Costa Maya isn’t a town but a purpose-built cruise port on Mexico’s far southern Caribbean coast, where the Riviera Maya thins out into empty beaches and low jungle near the Belize border. The pier leads into a large gated complex of pools, swim-up bars and shops, the fishing village of Mahahual is a few kilometres down the road, and inland are the Maya pyramids of Chacchoben and the freshwater lagoon of Bacalar.
Ships dock alongside and passengers walk straight into the port complex. Mahahual village and its beach are a short shuttle away, Chacchoben is about an hour inland, and Bacalar is ninety minutes or more each way. There’s little in between, so the day is either close to the pier or a long trip out.
This guide covers a Costa Maya day ashore: the port complex, the beach clubs of Mahahual, the ruins at Chacchoben, the long trip to Bacalar, reef snorkelling off the coast, and the practical detail of pesos, taxis and a port where most sights need a tour.
Port Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Port Type | Alongside at Puerto Costa Maya, a purpose-built deep-water pier that takes several large ships. Not a tender port. A gated complex of pools, bars and shops sits at the pier gates, with little else within walking distance. |
| Distance to Town | The port complex is at the pier. Mahahual village and its beach are about 3 to 4 km away, 10 to 15 minutes by shuttle or taxi. The ruins and Bacalar are an hour or more inland. |
| Currency | The Mexican peso (MXN), though US dollars are widely accepted in the cruise-facing businesses, with change given in pesos. Spanish is the official language and English is widely spoken in the port and the tourism trade. |
| Language | Spanish, with English widely spoken |
| Best Known For | A purpose-built cruise port with a pool-and-shopping complex at the pier, the beach town of Mahahual, the Maya ruins at Chacchoben, and the lagoon at Bacalar. |
- Puerto Costa Maya , The purpose-built cruise pier and port complex
- Mahahual village , The laid-back beach town and Malecon, 3 to 4 km away
- Chacchoben ruins , The main nearby Maya ruins, about 45 to 60 minutes inland
- Bacalar , The Lagoon of Seven Colours, a long day about 1.5 hours away
- Mesoamerican Reef , The barrier reef off Mahahual, by boat for snorkelling
- Kohunlich ruins , A larger, remote Maya site with the Temple of the Masks
- Mahahual beach clubs , Palapa beach clubs along the seafront promenade
- Banco Chinchorro , A coral atoll far offshore, a long boat trip for divers
Puerto Costa Maya cruise pier · View larger map
Getting From the Port to Town
Walking: The Best Option
Free within the port complex; small fare for the Mahahual shuttle- Walk time: At the pier; 10 to 15 minutes to Mahahual by shuttle
- The walkable part of the day is the port complex itself, a large gated compound at the pier with pools, swim-up bars, duty-free shops, craft stalls and restaurants. Beyond it there's little on foot: Mahahual village is 3 to 4 km away by shuttle or taxi, and the ruins, the reef trips and Bacalar need a tour or a taxi.
Local Bus
Shuttle to Mahahual for a few dollars; no local bus network- There's no tourist bus network. A shuttle runs the short hop from the port to Mahahual village for a few dollars, and taxis and golf carts wait at the pier. For Chacchoben, Bacalar or the reef, an organised excursion or a hired taxi is the realistic option, as the distances inland are long.
Taxi
Set fares in US dollars; agree it first- Taxis wait at the port gates and run to set fares, quoted in US dollars, for the short run to Mahahual or longer trips inland, so agree the fare before setting off. The ruins and Bacalar are more comfortably done as organised excursions, but a taxi or golf cart to a Mahahual beach club makes an easy, flexible day.
