This slice of Mexican paradise is calling out for you to explore it. Here’s how to make the most of your journey.
Mezcal and mangroves . Cenotesand C - older ruination . vacation in the Mexican Caribbean is the gift that keep on on gift . Along this entrance corridor is a name and address known as Grand Costa Maya , once Mexico ’s best - save secret that ’s not so secret anymore . The region comprise Chetumal , Mahahual , and Bacalar — each a post with its own unparalleled vibration and chronicle .
Chetumal is the capital of Quintana Roo but it tend to be unfairly overlooked in favor of better - known destinations in the state like Playa del Carmen , Cancún , and Instagram - friendlyTulum .
Mahahual ( also spell “ Majahual ” ) is nursing home to United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization - protect reeking marvel and a function - built Disneyland of sorting where visitors are treated to a variety of instinctive , ethnical , and culinary temptations .
James R.D. Scott/Moment/Getty Images
If Mahahual is a concealed gem , Bacalar is the treasure at the end of the rainbow . The townsfolk ’s pride and pleasure is the Lagoon of Seven Colors which is a dreamscape of various hues of disconsolate and green . Then there ’s Cozumel , an island known for hallowed Mayan worship situation shrouded in lore and a report for dive and snorkel diving that makes it a highlight of the fabled Mesoamerican Barrier Reef .
These slices of Mexican paradise declare oneself tastes of old and new — from Indigenous rituals and vibey beach bar to unparalleled pee sports and property that look like someone threw an Instagram filter over realness . This is a nook of the globe calling out for you to explore it .
Your trip isn’t complete until you…
See : The Voladores de Papantla ( Papantla Flyers ) at the pith of the Costa Maya cruise port square . This is an ancient rain - invoking rite where a mathematical group of men dress in intense hues of ruby and bloodless twirl through the air travel around a predominate magnetic pole while one stands atop play the flute .
Touch : A schnorkel masque as you dip into the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef to spot blue tangs , sergeant majors , and polo-neck .
Smell : Delectable and fragrantpescadito frito ( fry fish ) being freshly cook at San Carlos Pescadaria in Cozumel , Los Aluxes Bacalar , or Beach Bums Costa Maya in Mahahual .
Beach in Mahahual, Mexico|Sophie Dover/iStock/Getty Images
Hear : The water spatter as you jump into Bacalar ’s Lagoon of Seven Colors .
Taste : Cochinita pibil and tacos al pastor . Pibil refers to the ancient method of cook in a pib , a traditional Mayan oven , which is essentially a hole in the ground delineate with hot stones . The name “ cochinita ” refer to a tiny pig , and the bag is a slow - jest at , profoundly flavour pork nestled inside a taco or stuffed into tortas .
Tacos al pastor is a pop Mexican beauty made from thin slice of marinated pork , cooked on a upright spit , then pinch with fresh cilantro , chopped onions , and pineapple . Some of the estimable street food spots to examine these racy delicacies do n’t even have name , much less web site or social spiritualist accounts .
Beach in Mahahual, Mexico|Sophie Dover/iStock/Getty Images
Things to do in Mahahual
Less than two hours from Chetumal and tuck within the Costa Maya , Mahahual straddle two globe : on one side , you have the bustling cruise embrasure surface area ; on the other , a position - back enclave that still nurse onto its fishing village soulfulness despite the influx of 24-hour interval - tripper .
The larboard area offers amusement ride , boo volary , and keepsake shop that were explicitly design to keep cruisers entertained within branch ’s range of their ships . Those wishing to explore further abroad may head out on sea turtle snorkeling escapades , dive among kaleidoscopical reefs , laze on beaches with body of water so vindicated you may see your toes wiggle , or wander the waterfront mall ( malecón ) that ’s lined with local reefer slinging cold coconuts and fresh seafood . And when craving history , there are Mayan ruins like Chacchoben ( known as the “ Place of Red Corn ” ) just a short driving force aside .
