Chac-Chi: Resort next to Costa Maya Pier (merged)

[Bob7]

Hey Gal that's great! We know this is hard work, first ya gotta order a couple beers and check the price, then a double rum and check the price, then a quick shooter, then an umbrella drink. Um, are you with someone who could carry you back to the ship? 4 days ... you must be pumped!

 

Here some other shots, this is Wendy at a "swing" bar on the beach at Majahual, I offered to lift it way up and give her a swing but she didn't fall for it, she's so hard to trick:

 

and this is the beach street with the vendors on both sides, beach behind the trees on the right:

 

and this is the beach facing the ships in the background, seaweed at the shore and in the water:

 

and this is facing away from the ships on the beach, more seaweed, and the beach was hardpacked sand. Lots of free loungers.

 

-Bob

[SportsGal]

Hey Gal that's great! We know this is hard work, first ya gotta order a couple beers and check the price, then a double rum and check the price, then a quick shooter, then an umbrella drink. Um, are you with someone who could carry you back to the ship? 4 days ... you must be pumped!

 

 

Bob7,

 

I'm up to the task, (I think). This is going to be harder than I thought. I never dreamed that I will have to write the prices down and drink too. Don't know if I can do two things at once, write and drink. This is a tough decision but I will make it, I will drink instead of writing.

I am so pumped 3 days to left before I leave. Oh, before I forget I will have to let someone else write the prices down as I drink and oh yes, they will have to carry me back to ship.

[78Nole]

Here is the reply to the email i sent to Chac-Chi.

 

It was odd that there was no name or phone attached at the bottom.

 

So for what it is worth....

 

 

Hi, we will be glad to have you with us.

 

We dont have any charge for visiting, using the chairs or the basketball,

volleyball and soccer courts. All the facilities are at your disposal.

 

You can try to take a cab, but most of them won't take you. The easiest way,

as you have read, is by the fence.

 

We hope to see you soon.

 

 

 

>From: NoleTucker@

>To: chac_chi@hotmail.com

>Subject: Cruise day

>Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 07:50:18 EST

>

If I can talk the rest of my group into it, I'll be climbing through the fence!

 

Thanks to Bob7 and all of the rest, Great information and pictures!!

[Bob7]

Ok Gal, you're our DD .... designated drinker! I dunno if that ship is ready for ya :-) Gawd the drink glasses were small, I ordered a Black Russian and it came in a glass a bit bigger than a shooter, that was the last one, back to cabin booze.

 

Nole: thx for posting the message .. that's weird that the cabs don't want to do the trip ... I'm wondering if it's b/c there is little chance of getting a return fare ... too many just use the path. You'd think they'd just jack up the fare to make up for it. I can't imagine the cruise lines being able to put pressure on the cabbies to say no, although they'd like to I'm sure.

-Bob

[monsters mom]

Could you please post and let me know how much the painted sinks are in C.M. nobody on our cruise board knows thanks so much. I will be going through the fence also.:D

[woody14h]

We arrived at Costa Maya on the Century on March 24. Went to terminal area did some looking around. Noted prices were the highest of all of our ports of call. Area was crowded ( 3 ships in). On this day we saw the pool was not up to our standards to swim in. Scum, oil and UFOs (unidentified floating objects) were all over. Just an observance so check it out before you go in. Maybe it was an anomoly. I went to Mahahual stayed on the beach, a great place to mellow out. Prices cheaper as well. Beautiful views of the ships in dock. Food and drinks served on the beach. Music provided. Couldn't believe I spent 2 1/2 hours doing nothing and enjoying it.

[Starz723]

Thanks for all this great info..I will be there in July with the Valor.

 

Have you or anyone snorkeled at the beach at Cha Chi? Is there snorkeling there? Thats what Im most interested in.

 

thanks for your answers.

 

Marge

[Bob7]

Woody, the cruise pools were in the same crappy condition when we were there in mid March, can't believe they'd leave them like that. I just told my wife your UFO story, she laughed her head off.

