Tag: COSTA MAYA

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Caribbean Costa Maya Cruise Excursions Cruise Travel Mexico

Do I Need to Book an Excursion in Costa Maya?

Excursion in Costa Maya

“Do I Need to Book an Excursion in Costa Maya?” This is a question that I get asked a lot. Quite frankly, there are some cruise ports where you absolutely must book an excursion, and then there are others where you really don’t have to.

Costa Maya is an absolutely stunning corner of Mexico. The turquoise blue waters crash into the vibrant green jungle and the white sand beach to form some of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever encounter. Believe it or not, you can experience this port to the fullest without shelling out a ton of cash! Although it isn’t nearly as developed as Cozumel (130 miles north), it still offers visitors plenty to do.

Senor Frogs, Costa Maya

What is an Excursion?

An excursion is an activity that you book in a cruise port. The excursions range from historic tours, snorkeling and beach tours, visits to popular attractions, activities that will get your adrenaline pumping, and cultural activities. They are booked through local tour companies and cost additional money. Excursions can go from anywhere from $39 to hundreds of dollars for scuba diving, golfing, and helicopter tours.

Do I Need to Book an Excursion in Costa Maya?

Carnival has developed some ports as “destinations” and created a safe environment for cruisers to relax by the pool, spend some money in the shops or dine at restaurants. Costa Maya even gives you the option to swim with dolphins- if that is your thing. The port also features an aviary, a fish spa, and a place for you to experience Maya healing rituals. Oh, and of course there’s a tequila bar.

When you get off the ship you’ll need to walk down a long pier to the port. If you are not comfortable walking, or unable to, there are free shuttle buses that cart folks back and forth.

Although there is plenty to do at the port, if you want to truly experience Mexico, we suggest leaving the port area.

What are the highlights of Costa Maya?

  • Beautiful, large pools (with free floats)
  • Souvenir shops
  • Restaurants and bars (Senor Frogs, & Carlos and Charlies, etc).
  • Tequila Bar
  • Aviary
  • Fish Spa
  • Kakaw Chocolate
  • Dolphin Encounter
  • SCUBA diving

Free Entertainment in Costa Maya

Nearby Beaches

Walk towards your right from the port entrance, past the shops to the grand staircase. To the right of the staircase, there is a small pathway leading to a ticket selling booth/table. Here you can purchase tickets for a taxi or trolley ride. They can take you to any of the popular beach clubs.

Costa Maya, Mexico

The beaches here are unique in the sense that many of the bars, restaurants, and hotels actually own the beach that their establishment is on. Often times this means that you can receive bar and restaurant services while soaking up the rays. Pretty cool, huh?

Recommended Excursions in Costa Maya

Chacchoben Maya Ruins & Blue Lagoon

This 6 1/2 hour tour combines Maya history, local culture, and a beach break at a blue lagoon with an open bar. The trip starts with an hour-long bus ride out to the ruins. Along the way, your tour guide will tell you all there is to know about the ruins. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the ruins and the three main temples before heading back to the coast for lunch and time at the blue lagoon. This tour won’t leave you much time to explore the port area.

Maya Adventure Park & Beach Break

Spend the day at the Maya Adventure Park (the faux temple you see on the horizon from the cruise ship). The park has 9 waterslides, 2 zipline courses, a ropes course, and a roller coaster. There is also a pool and a Cenote to cool off in. Afterwards, hit the Beach Escape Beach Club for a bit of fun in the sun.

Bacalar Lagoon, Mexico

Seven Colors Lagoon River Tubing

This tour will take you to the stunning Bacalar Lagoon known as the “Lake of Seven Colors”. You’ll spend an hour and a half floating down the picturesque river. The tour includes lunch at the pier pictured above.

Bacalar Fort & Seven Colors Lagoon

Want to experience the real Mexico? This is truly a hidden gem! You’ll head to the town of Bacalar home to Bacalar Fort and the Seven Colors Lagoon. The fortress was built in 1733 to protect the Spanish colonists from pirate attacks and rebellions by the local indigenous people. You’ll also get a chance to spend time floating on the lagoon.

Catamaran Sail, Snorkel & Beach

Of course, you can never go wrong with a catamaran and snorkeling excursion. In fact, I have done this on several trips to Mexico and it never gets old.

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Cruise Travel

5 Ports Where People Stay on the Ship

5 Ports Where People Stay on the Ship– One of the most incredible things about cruising is that you can often travel to multiple countries in one trip. It’s such a unique travel experience that takes a lot of the planning and logistics out of the equation. Oh…and did I mention you only have to unpack once?

One downside to cruising is that sometimes you may visit a port that isn’t as desirable as some of the others. These are the ports where frequent cruisers simply elect to stay on the ship. Crime, accessibility, and a handful of other factors contribute to some people opting to spend the day napping or lounging by the pool, rather than out exploring the ports.