Morning – search the biodiversity at the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve . About 30 kilometers off Mahahual ’s coast , UNESCO - list Banco Chinchorro is Mexico ’s largest atoll and one of its most secluded marine reserves . Spanning over 144,866 hectare of untouched urine , Rhizophora mangle , sandy beaches , and vibrant coral reef , this space feel like the wild frontier of the Yucatán . It is known for its black coral , swarms of tropic Pisces , nurse sharks , and saltwater crocodiles blot out in the mangrove .
Chunky Monkey Beach Club|Photo courtesy of Chunky Monkey Beach Club
Noon – Feast on beachfront lobster atChunky Monkey Beach Club . After working up an appetite underwater , make your manner to this bright , personality - drench spot . This restaurant gives you that barefoot , off - the - grid feeling that vacation is all about . Seafood staples like ceviche , prawn tostadas , and grilled devilfish are among the fare ’s highlights , but you ’ll never go wrong with the oh - so - juicy lobster .
Afternoon – Tour a pair of Mayan ruins . The Chacchoben ruins , the “ Place of Red Corn , ” sit quietly cloaked in the jungle about an 60 minutes ’s drive from Mahahual and the cruise port at Costa Maya . Though the site is not as famous as Tulum ’s beachfront ruins or Chichen Itza , this snarl of Great Pyramid - shaped temples and stone whole step is very much worth the trip . Do n’t leave out the elevated Gran Basamento — once the heart of Mayan ritual life sentence — where priests are believed to have hold ceremonial occasion while wanderer monkeys view from the trees above .
A five - minute parkway away , Oxtankah tells a report of Maya ingenuity that goes beyond the intimate feat of astronomy and pyramids . You ’ll find oneself remainder of over 100 buildings from the ancient city ’s summit between 200 and 600 AD , and while much of the site remains unswayed by excavation , it suggest at a civilisation that was as commercial and resourceful as it was spiritual . Oxtankah ’s name , give by 20th - C investigator , could entail “ blank space surrounded by Ramón tree ” or “ three neighborhoods . ”
Chacchoben Ruins|Wirestock/iStock/Getty Images
Evening – Wind down for the twenty-four hour period atMalecon21.Toast to a day well spend at this beach club and eating place with a boho smart aesthetic and lanterns that look like chick nest swinging in the duck soup . Massages on the backbone ? They ’ve got those too . Beach club access here come in tiers . With the introduction - grade charge per unit , you get a beach bottom , Wi - Fi , and a food - and - drink recognition . Go big with the platinum package and you ’re looking at straight-out potable , lobster on the menu , and a beach layer that ’s yours until closing time ( 10:30 pm ) .
Things to do in Cozumel
Cozumel is Mexico ’s largest inhabited island . This land was sacred ground to the ancient Mayans as the home of the Sunday deity Itzámna and his wife Ix - Chel who , harmonize to legend , gifted the island with the refined sup . The symbol of this bird now grace everything from mural to grocery trinkets that you may pick up in San Miguel , Cozumel ’s main townspeople .
Today , Cozumel ’s real natural endowment is its Rand — an subaquatic explorer ’s pipe dream within the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef , the largest in the Western Hemisphere and 2d only to Australia ’s with child Barrier Reef in sizing . This is an ideal pit barricade whether you ’re just teach to breathe through a breather or you ’re an old hand at deep - sea dive . There is no shortfall of tour operators and dive workshop ready and willing to whip you away to meet over 200 maritime species including Scorpio the Scorpion fish , tanginess , seahorse , and beat Pisces with their zebra - like streak , and you ’ll witness many of them within walking distance of Cozumel ’s cruise port .
The sweet subaquatic vista might be the star draw , but Cozumel is n’t miss in ground - based beauty either . Ten mile wide and 29 mile long , the island brims with unspoiled beaches sprinkled alongside ruins and museums . And if you poke around , you ’ll find some amazingly enticing international culinary art thanks to the melting tidy sum of people top through . Cozumel ’s set about a little something for everyone , even if you ’ve only begin a few time of day to imbue it in .
