1pm - 9pm Port Time - What to do?

[UGACamper]

First time to CM.  Beach Club/Boardwalk, Stay at Port, or Stay on Ship?  Only one other ship in port that day. Thanks for your thoughts!

[crewsweeper]

Get out of the port!!  Head for the malecon(boardwalk).  Krazy Lobster seems to be the preferred place for those not doing an All Inclusive. Most beach clubs close around 5PM or once most ships depart.

I would suggest Maya Chan for an All Inclusive but It would most likely be closer to 2:30P before you could get there.  Even AIs along the malecon are probably not worth a shortened time.

After the beach, head back toward port and have a nice apres beach drink or even dinner at Catrina's on the street heading to the port across from the pyramid.

[c-leg5]

I am not sure why Costa Maya has such awful port hours for so many ships. I am not sure if it is to get a double load 7-12 and 12- 6/7/8pm or to spread out crowds, one in the morning, one in the afternoon.

 

There are very limited activities from Costa Maya and from experience I don’t find the late shift to be worthwhile for AI locations out of town - it is not my normal eating time and it goes dark early. The malecon has some restaurants open for late dining because they have guests from small boutique hotels but many beach clubs will close. Our go-to on the malecon would be Malecon 21 but we like to relax YMMV.

 

I used to be with @crewsweeper and recommend getting out of port at least to the malecon for some drinks and beach but my opinion has changed since the reopening after Covid. I find Mahahual very disappointing now and would stay in port with short hours. 
 

Your hours are more difficult since you are staying even later than ships we have been on but I am not sure how much will remain open and whether it is worth giving up free food on the ship for.
 

 

Edited January 25 by c-leg5

[merinski]

On 1/24/2024 at 8:22 AM, UGACamper said:

First time to CM.  Beach Club/Boardwalk, Stay at Port, or Stay on Ship?  Only one other ship in port that day. Thanks for your thoughts!

We just got back. I liked the port area, there is lots of shopping, a pool, a place you can swim with dolphins, but what we did was there is a Bird Sanctuary(Aviarius) near the middle. It was nice and is only $14. It's a little tricky to find, ask around. You walk up some stairs and over some bridges, also over the dolphins.