Xcalak - Banco Chinchorro

[sparky923]

This thread began with questions about Ixcalak and diving with XTC. I know zero about Majahual and actually don't care for the place that much. Too built up and carters to the cruise boats. I am sure there are good shops there that can get you out to chinchorro weather permitting. From my end Ixcalak is a better choice since I like the laid back feel of the place and if you are going there to dive chinchorro then its a good place to hang out till a window opens and you can get out. Diving in Ixcalak is OK. You will not see crowds like you would in Majahual.
As to who has better access I would say the same. Chinchorro is a big area though now its zoned so the diving is restricted to certain areas. Over the years I have made four or so trips out there (camping out on Cayo Lobos twice) and I was not that impressed. Not virgin diving by any stretch.

Thanks for the speedy response.



Not knowing much about the area, getting info from knowledgeable divers that have insights is invaluable.

We're planning on diving Mahahual, and maybe a day in Xcalak. Hopefully between those 2 locations, we can secure one trip to Chinchirro. If not, then we'll just have to make do with whats available. Should be a great trip regardless.

I think only 2 cruise ships are scheduled to be in port (Tuesday and Thursday) for the week we are there, so hopefully it will be a little more laid back.

On a side note, I've heard that Mahahual is trying to get a theme or water park built. The cruise lines are trying to get ports to invest in more and more attractions and those that don't, will lose out to the ports that do. It's a shame to see pristine areas gobbled up by the cruise lines, but I must admit, that's where I first got a chance to visit Mahahual. The cruise ship money is definitely a two-edge sword.

 

[mikeycanuk]

This is a good site plus they send out occasional newsletters on Mahahual if you sign up for it.

http://www.mayanbeachgarden.com/

The Malecon is d e a d when there isn't a ship in port, its busier with locals from Chetumal on the weekends. Funny enough there was only 1 ship the whole time we were there and we didn't go into town. Not sure if you are cooking or not but the bigger of the two food stores sells amazing chorizo and cheese made by Mennonites in Belize. Talk about goooood chorizo omelettes.

If you have a car and time Bacalar is a beautiful town to visit, skip the zipline




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[fjdavids]

Hi Sparky,
Why don´t you tried DiveLife? We have several years working in the area, but we are quite new in the forum... We are a PADI 5 star IDC center and have permit to go to Chinchorro also.
Please visit our website.
Hope to see you soon.
Fran

---------- Post added June 26th, 2013 at 09:08 AM ----------

My dive bud and I are considering a trip next month, July, to Xcalak, Quintana Roo, Mexico. I have been in contact with XTC Dive Center there XTC DIVE CENTER | Scuba diving, Snorkelling, Fishing and Excursions in Xcalak, Costa Maya Mexico concerning the best times to attempt a trip to Chinchorro. They seem to be one of the few shops with permits to enter Chinchorro. They have said that June & July are the best months. They have done 3 trips in the last month with weather allowing and a minimum of 5 divers. Has any one been down there lately (since hurricane Dean) and do you have any tips on where to stay and the best transportation there? XTC said that the ADO buses do not run there now, stopping at Majahual. We are considering renting a car at the Cancun airport rather that do 5 hours on the ADO. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Thomas,
At DiveLife (please click here to visit our webpage), have permit to go to Chinchorro if you want to try us, but we are in Mahahual, at 30 minutes from Xcalac. My recomendation is to rent a car, ADO has only one schedule to there and is quite boring. Beside by car you could stop and visit a lot of beatifull places in the way to Xcalac.
I really recommend you to dive some cenote in your trip, also a very beatifull place to visit is Bacalar, a magic town 70 kilometres before Mahahual, also there are some mayan ruins closed to and not too many tourist.
All the road is in perfect condition and very safe. From Mahahual to Xcalac you have two differents ways, one is behind the sea, gorgeous views but the road is in not perfect condition, but if you have carefull you will not have problem. The other is the main road is good but not so espectacular views...
Hope to be helpfull.
Regards,

 

[sparky923]

As an update, we are in Mahahual and arrived Monday evening. We are diving with Jorge (Bucaneros del Caribe) and the diving is excellent. Don't know if we will get the chance to go to Banco Chinchorro, but don't really care at this point. The diving here has been that good. Saw a HUGE stingray and an Eagle Ray (my first). Saw BIG schools of snapper today and a really big permit darting through the reef. We dove old lighthouse and new lighthouse.

Anyway, have lots of pics to download, but it will be after I get back to the states. My diving camera is a Olympus with XD card and I didn't bring my card reader to download pics. If I had to forget something, I guess that was the least important.

