Mahahual and Xcalak
Mahahual is booming in a very weird, fast way. There are several new hotels in town proper, and quite a lot of restaurants and businesses.
Casa del Mar (p. 177) is moving once again, to a spot just north of 40 Cañones Hotel, but worth seeking out for the tacos and general good vibes.
Las Cabañas de TÃo Phil (p. 177) has been taken over by Dreamtime Diving and made into a resort, so it’s substantially different and has changed its pricing. Dreamtime, incidentally, has changed ownership; it also has a Chinchorro license now.
In Xcalak, however, things are kind of the same. Marina Mike’s (p. 178) can’t be recommended anymore. Tierra Maya (p. 178) has changed hands, and Maya Village (p. 178) is shut. This leaves only Costa de Cocos as a reliable spot close to town, but it’s a very good one.
UPDATE: Jan. 12, 2007: I’ve just gotten a very bad firsthand report about Costa de Cocos. It sounds as if the owners aren’t on premises very often, and a lot of the attention (including the boats) has shifted to dealing with day visitors from the cruise ships from Mahahual.
However, reports are now good from Casa Carolina (which also does diving, like Costa de Cocos), and Tierra Maya, both of which are just up the road.
January 13th, 2007 at 1:17 am
[...] I’ve just heard very positive firsthand reports from someone who really knows her food about The Leaky Palapa (p. 177), which is now open for the season (till around Memorial Day). Costa de Cocos (p. 177), however, sounds as though it’s being neglected, in terms of both food and lodging (see also my update to an earlier Mahahual/Xcalak post below). [...]
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
FYI - Sport Diver magazine listed Dreamtime as one of the 48 top dive resorts in the world (see the “2007 Edition”, which I think was released in January.) We’re headed there in late April. Bought your book (hasn’t arrived yet) and the map. Thanks for “being there” for us novice travelers to the Yucatan.