Maya Chan Beach

[KJ777]

We're to Costa Maya the beginning of December and I'm considering going here.  For those have that have been, what's your honest opinion of the place.  What time are you typically picked up and what time to they bring you back?  Is it based on the time we're in port?  We dock @ 7am and leave @ 2pm.  Thanks in advance!

[CruiseGus]

Have been there twice, both times prior to Covid, so maybe dated.

  We were very happy with this place,  do not expect a refined modern facility.  That said the service was phenomenal!! The massage offered was a reasonable price, and of course no beach vendors.  The areas with your longers are all separated from others by screening plants so semi private.  Again service, drinks, food was fantastic.

Logistics

You will walk outside the terminal to a roundabout the have a stand at the 1 o'clock position with you approaching the roundabout at 6 o'clock.  When they have a full van taxi load they tend to send you off, short wait normally.  When I ve walked by recently they may now have a van of their own that they use.

You tell them when you want to leave and they arrange your return to terminal transportation, you can leave anytime you want.  I'm sure they would tell its time to go to make sure you're back on time, but we've never waited that long.

Hope that helps, BTW would do it again if looking for a beach experiance

[OCSC Mike]

37 minutes ago, KJ777 said:

We dock @ 7am and leave @ 2pm.

I have similar Costa Maya dock times on future cruises and won't book a beach club because of that. Personal preference, of course, not trying to talk you out of it. I just don't want to have to leave shortly after lunch b/c I go more for the all-inclusive food & drink than simply to be on a beach and I'd rather be eating and & drinking into the afternoon a bit.

We've been waiting to go back to a beach club we enjoyed a lot several years ago but won't until we get an itinerary where the ship stays in Costa Maya longer.

[KJ777]

@CruiseGus, thank you!  I appreciate your response.  I'm going to look into it some more and try to convince my group it's worth doing!

[KJ777]

@OCSC Mike, that was my other thought.  It's a good amount of time but not really.  And I know I'd be stressed about making it back by 2pm.  Still thinking about it though!

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

2PM is kinda early for leaving....that would make a big difference for us.  We are rarely rushing off the ship at the first chance so we tend to get a later start than most.  With the ship leaving so early, not sure going out of the port complex would be on our schedule.  I like the Costa Maya port area so I wouldn't have any objection to just hanging out there a bit and then going back to the ship.

[KJ777]

@WAAAYTOOO, yes, the more I think about it maybe it's not the best idea.  I wish we were there a little bit longer than 2pm.  I think maybe we'd be a little rushed.  There's always next time!!  

[Ryan79]

Yeah, if you are leaving by 2pm that will only give you about 2-3 hours MAX at Maya Chan. MC doesn’t open up super early at 7am. That’s not long enough to travel back and forth between the resort and the port AND be able to fully enjoy yourself at MC. I’m a huge MC fan, but it would not make sense to go with such an early departure. Remember, 2pm is when the ship leaves NOT when you need to be back to the port. You try and time your return for 2pm and you may get a nice view of the back of the ship!! 

[KJ777]

@Ryan79, no way I'm watching that ship leave without us!  As much as I'd love to check it out, I agree that it would be pushing it to be able to get back.   Thank you!

[melmar02]

We went to Maya Chan in May. They used taxis to get there and back. 

Pros - everyone says the service is amazing and it was. Several people checked on us regularly. 

Lunch was amazing!

Capacity limits and assigned space for your group.

They have a small pool. 

 

Cons - the meeting spot is behind the replica Mayan temple outside of the port. It's a long, long walk considering you also have to get down the long pier and through the port maze first.

They warned us about the seaweed when we met up, showed pictures, and offered refunds, but we decided to go anyway as the kids aren't big on swimming at a beach anyway. What we weren't prepared for was the overwhelming smell. It hit you as soon as you got out of the van and only got worse as you got down to the beach. They had workers trying to clear the seaweed, but they just couldn't make a dent and it was piled up on shore. The neighbors do not bother to clear their shores at all, so rotting vegetation was the scent of the day.

Because of the seaweed, only a few people got in the ocean - maybe five all day, and they were pretty full the day we were there. Again, we were warned at the meet up. The pool got really crowded as the day went on.

