Going on a cruise to Costa Maya and unsure what the best option is for your day in port? This post will discuss everything you want to know about the Costa Maya cruise port, including the top locations and excursions to pick.
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Costa Maya is a common cruise port stop on western caribbean cruise itineraries. This port is actually a man made port for cruise passengers.
Costa Maya is in the fishing village of Mahahual. It is about 150 miles south of Cozumel, Mexico.
It has become a very popular cruise port over the years. If you’re going to be taking a cruise to Costa Maya and unsure of what to do this is the post for you.
I’ll be discussing the best things to do from port activities, excursions, beach clubs/bars and more as someone who has been to this port countless times.
This post is all about Costa Maya.
THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN COSTA MAYA
There are a fair amount of options when it comes to what to do with your day in Costa Maya.
This port stop is not a fan favorite among the cruise community. A lot of people who have been to this port before will just spend their day on this ship.
That way they can enjoy a more empty ship and some popular amenities they might not have had a chance to enjoy yet.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t end up liking or loving this port! Just commonly, it is not the favorite stop on any itinerary.
Cruise Port
If you’re wanting to stay at the port for the day here are the best options of how to spend your time in Costa Maya!
BIRD AVIARY
If you’re looking for an easy excursion that is low cost, this is the option for you!
This excursion costs about $14 (check current prices because they can change this at any point).
You can book this through the cruise line or in port. I’d suggest booking ahead of time though so you can pick the time you want to go.
Once in port you will see above your head several elevated aviaries that are connected by bridges. Each of these sections have birds in them for you to view and feed.
They will give you a bowl of feed included in the price of the excursion. This option is also great for photos! Several of the birds will sit on your shoulder or arm. The perfect time for you to snap a pic for a memory.
Types of birds included:
-American Flamingo
-Blue and gold macaw
-Red and green macaw
-Lovebird
-Black bellied whistling duck
-Collared aracari
-Golden pheasant
-Malayan Peacock pheasant
-Sun parakeet/conure
-Jandaya parakeet
-Western Screech owl
-Javan Sparrow
-Muscovy Duck
-Eastern rosella
-Kramer Parrot/Collard Parakeet
-Cardinal
SWIM WITH DOLPHINS
If you want to swim with dolphins while on your cruise vacation, Costa Maya is a great place to do this!
They have a dolphin enclosure right there in the port so you don’t have to travel far to take part in this type of excursion.
The business is called “Dolphin Discovery Costa Maya”.
You are able to purchase photos so you can take home memories from your experience.
If you also don’t want to spend the money on this excursion but want to see what it’s all about, it is easily viewed from different parts of the port.
SHOPPING
If you’re someone who likes to shop and take home a couple souvenirs from your cruise, Costa Maya has TONS of options!
This port is a decent size and each shop is not a large area so they really pack in a lot of stores in the port for you to peruse.
They have restaurants, bars, clothing stores, bags, pharmacies, small souvenirs and trinkets, jewelry, etc.
If there’s something you have in mind that you want to buy, you can probably find it here.
LOUNGE CHAIRS & POOLS
If you don’t want to leave the port but still want to relax or party by the pool in the sun, there are a few different areas you can hang out at this port!
In the front of the port there is a large pool with tons of chairs that seems to be more of a party area. You can use the pool for free but the chairs you will have to pay for.
Off to the side but still close to the front of the port there is another small area that has chairs, beach beds and a swim up bar you can hang out at and stare at the ocean and the cruise ships.
At the very back of the port they have added another pool with bars, chairs and hammocks you can hang out at. This area seems to be a little more secluded compared to the big pool in the front since not everyone will walk that far.
Beach Clubs And Bars
If you google beach clubs and bars in Costa Maya you will find a decent list of options. I will be sharing three of the best options you can go to out of the long list.
MAYA CHAN
Maya Chan is an all inclusive beach resort that is about a 20-30 minute drive outside of the Costa Maya cruise port.
This beach club is probably the most popular option for an all inclusive. The couple who owns this resort is SO sweet and accommodating!
They have all you can eat and drink, water sports, ocean access, a pool, free wifi and more!
Maya Chan only takes reservations and usually fills up fast so if you want to check this resort out for your day in Costa Maya I would reach out to them ASAP!