 

Marge: scroll back to the previous page on this thread to our photo of the Chac Chi beach looking toward the ship, there were ppl snorkeling around those rocks to the left (looking out), I don't know if that's coral or just rocks, looked interesting (and not far from the beach bar :-))

We snorkel too, are you into shallow wrecks? ... what are your other ports?

-Bob

[juscruzin]

Just back from Chac-Chi beach where we spent the day, 3/31/06, having a wonderful beach day. What a beautiful beach-and by far the most relaxing port day our family has ever had. Chac-Chi has a beautiful sandy beach, with aquamarine water stretching forever to the left and in front of you and then craggy rocks through the center filled with tidal pools. There were lounge chairs under swaying shady palm trees, a wonderful restaurant and bar that served great seafood and traditional dishes including red snapper, quesadillas, fresh quacomole with chips, and made to order drinks as well as bottled beer, soda and water. The kids had a blast searching the tidal pools along the shore and building sand castles. Everyone on the pier was looking over and waving, wondering how we had got to the beach since it is obviously the best beach you will see. Several cruise crew people showed up and swam, ate, laid in the sun and played a soccer game.

 

For all it's beauty, the trick was to actually locate the way to get to Chac-Chi. The locals in back of the port shops told us that there were no taxis to take people to Chac-Chi. Security stopped us several times and tried to route us back to a tour bus or waiting cab to go in to town. Another person told us the reosrt was closed with a big lock on the entrance gate. We were also told by an excursion booth that three fences were put up in the middle of the night (the night before we arrived) and there was no longer a hole in the fence to get through. Finally we paid a local $4 to give the straight skinny on how to get to the place. The local informed us that the Chac-Chi proprieters are good people who are just trying to make a living and can't afford legal representation to fight the pier owner. The pier owner is doing everything possible to garner beach business to his own beach facility to the left of the pier and is furious that the Chac-Chi proprieters will not sell their property to him.

 

As other posters have told in words and pictures so wonderfully (thank you Cruise Critic members!), just go through the security gate, where the tour buses and cabs go through (you will need to show your sail and sign card on the way back through) and proceed to walk a short distance until you can make your first right. You will be in the parking lot for a local restaurant. Follow the fence to the right and you will see an opening big enough to fit a bicycle through. Be careful, the wire fence is rusty. Proceed to follow the path to the left after entering through the fence. Don't be surprised like I was to see a three foot iguana sunning himself on concrete blocks! Go straight ahead and the road will naturally turn to the right. You are two minutes from Chac-Chi and will just walk straight ahead into the resort.

 

We went to the restaurant and introduced ourselves to the owners, Joaquin and Maria Rivero Fernandez. They promised us a wonderful lunch when we got hungry and made drinks and had a choice of several bottled beers. Mixed drinks were $5, beers were $3, sodas were $1, a red snapper meal and quesadilla platter with rice enoungh for our family was $10 each. The use of the beach, lounges and very clean bathroom facility was free. They had only asked prior to our arrival that we consume at the resort in exchange for use of the beach. I have some incredible pictures of the beach and resort and would love to share these if anyone would like to see them.

 

Hopefully if word can spread about this great beach club, Chac-Chi, through Cruise Critic members, Maria and Joaquin will be able to catch up on some much needed restorations and renovations to the palapas and cabanas.

 

Thanks to Cruise Critic for inspiring this day.

 

Barb

[SomewhereBeyondTheSea]

Thank you for this wonderful review. I would love to see the pictures you have taken of Chac-Chi Beach Resort. You can email me at littlebit112@aol.com

 

Thank you in advance!

[mnsawyer]

I am sure that once cruise critics start going there, it will seem a bit "easier" for others. I didn't realize that security would say something to you? Did you feel safe walking there? Sounds like a great place. Are there places for shade available? You mentioned cabanas, palpayas, etc. Would you mind posting your photos?

