When I was planning which cruise to take with Princess Cruises, I was obsessed with the 10 day cruise from Galveston, Texas because it included the Cayman Islands and Belize. As part of the press trip package, we were limited to 7 days so I chose the one that included Costa Maya which borders Belize and shares the same reef territory, great for snorkeling and diving. Costa Maya is also free from high rise chain hotels leaving its lagoons, archaeological gems and coastline free from clutter. And the 7 day cruise still stopped to see Roatan, Honduras so most bucket list items were checked off. For me, the whole point of cruising is to get a taste of where you want to return to spend more time for vacation!
We were ready and raring to go explore after being on the ship for a couple days at sea so waking up was a breeze and we were one of the first off the ship and onto the port! I chose the Chacchoben Ruins and Blue Lagoon in Costa Maya, Mexico because it was a mixture of history, culture and adventure.
It was a wind whipping morning walking down the pier to Costa Maya, Mexico.My friend’s hair trying to match the Princess Cruises logo in Costa Maya, Mexico. With towel in hand, soon we boarded the bus and were on our way!The rest stop at Chacchoben Ruins was full of trinkets, snacks and a restroom. Remember in Mexico, you wipe and place in trash due to delicate plumbing. And always wash and/or sanitize your hands!If you decide to venture on your own, here is the pricing as of 2023 however you won’t have a dedicated guide to give you history lessons… however you could just listen nearby.
The Mayan settlement at Chacchoben Ruins is estimated at 200 BC, and the structures date from 700 AD. It is actually a medley of different structures and ruins, all available to see and climb around lightly, ropes prevented going to the top to save structural integrity. Located about 110 miles south of Tulum, they are a staple of the Yucatan Peninsula and translates to “Place of the Red Corn” or “Land of the Red Corn”.
Soon our tour guide was blowing his shell to round up the troops for our tour with the Cancun Discovery bus in the background.As we walked through the jungle, we were told video is an extra charge of $5 but photos are acceptable.The tour starts with Temple 24 created out of clay, stones, limestone and water by the Mayans and contains inner chambers not open to the public. The first few stairs are open to climb but you can see the rope limit.When you ask strangers to take your photo on the steps with a Nikon, you’ll always get some interesting pics at Chacchoben Ruins.A close up of the moss growing on Chacchoben Ruins.The side of the Chacchoben Ruins Temple 24.Our tour guide as scale showing how small we are compared to nature at Chacchoben Ruins.The tree of life which the Mayans respect greatly.It was so humid and nature was lush everywhere at Chacchoben Ruins.A tree trunk that reminded me of an elephant eye at Chacchoben Ruins.Climbing stairs was next on the list at Chacchoben Ruins.But first a little history lesson of the Mayan people who created this sacred space at Chacchoben Ruins.Climbing up the stairs to roam around the next level at Chacchoben Ruins. Make sure you’re in shape!These sun ruins resonated with me at Chacchoben Ruins.A view of the back of the sun ruins at Chacchoben Ruins.On any tour, you are short on time so tourists included in this shot of Chacchoben Ruins.I soon found my friend climbing around Chacchoben Ruins.Overall there were many ruins and still one that was not open to the public we heard at Chacchoben Ruins.The roots are strong at Chacchoben Ruins. There are huge mahogany, zapote, white cedars and more trees abound.Much better views on our way back with less people at Chacchoben Ruins.I understand this is a “trend” to find trinkets in nature but Christians, please respect other people’s cultures, religions and sacred spaces and don’t place this trash around on private property at Chacchoben Ruins. We disposed of it.Back at the gift shop, I was tempted to get postcards just to keep tabs on everything we saw! I did look around at the onyx daggers though and did a little haggling. Your best bet is to get a deal in lesser frequented areas and use your American dollar to pay.
If you’re lucky, you will enjoy all the sounds of nature on your walk back. Some species include spider monkeys which we saw in a tree on the way in, peccaries (like pigs), howler monkeys, deer, armadillos, gray foxes, toucans, songbirds and the stingless bee. And don’t forget this is a legit jungle with animals like jaguar and puma so don’t wander off. Once everyone was on board the bus, it was time for the next adventure.
And the tricky part of booking… well, anything outside the United States is reading the fine print. When I originally booked this trip, I thought we were going to The Blue Lagoon, Bacalar Lagoon with its multi-layered colors of pristine blue water. But alas we were delivered to the Blue Lagoon Club without much online presence other than a confusing mish-mash of wording most likely on purpose. Another thing I noticed is not all excursions available were listed on the ship, probably due to partnerships with certain cruise brands. But regardless, we were ready to rest and relax and the natural spring water was refreshing!
Welcome to The Blue Lagoon beach club in Costa Maya, Mexico.Lots of space to kick back and relax at The Blue Lagoon in Costa Maya, Mexico.A little peek into the freshwater Blue Lagoon in Costa Maya, Mexico. It was a windy day so the water wasn’t popping its usual blue color.After getting up at the crack of dawn with a time change, we were ready to park it and relax at The Blue Lagoon.Too windy to kayak for my taste, we opted for more chill options at The Blue Lagoon.Those hammocks were calling my name at The Blue Lagoon.Jumping off the pier is encouraged here at The Blue Lagoon but climbing trees is not.Included in our afternoon was some snacks from the snack shack at The Blue Lagoon.Nachos and cheese, yes please at The Blue Lagoon.We’re so used to not real cheese in the USA that when you have real cheese, it tastes fake! We may have had a couple of plates of this.The sun was spotty which was good for my skin at The Blue Lagoon.But I still happened to get some weird tan lines from this weird bathing suit at The Blue Lagoon!A couple people opted to kayak at The Blue Lagoon.The more the wind died down, the more the blue color popped at The Blue Lagoon.By the time we left, it was picture perfect at The Blue Lagoon.
After the bus brought us back to Costa Maya, Mexico port, it was like a shopping adventure extravaganza. They really made it into the ultimate tourist trap but we also enjoyed it immensely with unique finds everywhere.
Check out the crazy neck on this pink flamenco in Costa Maya, Mexico.All sorts of fun things available to do in Costa Maya, Mexico and entertainment galore.If we were to hang out here, I would be this guy in Costa Maya, Mexico minus the cell phone.Our ship and a gluttonous lunch awaited us at Costa Maya, Mexico. So we headed back ready to hit the buffet hard!By the afternoon, the wind was relaxed and the water was mesmerizing in Costa Maya, Mexico. You could see fish swimming.As we approached the Ruby Princess, we were serenaded by this lovely soul in Costa Maya, Mexico.
If you book this excursion through a tour guide company or on your own, I’d say it was a nice mix of adventure and leisure which is usually my go-to vibe. Since this port is not huge, it feels safer although I wouldn’t go too crazy wondering around. And remember kids, the ship will leave with or without you so don’t be an oblivious (or drunk) American! Happy travels to Costa Maya, Mexico.
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