Costa Maya
Our first stop on this voyage was Costa Maya, a port we had not visited in many years, and has it ever changed. The port looks new and is very customer friendly. It features a myriad of facilities to include a number of fun authentic eating establishments, a nice beach, walking paths, dolphin area and even has brick paved roads outside the terminal. We did not stand in the long line for the $3pp shuttle; instead we made our way outside the port and grabbed a cab to the village of Mahahual (note: it is a good 30-40 minute walk or $2PP fixed 2 minute cab ride). The town of Mahahual is easy to navigate, and we made our way to the beach after being dropped off in town. On the beach, there were endless options of restaurants, water and beach activities, massage etc. We lucked out and met Kyle (an expat living in Mahahual). Kyle is the owner of El Faro,
Cozumel
Our second stop which is a terrific port for any cruiser. At first glance you might think this is another cheesy cruise ship destination. However, this lovely island has a lot to offer, such as diving some of the best reefs in the world, lovely beaches, scooters and ATVs to rent; visiting Mayan ruins, captivating scenery on the windswept side of the island. A fun consideration is renting an ebike ( https://beachbumcozumel.com ) a very good outfit and they also offer various excursions. A word to the wise as I have been to Cozumel many, many times – if you are planning a trip to the mainland (Playa del Carmen or the Mayan Ruins), take the ship excursions as the local ferries cannot be relied on to arrive/depart on time…play it safe and go with the ship or be ready to wave goodbye to the ship as it leaves port!