KRAZY LOBSTER
The Krazy Lobster is a beach bar about 5 minutes from the cruise port in Costa Maya. This is the cheapest option I’d say if you want to get out of the port for a little bit.
It only costs $4/per person each way for the taxi ride. The Krazy Lobster does not charge you anything to sit in their chairs for the day, they have free wifi, free kayaks, free mini margarita, etc.
If you do want to buy some food and drinks they are very reasonably priced. They also have extremely cheap massages. It does seem to vary based on who you talk to/what time of day/how busy they are.
The lowest price I have been offered though at this beach bar is $20 for an HOUR long massage. They also have some vendors selling souvenirs if you want to buy something.
You can barter with them and I highly suggest you do to get a price that you want.
The only downside of this popular beach bar in my opinion are the bathrooms. They are free to access but are not the cleanest or nicest so be prepared if you go to the venue.
If you’re looking for a cheap place to hang out by the ocean for a few hours though in Costa Maya I definitely recommend checking out The Krazy Lobster.
HAYHU BEACH
Hayhu beach is the most luxurious beach club offered in the Costa Maya area.
It is also the furthest away, about 30 minutes or longer from the cruise port but it is well worth the drive.
They have several different options for cruise day passes. VIP, Beach and jungle getaway or a la carta.
If you’re looking for a higher end day in Costa Maya this is going to be your absolute best bet.
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Popular Excursions
There are quite a few excursions you can choose from for your day in Costa Maya but these three are very popular among the cruise community for this port stop.
CHACCHOBEN MAYAN RUINS
This in my opinion is the best excursion you could pick for Costa Maya. Chacchoben is great for those wanting to see some real culture but isn’t as far as other ruins tours at different port stops.
Chacchoben is only an hour bus ride from the cruise port, compared to Tulum being almost a 2 hour travel time from Cozumel and Chichen Itza being 3 hours each way from Cozumel.
This is a great excursion, decently priced and an awesome way to experience some ancient mayan ruins.
BACALAR SEVEN COLOR LAGOON TUBING
Bacalar tubing is a 90 minute drive each way from the Costa Maya cruise port.
This excursion is a popular option because of the beautiful blue hues of the water you will see on this adventure.
It’s also a great way to stay cool in the heat!
Usually this excursion also has lunch included.
MAYA, LOST MAYAN KINGDOM WATER PARK
This water park has water slides, natural pools and zip lines! It’s a great option for those wanting to stay close to the port but also have some family friendly water fun.
One of the attractions is almost like a rollercoaster!
Many boast that this excursion is not crowded and their kids absolutely loved it.
Click here for the top rated cruise outfits for your next vacation!
Commonly Asked Questions
Is Costa Maya safe?
For the most part, yes.
When you are in a foreign country you always want to be cautious. Be aware of your surroundings, who you’re interacting with and where you go.
Will I get scammed?
There are a couple common scams you should know about when visiting Costa Maya.
Vanilla
The first one is in the port shops.
It is commonly shared and discussed that a lot of the vanilla purchased in Costa Maya that people assume is authentic, is actually fake. I have seen countless posts of people getting home and finding the mexican vanilla they bought is actually just water.
If you do want to buy some vanilla to take home I would recommend buying it in Cozumel.
Taxi all inclusive
The second common scam that is going on now in Costa Maya is some taxi drivers trying to sell to tickets to an all inclusive that aren’t real.
People have stated that they’ve paid anywhere from $60/per person to over $100/per person for these fake tickets. After purchasing the taxi drivers were dropping them off at a bar/restaurant then leaving.
Upon talking to the staff the cruisers would find out the tickets weren’t real and they were scammed out of their money.
How do you get around?
You can get around Costa Maya by walking, getting a taxi or renting a golf cart to drive around yourself.
The best golf cart company many cruisers talk about are the “red shirt guys”.
What currancy is accepted?
The peso is the national currancy of this area. However, the USD is accepted almost everywhere.
I would suggest bringing cash to this port and not using your credit card. You definitely can if you want to but in a foreign country, especially on a cruise when you’re just there for the day, it is best to use cash.
If you have any credit card charges that are incorrect, it’ll be harder to get them fixed since you aren’t there anymore.
Do I need to know Spanish?
While Spanish is what is spoken is Costa Maya, most people also speak English making it very easy to communicate with staff in and out of the port.
This post was all about Costa Maya.