Malecon21|Photo courtesy of Malecon21
good morning – Explore theCozumel Museum . This museum date back to the 1930s and it ’s a 15 - minute drive from thePuerta Mayacruise center . Go to check out the lasting and temporary exhibits that detail the island ’s history and varied ecosystems in a recently renovated former luxury hotel .
The museum is ego - pace and bilingual with explanation in Spanish and English . No matter how tempting , do resist the urge to dip your fingers into the vintage box of Yucatan chewing gum on display . Also , if you encounter to have big or heavy bags with you , the staff can store them at the front desk if you ’d rather not schlep them around .
noontide – Find your way to heaven for diving and snorkeling ( El Cielo ) . El Cielo , which translates to “ the sky ” or “ heaven ” is a niggling slice of underwater paradise that ’s part of the sprawling Mesoamerican Reef . Here , the visibility for peeking at starfish dust the sea bed is near unadulterated and the waters hold a yr - stave warmth that straddle between 78 ° F and 82 ° F . you could join a go to El Cielo right from the San Miguel port and they ’re commonly an all - inclusive experience including your power train , dejeuner , and the gravy holder hinge upon itself .
Cozumel Museum|Barry Winiker/The Image Bank/Getty Images
good afternoon – Fraternize with flamingos , egrets , and crocodile at Punta Sur Eco Beach Park . There might also be Iguana iguana relish in the Dominicus , turtles cruise the lagoon , and even the occasional crocodile eyeing you from afar at this nature modesty traverse over 1,000 hectares . you may climb up Faro Celerain beacon for a bird’s-eye view that stretches over ground and sea , take a gravy holder depend upon through the Columbia Lagoon , or just cool down out on the pristine white - sand beach lap by turquoise waters . parking area admission be $ 22 and it ’s open Monday to Saturday until 5 postmortem . There ’s footling in the path of shade in these parts so do n’t forget a sun hat and bide hydrated if you ’ll be tackle the 133 steps at the lighthouse .
Evening – Live music atThe Money Bar Beach Club . perch on the edge of the Dzul - Ha Reef on the Cicily Isabel Fairfield of the island ( look Playa del Carmen ) , this Cozumel institution with cut behind pleases its zippy crowd with unrecorded music and it is specially vibey just before those magical sunset time of day . There is a rotate cast of singers and bands offering audio therapy in the form of Latin , pop , and rock songs . Order the Money Bar Special .
Things to do in Bacalar
Stretching almost 60 km long , it ’s Mexico ’s second long lagoon after Chapala ’s and it ’s a picturesque playground for urine lovers volunteer everything from kayak and reverse lightning skiing to tranquil boat rides . For those with a mania for science and nature , it ’s home to some of the most ancient fogy on the planet : stromatolites . These John Rock formations are 350 million years previous and make Bacalar a geological marvel in addition to its status as a ocular marvel . Getting there from Mahahual is believably best undertaken as part ofa touryou purchase online or arrange with an on - the - reason tour operator .
Morning – Swim in a cenote . Cenotes are cryptic , water - filled swallow hole that dot the Yucatán Peninsula and they were consider to be portal to the netherworld by the ancient Maya . The cenotes of Bacalar are all wide unfastened , sunlight - drenched natural playgrounds , not the distinctive stalactite and stalagmite - having caves .
At Cenote Esmeralda , the dark blue waters reach a dizzying 70 meter in depth and visitor fawn over the " heart " where the cenote meets the Laguna . Cenote Cocalitos is where you ’ll find a asylum of stromatolites — ancient , bacterial stone formations that look like something directly out of an alien landscape painting . Snorkel , kayak , swim , or simply sway in one of the many swing or hammocks post in its gin - clear waters .
El Cielo|James R.D. Scott/Moment/Getty Images. Spacewalk/iStock/Getty Images.
good afternoon – regale yourself to a pre - Latino ritual . dad over to eco - favorable dress shop hotelCasa Hormigafor a pre - Hispanic earth , water , flack , and ether rite at its on - site Casa Ritual spa . Your chosen session may even be determined by your zodiac sign . One covetable experience there is a visit inside the temazcal , an igloo - mold exertion lodge where oestrus , steam , and transmissible wiseness intertwine to guide you back to yourself .
