Mexico never fails to amaze us with its mesmerizing coastal beauty that houses most of the amazing beaches of the world. Browse through the best places for diving in Mexico to know more about these scuba diving destinations. Costa Maya is one of those marvelous coastal beauties of Mexico, which is both historically and culturally rich. But exactly Where is Costa Maya Mexico located?
Well, located in the east of Mexico’s popular Yucatan Peninsula, Costa Maya is the stretch of the Caribbean coast. The port of Costa Maya is famous for being the most popular cruise ship destination in the Western Caribbean. It is also famous for the Mayan ruins.
Once being a little unfamiliar with the tourists passing by, on their cruise, Costa Maya has now become one of the most visited tourist spots of the Mexican coasts because of its natural charm and interesting traits. The cruise port and surrounding countryside offer various exciting activities to do for everyone.
Not only the beach beauty but also the bewitching beauty of those places related to the Mayan history is going to feed your interest. Located at and being a part of the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world, Meso-American Barrier Reef, Costa Maya scuba diving is going to be your favorite activity here if you are longing for the best one. This place is the home for a large variety of tropical fishes, sharks, dolphins, crabs, turtles, stingrays, starfishes, and many more that makes it a fantastic place for scuba diving and snorkeling.
Apart from these, there are a lot of things to do at this tourist spot. And this article talks about all those attractions that are going to make you go gala for a vacation at Costa Maya.
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What’s so Special about Scuba Diving at Costa Maya?
Being one of all the great places to scuba dive, Costa Maya is quite famous among the scuba diving lovers. But what makes it the favorite scuba diving spot for all? The beautiful and crystal clear blue water of the Caribbean Sea and plentiful varieties of marine life is the center of attraction of the tourists that makes them flock around Costa Maya for having the best snorkeling and scuba diving experience.
But how deep can you scuba dive? Here, you can go up to a depth of about 130 feet or 40 meters to visualize the beautiful coral reefs much closely. Most of the other spots don’t allow diving that far. So, whether you are a trained and certified scuba diver or not, this place is friendly for all expertise levels of scuba diving. Those who are certified can choose any kind of scuba diving ranging from shallow diving, deep diving, to reefs based on their skills. And for those who are not certified, there are plenty of scuba diving agencies and guides who give a beginner course to the non-divers and make it easy and smooth for them to dive into the mysterious world of the Caribbean Sea.
Costa Maya was initially a docking complex, particularly built for the enjoyment of the cruise ship passengers. Now, as a tourist, you must eager to know Where does the Cruise Ship Dock in Costa Maya? Well, it is located in the Western Caribbean itineraries, where you can relax under the sun in pristine beaches. Also, water sports like snorkeling, fishing, jet-skiing, scuba diving, and a lot more are available out there.
Situated at the offshore of the Great Mayan Reef, which is the second-largest barrier reef system of the world, it has all the beautiful coral reef sites that you can explore while experiencing an adventurous Costa Maya scuba diving.
Best Places for Costa Maya Scuba Diving
Located at the Yucatan Peninsula, south of Playa del Carmen near Belize in Mexico, which is approximately 130 miles south of Cozumel, Costa Maya has most of its diving spots centering around Mahahual and Xcalak.
Mahahual
It is one of those famous destinations of Costa Maya that you can’t miss if you want to enjoy every little thing about this pretty port area of Mexico. The small town of Mahahual, which is the principal destination area of this region of Mexico, is popularly known as the fishing village. If you doubt What is the Best Beach in Costa Maya, then let me assure you that Mahahual is a must-visit place well famous for its culture, beaches, and reefs. Here you will find all the arrangements of enjoyment as there are plenty of restaurants, bars, and resorts to spend wonderful moments.
This place is a perfect place to reach out as the roads are well connected with the airport of Cancun, which is 219 miles away. Also, it has a cruise port nearby, and the Costa Maya port is situated at the edge of this town.
It is also a popular destination for scuba diving in Mexico, as it allows you to dive near Banco Chinchorro located offshore to the Caribbean Sea. The reefs at this place are situated quite close to the shore, and it has 15 diving sites at the offshore arranging for Costa Maya scuba diving. Kai Ha, Aquarium I and II, Punta Isabela, Dos Primos, and Punta Gonzalez are pretty famous diving sites of this place. The water here is almost standstill, calm, and crystal clear that ensures sea visibility of more than 100 feet. During the time of winter, it becomes a favorite place for sea animals to flock around who show up near the lagoon reef side.
