Costa Maya and Mahahual Picture 11/10/08

[Cool_chick]

Thanks Dianne. :)

[LOVE2CRUISEALSO]

This ia nice! I'm going in March 09. Is this area free to the public?

[98Charlie]

This ia nice! I'm going in March 09. Is this area free to the public?

All beaches in Mexico are owned by the government and are free. Equipment on the beaches (tables, chairs, loungers, umbrellas, etc.) are privately owned.

 

Technically you can plop down with a blanket anywhere. OTOH, the food and beverages are not that expensive and it's nice to have some shade.:p

 

Charlie

[preemie_mommy]

WOWZERS!!!!!---This is an amazing and truly helpful thread! I can't believe all I've learned from Costa Maya from reading this. One question. Do all cruise lines/ships dock at the same port, or are there different ports for each line? I'm going through RCI and wanted to know if this pool area would be available from my "port" too? Sorry--these questions may be no brainers...but I'm new! Thanks so much for all of your help!

[98Charlie]

WOWZERS!!!!!---This is an amazing and truly helpful thread! I can't believe all I've learned from Costa Maya from reading this. One question. Do all cruise lines/ships dock at the same port, or are there different ports for each line? I'm going through RCI and wanted to know if this pool area would be available from my "port" too? Sorry--these questions may be no brainers...but I'm new! Thanks so much for all of your help!

 

There is only one dock area for Costa Maya at this time so this will be your dock and pier.

 

Have fun!

 

Dianne

[kel99]

Does anyone know what the name is of the last beach on the road from the port? I heard this was the best beach

[jubilee1]

Thanks so much for the pictures!! We are going in March on the Spirit. Can't wait. We've been to Costa Maya two time, but not since they have rebuilt. I like how they put sand on the beach..we may just stay in the port village and not go to a beach! Your pictures helped us finally make a decision on what to do here!

[choc56uk]

great pics....thanks

[emdia43]

The pool is graduated (step down) and is approx 3-4 feet deep at the deepest part. There is a nice fountain space for smaller children to play and the adults can play in the deeper end:

 

 

 

The grounds are beautiful and clean, it looks like a resort:

 

 

Tanks for great photos- I wanna go! Are thes pics of Costa Maya or Mahajual? I thought the only beach was at Mahajual?

[98Charlie]

Those pics are from the port area where you arrive from the ship. Majuahal is a short taxi ride away for beach area. Taxi ride is very cheap -- like less than $6 bucks round trip and the beach area is great in Majuahal. Very laid back, well worth the trip.

 

Dianne

[seastheday]

Hey Dianne & Gwynn...we still remember you from our first NCL cruise back in 2006 (???) the Star to Alaska. We have just been following behind you since then, I guess!

 

Do you recall seeing jetskis along the beach where you were in Majahual? I think DH & I would love to do that in the beautiful surf there...and also chill in the shade with some local cool drinks and eats! :D

[98Charlie]

Hey Dianne & Gwynn...we still remember you from our first NCL cruise back in 2006 (???) the Star to Alaska. We have just been following behind you since then, I guess!

 

Do you recall seeing jetskis along the beach where you were in Majahual? I think DH & I would love to do that in the beautiful surf there...and also chill in the shade with some local cool drinks and eats! :D

 

Great to hear from you again. That was our first cruise to Alaska as well. Been back again since then on the Sun 2 years ago.

 

To tell you the truth, I don't really remember seeing jet skis at Costa Maya when last there but I'm sure they were up and running. Everything seemed to be up and running when we were there last.

 

Dianne

PS: Hubby and I were just happy to be back to Majuahal and see things up and running while we were sitting by the beautiful beach and sipping a few cold drinks while we watched the beautiful water when we were last there. will take better notes this time around to Majuahal and Costa Maya.

[sebritish]

we are booked at the Mayachan resort for next week and have just been informed there is seaweed on the beach and in the ocean which is disappointing...can anyone tell me if it is the same at the Majahual beach?

[PaulMedik]

we are booked at the Mayachan resort for next week and have just been informed there is seaweed on the beach and in the ocean which is disappointing...can anyone tell me if it is the same at the Majahual beach?

 

 

sebritish,

 

A Caribbean beach with seaweed? The pics I have of Majahual are from before the hurricane, but I had to look through them to see if there was seaweed on the beach. There is;

 

 

All the beach shots I have of Majahual include seaweed;

 

 

Grand Turk does too;

 

 

Trunk Bay on St Johns has some, but not much;

 

 

Orient Beach on St Martin is one of the worlds most popular beaches and has seaweed;

 

 

The only non seaweed option I know if in the Caribbean would be in Costa Maya at the pool;

 

 

Many beaches have seaweed removal equipment that they run each morning to create the pristine appearance people expect. Clearwater Beach has them. Half Moon Cay has them. During given times of year with given surf conditions, the seaweed will come in faster than machinery can remove it. I would suggest you choose where you wish to go and not fret about the seaweed. I really did have to look through our pics to see if there was any beach we had been to without seaweed. I never found one.

[sebritish]

Thanks for the reply.. it is not the beach I am concerned with we are going to a private beach maya chan... and they just e-mailed me to say that on Cruise Critics someone complained about the seaweed in the ocean which we have experienced before and you cannot swim unless you go way out. He said there is seaweed and I was just wondering if Mahahual has the same problem...it doesn't look like it from your photos.

 

I have been to all the other beaches you mention and yes a little seaweed on the beach is no problem at all.... by the way thanks for the beautiful pictures.

 

Twice we have been to the same beach in St. Lucia and one time the ocean was clear another time it was so thick with seaweed you couldn't even walk in the water let alone swim.

