Your Cruise Stops in Costa Maya—Here Are 8 Things to Do

Do you have a cruise stopping in Costa Maya, Mexico? If so, you might be wondering what you should actually do once you get off the ship. Should you spend the day at a beautiful beach, explore ancient Mayan ruins, visit Bacalar Lagoon, go snorkeling, or simply enjoy everything right at the cruise port?

We recently visited Costa Maya on a family cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, and with 22 people in our group, we had the perfect opportunity to try several different Costa Maya excursions. Instead of everyone doing the same thing, we divided and conquered, giving us a chance to experience several of the best things Costa Maya has to offer.

And there are a lot of options!

From relaxing at an all-inclusive beach to exploring the incredible Chacchoben ruins, visiting the stunning Bacalar Lagoon, snorkeling in the Caribbean, and enjoying the shops and activities right at the Costa Maya cruise port, there is something for just about every type of traveler.

In this guide, I’ll share 8 of the best things to do in Costa Maya on a cruise, including the excursions and experiences that are worth considering when you only have one day in port.

Let’s explore Costa Maya and find the perfect way to spend your cruise day!

This post may contain affiliate links (Including Amazon) that will give me a commission at no additional charge to you. 

Where is Costa Maya Mexico?

If you have planned a cruise with a stop at the Costa Maya cruise port you might be wondering “Where is Costa Maya?”  

Costa Maya Mexico is on the Yucatan Peninsula.  It is 4-5 hours south of Cancun,  just over 3.5 hours from Playa del Carman and Cozumel, and about 2.5 hours from Tulum. 

Although Costa Maya could be a day trip from Cancun or any of the major tourist sites, it is mostly enjoyed by cruisers. 

This entire coast is a major tourist area with all-inclusive day resorts and beautiful beaches and beach clubs.  The Costa Maya cruise port is a Caribbean hidden gem.

Costa Maya Mexico Cruise Port

Costa Maya Mexico cruise port was actually built just for cruisers. The port is owned by cruise lines.   Most locals who work here have to travel far to get to work.  

Costa Maya Port

Be excited if you have booked a cruise to Costa Maya Mexico! The Costa Maya port is nice! 

The Costa Maya port is almost like a resort with a huge pool at the center with lounge chairs and souvenir shops all around.

Cheap or Free Things to Do at Costa Maya Port

If you do not want to book a Costa Maya excursion you can hang out at the port. There are a few things that you can do without leaving the port.  We are going to explore a few of them! 

1. Salt Water Pool

The pool is free to all cruisers.  You can swim and relax on the beach chairs.  After you spend some time in the pool you can walk around and shop.  This Costa Maya activity is completely free! It is a great place to hang out in Costa Maya. 

It was nice to just grab a chair and relax.  Depending on how many cruise ships are in port will determine how busy this pool is.  It is really a great Costa Maya excursion.  

2. Papantla Flyers

If you want to enjoy Mayan culture, you will want to see the Papantla Flyers.  This is absolutely free and located near the pool. 

There is a large pole in the center of Costa Maya Port where the sky-high dance ritual is performed.  

5 men climb almost 100 feet in the air to perform the ceremony.  One man sits in the middle playing a flute or drum. The other 4 men attach themselves to a rope and swing upside down.

It is quite impressive and a little scary to watch! 

3. Aviarius

The Aviarius does have an entrance fee.  This activity is included in the Port Pass (which must be purchased through the Cruiseline) The pass is something to consider if you want to do this activity and gives you the option to do a few more. 

Admission

Adults: $14

Children: $12 

The Aviarius extends across a bridge to a bird sanctuary. You will be able to see flamingoes and all kinds of exotic birds.  They will give you birdseed to attract them to you.  

My son loves birds.  This is something that we will do next time we visit Costa Maya.  

4. More Things to Do in Costa Maya Port Activities

There are a few other fun things to do in Costa Maya Mexico that are located right at the Costa Maya Port or within one block of the port.  Some of these activities are included in the Port Pass.  

• Maya Sanctuary
• Chocolate Tour
• Salsa Cooking Class
• Mexican Cooking Class
• Tequilla Tour
• Dolphin Swim

These are all fantastic things to do in Costa Maya! One thing that I really like about all of these options is that they a within walking distance of the cruise ship.  

Excursions in Costa Maya

If you booked your Costa Maya shore excursions through the cruise line, you will not have to walk very far.  There is a designated place where you can meet your Costa Maya tour guide and head off.  

Some members of our group did the Bacalar tour through the cruise line.  

My Costa Maya Cruise Research

As I did research, I found that booking through the cruiseline was much more expensive compared to booking through Viator. 

We had some reservations as most of the tours were hours away from the port. (Bacalar and the ruins)  If you book through the cruise line, if anything goes wrong they will hold the boat for you.  If you book through a third party you take your chances.

We had 22 people with us, so saving money won out for most of us  We booked our tour of the Chacchoben ruins tour through Viator.  It was so much cheaper. Luckily, everything worked out and we made it back to the ship with plenty of time to spare!   

We were really impressed with our tour guide and company.  It was a fantastic experience. 

Getting to Costa Maya Excursions

Getting to the 3rd party Costa Maya tour companies in Costa Maya Port is a process.  You actually have to walk out of the port area.  It can take up to 20 minutes. 

5. Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

If you are interested in seeing the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins be ready for a drive! It is located about 42 miles away from the Costa Maya Port.  It took us about an hour to arrive.

Chacchoben Mayan Ruins 

Chacchoben Mayan Ruins are very well preserved.  You can even climb on some of the structures which is very cool. As a side note, I have been to Chichen Itza which is a New 7 Wonders of the World site. 

Chacchoben was not nearly as big as Chichen Itza but was still pretty cool.  The one thing that was tough was the humidity.  It was so hot.  We were so glad that the tour company had water bottles for us.

Our Family Costa Maya Experience

Another really cool thing about Chacchoben is the wild monkeys in all of the trees.   It was really fun watching them.  If you book a tour of Chacchoben you will have a guide that will tell you all about the culture and some of the neat archeological finds. 

We had a great time except for the fact that it is very hot in August. Our younger kids (11 and 8) were dying and complaining.  At one point our daughter just sat down and didn’t move for at least 20 minutes.  My son was more adventurous and climbed to the top of the ruins.  He loved it! 

Luckily, there is a beach stop after touring the Chacchoben ruins.  

Book Chacchoben Mayan Ruins Excursion

6. Bacalar Seven Color Lagoon

Booking a Bacalar excursion from Costa Maya is what most of our extended family and a few of our kids decided to do. 

Bacalar Seven Seas Lagoon is gorgeous.  The blue water is beautiful. The tour included a boat ride and swim.  There was also a lunch provided.

It is about an hour away from the Costa Maya port.  Having booked through the cruiseline, we thought it was really expensive for what was offered on the tour.  We didn’t have a ton of time to swim and then had to head back to the ship.  

Our Family Costa Maya Experience

My family had a fun time but next time I would book through Viator as it was 1/3 of the cost for the exact same tour.  

The advantage of booking the cruise line was you didn’t have to walk a mile to get to the tour company, so keep that in mind if that is a concern. 

Overall this was a fun adventure on the beautiful blue waters of the lagoon.  We have a lot of teenagers and they loved it. 

Book Bacalar Seven Colors Lagoon

7. Costa Maya Private Beach All-Inclusive

My father-in-law swears by an all-inclusive beach experience.  He said that booking a Costa Maya excursion to an all-inclusive beach was 100% the way to go.

He loved that the waiters would even walk out in the ocean to take your drink orders.  He felt like it was the best service he had ever experienced.  

There are lots of all-inclusive Costa Maya beach excursions some are good for families who just want a beach day and some are better for adults only.  

Fun Beach Things to do in Costa Maya

•  All-Incusive Beach Day at Los Arrecifes
• Maramoa Beach Party Day Pass
• Costa Maya Beach Break
• Day Pass to Pez Quadro
• Costa Maya Beach Break From Port
• Private Beach
• Costa Maya Excursion to Nacional Beach Club
• Costa May Excursion to La Chilangaloense

Any of these would be perfect if you want to just relax and enjoy the view! 

Book an All-Inclusive Beach Day

8. Costa Maya Snorkel or Scuba Diving from Mahahual

Mahahual is the closest beach to the Costa Maya port.  There are catamaran tours that will take you out and let you snorkel or scuba dive. You can also snorkel from the beach.  

There are lots of great options in this area.  The water is so blue and the visibility is fantastic! I am more of a snorkeller but scuba diving is also a great option for your Costa Maya Mexico excursion.

Things to Do in Costa Maya (Snorkel and Scuba)

• Snorkel Tour In Search of Sea Turtles
• Costa Maya Snorkel Tour
• Snorkeling from Costa Maya Mahahaul 
• Costa Maya Snorkel (Reef and Turtles)
• Introduction Scuba Dive
• 2 Tank Certified Dive

Book Your Snorkel or Scuba Costa Maya Excursion

Book Your Costa Maya Shore Excursion

Hopefully, this list of all the fun things to do in Costa Maya Mexico helps you plan your Costa Maya cruise excursion! There are so many fun options in all price ranges! 

There are a few more Costa Maya excursions that are only offered through the cruise lines.  Look at all of your options when planning your cruise.

For our family reunion on the Allure of the Seas cruise our port stops were Galveston, Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.  We had so much fun, and I know you will too! 

P.S. I have had a few people say they really do not like this cruise port.  I based this post on our great experience which was really fun and overall very positive. I hope you will have a fun time too.

Please ask if you have any questions!  

We Love To Cruise! 

We love family cruises.  We have been on some fun ships, the Disney Wish, Odyssey of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. We have gone out of Orlando, Miami, and Galveston.  Vancouver is another great option.

We have visited Thrill Water Park at  Perfect Day, and have been to port stops in the Bahamas We have also hit a private island in Roatan, checked out Costa Maya to see the ruins, and visited Cozumel. Castaway Cay is awesome.  We did the Castaway Cay 5k If your itinerary includes these stops, take a look at some of the fun tours available.

If you are planning a cruise in Europe, we did some amazing excursions in Rome, Naples, Santorini, Mykonos, and Ephesus. 

Facebook Community

Do you have any more questions? Join my Travel Community on Facebook.  This is a great group that can help answer any travel questions you might have.  I also try to add any deals that companies send me as well.