Costa Maya, Mexico is a great place to experience the Mayan culture. The port of Costa Maya is fairly small and the fishing village of Mahahual is just a short ride (2 miles) away. As you get off your ship you will find yourself in a delightful shopping/dining/entertainment area. Right here there are 3 swimming pools and just a quick walk to a beach. You could easily spend all your time in the port area of Costa Maya but there is quite a bit more out there with just a little bit of planning and a sense of adventure.
The people of this town are more than ready to show you a little bit about their culture. Let’s explore some wonderful activities to experience the culture of Costa Maya, Mexico.
Visit Mahahual
This fishing village is only 2 miles from the cruise ship port. Many visitors feel this is where you see the real culture of this area. Only about 1000 people live in Mahahual and their living is dependant on tourism. You will find beautiful beaches and beach clubs, restaurants, bars, shopping and people ready to help you learn about their culture.
Cooking Classes
One excursion that many guests love is the cooking classes taught by local residents. Guests are taught traditional cooking techniques of the Yucatecan Mexican people. Guests might learn to cook foods like tortillas, empanadas, flautas, pico de gallo, tamales, coconut helado, jicama salad and even more. This is definitely an excursion that you can take home with you and bring back fond memories when you cook the foods at home. Ask your travel advisor for help finding a great cooking class.
Visit the Mayan Ruins
One of the most popular cultural activities is to visit Myan ruins. You will find ruins from as early as 200 BC.
Chacchoben Ruins
Chacchoben is the closest ruin site to Costa Maya. It is about 50 minutes away. You can schedule an excursion ahead of time or hire a taxi or shttle when you get to the port. Renting a car is also a possibility. The roads are clearly marked.
Chacchoben includes two main temple pyramids dated 200 B.C. to A.D. 700. These ruins are relatively newly discovered as they weren’t found until 1941. The site was opened to the public in 2002 after 8 years of restoration. You can either take a guided tour or explore the area on your own. There isn’t much signage so you will learn a lot more about the history and Mayan culture if you have a guide. The surrounding jungle gives this area a very ancient feel. And, because the nearby jungle is lush you might spot a spider monkey. Note: you are not allowed to climb up the ruins.
Dzibanche and Kohunlich Ruins
These two ruin sites are less traveled as they are a bit farther away. A guided tour will really bring the Mayan history and their culture to life for you. Vegetation enveloped this area at one point so the archeological history is also very interesting. Both sites can be visited in one day.
Dzibanche was a large city between 300 and 900 A.D. There were plazas, palaces, temples, homes, and public buildings that you see remnants of today. The most impressive pyramid is the Cormoranes Pyramid from the 5th Century A.D. You are allowed to climb these ruins to get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding jungle and archeological site. Be careful and watch your footing!
Kohunlich is the largest and most spectacular site. It isn’t as busy as it is about an hour and a half away. You can also climb to the top of the temples here for another beautiful view of the jungle. You are most likely to see those pesky spider monkeys here.
Today was all about the Mayan Culture that you can discover in when your cruise ship docks in the port of Costa Maya. But, this certainly isn’t all there is to do in Costa Maya. Oh no! Stay tuned for a future post about all the adventureous activities available in Costa Maya!
Have you visited Chacchoben? Is this ruin site or one of the others on your bucket list for your next cruise to Costa Maya?
If you would like more information about cruise lines and intineraries that visit Costa Maya I would love to point you in the right direction. Contact me and we can get started planning right away.
Happy travels to you…until we meet again!
Other links that might be interesting to read:
- How to spend a port day in Cozumel
- How to avoid crowds on a cruise
- Get to know the Symphony of the Seas
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