[PaulMedik]

Thanks for the reply.. it is not the beach I am concerned with we are going to a private beach maya chan... and they just e-mailed me to say that on Cruise Critics someone complained about the seaweed in the ocean which we have experienced before and you cannot swim unless you go way out. He said there is seaweed and I was just wondering if Mahahual has the same problem...it doesn't look like it from your photos.

 

I have been to all the other beaches you mention and yes a little seaweed on the beach is no problem at all.... by the way thanks for the beautiful pictures.

 

Twice we have been to the same beach in St. Lucia and one time the ocean was clear another time it was so thick with seaweed you couldn't even walk in the water let alone swim.

 

 

sebritish,

 

I was wondering how you'd taken so many cruises and not encountered seaweed. :p It's most likely the person who complained just happened to be there on a day it was washing in.

 

One of the most amusing things I have ever heard someone say about seaweed was while at sea looking out over the rail someone nearby said they need to clean the ocean up to get rid of all that seaweed floating around and that we should sail around it. :D The amusing part is that they were serious.

 

Beaches in Jamaica tend to have a lot of seaweed in the water, but not floating. My sons don't like to walk on it, but for some reason I enjoy the gentle foot massage.

 

I just wish I could figure out why I keep typing seaweek instead of seaweed. I have to go back and correct it each time. :confused:

[knot knormal]

A previous post said it was a 10 minute bus/taxi ride to Mahahual. Can you walk? We often walk from the dock to downtown St. Thomas..same distance?

[LadyDivot]

I don't recommend you walk to Majahual. It's down a very busy divided highway with no shoulders or sidewalks. It's a safety thing. I think the ride was less than 10 minutes and it cost us $2 or $3 pp.

 

Pam

[ceebee]

My sister and I are going to the Western C. in January. I showed her the pictures of the pool at Costa Maya. She stated that she would not go in any pool in Mexico as a friend

told her they contracted internal parasites from swimming in a pool there. Has anyone ever heard of this?

[buckeyes #1]

My wife and i will be in Costa Maya on Dec 29 with the Norwegian Spirit.

 

I'm trying to decide whether to book a beach excursion with the cruise, where they take you to a beach owned/operated by the cruise include transportation, food/drink, and activities. But usually the food is bland, the beaches are packed.

 

Or book a beach resort on my own like Maya Chan Beach where they pick you up, feed you and serve you drinks but offer more privacy and relaxation.

 

Or lastly just wing it, take a cab into Majahaul and go to the beach and find my own food and drink.

 

Any thoughts or experiences you can share?

[98Charlie]

My wife and i will be in Costa Maya on Dec 29 with the Norwegian Spirit.

 

I'm trying to decide whether to book a beach excursion with the cruise, where they take you to a beach owned/operated by the cruise include transportation, food/drink, and activities. But usually the food is bland, the beaches are packed.

 

Or book a beach resort on my own like Maya Chan Beach where they pick you up, feed you and serve you drinks but offer more privacy and relaxation.

 

Or lastly just wing it, take a cab into Majahaul and go to the beach and find my own food and drink.

 

Any thoughts or experiences you can share?

 

Just got back from our NCL Spirit cruise. Great cruise. Great crew and staff!

 

We always vote for just ``winging it'' in Majahual. Food and drinks are very reasonable and the beach area there is very nice. We always stop at Tapas Bar and are never disappointed. Plenty of tables right down by the water and the service is awesome. Buckets of beer are cheap and they will mix different kinds of beer in the bucket.

 

The water is a beautiful shade of blue/green and you can actually see your ship from the beach there -- leading for good photo opts of the ship as well as your family and friends standing on the beach with the ship behind you.

 

Hubby & I spent about 3 hours at Tapas and our food & drink bill was about $20 this last trip. Would have stayed longer but the beach was warming up pretty good.:D

 

The bar/restaurant is about 1/2 way down the paved strip of restaurants and vendors. Look for the waiters wearing bright orange T-shirts. If you run into a waiter named Pancho, tell him hello for us.

 

Dianne

[buckeyes #1]

thanks for info Diane

 

thats what we'll probably end up doing.

 

i'm pretty comfortable just winging it especially in Mexico since we've been to Cancun, Cozumel, Playa Carm several times and we've always felt safe and capable of getting around.

 

probably do an excursion in Guatemala or Belize.

[98Charlie]

thanks for info Diane

 

thats what we'll probably end up doing.

 

i'm pretty comfortable just winging it especially in Mexico since we've been to Cancun, Cozumel, Playa Carm several times and we've always felt safe and capable of getting around.

 

probably do an excursion in Guatemala or Belize.

 

We took the ship's excursion to the village of Livingston in Guatemala on our first Spirit cruise and took the excursion to Livingston with Happy Fish Travel on our second and third Spirit cruises. Happy Fish excursions were a bit cheaper and more enjoyable in our opinion.

 

Some of our CC members took the Happy Fish excursion that included a ride down the Rio Dulce River as well as a tour of Livingston. All of them said they enjoyed the tour. Highly recommend the tour company. You can reserve on line with the company or just sign up for the tour when you get to the port.

 

Dianne

[mmichele]

Please clarify for me.

The pier has a great pool but no beach area and Mahahual has a great beach area with no pool. Is that correct? Can we rent jet ski's anywhere? Can we do both the pier and beach area in one day?

Thanks

[Alwaysacruiseinthequeue]

One of the new things that I see is that they finally put sand on the beach at the port facility. I guess they are trying to do everything to keep folks from going to town.

Dave

What are the best things to do there? We want to go to the "fishing village". We really want to get the "local" feel.

 

-Stephanie