Have you used David and Ivan in Costa Maya? - Page 2 - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

lnew1gd1 · 07-26-2007, 06:51 PM

We used David and Ivan when we toured Costa Maya and they were fantastic. I give them a 10 on scale of one to 10!!

http://www.chacchobenruins.com/

or

http://www.thenativechoice.com/

Extremely knowledgeable, nice new air conditioned vans, smaller group.

We had Ivan as our guide. He grew up in the ruins area until Mexico took the land away from his family. Awesome tour.....definitely use them.

Ivan picked us up at the Cat's Meow in Majahaul (spelling??) and you had a choice of being dropped off at the pier or going back to Majahual. Majahual is about 2 or 3 miles outside the port area. There are vendors in Majahual with decent merchandise but some of them are very pushy and followed us from vendor to vendor to make sure we didn't buy from someone else. Just be firm and tell them No if you are not interested.

We left the "tourist area" and walked outside a wall and asked for a taxi to take us to the Cat's Meow. It cost us $3.00 per person for the taxi ride one way. At the time we did this tour we were warned that the people outside of the tourist area would try to get you to go with them under the guise of working with David and Ivan. Just be careful and follow the directions and instructions that David/Ivan give you to a tee.

At the time we toured with them they were working on being able to pick up passengers right outside the port area so that may be the case by now.

Also, there is a small local vendor area by the ruins site with locals selling their merchandise. Ivan told us to make sure that we bargained with them. We could get better prices if we did so and, yes, it worked. We were walking away from a vendor because what we wanted was too high a price. We were boarding the van and he came running and said we could have the merchandise at the price we were willing to pay.

Don't miss this tour, no one else could possibly present the history of the area like David and Ivan.

1st pic is in the tourist area.

This is a picture of the Cat's Meow----owned by a Canadian. They had really good food here. We sat outside on the beach to eat.

That is Ivan's van behind me in the picture.

This is a picture of Ivan at the start of our tour. Make sure you take water and LOTS of mosquito repellent---you will need it...the bugs ate us alive in the rain forest area.

This is a picture of one of the ruins.

This area is where human sacrifices took place.

This is us standing by the first temple.

lnew1gd1 · 07-26-2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canarymoon

OH. Well, I never said that.
Maybe we'll get Ivan, and maybe he's old and frumpy.

Not on your life!! He is quite good looking and well educated. He has a Bachelors degree in Accounting and they have to study and be certified by Mexico to be tour guides too.

See my pic of Ivan in the previous post.

Lynn

djgifford · 07-26-2007, 07:51 PM

Thanks for the pictures and review!

I am really looking forward to it...although, I guess I should get through my next three vacations first....lmao

canarymoon · 08-22-2007, 11:40 AM

Word today that the port of Costa Maya will be down for 6 - 8 months. At least 50% of the pier gone or damaged.

(Roatan may replace it on some itineraries.)

See article posted on: http://www.cruiselinefans.com/costa-...-majahual.html (Hurricane Dean reports- Costa Maya / Majahual)

I have emailed David and Ivan, asking them to let us know they are all right and to tell us if there is anything we might be able to send by mail in the way of needed supplies.

canarymoon · 08-23-2007, 09:49 AM

If anyone hears from David & Ivan please let us know here!
Several members are concerned for them and hhow they fared during Dean, as well as what their plans are post-Dean, since the port will be out of commission for so long.