Xcalak
Located at 60 kilometers in the south of the Mahahual diving site, the small village of Xcalak is one of the best places in Costa Maya that attracts the tourists from all around the world. Though there are not so many residents or a proper supply of power, this place does provide some not-so-large hotels, restaurants, and resorts that are quite good at offering warm hospitality to their guests. The interest of the tourists here mostly center on the Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak or the Xcalak National Reef Park.
This simple and not so crowded place is a great and exciting spot for snorkeling, fly-fishing from a kayak, and scuba diving, as it is situated quite near to the southern portion of Banco Chinchorro and also serves excellent visibility under the water. Banco Chinchorro is the home for 95 varieties of coral species, including black coral, brain coral, and huge barrel sponges, which in turn acts as hosts to more than 1300 marine animal species.
Banco Chinchorro has a water depth of 60 meters, which is quite exciting to explore from the diving sites of Xcalak and experience the best diving in the Caribbean. Besides, there are a few more reckoned diving sites in Xcalak, namely La Poza, La Chimenea, Hob Na, and Punta Gavilan.
Best Time to Visit Costa Maya for Scuba Diving
A very popular question that anyone may come across is, What is the Weather in Costa Maya Mexico? Diving at the reefs of Costa Maya is not at all difficult at any time of the year. This place remains pleasant and suitable for traveling throughout the year. In the month of spring, the weather remains warm and pleasant with a bit of rainfall.
If you want to have a calm and fun-filled experience while leveraging the benefits of best offers and deals at the resorts, restaurants, and bars, then choose any time between May and November. During these months, the water remains in its best condition, and even sea visibility is excellent.
It occasionally rains in summer; otherwise, the weather remains relatively hot and humid here, which is quite a pleasant experience for Costa Maya scuba diving. However, try to keep a check on the weather forecast of Costa Maya regularly, if you are planning to go scuba diving here, as the place meets occasional hurricanes at this time.
In case you want to visit this place during the best time for tourists, then it should be any month between December-April. During this time, the temperature of the water remains between 25-28°C in Banco Chinchorro, which is quite friendly for the perfect balance of topside water temperature and underwater conditions. Also, a great variety of pelagic species visits Banco Chinchorro at this time, which is a treat to watch. As the place remains full of tourists at this time, try to make pre-bookings for better enjoyment of scuba diving.
Best Clubs to Book Scuba Diving at Costa Maya
Worrying about the best clubs and centers to dive or snorkel with? Not to worry anymore, as we have got all the information covered up about Costa Maya scuba diving in this guide. Following are given some of the best scuba diving clubs of Costa Maya with whom you can book your deal:
- Mar Adentro Diving
- Doctor Dive Costa Maya
- Mahahual Ecotours
- CORAL GO! EXPERIENCE
- Buscando Mahahual
- Amigos Del Mar
- La Chilangaloense
- Gypsea Divers
- Pepe Dive Mahahual
- Sapos Del Mar
- Bucaneros Del Caribe
- Diving Xcalak
- Nachos Beach Club
- Alux Divers
Though there are many more names that can be added to this list, these clubs are considered to be the best as they provide the tourists with all kinds of authentic scuba diving gear that are safe and secure to use. Also, their trainers, guides, and PADI certified instructors accompany the scuba divers and even provide all the required basic training to the beginners for diving. Also, they are reliable enough as they will ask you for all your valid scuba diving certifications to practice difficult and pro-level scuba diving. You can contact them to have the craziest fun experience of your life.
What is the Best Thing to Do in Costa Maya Apart from Scuba Diving?
When it comes to the list of things to do at Costa Maya, then there are a few beautiful destinations at this place that you can explore, especially if you don’t want to go for scuba diving. Whether it is visiting at the sight scenes or refreshing at the luxurious resorts of the Caribbean, both Mexico and Costa Maya have a lot of things to offer. Let’s have a look.
Start with Relaxing at the Port
After reaching the breathtakingly beautiful destination of Costa Maya, the first thing that you can do is chill at the port to give your exhausting sea journey a refreshing and soothing relaxation. The setting of the port mimics the look of a trendy tropical village that has a lot of amenities to chill at. The swim-up bars of 3 saltwater giant swimming pools, restaurants, beach clubs, and shops are perfect for spending your day.
The surrounding district of Cozumel is worth visiting for the shopping freaks. You can even take a walk at the port if you want to, before heading towards the explorations of the adjacent countryside and enjoying some fantastic experiences of Costa Maya scuba diving.