They offered snorkeling equipment and beach toys (buckets and shovels). You take and put back whatever you want to use. This would be a pro, but there was no obvious way to sanitize the snorkels so we didn't partake.

 

It really has the potential to be a fabulous spot, but sadly, the smell was so bad that we won't be back anytime soon.

[Vacation Crazy]

We were just at Maya Chan a few weeks ago.  They are at the pick up place 30 minutes after your ships scheduled arrival.  The van ride out was "extra bumpy" because it had just rained. I think the ride was about 30 minutes. 

We had an amazing day. The food, drinks and service were top notch. We heard a lot about the seaweed issue. We were pleasantly surprised with the water.  We spent a good portion of the day floating in the water(and I'm picking about water).  

They come around and ask what time you want to leave. We headed back to the ship at 2:00PM. Our all aboard time was 5:30.  Your early departure time will definitely shortened your day.  If you do decide to go, I'm sure you will have a great time!

[Bean79]

The food and service was amazing! The massages are a great deal. The drinks were better on the ship IMHO. Do not go if they are experiencing a big sargassum problem.

[Bean79]

This is the info I go when I booked for upcoming Jan cruise.

  RESORT INSTRUCTIONS

 

**Please ignore the small pyramid once you leave the shops.

 

Once you get into the Port Complex follow the map I send. If not, you will get frustrated, the Port is making everyone walk by all of the shops to exit. Kind of like a maze. You will find the way outside the Port complex. They just moved the gate closer to our location. Walk is the same, but we are only 209 steps from the new gate location. cruise line will hand out a shopping map of the Port. Please be patient. This is Mexico.

 

The walk is approx. 1/4 mile long with lots of rest stop available. No rush to get to us.

 

Walk through the center promenade toward the fake Pyramid straight ahead. We meet just behind the pyramid.

 

English speaking Maya Chan Representative in uniform, waiting for you. As in all ports of call, there will be sales people trying to sell you tours. Please do not let them deter you.

 

If you arrive later you will be responsible for your taxi ride here. Taxi are charging $ 30.00 to come here. That is per taxi. Not per person

 

If you have any special diet restrictions or needs, please email me before you come here. Closest store is 3 hours away. We won’t to make sure we can be ready.

 

Meeting time: PLEASE GO BY YOUR SHIPS TIME

 

WE DO OUR BEST TO BE AT THE PORT 1/2 HOUR AFTER YOUR SHIPS SCHEDULED DOCKING. We will be at our location for a maximum of 2 hours.

 

FOR OUR EARLY SHIPS, WE WILL BE AT THE PORT AT 7:30AM.

 

PLEASE DONT COME EARLY.

 

LOTS OF SHIPS HAVE BEEN DOCKING AT DIFFERENT TIMES THAN WE HAVE ON OUR PORT SCHEDULE. DOCKING THREE SHIPS TAKES TIME. IF YOU ARE STUCK WHILE OTHER SHIPS ARE DOCKING, WE WILL WAIT LONGER.

 

Once at the meeting point, please check in with our representative who will arrange for your taxi transportation and get you on your way. The journey typically takes between 20 minutes and half an hour. You will pass through a housing area, locally referred to as “The Casitas”, and then make your way through the busy pueblo of Mahahual. Local taxis and transportation buses bring ship guests to the pueblo where vendors try to sell visitors on a specific restaurant or beach area. This is not Maya Chan. It is not common, but there have been times when locals try to convince our guests that they need to get out of the taxi to go to Maya Chan. This is not true.

 

After leaving Mahahual, the road becomes a sandy beach thoroughfare. This is actually a state highway and runs right along the water’s edge. Full sized public buses transit this road several times a day. The government has been doing a good job of keeping the road maintained, although the rainy season usually creates potholes and the occasional river. Please do not be alarmed; the journey is half the experience.  And at least it’s not your car being abused. Maya Chan Beach is a few miles down this road. Hang in there. It’s going to be a great day. 

 

 

A few reminders:

 

We have two dogs and two cats. They are our pets and very friendly and love people If you cannot or don’t want to be around pets, please email me and I will refund you in full.