 

Thanks for the great review! I'm printing it out for future reference!

[78Nole]

I too emailed J. and got a wonderful response,

We plan to climb through the fence in June. Hopefully by then, enough people will have gone over to make it a bit easier.

 

Thank you so much for the details. I think I would have chickened out, so glad you kept going!!!

 

Please post the pictures, we'd love to see them!

[78Nole]

I was thinking about making a reservation there ( not planning on using the cabin) and that might make it easier for me. I figure same price as an excursion somewhere.

 

I was planning on the David and Ivan tour, which should wrap up around 1. we don't leave CM till 7 that night. so I should have plenty of time.

 

Unless i can get some others to go with me, I'll be walking over there alone.

My husband and son are doing the jeep tour which is most of the day.

What is your feeling about walking over alone, would you do it, now that you have experienced it?

 

Do you think a cab would take me over if I had a reservation?

 

That is so weird that the cabs won't go over there. Joaquin told me the same thing in his email.

 

Thanks for any help.

You can email me if you'd rather...Noletucker@aol.com

[Quithan]

We had planned on going there, also, after our David and Ivan tour but the surf was very rough there the day we were in and there are so many big rocks. We have a 13, 10, and 5 y.o. and it just looked too rough for our kids so we swam at the cat's meow in Majahual where the beach was quite calm. Just look at the surf as you get off the pier and check it out before you walk over. If we were to ever go there again, or it was just my husband and myself I would definitely go there

[78Nole]

We had planned on going there, also, after our David and Ivan tour but the surf was very rough there the day we were in and there are so many big rocks. We have a 13, 10, and 5 y.o. and it just looked too rough for our kids so we swam at the cat's meow in Majahual where the beach was quite calm. Just look at the surf as you get off the pier and check it out before you walk over. If we were to ever go there again, or it was just my husband and myself I would definitely go there

 

Thanks for the heads up! I'll be going alone, so it will have to be calm. backup will be Cat's Meow.

 

Thanks again!

[juscruzin]

Hi and thank you for the kind comments. Just wanted to answer a few questions that were posted.

Did you feel safe walking there? Sounds like a great place. Are there places for shade available? You mentioned cabanas, palpayas, etc.

There was some hesitation from our group of nine, five adults and four children, especially when we were getting the run around. I have been to many destinations in Mexico and the culture of the people is very laid back so I wouldn't say I was ever afraid. As for walking alone, I would not recommend this as you should always travel in groups of two or more for safety anywhere, although as we were arriving a female cruise staff was leaving the resort after a swim and a to-go lunch to go back to the Holiday and she was alone. Chac-Chi was our third and final port and we were already crispy so we sat under some huge palm trees. There is plenty of shade. The palapas are on the left side of the beach facing the water and are pretty weather damaged. The cabanas (cabins) are $50 per night and are pretty rustic. Joaquin was kind enough to show us one of them and it had two beds complete with mosquito netting, a thatched roof, a small bathroom off from the bedroom and two windows that opened to the water (central air conditioning according to Jaoquin). There is a small porch with chairs on the front and a lit walking path. It is a little too rustic for my taste (after the encounter with the giant lizard and all) but I imagine would be complete solitude for many.

Several people have said that they snorkeled at this beach and I would think that in the beachy sandy area you will see from the pier this would be a good option, we enjoyed the swimming (bring the water shoes due to urchins and coral) but the surf really started pounding the rocks at some points. We only went in the water where you could see to the bottom and it is pretty shallow for quite a ways out. The kids loved the tidal pools and found lots of snails, hermit crabs and pretty shells. My youngest son found a tiny baby stingray under a rock, a very cool find.

I will ask for help from my computer literate older son when he gets home tonight as the first set of photos were not posting.

I would love to see enough Cruise Critic members seeking out this resort to spend a few hours during their port in Costa Maya so that eventually Maria and Joaquin can have the fence knocked down and can offer their beautiful place to all without event.