Have a visit to Mahahual, the fishing village
Whether you want to take a cab, shuttle, or just a casual walk – all modes are available there to take you to the nearby Mahahual fishing village, which is about 30 minutes away from the port. This beach town is fun-filled with lined-up shops, bars, and restaurants that have all the authentic Mexican delicacies to offer a treat to your taste buds. You can also get passes there for enjoying at the bars and restaurants either with exciting deals or just for free. On your way to the village, do not forget to visit the beautiful 72-feet high solar-powered Mahahual Lighthouse.
Voyaging through the Historical Mayan Ruins
Situated quite close to Costa Maya, the ancient Mayan cities are quite an intriguing place to visit for those who have some keen fondness towards history. The most popular of those historical places are Chacchoben, Dzibanche, and Kohunlich, which were founded more than 1300 years ago and have remnants of certain pyramidal structures, ball courts, and ceremonial plazas.
The ruins of these old enough cities are quite interesting to watch out if you want to take a pleasant break from your Costa Maya scuba diving. These places are easy to reach out through ship excursions or independent tour bookings. Also, don’t forget to visit the Bacalar Fort, which is another historical attraction of this place.
Play with Dolphins
If you are in Costa Maya, try not to miss out on the opportunities to swim, play, and boogie board with the dolphins. Their friendly nature to mix with people and incredibly cute gestures are going to melt your heart over them, and you might end up finding a dolphin best friend for you.
Enjoy the Seven Colors Lagoon
The Seven Colors Lagoon or Bacalar Lagoon of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is undoubtedly the best place to relax and paddle through. The beautiful and lovely shades of blue-colored water surrounded by the vast rainforest along with Canal De Piratas; the historically enriched place for the battle of the pirates are surely going to make your vacation worth remembering.
Land Activities to Indulge in
Whether it is a fun drive through the Mayan jungle on an ATV or an interesting Dune Buggy to explore the coasts and forests of Costa Maya, there is no shortage of enjoyable activities in this Mexican region. Also, a jeep ride through the green jungles for watching out birds and iguanas, and a bike tour to absorb the flavor of the coastal city is nothing but an absolute enjoyment.
Water Activities to Make Your Vacation Memorable
Being a coastal region, there are a huge number of water activities that this place has to offer you, apart from Costa Maya scuba diving. Snorkeling, scuba diving, power snorkeling, sailing, catamaran riding, boating, fly fishing, paddle boarding, flyboarding, kayaking, wave running, are a few exciting water activities available at Costa Maya to spend your day in the best way.
Shopping and dining:
Costa Maya is the best place for shopaholics, as this port has a newly developed large 70,000 square feet tourist shopping plaza, known as the New Mahahual shopping mall, which offers plenty of products to the shoppers.
There are a large number of hotels, restaurants, bars, and resorts available for the tourists to have some palatable foods and refreshing beverages, that too with exciting deals and offers. Whether it is a traditional dish of Mexico or a lip-smacking plate of seafood, all are available there. Restaurants like Café Mexico, La Tortilleria, El Pan Dulce, El Mero Mero, and Cantina Latina are some of the famous dining destinations in Costa Maya.
What Other Spots to Visit During Your Trip to Costa Maya?
Mexico houses several closely located islands, which mesmerizes tourists with their captivating beauty. So, in case you are traveling to any city in Mexico, do not forget to visit the nearby islands and beaches. If you’ve planned for a trip to Costa Maya, do not miss the opportunity to travel to Cancun and Cozumel. All of these destinations spots highlight the heritage and splendor of Mexico.
Cancun is a pretty popular spot near Costa Maya. Now, you might have a question of How Far is Costa Maya from Cancun. If you are at the Costa Maya airport, you will need to travel approximately 272 km to reach Cancun. However, the road journey will take you to Cancun in about 5 hours.
Besides, Cozumel is another beautiful island of Mexico, situated in the Caribbean Sea famous for scuba diving adventures. Are you excited to explore water sports activities here? Do you want to know How Far is Costa Maya from Cozumel? Well, there is good news for the freaks who want to travel by water. There are two ways to visit Cozumel from Costa Maya. You can avail of a ferry ride of only about 40 minutes. And then opt for a bus ride to get to the spot.
Conclusion
Besides Costa Maya scuba diving, the entire city’s beauty, breathtaking sceneries, warm welcome and loving hospitality of the inhabitants of this place makes this region to be one of the best coastal areas to visit. Thus, along with the popular beaches and coastal regions of Mexico, Costa Maya sets itself to be a great destination to spend vacations and experience the mesmerizing coastal view. We hope that this guide will help you if you’re planning for your next scuba diving destination or an enjoyable vacation.