Evening – Tap into the creative scene of Bacalar Town . amble around the streets which arrive alive with murals of Maya warriors , jaguar , and tropical birds then grab unaccented refreshments at Vincent Van Gogh - inspiredCafé Tito Bacalarin Zócalo . Afterward , top dog toEl Manatito catch some live music . or browse local workmanship . This place is part restaurant , part boutique , part art picture gallery , and all charm .
What to know before you go
The currency
The Mexican peso ( MXN ) is legal tender throughout the country . You ’ll need Cuban peso in your air pocket if you want to purchase street food , give John Cash tips , or pay for things at local markets though US dollar are accepted in tourist - heavy area . At the time of writing , $ 1 USD gets you 19.98 peso . you may withdraw pesos from the ATMs at the Costa Maya cruise terminal .
International adapters you’ll need
To power up your gadgets in Mexico , you ’ll use the same Type A and Type B sparking plug you ’ll find in the US and Canada . character A is your stock two - flat - pin setup while Type B adds a round grounding bowling pin to keep things static . The voltage there run at 127 V with a frequency of 60 Hz .
When to plan your visit
Hurricane season in the Mexican Caribbean tally from June to November and the beach can be invaded by annoying sargassum seaweed from April to October .
If you ’re lucky enough to be in Cozumel for Día de Muertos on the first and 2nd day of November , await to see the streets hum with life as catrinas — those iconic skeletal figures — are everywhere you wrench , and papel picado banners flicker in the breeze . The large event of the year on the island is the Cozumel Carnival in February . To swim alongside magnificent whale shark in Cozumel , note your calendar for between mid - May and mid - September .
A noteworthy cultural consequence in Bacalar suitable of bookmarking is La Feria de San Joaquín , which is have every August . There , you’re able to find art exhibition , folkloric dance , fancy festal attire , and fireworks over nine days .
Punta Sur Eco Beach Park|Yingna Cai/Shutterstock
Do’s and don’ts when visiting the Mexican Caribbean
Dobring reef - dependable sunscreen if you plan to schnorchel or diva . It ’s all that ’s allowed at place like Cozumel ’s Chankanaab Park . intersection with ingredients include oxybenzone , octinoxate , and 4 - methyl group benzylidene camphor are censor there due to their damaging shock on marine ecosystem . Sunscreen brands like Coral Safe , All in force , Raw Love , Suntegrity , and Kokua Sun Care will have you cover ( literally ) .
Dotake the chance to assay street food and confirm the community you chat by make purchases from local trafficker or mom - and - tonic eatery where possible .
Don’tdrink wiretap weewee under any circumstances . prefer for purified or bottled body of water to stay hydrated without any unwanted tummy result . This does not mean you have to fend off on - shoring cocktail or frigid deglutition from restaurants , as the ice cubes are made with filtered water system .
Boat tour|Photo courtesy of Rosie Bell
Don’tlitter on beach . Keep them the way of life you establish them and do n’t ignore the color - coded beach warning flags that signal whether it ’s secure to swim . Green means you ’re good to go , proceed with caution if there ’s a yellow flag , red indicates severe waters ahead , and a black signal flag is a firm no - go .
Finally , stand firm the urge to rival any ocean life or snag a slice of precious coral for your java tabular array back home . Look but do n’t equal is the regulation of thumb for all submarine bodily process .
Your fun Mexican Caribbean dinner party fact
You ’ll impress your friend by inform them that Cozumel is the only place in the world where you may ascertain eight - finnedsanopus splendidusaka the splendid toadfish . Also , during the Mayan refinement , single and fraught womanhood from as far as present - day Honduras and Belize would travel to Cozumel to pray to Ix - Chel , the goddess of womanly crafts .
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Cenote Esmeralda|sitriel/iStock/Getty Images. Marco Beas/Shutterstock.
Bacalar town|Photo courtesy of Rosie Bell
