Hayhu - a must do

[jean87510]

Well after waiting months for this experience we finally made it to Hayhu.  This is hands down the best place in Mahahual or Costa Maya.  We opted for the beach jungle package which is $250.  We paid a $50 deposit prior.  We used whatsapp to communicate and boy did we as our port time changed 2x!!  There is a $100 food credit.  

We were given detail instructions for the pickup.  Gabriel picked us up in his taxi.  After traveling south of Mahahual near Almaplena, we were delivered to Hayhu.

We had 2 beds and towels were supplied all day if needed.  Drinks and food were great.  We opted for beer and soda plus appetizers so our food portion was $91 which was included with $100 food credit.

I got a massage for 30 minutes for $40.  60 minutes was $60.  It was phenomenal.

The real star of this place is the unbelievable reef and snorkeling.  We were stunned.  We were out almost the entire day exploring as we have our own gear.  The reef is better than the money bar at cozumel.  It was fantastic.  No sargassum, clear beautiful water, NO VENDORS OR HAWKERS!!!!  

This is a snorkelling paradise with a terrific team of staff.  I hate to share because I don't want anyone to know.  There are also kayaks and SUPs.

Edited October 26, 2022 by jean87510

[bguppies]

Thank you so much for the review.

[c-leg5]

Thanks for a more recent review and glad you enjoyed it. It has been a while since anyone reported about it on CC.

 

Did you go via the main road instead of passing Maya Chan?

 

Due to its distance and price I think we will hold off until we have a port stop with longer hours but still on a “one day” list.

[jean87510]

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

Thanks for a more recent review and glad you enjoyed it. It has been a while since anyone reported about it on CC.

 

Did you go via the main road instead of passing Maya Chan?

 

Due to its distance and price I think we will hold off until we have a port stop with longer hours but still on a “one day” list.

I have never been nor desire to go to Maya Chan 😉 😉 but I think Hayhu is south of cruise port.  And I think you dont have to buy the package as I saw people going there for lunch and just hanging out.  The cab fare up and back is included.

[c-leg5]

3 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I have never been nor desire to go to Maya Chan 😉 😉 but I think Hayhu is south of cruise port.  And I think you dont have to buy the package as I saw people going there for lunch and just hanging out.  The cab fare up and back is included.

I wasn’t asking what you thought about Maya Chan, just the route you took to get there.  You mentioned Almaplena.  
 

I would have expected you to take the highway and not the coast road the whole way passed Almaplena  and Maya Chan. I think you would have noticed if you had taken that route.

[jean87510]

On 10/27/2022 at 5:13 PM, c-leg5 said:

I wasn’t asking what you thought about Maya Chan, just the route you took to get there.  You mentioned Almaplena.  
 

I would have expected you to take the highway and not the coast road the whole way passed Almaplena  and Maya Chan. I think you would have noticed if you had taken that route.

 It looked like we took the highway then a back way.  I saw a sign for Almaplena to the left then Hayhu to the right.  It would probably have been a more scenic ride with the coast.  We unfortunately had to stop on the way back so my husband could double-check the bag for his underwater camera.  In that 2 minutes, a few biting flies got into car and gave us jigger type welts that we are still scratching on our faces and arms.  So yes, the coastline may have been a better ride!!

[c-leg5]

3 hours ago, jean87510 said:

 It looked like we took the highway then a back way.  I saw a sign for Almaplena to the left then Hayhu to the right.  It would probably have been a more scenic ride with the coast.  We unfortunately had to stop on the way back so my husband could double-check the bag for his underwater camera.  In that 2 minutes, a few biting flies got into car and gave us jigger type welts that we are still scratching on our faces and arms.  So yes, the coastline may have been a better ride!!

Thanks, that’s the route I would have expected.

 

Surprisingly the coast road is also considered a Highway but it would have taken a longer time, depending on the state of the road condition at the time.

[psmarkle]

We have reservations here in Nov! Originally, we booked it in Spring 2020...ummm, yeah, thanks Covid! Then we re-booked for Spring 2021...that cruise got cancelled as well. So, here we are 2 1/2 years later and the owners e-mailed back saying they will still honor our $125 deposit from 2020...what great customer service! We opted for 1 of the 2 VIP upper decks since we have a larger party going.

 

Which appetizers do you recommend?

Edited November 5, 2022 by psmarkle

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, psmarkle said:

We have reservations here in Nov! Originally, we booked it in Spring 2020...ummm, yeah, thanks Covid! Then we re-booked for Spring 2021...that cruise got cancelled as well. So, here we are 2 1/2 years later and the owners e-mailed back saying they will still honor our $125 deposit from 2020...what great customer service! We opted for 1 of the 2 VIP upper decks since we have a larger party going.