5 Ports Where People Stay on the Ship

 

Atlantis, The Bahamas

Nassau

Nassau is one of those ports that frequent cruisers have visited countless times. Sometimes, this leads to a “Been there, done that” mentality that causes people to stay on board the ship. Once you’ve done Atlantis and survived the Straw Market, there isn’t a ton left to do here, aside from the beach. If you do decide to leave the ship (and we hope you do), here are 7 Things for Cruisers to Do Within Walking Distance of the Port.

In all honesty, on more than one occasion I’ve gotten off of the ship in Nassau, grabbed a cup of coffee at Starbucks, ran into a shop, and then headed back on to the ship.

Freeport

Aside from hitting the beach and snorkeling, there really isn’t all that much to do in Freeport. If you’re not a beach person (which not everyone that cruises are), you may be better off skipping this port. Many cruisers opt to stay on the ship while docked in Freeport. This is a great time to hit the pool, layout on the deck, visit the spa, or take a nap.

 

Xunantunich Ruins, Belize

Belize

Belize is a tender port, meaning you have to take a water taxi from the ship to the port. Often times, this means having to wait in lines and deal with crowds (ewww….). Unless you book an excursion, there isn’t much to do in Belize. Do yourself a favor, book an excursion, and don’t miss out on this amazing country! 

There is so much to see and do here, and if you stay on the ship you’re truly missing out. This is one of our favorite cruise ports. Trust me on this one, book an excursion, get off the ship, and check out all of the amazing things this country has to offer.! Here are our Top 5 Things to Do in Belize.

 

Costa Maya, Mexico

Costa Maya

This is is a manufactured port, meaning that Carnival has built up the area into a “destination”. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the port area and there’s a pool with a swim-up bar. Frequent cruisers often skip this port and stay on board to enjoy the ship when it is less crowded. Why? Honestly, aside from the fact that locals are employed here, there’s nothing really authentic about it.

Jamaica

Jamaica is intimidating to a lot of people. The constant soliciting is a huge nuisance. We suggest making a game out of being asked how many times you’d like to have your hair braided. This is another one of those ports where we suggest booking an excursion, rather than striking it out on your own. There is safety in numbers and Jamaica is one of those places where you don’t want to wander too far away from the port on your own.

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Updated: 10/23/21

Categories
Caribbean Cozumel Cruise Excursions Cruise Travel Mayan Ruins Mexico Playa del Carmen

The Complete Guide to the Tulum Ruins

Tulum is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Mexico. Each year, more than 2 million visitors flock to the Yucatan to visit these ruins overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Even if you aren’t a history nerd, like me, chances are you’ll love the Tulum ruins simply because of the picturesque location.

God of the Winds Temple, Tulum

The History of Tulum

Archaeologists assume Tulum served as a port due to the fact that it was built right on the sea. This was one of the last settlements built and occupied by the Maya before the Spanish arrived in the 15th Century. It managed to survive for 70 years after the Spanish started occupying the area. It is believed that Old World diseases, brought by the Spanish, forced the Maya to abandon the cities.

What time should I arrive?

The earlier you get to the ruins, the better. The tour buses start rolling in in the late morning and the place starts to get rather crowded. If you’re planning on visiting the ruins as a cruise excursion, book the earliest excursion possible.

However, if you can’t get there early, get there late! When you get there at about 3:30, the crowds typically start to thin out. 1.5 hours is plenty of time to explore the ruins.

On Sundays, Mexican nationals can enter the ruins for free, meaning that it can be a bit pretty crowded.

Learn more at TulumRuins.net

Important Info

  • The ruins are open from 8 AM to 5 PM every day. The last entry is at 4 PM.
  • The ruins are located 3km outside of downtown Tulum. If you arrive by car or scooter, you’ll have to pay to park. The cost is 80 pesos for car and 50 pesos for scooter.
  • The admission for Tulum is 75 pesos per adult
  • The ruins themselves are located about half a mile from the parking area.

How to get to Tulum from Playa del Carmen

Head to Calle 2 between 15th and 20th Avenue. Here you’ll find a row of colectivos with men calling out, “Tulum!”. Head towards one of these guys and hop inside. The trip will take you about 45 minutes and will cost between $2-3 USD (40 MXN).

What is there to see at Tulum?

The Maya ruins in Tulum represent what was once a vast, walled Pre-Colombian settlement. Remarkably, many of the walls remain standing. The most remarkable buildings here are the Pyramid El Castillo (the castle), the Temple of the Descending God, and the Temple of the Frescoes.

El Castillo, Tulum, Mexico

El Castillo

This is the largest and most prominent building on the property. The building was used as a watchtower to monitor the canoes coming and going.

