Mahahual or Xcalak?

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oldmaninthesea

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Messages
57
Reaction score
4
Location
Toronto
# of dives
100 - 199
Has anyone been to these places recently? I'm looking for info about the bus from Playa Del Carmen and cheap hotels.
Thanks
 
Dive Ops

Dreamtimes - Mahahual
Blue Ocean Safari - Mahahual
Toruga Azul _ Mahahual
Maya Blue Diving - Mahahual
XTC - Xcalak
 
We spent several days at Balamku Inn, a few miles south of Majahual village along the beach road, in January. It was absolutely great. Clean, spacious, reasonably priced and terrific breakfasts that were part of the room rate. Also free use of their kayaks. The beach is nice there, but the water itself there is not that great for snorkeling unless you get out beyond the seaweed, which requires a bit of a hike. If you go there, ask for room 6. It's at the end of their property and sits a little bit off by itself so it's a little more private. A few good restaurants in town and some pretty nice places along the beach. Had maybe the best rib-eye steak of my life at Luna de Plata hotel/restaurant, which also is home of the dive shop I used.

Dove with Blue Ocean Safari and enjoyed the experience, though my first dive with them was in some pretty heavy seas. We missed the reef entirely and came down in 100 feet of water a couple hundred yards outside the reef. That dive was a freebie, since we'd missed our target and since the ocean bottom beyond the reef is flat, boring and pretty devoid of fish (saw one lonely barracuda). :D

The other dives, though, were right on top of the reef and were terrific. Beautiful sponges and coral, tons-o-fish. If I'd been in the market for a lobster dinner, I could have fed an army. They were in every nook and cranny on the reef on those days. :D

Enjoy your trip.

Dennis
 
Has anyone been to these places recently? I'm looking for info about the bus from Playa Del Carmen and cheap hotels.
Thanks

You can take the ADO to Majaual but not to Xcalack. You can get a taxi from Majaual to Xcalack but coming back may be tougher. I did this trip last May. After considering the logistics and travelling with my wife and dos ninos I opted to rent a car. It was a GREAT trip.

Xcalack is expensive everything there is pricey and not that great. Yeah I know it s little fishing village in the middle of nowhere, but things seemed pretty run down yet they charge a lot for accomodations. A good value but not too nice place to stay in are the rooms above XTC dive center. If it was me and my buds I would stay there but my wife would not, so we did not. There are other nice places up the beach road, some "resorts" some private homes.

Majaual has more to offer in way of accomodations. I stayed one night in a hotel RIGHT on the water, well okay on the road that is right on or about 50 feet from the water about 2-5 miles north of Balam Ku. I can't remember what it was called. There was a little dive shop next door and to the north was a dead wood hurricane leveled tract of jungle. After many days of paying high prices for crap I found this place in a desperate late night drive. This place was spotless clean, comfortable beds, nice bathrooms, hot water, fresh linens, cold drinks in the lobby for cheap prices, and the guy charged us 60 or 65 USD to stay there. I couldn't believe it. We were 1 of 2 parties staying there. It was a tall (about 3 or 4 floors) skinny building and it was practically on the road as you drive by it. It had a small dirt parking lot, and small but very nice little beach in front of it with chairs and kayaks. The little mexican family that cared for it live on site and REALLY took care of the place. The husband spoke perfect english. It was a ways south of "new" Majaual and even a bit south of the real majaual. Geat little place. would have stayed longer but we needed to get north.
 
From my personal experience I listed those dive operations which in my opinion offer good service. And as far as hotels - Maya Palms is included in that link.

Yes, that is why there are these types of fourms - so everyone can express their opinion. I repect your right to shamlessly troll and self prompt. :shocked2:
 
I did not realize you were posting messages for a group of business people. Now I understand why so many of Mahahual’s business that does support the local economy did not make your list. I thought you were providing information for the dive community at large. Sorry if I misunderstood, your intentions were unclear. I only seek to provide correct information. Maya Palms the only PADI Resort in Mahahual, just landed eight page article titled “Mahahual Maverick” in Sport Diver Magazine and it is supporting the local economy by promoting diving and tourism in Mahahual and the surrounding area. For someone who is willing to use Scuba Board to solicit customers or employees to run their operation should be willing to support the community that gives them this opportunity so, I challenge you to turn your name red and show your community support for Scuba Board, the ultimate online diver’s information database.
If you have, something to offer divers in Costa the Maya the Mahahual/Costa Maya options
thread would be a great place to showcase your amenities and attributes to less informed divers willing to try Mahahual as their dive destination.

Thanks,
Mahahual Mavericks
 
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I was diving in Mahahual in July with my daughter. Stayed at 40 Canones hotel, dove with Dream Time Diving. Excellent dive shop great DMs. Awesome adventure, diving was great, went to Chinchorro Banks, definitely worth the trip. not much to do in the town, but if you are doing 3-4 dives a day, there is not much you want to do afterwards. Nonetheless great local restaurants.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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