The Port of Costa Maya – What’s There?

So…..you’ve been to Cozumel on a cruise, possibly had a holiday to Cancun or Playa del Carmen, but then you’re looking at another Caribbean cruise, and you see ‘Costa Maya’ on the itinerary, and think…..’what’s there?’

Well, 20 years ago, basically nothing; it was just beaches and jungle, with the small fishing village of Mahahual.  Move forward to the present, and you have an international cruise terminal, but to be honest, not a great deal else, which is what makes this port a special little destination on any cruise calendar, as it gives you an insight into traditional Mayan life before mass commercialisation hit the Yucatan Peninsula, well, at least once you get out of the main cruise terminal.

Belize is only a few miles down the coast, as the crow flies, but due to the lack of decent roads here, it would take a couple of hours to actually get to the nearest official border crossing.  The main places of interest are the Mayan ruins, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, with jaguars and monkeys and hundreds of bird species, and the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, with sharks, dolphins and turtles.  Add some gorgeous beaches into the deal, and you’re in no doubt as to why cruise ships are stopping here with increasing frequency.

So how do you get there?  Most cruise lines now call at Costa Maya as part of a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise, quite often combining the port with Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Roatan or Belize City.  Most will sail out of home ports such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, New Orleans or Galveston, so you can easily get direct flights from London, although a 1-night pre-cruise hotel is almost always a necessity in order to have a safe connection to your chosen vessel.

So what are you waiting for…..?!