Explora Journeys in Costa Maya

Costa Maya is a purpose-built cruise port on Mexico's quiet southern Caribbean coast, fronting the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and backed by inland Maya sites. The pier opens into a manufactured tourist village with saltwater pools and shops, while the real day is a choice between the laid-back fishing town of Mahahual, a reef snorkel, or the jungle ruins of Chacchoben. It is a more rural, less developed stop than Cozumel, which is the point.

What to do on a day in Costa Maya

• Chacchoben, the most accessible Maya ruins from this port, a forested ceremonial site about an hour inland
• Mahahual town and its beachfront malecon, a low-key strip of beach clubs, sand, and seafood about 2 miles from the pier
• Mesoamerican Barrier Reef snorkeling, the second-longest reef system in the world, with warm water and usually strong visibility, reached by tour from Mahahual
• Beach clubs along Mahahual offering day passes with loungers, food, and easy swimming and paddle sports
• Kohunlich, a more remote ruin roughly two hours inland, known for its Temple of the Masks, for travelers who want depth over beach time
• The port village pools and shops at the pier if you want to stay put without a transfer

Getting ashore

Ships dock at a long T-shaped pier leading into an enclosed port village with pools, bars, and shops. Mahahual town is about 2.1 miles away; walking is a hot, unshaded, sidewalk-less slog, so take a short taxi or port shuttle instead. One day comfortably handles Chacchoben OR a beach-and-reef day in Mahahual, not both.

When to book the ship's excursion vs your own →

Weather and when to visit

• November to March (peak season). Warm and mostly dry with highs around 80 to 84 F, lower humidity, and reliably sunny skies. Cooler nights can dip into the upper 60s F early in the season.
• May to October (rainy and hurricane season). Hot and humid with midsummer highs near 90 F. Rainy season runs late May into early November, with the highest hurricane risk and heaviest rainfall in September and October.