Barb

[Bob7]

Barb's comments matched what we found when we went there. About safety, I'm sure a person alone would be fine, the walk past the Comisariato was open and safe, there was no one standing around or loitering, just people walking down the road to Chac Chi. After going through the wire gate you continue straight through a sandy open lot, no prob, and then turn right at the trees and a nice walk down a 2 lane path through the forest for 2-3 minutes, a very thick forest on each side, no dwellings or roads there. Everyone on the path said hi to each other. Have y'all been on the other thread called something like Resort Beside the Pier? where I posted shots incl this one of the road to the gate:

-Bob

[caribbean dreams]

Its called Chac-chi resort and in July i am going to find my way around that wall so i can spend the day at that beautiful resort.

Ch

[Melismass1]

I would not hesitate to go thru the fence, but I will be busy trying to get around the wall on the other side of the pier to get on the path to Mahajul. It sounds like a beautiful walk if we can get to it. Has anyone been there recently? I would like to know if its feasible to go around the wall. If we have to walk in the water that's ok, but how deep is the water going to be to do this?

[Bob7]

I would not hesitate to go thru the fence, but I will be busy trying to get around the wall on the other side of the pier to get on the path to Mahajul. It sounds like a beautiful walk if we can get to it. Has anyone been there recently? I would like to know if its feasible to go around the wall. If we have to walk in the water that's ok, but how deep is the water going to be to do this?

Our cruisemates did that walk. The part along the boardwalk through the cruise village down to the cement wall was fine. To get around the wall they were ankle deep in the surf, no prob. But the walk from the wall into town was not very pretty, lots of garbage. It took them 20 minutes, and they walk fast.

 

A nicer walk would be along the coast at the Chac Chi resort. The sand went way up the coast past the resort, you can see it from the ship, or from the pier as you walk in to the port.

-Bob

[SportsGal]

Bob7,

Just got back from cruise from Costa Maya. We got to port late, and they added us a few more hours to stay later. I never made it to Chac Chi Resort, I grabbed a taxi for Majahual, did the walk, drank some beer, shopped and came back to go to Chac Chi Resort but, it looked so dark over there that my group said no way. We went back to the ship, the port lost alot of business from us on that day because of getting there last.

I had a good time, just wished for more time.

[Bob7]

Hey Gal welcome back! .. thx for checking in. We didn't see your face on any Mexican wanted posters so we figured you were ok.

Jeez short hours in port has messed us up so many times, I hear ya. In Coz we didn't have time to do the Fiesta Americana resort, and in GC we couldn't do the Comfort Suites on 7 Mile Beach, departing at 4. Often it seems the Princess cruises leave ports early, mid afternoon, we've passed some of their cruises for that reason. It would be so nice to have 2 days in each port, especially a new port, but I think only those Windstar barefoot type ships do that. But it does give you a taste of a place you might like to spend more time at. We cruised the Hawaiian islands and now know which locations we'd go to for a land vacation there.

Here's the link to our cruise review, are you doing one too?

http://www.cruise-addicts.com/reviews/readreview.php?id=0000004977

-Bob

[SportsGal]

Bob7,

 

Read your review, nice remarks. We are in the same business "kids". I teach PE.

I wished for more time in Costa Maya but I was just glad we were are able to stop at the port. I had a friend that told me his ship didn't get to stop. The water was too rough. The water was getting rough when we were leaving. I watched the pilot boat wait for the port Captain to leave our boat once we got out to sea. I wouldn't want to climb down the ladder and get on a little boat.

Well my spring break is over and back to work for me on Monday. Now, just wishing for my next cruise. I'm hooked.

[nhrenee]

:) So, has anyone else been to Chac Chi?

We're going next week and I've (almost) got the family convinced to "go through the fence"! :D

[PaulMedik]

We're going tomorrow and plan to go 'through the fence.'