to answer, I'll ask here. I looked at their ships' schedule for January and it looks like most of them are in for a full day. We will only be there from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., and my stepdaughter definitely wants to get some beach time. I would really love to visit Mahahual while it's still "native" also. Will there be time to do both the ruins and Mahahual with a 3:00 p.m. departure?

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TravelWorks

TravelWorks

Posted
Posted
I filled out their form today to request a tour, but am also wondering about timing. I asked them the question, but since they seem to sometimes take so long to answer, I'll ask here. I looked at their ships' schedule for January and it looks like most of them are in for a full day. We will only be there from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., and my stepdaughter definitely wants to get some beach time. I would really love to visit Mahahual while it's still "native" also. Will there be time to do both the ruins and Mahahual with a 3:00 p.m. departure?

 

THIS ONLY REALLY WORKS IF YOU CAN GET A EARLY TOUR>>>SO YOU REALLY NEED TO EMAIL THEM AND FIND OUT...

 

Ask them if they have a very early tour...8 am your ships time is like 7 am central time in Costa Maya...You have to go to Mahahual ($3 per person from the pier) to meet them for the tour at the Cat's Meow...so you can scope it out before you leave & when you are done have them take you back to Mahahual to beach it~ then take a $2 a person cab back to the pier around 2pm...If you don't have time for Mahahual beach afterwards there is always the salt water pool at the pier(don't know how old your step-daughter is but kids love this place!)

Man~ sometimes I wonder what these cruiseships are thinking...you gotta have at least a full day until dinner time...why do they cut these things so short???

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In the Pink

In the Pink

Posted
Posted
THIS ONLY REALLY WORKS IF YOU CAN GET A EARLY TOUR>>>SO YOU REALLY NEED TO EMAIL THEM AND FIND OUT...

 

Okay, I'll wait to see what they say.

 

.If you don't have time for Mahahual beach afterwards there is always the salt water pool at the pier(don't know how old your step-daughter is but kids love this place!)

 

She's 21 and definitely looking for some beach and beer time! Since this is her first cruise, and our gift to her and my 28 yr old son, (and doubtful either of them will be able to afford to go again for a long time) if we don't have time for both the ruins and the beach, then we'll probably skip the ruins and my husband and I will have to do them on a subsequent cruise.

 

Thanks for your reply.

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larkwind

larkwind

Posted
Posted

Also, most of their tour price is given out for transportation and admission prices an hour after they get it from you--they don't make a whole lot of profit. On our tour, the scheduled transportation didn't/couldn't? make it and they had to hire taxi vans to take our group--this really cut into their bottom line. Sure didn't affect the quality of the tour they gave though. Passionate is a good way to describe Davide and Ivan and Paul and their helpers.

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lancers

lancers

Posted
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We returned last week from our cruise aboard the Glory. From all the great things said about David and Ivan we booked a tour with them on Jan 4. We docked at 8:00 am and got off the ship asap. We had no problem finding the ticket booth for the van to Mahahual (yes, $3 per person ) and were on the main street in about 5 minutes. As I was walking up the street, I literally ran into David who introduced himself and found us a table on the beach by the Cat's Meow. Total time from ship to Cat's Meow 20 minutes. Paul then came by to introduce himself and collect money, followed by the owner of the Cat's Meow, who gave us her view of the town. Within 20 minutes we had met Ivan and were off to the ruins. On the van ride to the ruins, Paul filled us in with all the local colour and history of the area and was most informative. The tour with Ivan was outstanding. We returned to Mahahual around 2 and ate and drank at the Cat's Meow until 4. The food was very good and beer was a bucket of 6 Coronas or Sols for $10 It was a perfect day! One "heads up". I was looking at chess sets at one of the stores in Mahahual. The owner quoted me a price of $25 and lowered it to $20 when I told him I wasn't that interested. Upon returning to the port of Costa Maya, I saw exactly the same chess set at 2 for $7.50. Buyer beware ! After reading many posts running down Costa Maya and Mahahual, I have to say that it was MY favourite port.

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cathyoo

cathyoo

Posted
Posted
We didn't find it confusing at all. We just walked in a ways and asked. We were directed to the correct place.

 

I have a heart condition that limits my ability to walk in the heat and humidity. Could you tell me how far is "a ways" how many city blocks? is it hilly or uneven terrain? Thanks much

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Sheffie

Sheffie

Posted
Posted

To find David and Ivan, it is probably about 20 feet or so from where the taxis drop you off. If you have problems walking, this tour may not be for you. This time of the year there probably isn't much heat nor humidity (dry season) there, but there is a lot of walking. It isn't a hilly tour. I think there was one part that had a slope to it, but I cannot remember for sure. The terrain is not rough. You don't have to climb the one set of steps up to the ruins on the hill.

 

David and Ivan would probably to tell you more about the temperature there now.

 

Take care.

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Zeno

Zeno

Posted
Posted
I have a heart condition that limits my ability to walk in the heat and humidity. Could you tell me how far is "a ways" how many city blocks? is it hilly or uneven terrain? Thanks much

 

Due to a leg problem, my ability to walk long distances is not great - so I checked with David. He estimated that the walk around Chaccoben was about a mile. Since I can walk about 200 metres without resting, I figured that I can do this (I intend to sit on every ruin that I can.) I will NOT be climbing to the top of any buildings (good resting opportunity while others climb)). So I guess it really depends on how limited your walking ability is.

Other than walking, I am not completely unfit (I work out on an exercycle every day).

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