 

If your ship cancels for any reason, you will receive a full refund. If we are in a named storm or it looks like it will be a rainy day, you will have the option of canceling at the port for a full refund, or joining us for our rainy day schedule. We have protected areas and it rarely rains all day long. Keep in mind, if it is raining at the port, it might not be raining at Maya Chan. Rainy day activities typically include tequila seminars, beer tasting, salsa making, floaty races, and kayak or snorkel tours in the rain. You will have a fun day and get to enjoy food and libations you won’t be finding on your ship. Once you are in a taxi and on your way, there will be no refunds. It rains here a little every day, which is a good thing.

 

Refunds are processed within ten days of your anticipated arrival date. They will automatically go back into your Paypal account or onto your credit card. For a full disclosure of cancelations and refunds, please refer to your guest instructions or visit our web site at www.mayachanbeach.com.

 

Do to the storms we have got hit with we recommend bringing some cheap water shoes and wear them in all of your Ports of call. We all still continue to get debris coming.

 

If you requested special food, please when you arrive, tell our Manager so we will have it ready when you are ready. That would include any children food requests. We only make those on request.

 

Please remember to bring a ship towel with you as well as sun block and a sun hat.

 

We are not able to take any credit card purchases at this time. If you would like a beach massage, they are available for $25 per half hour, $45 for a full hour. You pay the masseuse directly and they only take cash.

 

Please refrain from tipping our staff members individually. There will be a tip box, (Love Box) available at the end of the day to show your appreciation for good service. Our staff prefers to share all tips equally as there are many people working hard even behind the scenes to make sure your day is as perfect as possible.

 

Shortly after lunch, an English speaking staff member will ask what time you would like to return to the ship. You will have your choice of times. Once we have your request, there is no need to worry further as we will keep track of the time and let you know a half hour before your ride arrives. Remember, this is Mexico, and timeliness might be challenging. Be patient. You will not be late for your ship. If it gets close, we drive you ourselves.

 

  If for any reason you need to get in touch with us, call US: 619-820-2793 Our cell service is limited; however we are always on line. Sending an email is the best possible way to contact us.

 

Have a great journey to your ships and have a great cruise. We’ll be waiting for you.

 

Mark, Jane, David , and Julie and the entire Maya Chan Beach Staff

 

www.mayachanbeach.com

Km. 6.5 South Carretera Mahahual-Xcalak 

Costa Maya, Mahahual, Q. Roo, Mexico

Phone USA 619-820-2793

Maya Chan Beach

 

 

 

 

 MEETING INSTRUCTIONS

‘

 Meeting Instructions Guide 2022

 

The port of Costa Maya is privately owned, local companies do not have access to the port or the commercial areas around the terminal. All guests using any local service must exit the port area to find their service providers.

 

The Port here is very large.  Much larger than in other Ports of Call  The walk is just under ¼ mile just to get out of the Port Complex.  We are just outside the second security gate.  If you have walking challenges, I know, I do, you may want to come early and rest along the way inside the Port.  Lots of shops, seating and refreshments. Walk is about ¼ mile.

 

We are outside the Port Complex :

 

• After you disembark, walk or take the trolley ( if working ) to the terminal building, entering through the arch.

 

We won’t see any exit signs. They also want to keep guests inside the complex and may close off an exit and not tell anyone.

 

•  This is the quickest and less crowded way to get through the maze.  Once you get through that maze, you will walk through two security gate locations.

 

After you exit the Port’s security gates• Walk down the center promenade towards the genuine authentic fake Mayan Pyramid.  This is a three story tall structure straight ahead. We are just behind the Pyramid

[Archchic]

We're headed back to Maya Chan next week! I could not care less about the seaweed. We had an amazing time last visit with the pool, cabanas, bar, and massages. We're arriving in port at 7 AM and departing at 3 PM. We'll make the most of the early day. I'll report back afterwards.

[AandD]

We were there a couple of weeks ago. No problem getting to the new spot to meet the taxi. Ocean was too rough to get in that day. But nice shady cabana, plenty to drink and the food still good. And not crowded. No problem getting back to the port on time. 

[AandD]

On 11/15/2023 at 3:37 PM, Archchic said:

We're headed back to Maya Chan next week! I could not care less about the seaweed. We had an amazing time last visit with the pool, cabanas, bar, and massages. We're arriving in port at 7 AM and departing at 3 PM. We'll make the most of the early day. I'll report back afterwards.

It looks like they have lost some beach. I am curious as to what you think.