 

Which appetizers do you recommend?

We got the guacamole, salsa, chips, and a shrimp tostado with ceviche.  Really good!

[c-leg5]

Was pickup inside the port or on the street outside?

[jean87510]

Just now, c-leg5 said:

Was pickup inside the port or on the street outside?

outside

[psmarkle]

Really looking forward to this stop. Have gotten in contact with the co-located kite surfing school and have set up lessons for our bunch...can't wait!!

[ShellinTX]

@psmarkle Hoping you and your group have a wonderful time! Looking forward to a report of your experience. Wondering if the VIP is worth the extra cost for a smaller group. 

[psmarkle]

I'll definitely post about it. For us, DW wanted her own bathroom, so that settled that! 🙂

[mitsugirly]

On 10/26/2022 at 5:59 PM, jean87510 said:

 

The real star of this place is the unbelievable reef and snorkeling.  We were stunned.  We were out almost the entire day exploring as we have our own gear.  The reef is better than the money bar at cozumel.  It was fantastic.  No sargassum, clear beautiful water, NO VENDORS OR HAWKERS!!!!  

This is a snorkelling paradise with a terrific team of staff.  I hate to share because I don't want anyone to know.  There are also kayaks and SUPs.

 

 

 

 

 

How far out is the snorkeling area? Or is it by the shore? Is there a coral reef or a sandy bottom with spots of snorkeling and fish?

[jean87510]

11 minutes ago, mitsugirly said:

 

How far out is the snorkeling area? Or is it by the shore? Is there a coral reef or a sandy bottom with spots of snorkeling and fish?

Its about 50 to 100 yards out directly out.  Sorry, all of my husband's snorkeling photos didn't upload.  He went farther out than I did.  Its very easy to spot.  We thought this was much better than areas from shore in Cozumel which we've been to numerous times.  This is the farthest he went out.

Edited November 26, 2022 by jean87510

[mitsugirly]

2 hours ago, jean87510 said:

Its about 50 to 100 yards out directly out.  Sorry, all of my husband's snorkeling photos didn't upload.  He went farther out than I did.  Its very easy to spot.  We thought this was much better than areas from shore in Cozumel which we've been to numerous times.  This is the farthest he went out.

 

 

 

Thank you for the info. Can you tell me about how deep it was in that snorkeling area?

[jean87510]

29 minutes ago, mitsugirly said:

 

 

Thank you for the info. Can you tell me about how deep it was in that snorkeling area?

maybe 10 to 15 ft?  Definitely over our heads.

[mitsugirly]

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

maybe 10 to 15 ft?  Definitely over our heads.

 

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. 

[psmarkle]

On 11/19/2022 at 5:05 PM, ShellinTX said:

@psmarkle Hoping you and your group have a wonderful time! Looking forward to a report of your experience. Wondering if the VIP is worth the extra cost for a smaller group. 

OK, sorry it's taken a week, but work has been busy after the holidays! OK, here's my thoughts, we loved this place...so peaceful! However, based on your comments about a smaller group, I'd skip the VIP pkg, but would get there early.

 

We had an 0930 pickup from our pier which was a different pier than the other cruise ships. We were the first guests there for the day and had a great reception by the staff before being escorted up to our VIP deck. Now, there were 4 of us and the deck was most accommodating. Having said that, we had a $300 food/drink credit that came with the VIP experience and we only used $230 of it despite our best efforts to drink it all away LOL!! So, if you are a smaller party, I'd skip the VIP deck and go regular admission. Now, the place did fill up within 90 mins-to 2 hrs after we arrived, so I'd get there early to pick your spot.

 

For lunch, we had the guacamole for appetizer...order exztra chips...it was made fresh on the premises and was so good, we ordered a second batch! We then ordered the $140 grilled meat platter...OMG, so good and so much! We actually did not finish it all! Definitely order it, though! DW loved the beef short ribs as the best.

 

Our kids went out on the 2 sea kayaks, even in the rain showers while DW and I huddled in our private bathroom with all our stuff to keep it dry. Everyone else sought shelter in the main house.

 

As for the kite surfing, the Instructor e-mailed us the day before saying the forecast was for minimal winds, so he canceled our lessons. Well, with the storms that rolled in, there was ample wind for everybody! No worries, we'll try again next port visit.

 

At the end, they will give you your bill with a credit card price and a discounted cash price. I brought plenty of cash and instead of $492 balance due, it was $451...I like those kind of deals! We also put $120 in the tip jar at the bar...well worth the very attentive service we enjoyed.

 

So, yes, if we cruise back to Costa Maya, we're going back to Hayhu again! So relaxing, great service, great food, enjoyable beach day!!

