Mahahual ( Costa Maya ) is located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo in an area known collectively as the Costa Maya. Mahahual is 350 kilometers south of Cancun and 100 kilometers north of the Belize border. Just south of Tulum, this isolated village is the hidden jewel of the Yucatan Peninsula. Check out these amazing views of Mahahual.
Where exactly is Mahahual?
This small fishing village of Mahahual is only about 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) away from the Costa Maya cruise port, and cruise ships can easily be seen from the village. Mahahual has white powdery, soft sand beaches, grass thatched palapas, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef that runs along the coast, which makes for fantastic snorkeling. The aquamarine water is clear and perfect temperature, not too hot and not too cold. Many hotels, bars, restaurants, and shops can be found in this quaint town. When ships are in port, the village is busy with cruise passengers. However, this is still a place where you can still get away from the big touristy crowds and relax.
In 2010, Mahahual had a population of 920. Mahahual is still very small now but developing quite rapidly. This town is equivalent to Playa Del Carmen 30 years ago. So, you might want to visit soon while it is still quaint.
How to get there?
Well, there are several cruise ships that make a stop in Costa Maya now that they have a cruise ship pier. But you will have to work a bit to get out of the cruise ship port. The cruise lines have built a small “cruise” village at the end of the pier to keep the cruise dollars on the cruise lines. To get out of the port, go through all the shops and look for port exit. The town of Mahahual is about 2 miles from the pier, so you might want to take a taxi (about $8 US) into the town.
If you are coming from
Where to stay? What to do?
There are quite a few condos, hotels, and rooms for rent in Mahahual. Several great restaurants are also along the beach walk. The flat beaches are perfect for sitting in the restaurant and looking out over the beach. Most of the beaches require you to order a drink to sit out in front of the restaurant in a beach chair. But the prices are very reasonable so I recommend doing this. The dive shop is great for snorkeling. You will also find the usual beach activities available, like massages, fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, etc. The crystal clear waters offer so much to see under the sea.
Check out this aerial footage to get a great view of Mahahual.
Wonderful post! I had never heard of Mahahaul. I love when I can learn about new places & great travel tips! So happy you shared this!
Thanks Kari. I really enjoy getting off the beaten path and hope to share that with other travelers!
It does look like the kind of place we’d enjoy. We’ve stayed away from it since we knew the cruise ships dock there, and we always thought it would be developed because of it. I learned something new today. We’ll definitely check it out next time we are in the area. Playa even twenty-five years ago was a place we enjoyed, so I’m sure we’ll love it. Thanks for bringing Mahahual to our attention.
Yes, the cruise ships come in at the port Costa Maya. You can see the cruise ship pier (and boat) in the background of our drone footage. However, the cruise ship company has built a village on the pier to try to keep the passengers buying the cruise ship stuff. So many do not make it to the Mahahual beaches themselves. We were there on a day in January (high season) with a cruise ship in port and we only saw 20-30 people on the entire beach. Scarce enough for me! I love reading your story of your travels and love that you seek out something different and away from tourists!