Visit to Banco Chinchorro from Costa Maya Mahahual
Conocida como el grupo de coral más grande del hemisferio norte, Banco Chinchorro, está a 35 km en barco de la costa de Mahahual. Esta área natural está protegida desde 1996 y es el hogar de una gran cantidad de peces
Although the Yucatan peninsula has been immensely popular for decades, it is still possible to find some less visited places in the area, mainly in the southern part of the state of Quintana Roo. I think the rule is that the further you get from Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum the smaller and less touristy towns become. Mahahual is one of these places, a hidden gem in the south of the state.
This small fishing village is located halfway off the main Cancun – Chetumal highway. But you have to take a detour from the highway and drive for another 50 minutes through a straight, swampy road before reaching the village.
Apart from walking along the boulevard with its seafood restaurants and handicraft shops, there are many activities to enjoy in Mahahual. But there is one main reason why people from various parts of Mexico and the world come here; the town is a popular destination for lovers of marine life.
Known as the largest coral group in the northern hemisphere, Banco Chinchorro, is 35 km by boat from the coast of Mahahual. This natural area has been protected since 1996 and is home to an abundance of fish (also large as nurse sharks, spotted eagle rays, and even the occasional hammerhead shark), large coral reefs, and several shipwrecks, including two Spanish galleons. There is even a place where the shallow bottom is dotted with ancient canyons.
I have heard from many people that some tourists tend to (touch animals / throw garbage in the ocean), but thankfully we did not experience this at all on this trip. In fact, the guides actually noticed that no one entered the water with chemical sunscreen and I saw one of them even jumping into the water when someone accidentally dropped a tissue from the dock.
After snorkeling, it was a short boat ride to the island of Banco Chinchorro. Aside from a couple of lobster fishermen, the area is deserted, which means there is plenty of room for wildlife.
The natural vegetation of the Banco Chincorro Islands is mainly mangroves and the area is densely populated with iguanas and crocodiles.
This is an unprecedented prehistoric show!
Unfortunately, none of the guides had ever told us about these creatures at first and when we were looking for a bath, we were quite close to the crocodiles without even knowing it! They literally pop out of the bushes when you walk. That would have been a terrifying experience while urinating …
On the other side of the island there is a small wooden platform, from where you can closely observe the crocodiles, which is very incredible. The crocodiles seem hungry as many of them approached our deck once the guide threw a piece of wood into the water.
This is where Banco Chinchorro is located in Mexico:
The Mahahual Reef Costa Maya
Known as the second largest barrier reef in the world, the easy access to the Chinchorro bank, and surrounded by low jungle along the entire coast until reaching Xcalak, make Mahahual a site of interest for divers from all over the world.
Known as the second largest barrier reef in the world, the easy access to the Chinchorro bank, and surrounded by low jungle along the entire coast until reaching Xcalak, make Mahahual a site of interest for divers from all over the world.
As we can see in the following image, the beaches of Mahahual consist of 5 main areas:
Land, jungle and mangrove: this area is full of humidity, flora and fauna specific to the Caribbean, they are hectares that cover from Xkalak to Punta Herradora (incredible places of which we will talk in other posts).
Urban area: This area can be found in the town of Mahahual and the habitable area (approximately 3000 locals).
Reef lagoon or beach area: This area is a visual spectacle consisting of our beaches on the shore of hotels and restaurants with sand and crystal clear water.
Barrier Reef: Incredible wildlife filled with a variety of species unique to Mexico.
Open sea
In the following image we can see in intense black the barrier reef and the artificial entrances where the ships enter the docks.
The reef offers some excellent diving in the Caribbean, and because they are a bit off the beaten path, divers will enjoy pristine quality of reefs and will usually have each dive site to themselves. Not only are the reefs healthy, but the topography varies drastically from walls to canyons to coral gardens – a diversity not seen anywhere else in the Mexican Caribbean.
There is a great variety of marine life, including rays, lobster, grouper, barracuda, snapper, and three different species of Caribbean turtles.
May is the mating season for the loggerhead turtles, so the giant males come closer to shore. Some of them are the size of a small car and they are always an amazing and memorable encounter. Occasionally dolphins and sharks also visit the shores.
Divers have many options to choose from within the barrier reef as there are hundreds of dive sites scattered along 60 kilometers of shoreline heading north to the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve and another 42 kilometers south to the Xcalak Marine Park.
There are also more than 15 sites within walking distance of the town for those divers who prefer short boat rides. The variety of dive sites available makes this small fishing village a very special destination for divers.
How to get to the reef by swimming?
The starting point is Moons Bar Mahahua l, a few meters away you can find a dock where You will be able to put on your equipment and enter the sea safely, at just 300 meters swimming you will find the “Aquarium”, it consists of a group of corals with a great variety of fish, later you can continue swimming to the reef that is approximately 500 meters away.
The best and funny way to enjoy
You can travel to the reef in 2 ways: by boat or in kayaks, later a guide will give you the safe correction throughout the reef.
2 hours
1 hour
1 day
As the writer’s notes, I recommend that you be very careful when you go alone to see the reef, it is mandatory and for your safety to carry a signaling ball and always be attentive to the boats that pass through there, avoid touching or touching the reef or also known like “Fire reef” because it can hurt your skin just on contact. If you bring your snorkeling equipment you can leave your car parked or order your bags with Don Luis or Doña Paty at Lunas Bar Mahahual while you go out to explore.