Edited December 4, 2022 by psmarkle

[jean87510]

On 12/3/2022 at 9:03 PM, psmarkle said:

OK, sorry it's taken a week, but work has been busy after the holidays! OK, here's my thoughts, we loved this place...so peaceful! However, based on your comments about a smaller group, I'd skip the VIP pkg, but would get there early.

 

We had an 0930 pickup from our pier which was a different pier than the other cruise ships. We were the first guests there for the day and had a great reception by the staff before being escorted up to our VIP deck. Now, there were 4 of us and the deck was most accommodating. Having said that, we had a $300 food/drink credit that came with the VIP experience and we only used $230 of it despite our best efforts to drink it all away LOL!! So, if you are a smaller party, I'd skip the VIP deck and go regular admission. Now, the place did fill up within 90 mins-to 2 hrs after we arrived, so I'd get there early to pick your spot.

 

For lunch, we had the guacamole for appetizer...order exztra chips...it was made fresh on the premises and was so good, we ordered a second batch! We then ordered the $140 grilled meat platter...OMG, so good and so much! We actually did not finish it all! Definitely order it, though! DW loved the beef short ribs as the best.

 

Our kids went out on the 2 sea kayaks, even in the rain showers while DW and I huddled in our private bathroom with all our stuff to keep it dry. Everyone else sought shelter in the main house.

 

As for the kite surfing, the Instructor e-mailed us the day before saying the forecast was for minimal winds, so he canceled our lessons. Well, with the storms that rolled in, there was ample wind for everybody! No worries, we'll try again next port visit.

 

At the end, they will give you your bill with a credit card price and a discounted cash price. I brought plenty of cash and instead of $492 balance due, it was $451...I like those kind of deals! We also put $120 in the tip jar at the bar...well worth the very attentive service we enjoyed.

 

So, yes, if we cruise back to Costa Maya, we're going back to Hayhu again! So relaxing, great service, great food, enjoyable beach day!!

Glad you liked it!!  It's my new go to place in Costa Maya.  Best part was no vendors.

[wkwthme]

Is it routine for them to offer the cash discount? I prefer not to carry a bunch of cash but would to save some!

Thanks to those that posted! Never would have booked without your input.

[c-leg5]

17 minutes ago, wkwthme said:

Is it routine for them to offer the cash discount? I prefer not to carry a bunch of cash but would to save some!

Thanks to those that posted! Never would have booked without your input.

Quite common to get a cash discount although we tend to pay by CC in pesos but that depends on exchange rate and if the establishment considers themselves local or tourist. Places quoting in US$ tend to be tourist. 

 

 Not understanding PP @psmarkle saying he was at a different pier - there is only ONE port in Costa Maya so pick up for independent excursions must be at the same place and haven’t been yet. 

 

Let us know how it goes. I was probably one of the first people to consider this place but would have to have a long enough port stop to justify it. Glad they survived  so far from town.

 

Edited January 22, 2023 by c-leg5

[jean87510]

On 1/21/2023 at 8:46 PM, wkwthme said:

Is it routine for them to offer the cash discount? I prefer not to carry a bunch of cash but would to save some!

Thanks to those that posted! Never would have booked without your input.

It appears to be.  I'm with you about carrying cash around.  I just had it secured in a spot in my bag precounted with tip.  

The people that work here are really nice.  Not the fake service nice to tourists but genuinely interested in your day.  We spent time talking with various staff about the area and places to stay on land plus road trips down the coast and snorkeling.  

We are actually returning in July.  When I contacted them, the booking person said oh my Philadelphia Eagles friends in the email.  I was really surprised but remembered my husband discussing the Eagles prospects for the season with the staff.  That impressed me and gave me yet another reason to return besides the ambiance, the terrific snorkeling and the food.

[wkwthme]

Jumping back onto the thread to let you know we enjoyed Hayhu so much! It is one of the prettiest beach clubs I have seen in the Caribbean. Service was prompt but not intrusive & our server even brought my drink to the ocean for me! Didn’t try any of the food but the drinks were delicious, not very strong but very tasty.

 
The beach was raked to keep the seaweed down and the gardens manicured throughout the day. Lounge chairs were very comfortable & views amazing. 

Transportation couldn’t have been easier. After leaving the port area where the stores are, continue to walk straight through the gates, leaving the port area completely. There were several taxi drivers waiting there. We were provided our drivers name & cab number that morning but he took the extra step of having a paper with our names on it!

 

The manager took the time to carefully explain our bill and showed us the final amount due in US Dollars, Pesos & via Credit Card. Discount was provided for cash.

 

For those unused to international travel, Hayhu makes it very comfortable.

I found the club a bit quiet for my taste – my husband said it was perfect. I thought the cost was quite reasonable for the level of service and quality of experience. We both agreed we would return.