Top Excursions
Chacchoben Mayan Ruins from Costa Maya
Chacchoben Mayan Ruins is the most popular and visited attraction for a day in Costa Maya. It is approximately an hour drive from Costa Maya Port. This site is just a few kilometers from the village of Chacchoben from which it's name derive. The translation of the Mayan word "Chacchoben" refers to "
Check AvailabilityCosta Maya Shore Excursion Chacchoben Day Trip
When your cruise ship docks in the port of Costa Maya, embark on a 3.5-hour shore excursion to Chacchoben. Explore the ancient Mayan city, where mysterious pyramids and temples remained hidden until the late 20th century! Your informative guide will tell you about the original occupants of this sign
Check AvailabilityBacalar – 7 Colors Lagoon Excursión Costa Maya
The first place to visit in the Bacalar Lagoon is “Cenote Esmeralda”, where you’ll be amazed by the different shades of blue and understand why the Bacalar Lagoon is frequently referred as the 7 colors lagoon. Our next stop is “Cenote Cocalitos”, home of stromatolites, that are known as living stone
Check AvailabilityOne Day Tour to Chacchoben Mayan City and Bacalar Lagoon with a Certified Guide
Two of our favorite places in a single day. As soon as your cruiseship arrives to Costa Maya Port, travel through history from the Mayans to the pirates. Start your adventure in one of the least explored archeological sites in the Maya Zone that date back to 200 BC. and let yourself be surprised by
Check AvailabilityMore Experiences in Costa Maya
Chacchoben & Bacalar Combo Excursion Costa Maya
At Chacchoben mayan ruins you’ll be leaded by a professional local guide. We will walk in the jungle to explore and learn about the different structures of the mayan site such as: Temple 24, Plaza B, Gran Plaza, Gran Basamento, Los Gemelos, Las Vasijas and Templo Uno. This excursion also offers the
Costa Maya, snorkeling on the reef with fish, looking for turtles
Come and enjoy an unforgettable snorkel with us, we are a company with experience in aquatic activities in the Mexican Caribbean, enjoy an hour submerged in a natural beauty, visit our reef lagoon where we will observe different types of reefs, tropical fish, rays and beautiful turtles in their natu
Chacchoben Archaeological Area and Lighthouse Visit
What's included in this Costa Maya tour – Roundtrip transportation from Puerto Costa Maya in comfortable air-conditioned vehicles. – Expert bilingual guide who will share fascinating perspectives on the Mayan culture and history of the Mayan ruins of Chacchobén. Purified water. – Panoramic tour of t
Salsa & Salsa cooking lessons + Beach day
Do you want to learn to make authentic Mexican salsas and guacamole, drink margaritas and learn how to dance salsa on the beach?Then this is the tour for you!Stop at a Beach Mexican Restaurant with a beautiful view for a hand’s-on cooking class.Your guide will take you through the steps of making au
Chacchoben and Bacalar tours can fill ahead of busy sailings, so it's easier to compare options before you sail.
Things to Do in Costa Maya
Staying close means the port complex, which has enough pools, bars and shops to fill a day, or the short shuttle to Mahahual’s beach. Going inland means Chacchoben or Bacalar, both of which take most of the day and are usually booked as tours.
- The Costa Maya port complex. The gated complex at the pier is built for cruise days: large pools with swim-up bars, a craft market and duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and regular shows, all a short walk from the ship, with dolphin encounters and a small beach area inside it too. It’s manicured and commercial, not local Mexico, but it fills an easy day without a taxi or a tour.
- Chacchoben Maya ruins. Chacchoben lies about an hour inland through low jungle, a spread of stepped pyramids, plazas and ceremonial platforms among tall trees, once one of the larger Maya settlements of the region. It’s the most visited ruins trip from the port, usually a half-day tour with a guide, and the closest of the inland Maya sites.
- Bacalar, the Lagoon of Seven Colours. Bacalar is a long freshwater lagoon fed by cenotes, where a white limestone bed turns the water through shades of blue and turquoise, hence the name. It’s ninety minutes to two hours inland, so a visit fills most of the day, with a swim or a boat trip on the lagoon and an old Spanish fort above the town. It’s usually booked through the ship because of the distance.
- Mahahual village and beach. Mahahual is the fishing village that was here before the cruise pier, now a relaxed beach town with a sandy Malecón, palapa-roofed beach clubs, seafood restaurants and the reef close offshore. A shuttle or taxi reaches it in ten to fifteen minutes, and it makes an easy beach half-day with more of a local feel than the port complex.
- Snorkelling the Mesoamerican Reef. The Mesoamerican Reef, often described as the second largest barrier reef in the world, runs off Mahahual, and boat trips from the village reach shallow coral with fish and turtles, in water usually clearest in the winter months. Banco Chinchorro, a coral atoll far offshore, is a long boat trip suited to experienced divers.
- The far ruins: Kohunlich and Dzibanche. Deeper inland, Kohunlich is known for its Temple of the Masks, large stucco faces flanking a stairway, and nearby Dzibanche is a large, quiet jungle site. Both are two hours or more each way, so they need a long call and a full day, and they see far fewer visitors than Chacchoben.
Eating Near the Cruise Port
- Dock Port
- Port complex at the pier
- Peso; USD accepted
What to eat on the Costa Maya
This is the Yucatán coast, so the cooking leans to fish and the Mayan-rooted dishes of the peninsula. Tikin xic, whole fish marinated in achiote and sour orange then grilled in banana leaf, is the one to order by the water. Cochinita pibil, slow-cooked achiote pork with pickled onion, is the peninsula’s best-known dish. Ceviche made with the morning’s catch is everywhere in Mahahual and it’s cheap.