Temple of the Descending God

This single room structure was built at the top of another temple that served as its base. In the niche located at the top of the door stands a culture of a god with wings and a headdress holding objects in his hands.

Temple of the Frescos, Tulum Ruins, Mexico

Temple of the Frescos

This was used as an observatory to track the movements of the sun. Makes sense considering these are Maya ruins…right? The building consists of two parts, the lower gallery and the upper gallery. The upper gallery features some of the best preserved relief-carvings in the region.

God of the Winds Temple, Tulum

Pro-Tips

  • Bring a lot of water. It can get really hot at the ruins and there isn’t much shade.
  • Wear comfortable shoes.
  • Bring a towel and bathing suit. The ruins are located at the top of a cliff overlooking a remarkable beach. There isn’t anywhere to change so make sure you’re wearing your bathing suit before you arrive.
  • Ditch the tripod. Plan on sticking with the traditional selfies since tripods aren’t allowed on the site.

The Beach

Lastly, Tulum is home to the most magnificent little beach. Is there anything cooler than swimming or laying out under the watchful eye of the Maya ruins? We think not!

If you plan on hitting the beach make sure you come dressed in your bathing suit, as there isn’t really anywhere to change. If you plan on spending a long period of time there, it’s best to go during low tide. When the tide is up, the beach almost completely vanishes.

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Costa Maya Cruise Travel Mexico

Relaxing in Costa Maya, Mexico

Located in the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula is a quaint cruise port known as Costa Maya. Costa Maya, or Puerto Costa Maya as it is known locally, is one of the most diverse ports in the Caribbean. The land was developed by Carnival and opened in 2001. It was later rebuilt in 2007 after it was devastated by Hurricane Dean.

Costa Maya is an absolutely stunning corner of Mexico. The turquoise blue waters crash into the vibrant green jungle and the white sand beach to form some of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever encounter. Believe it or not, you can experience this port to the fullest without shelling out a ton of cash! Although it isn’t nearly as developed as Cozumel (130 miles north), it still offers visitors plenty to do.

Costa Maya is one of the Carnival ports where you can get away without booking an excursion. Other ports like this include Mahogany Bay, Nassau, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, and Half Moon Cay.

Wait…what do you mean I don’t need to book an excursion here?

Carnival has developed some ports as “destinations” and created a safe environment for cruisers to relax by the pool, spend some money in the shops or dine at restaurants. Costa Maya even gives you the option to swim with dolphins- if that is your thing. The port also features an aviary, a fish spa, and a place for you to experience Maya healing rituals. Oh, and of course there’s a tequila bar.

When you get off the ship you’ll need to walk down a long pier to the port. If you are not comfortable walking, or unable to, there are free shuttle buses that cart folks back and forth.

What are the highlights of Costa Maya?

  • Beautiful, large pools (with free floats)
  • Souvenir shops
  • Restaurants and bars (Senor Frogs, Carlos and Charlies, etc).
  • Tequila Bar
  • Aviary
  • Fish Spa
  • Kakaw Chocolate
  • Dolphin Encounter
  • SCUBA diving

What is there to do nearby?

At the rear of the complex, you can catch a cab into “town” where you will find more restaurants, shops, bars, and beaches. There really isn’t anything within walking distance.

When you’re on the ship, looking at the coast, you’ll see a building built to resemble a Maya temple. This is the Lost Mayan Temple Adventure Park where you can spend the day zip lining, zooming down water slides, or relaxing in the pool.

Consider…

  • Visiting the Lost Mayan Temple Adventure Park
  • Explore the Maya Ruins of Chacchoben
  • Venture of to the Mahahual Fishing Village
  • Tour the Spanish fortress at Bacalar

How do I access the beach?

Walk towards your right from the port entrance, past the shops to the grand staircase. To the right of the staircase there is a small pathway leading to a ticket selling booth/table. Here you can purchase tickets for a taxi or trolley ride. They can take you to any of the popular beach clubs.

My Thoughts on Costa Maya

Costa Maya is a great port to kick back and relax. I enjoy browsing through the stores and sampling the local beers. Each time I’m in Mexico, I pick up a bottle of vanilla for baking season. Mexico is also a great place for linens, pottery, ceramics, and silver.

It is important that if you decide to venture away from the port that you pay attention at the taxi stand when they go over the map. I’ve never had any problems in Costa Maya, but like any tourist destination, there is some crime.

Sometimes, it’s great to have absolutely nothing to do. That’s what I love so much about visiting Little French Key– there’s no timeline and no agenda. Costa Maya is the same way, really. You can just mosey around, popping in and out of stores, visit bars, maybe grab a bite to eat. It’s just so relaxing!

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