Tours in Costa Maya

[can_cruisers]

We are a group of 10 ranging in age from 16 to 60. Just wondering if someone could recommend a good city tour that is 4 hours or less.

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[DFritz]

Costa Maya doesn't have a city. It does have a small fishing village named Mahahual that is a $5 round trip cab/bus ride , per person, from the pier. The village has many wonderful places to shop and eat along the beach. You could also check into David and Ivan's tour to the Chaccoben Ruins that runs about 3.5 to 4 hours in length and costs $43 per person. You could also visit the crocodile museum found right at the pier for $10 per person, swim in the free pool at the pier and watch the free spanish operatic folkloric shows put on at this location as well throughout the day.

 

Read up on the ports you visit and you will find many options available to you.

[rosegrower]

I enjoyed this excursion on Feb 3, 2006! You take a bus ride to a small Mayan village, Limones and Andrea the very interesting guide talks to you all the way. You get to stop at the ruins which are over 3000 years old and climb on it and take pictures. Andrea tells you that the mothers bring their children to see the "weird people" ( we tourists) but most of us thought they were there for $$! Some couples did take their picture and gave the kids each a dollar. We then travelled to a Mayan family home. They came out to greet us and a friend of Andeas took everyones picture with the family (mother , father and daughter) on her digital camera. I later saw her hooking up her photo printer and at the end of the tour we could buy for $10.00 our picture with the family and a picture of the entire ruin that we saw in Limones. I was sure it was better than any of my own photos so I bought it. I think most of the tour members did. It comes in a folder so it is protected. The typical Mayan home with multiple buildings for different uses was very interesting! In the kitchen the mother made tortillas and we all got to have some. We sat in their back yard and were given cold drinks (in cans, I had coke) and learned about medicinal plants and fruits etc. There is a tiny gift shop tent in the front that had a few items in. We then headed back toward Costa Maya and stopped at a freshwater lake to eat lunch. Andrea provided ham and cheese sandwiches, drinks and some packaged granola, nutrigrainbars for lunch. Since the food had been in our bus since the beginning and it was not left on for A/C. I did not eat sandwich but most did. I ate a pina (pineapple) nutrigrain bar which I have never seen in the states and it was good! I would suggest bringing handiwipes or some other sanitizing hand washers cause the facilities there are very primitive and no paper towels were available. There is a bathroom on the bus in the back but I did not use it. My seatmate described it as "very primitive" Andrea answered any of our questions on the way back to Costa Maya pier and then came down the aisle and talked to each one of us about our other ports and excursions. There is a box for tips for the bus driver on your way out of the bus. I gave Andrea money also cause she was very good and I enjoyed the tour! We had plenty of time to enjoy the shops and facilities at the pier before getting back on the ship. I did not go to the fishing village where I understand the prices are cheaper. I found the jewelry much more expensive than Los Cinco Soles in Cozumel. They had the same exact silver, inlaid barrette for $5.95 or 3 for $14.95. They were $22 in Costa Maya and no haggling. Their t-shirts were $10 and $15, not five like in Cozumel. If you have any questions about the excursion, I will be happy to answer if I can between loads of laundry! My husband did the "exclusive fly fishing" and really enjoyed it!

[can_cruisers]

Thank you for the information. A few in our group have booked a tour of the ruins with David and Ivan, i have been hearing lots of good things about their tour. The nice thing is that it is only 4 hours. The rest of the group has decided to check out the fishing village.

[Queen of Adventure]

Hmmmm... I am booked on this tour, and I don't eat ham or anything with sugar in it (type 1 Diabetes). Should I be bringing my own food?:confused:

[DFritz]

The standard ruins tour that lasts 3.5 to 4 hours does not include lunch. The tour that includes lunch is the longer tour that will detail stopping for lunch. Read the details of your tour . If it does include lunch then you may want to switch tours or bring your own food; just in case.

[Queen of Adventure]

The tour I am doing is called the Mayan Reality tour, I think. Is the one described a different tour?

[rosegrower]

I am not sure about the name change. I signed up for Mayan Cultural Experience, but the sign at the pier said Mayan Reality Tour and the stickers they put on us said the same thing. I would check with the excursion desk on your ship to be certain. The original description of my tour said we would have a Mayan flavored lunch buffet and somehow that got changed to a picnic. I would rather have just returned to the pier, eaten there or back on the ship.

[Queen of Adventure]

Yep, your description and mine is the same... A Mayan lunch might be interesting, but - like you - I'd rather return to the pier than go for a picnic like the one you described:p