---------- Post added August 22nd, 2013 at 09:54 PM ----------

Just back from Nohoch Kay. Report for the day. dove approx. 7 kilometers south of Mahahual and saw deep canyons with a very healthy reef. We saw a couple of turtles and one seemed as interested in us as we were it. It glided around the group of us in one big circle and then glided off. Excellent day. Selma from Nomad divers was with us (and she was great), and hopefully she has a card reader I can borrow and download some pics. I only hope the pics are one quarter as good as the dive. If I can get the pics downloaded to the computer, I will start another thread dedicated to the trip report.

Thanks and adios...

Diving again tomorrow.

---------- Post added August 22nd, 2013 at 09:56 PM ----------



---------- Post added August 22nd, 2013 at 09:59 PM ----------

 

[Bryan Cunningham]

Did you get to go to Chinchorro Banks? If so, what was it like? Any photos??

 

[sparky923]

Did you get to go to Chinchorro Banks? If so, what was it like? Any photos??

We didn't get to a chance to go to Chinchorro Banks. We got 4 good days of diving at Mahahual, but a storm blew up on the 5th day so we made a day trip to Bacalar. It was a really great dive trip. I hope we can go back for an extended trip in the future.

Diving again in Mahahual next month, but just for the day. We are on a cruise, and will stop in Costa Maya on the 27th.

 

[txseagirl]

Went down last year and had a fabulous trip. My daughter 11 got her certification and XTC Dive Center worked with her all week to make it a great experience. We rented a car EasyWay and drove down from Cancun. We spent one night along the way in Tulum and picked up supplies as there is not a grocery store in Xcalak. We had no problems and felt very safe. Had a week of great diving but did not make it out to Chinchorro even though it was June. Did not miss it the diving was still great. Restraunts are limited but there are a few that are good.
We stayed in a home through VRBO and it was very nice.

 

[lthomas132]

---------- Post added May 11th, 2014 at 08:53 AM ----------

Went down last year and had a fabulous trip. My daughter 11 got her certification and XTC Dive Center worked with her all week to make it a great experience. We rented a car EasyWay and drove down from Cancun. We spent one night along the way in Tulum and picked up supplies as there is not a grocery store in Xcalak. We had no problems and felt very safe. Had a week of great diving but did not make it out to Chinchorro even though it was June. Did not miss it the diving was still great. Restraunts are limited but there are a few that are good.
We stayed in a home through VRBO and it was very nice.

Trying to finally put together a dive trip t Xcalak with XTC Dive Center. What did it cost you for a car with EasyWay at the Cancun Airport? Where did you stay in Tulum on your drive down. Any problems or things to be aware of at Xcalak? Thanks

 

[sparky923]

We didn't go to Xcalak, we stayed in Mahahual instead, but we did rent from Easy Way rental.

They were great. When you step out of the Cancun airport, they were actually to the left of where all of the tours are waiting in the parking lot. They were kinda hard to find, but were waiting along the sidewalk next to the building. We asked a few of the tour drivers, and they pointed us in the right direction. Once we found them, they loaded up our gear and took us to their rental facility, not very far from the airport.

They were faily inexpensive, and the car we rented (VW GOL) was small, but was in great shape and was plenty big enough for my son and I plus our gear. It was a little over a hundred dollars for the week for the rental. The insurance was a little more than the rental, so I think we got it all for less than $250 and that was with full coverage on the vehicle.

I'm really glad we got the full coverage too. When we were packing up to leave Mahahual, we found where someone had backed into the car sometime during the night. They had scraped the side of the car, busted out the rear taillight, and knocked off the side mirror. We called Easyway and explained what had happened, and they said not to worry about it. that we were covered. I was still a little apprehensive when we turned it in, and got there a couple of hours early just to make sure we would be OK. The guy that checked us is and took us to the airport couldn't have been nicer. He didn't question anything, and actually I think I annoyed him a little with how much I tried to explain how sorry I was that his car got wrecked. He took it all in stride and couldn't have been easier to work with. I recommend them HIGHLY.

When I get home, I'll try to remember to dig up my receipt for exactly how much the rental cost.

 

[mikeycanuk]

Just be careful who you ask. Those in the blue shirts asking who you are renting with are NOT your friend. I told one we were looking for American car rentL only to have the rep suddenly appear 2 minutes later. I thought something was up and asked the "rep" if he knew my name. He looked at my luggage tag right in front on me! I was in the process of a call to American and they confirmed we wasn't their guy. I swore at the guy and walked away, he could not have cared less.

I found Easyway to be much easier and have newer cars. American would take forever to do the paperwork and when a guy went to get your car, I swear he went on siesta! Plus a jeep I rented got a flat only to find a locknut on the spare. Where the lock-key was, who knows? Thankfully our housekeeper took me into town to get the flat patched.

Mahahual was memorable, got hit with a tropical storm half way into our trip. I remember we were catching a good buzz at the Travel'In and their windmill was going gonzo as the storm approached. A fun night once we realized it was only a TS, not a hurricane.


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