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The Mexico of old. Do you remember?
Over twenty years ago, I remember driving around Cozumel in a rented (and rusted and dented) convertible Volkswagon Beetle, stopping at little bars and restaurants and snorkeling on stretches of unspoiled beaches. I remember riding the bus in Cancun for 35 cents and having dinner for about $5 per person. There were very few all-inclusive resorts and though many of the hotels were tall structures, they could not be compared with the mega-resorts spanning the coastline today.
My, oh my! Amazing what twenty years can bring.
The last time I went to Cancun and Cozumel, I was shocked at how much both had changed. Boutique hotels, heavy traffic, shopping malls and dinners averaging about $25 per person. I was not charmed by it anymore.
When we found out that we would be docking in Costa Maya, Mexico, I assumed that it was near Playa del Carmen and was less than thrilled. My recent visions of Cancun and Cozumel, still haunted me. I could only envision modern Mexico with beaches filled with tourists and high-end establishments.
And…I admit, I never really bothered to look at a map.
One of my good friends, who knows my adventurous spirit well, told me that the port, built by Carnival, was really nice but that I needed to take a taxi into town so that we could enjoy the beaches and local establishments. She said, “It’s like Mexico used to be.”
That’s all it took. I was intrigued and we would be heading into town.
As we looked down the coastline from our balcony, we could see a lighthouse and some low-rise buildings. Closer to the walkway from the pier, we could make out some thatched buildings, a large pool and what appeared to be a pyramid, but not much else.
After walking down the pier towards shore, what we found was quite surprising. This port was amazing! Pools, plenty of lounge chairs, shops, souvenirs, restaurants, bars, Dolphin Discovery, signs pointing to a beach area with snorkeling…
Did we really want to leave?
Surmising that my friend must have told me to go to town for a reason, we continued the long walk to the front of the property, winding our way through the stalls and artwork. Only spotting one cab parked alongside the curb, we assumed that taxi service was probably more expensive and decided to take the shuttle for $4 per person.
The open-air shuttle, pulled by a pickup truck, pulled out of the port’s gates and as we turned onto the main road, we discovered where the cabs were parked. The shuttle gave us a full view of the passing landscape. Not much was new construction and nothing appeared to be over four stories. After about a eight minute ride, we were pulling up to the curb in the town of Mahahual. Hedging the few locals who attempted to get us to use the chairs on their property, we decided to take a walk down the beach to first see what was available before making ourselves comfortable.
Mahahual…took…my…breath…away!
My first thought was that it looked so much like Ambergris Caye, Belize but with nicer beaches. Maybe if I had looked at a map, I would have realized how far south we were in Mexico…so very near the Belize border and Ambergris Caye. Located in the State of Quintana Roo, Costa Maya is the only state bounded by the Caribbean Sea to its east and offers a beach that extends north and south for a total of 62 miles.
We walked south, down the well-paved path, admiring the blue water, gentle surf and white, powdery sand, lined with beach chairs. There were countless restaurants and bars and no shortage of local women offering to give me a massage. The quaint fishing village, still had not caught up to the modernity of Cancun and Cozumel and I loved that there was not a name-brand hotel or McDonald’s in sight.
After being away from email, Facebook, Instagram and whatever it is that my children subscribe to, we were all anxious to log on, see what we missed for the past couple of days and check in with our friends and family. The first order of business was to find comfortable beach chairs, with some shade for my husband and good wifi. There were plenty of establishments offering chairs, all for free if you order drinks and/or food from them during the day.
That being done, we ventured out to the water’s edge, checked the temperature (a little cool) and signaled to our waiter for some drinks and lunch. The restaurant we had chosen to do business with, Maramao, was efficient and delicious…probably some of the best cerviche I have ever eaten!
After a while, I decided to take a walk. Heading north, this time, I reveled in the stone architecture, topped with thatched roofs, quirky bars, and countless vendors selling everything from t-shirts, to sandals, to Mayan masks…and much more!
Mahahual souvenirs
After I while, I spotted our ship in the distance, reminding me that our stay in beautiful Mahahual was not permanent. Turning back, I meandered slowly, knowing that we would soon have to catch a cab.
And then, that was it. Our time in a paradise that I didn’t know existed was over.
As we sailed away from the port, I vowed that I would be back.
Mahahual, has so much more to discover…diving, fishing, ruins, ATV riding, ziplines, jungle exploration, water parks and authentic Mexican cuisine. Xcalak, a smaller village is located only 37 hours to the south and boasts amazing water sports and fishing. Mahahual, I learned, is only a six hour drive from Cancun. A bit lengthy but there are also flights to Chetamal, a two hour drive.
Yes, to rediscover the Mexico of old, I am willing to do that.
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Costa Maya
Norwegian Cruise Lines
- https://www.ncl.com
- Ship Name: Norwegian Pearl
- Itinerary: 7 days, departing Tampa. Ports of call, Harvest Caye, Belize, Costa Maya, Mexico, Roatan, Honduras, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands