Costa Maya in Costa Maya

Costa Maya is an emerging tourist region in the state of Quintana Roo, washed by the Caribbean Sea less than 100 miles away from Mexico’s border with Belize. The area includes a shore of 60 miles stretching from Sian Ka’an in the north to Xcalak in the south. The history of Costa Maya dates back to ancient times, when the area was inhabited by the Maya and other Native American civilizations. The Maya built a series of city-states in the region, including the sites of Chacchoben, Kohunlich, and Dzibanche, and conducted flourishing maritime trade across the Yucatán peninsula. From the 16th century onwards, the region saw a series of clashes involving Spanish colonizers and English pirates, which lasted until the advent of Mexican independence. The area has not been spared by natural disasters either. Xcalak ceased to exist as a major port after Hurricane Janet in 1955, and Mahahual too was hit in the years of 2007 and 2012. These were a setback for the development the region had seen in previous decades, but today Costa Maya is on an upswing again and is seeing more and more visitors every year.