What to drink
Micheladas, beer served over ice with lime, salt and chilli, suit the heat better than a cold beer on its own. Agua de jamaica and horchata are the usual soft drinks. Xtabentún, the Yucatán’s anise and honey liqueur, turns up as a digestif. The port complex serves cocktails at cruise prices.
Where to find it
The port complex has restaurants, bars and a pool, built for cruise passengers and priced for them. Mahahual village is about ten minutes away by taxi, and the seafood places along its beachfront malecón are noticeably cheaper. Much of the coast quietens down once the ships leave.
Good for a short port call
If time is tight, the complex works without any planning. With half a day, the taxi to Mahahual is easily covered by what you save on lunch.
Getting Around
Mahahual is the one trip that stays close to the port, a short shuttle or taxi ride from the gates. Of the inland sights, Chacchoben is the nearest, and Bacalar is further again.
Essential Travel Tips
Sargassum seaweed can wash up on the Mahahual beaches in some seasons, usually heaviest from around April to October and lighter from November to March, and the amount varies year to year. The winter cruise months usually see the beaches at their best.
The port complex has a craft market, restaurants, bars and shows a short walk from the ship. Anyone heading to Bacalar needs a clear eye on the all-aboard time, because it’s ninety minutes or more each way. The packing list is simple: swimwear, sun cover and pesos.
Most of the sights here need a tour, so independent travel is harder than at most Western Caribbean ports. Mahahual is the exception, a short shuttle or taxi away.
Prices in the port complex are set for cruise passengers, so onboard spending and cash ashore both go further at a Mahahual beach club.
There’s no town to wander back through, so many people are back aboard early, and the cabin you chose gets more use than on a busier port day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Alongside at Puerto Costa Maya, a purpose-built pier that takes several large ships, so there’s no tender. A gated complex of pools, bars and shops sits at the pier gates, Mahahual village is 3 to 4 km away by shuttle or taxi, and the ruins and Bacalar are an hour or more inland.
The port complex is built for that, with pools, swim-up bars, a craft market, shops, restaurants and shows a short walk from the ship. A cheap shuttle also runs to Mahahual village for its beach clubs and reef snorkelling. For the ruins or Bacalar, an organised excursion is the practical choice.
If you want to see the lagoon, yes, but it’s a long day: ninety minutes to two hours each way, so it fills most of the time in port. It’s usually booked through the ship, and the timing needs a comfortable margin before all-aboard.
By organised excursion or a hired taxi, about 45 to 60 minutes inland from the port. It’s usually a guided half-day tour, and many passengers book it through the ship so the timing is built around the sailing.
Pesos or a card usually give the best value, though US dollars are widely accepted in the cruise-facing businesses at the port and in Mahahual, with change usually in pesos. Agree taxi fares before setting off, and keep small notes for beach clubs, market stalls and tips. English is widely spoken in the port and the village.
The port complex has pools and a small beach area, but the proper beach day is at Mahahual, a short shuttle away, where palapa beach clubs line the Malecón and the reef lies just offshore. Sargassum seaweed can affect the beaches in some seasons, usually heaviest from around April to October.
No. GOV.UK says British citizens don’t need a visa to visit Mexico as a tourist, for stays of up to 180 days, and your passport must be valid for the whole stay. Carry it ashore and follow your ship’s instructions at the terminal. Travellers of other nationalities should check their own requirements.
November to April is the dry season, when the weather is warm and settled and the beaches are usually at their best. June to November is the Atlantic hurricane season; Hurricane Dean destroyed the pier in 2007, and it was rebuilt.
Ready to Explore Costa Maya?
Costa Maya suits a decision made before you step off: an easy day between the pools and Mahahual’s beach, or an early start for the pyramids at Chacchoben or the blues of Bacalar, which both see fewer crowds than the big sites further north.
How We Verify Port-Day Details
We aim for practical, low-risk guidance. Before publishing and during updates, we check core planning details against official sources and current operator information.
What We Check
- Berth and terminal details, including whether the port is walkable or requires a transfer
- Transport options and realistic return timing for different port types
- Details that change frequently, such as fares and schedules, with up-to-date notes where relevant
Typical Sources
- Official port authority and terminal updates
- Cruise line port notes and day-of-call instructions
- Local transport operators and official tourism resources