Next Stop Mahahual & Xcalak
Mahahual:
(Ma-ha-wall)
Mahahual
was devastated by Hurricane Dean in 2007, the port was destroyed and closed for an entire year and the town itself suffered catastrophic loss with no
financial way of recovery without the port to bring tourism back. It was hard
but they seemed to have made a dent in the enormous economic hole created by Dean.
There are many nice beach restaurants and hotels along the Malicon (beach
boardwalk) that serve local and American food, internet is abundantly available
and cell service is clear, you will always be able to find someone who speaks
English or in worst case Spanglish! They have a medical clinic with a real
doctor open 7 days a week from 8:30am to 2:30pm. (free to Americans and Canadians)
To get to Mahahual you stay on 307 south, go 7kms south of Lemones and turn left, you can't miss the sign (if you are sober), if you do miss the sign, enjoy Laguna Bacalar. Once on the highway to Mahahual it is about 60kms to the end, Mahahual. There is a military check point at the 9km marker, they are primarily searching for weapons and large amounts of drugs.
Mahahual,
known to the cruise ship lines as Costa Maya is pretty cool in all aspects of
seeking "awayness". If you are on a budget and back packing, it’s cool, if you
are a diver, fisherman or snorkeler, it’s cool, if you are lovers and seeking a
private retreat, it’s cool, if you are looking for late night salsa music and
fiesta until sunrise, try Tequila Beach, it’s cool, if you are looking to just
be laid back and enjoy your favorite cocktail, herb or Cuban cigar, it’s cool,
if you want to relax in your fancy hotel room and stare at the turquoise waters
of the Caribbean, do it from your balcony at the Hotel Caballo Blanco, it’s cool, ask for Tina, she's cool, if you want
to relax on the beach with your own private palapa and lounge chairs do it at
El Tropicante & enjoy the coldest drinks and best food on the Malicon,
it’s cool, ask for Steve, he's cool, if you want to lay in the sand and read a book you don't have or bring a gift to a friend, try stopping by Castaways Used Books and Mexican Art, there you can also make free phone calls to the US & Canada, it's cool, ask for Nancy or Allen, they're cool, if you want to rent your own private villa and lay naked on the
beach, it’s cool, if you want a clean palapa Cabana of your own on the beach with private
bath and shower including continental breakfast at bargain prices try Kohun Beach
Club 7km south of town, it’s cool, ask for G-Moe or Janet, they're cool, want to explore some really untamed jungle,
it’s cool, want to beach-comb miles of uninhabited beaches, it’s cool, want to
arrive by cruise ship and just stay for a day, that’s cool too, but you’re "gunnawanna" come back,.................................guarantee it!!!
Xcalak:
(Ish-sca-lack)
Hard
to believe that pre-1955 Xcalak was the largest booming city in the entire
state of Quintana Roo. Then it happened, Mother Nature had her way with her,
guess she didn’t like what she saw so she wiped them off the map with the
largest most powerful hurricane to ever hit the Mexican coast killing 90% of
its inhabitants’ and destroying 100% of its buildings. Xcalak is not only the
town that God forgot but the town that the whole damn Mexican government
forgot, they did not restore permanent electric power here until 2004, not bad,
largest city in the state to no electricity for 49 years overnight, now that’s
a fucking Vegas show if I ever saw one, not even Siegfried & Roy could of pulled
that off. Xcalak has not bounced back like Mahahual; instead it has become
Mexico’s best kept secret for diving, fly fishing and snorkeling. There are no
paved roads in Xcalak, no traffic lights, no gloriettas, why (?) there is no
traffic!!!, rarely do you see a car, just scooters, the place looks like an
Italica testing grounds.
This
is the perfect place if you are looking to get away from the rat race, hide
from an ex, or as Jimmy Buffet sings it in the “Banana Republic” song:
Down to the Banana Republic
Down to the tropical sun
Go the expatriated Americans
Hoping to find some fun
Some of them go for the sailn'
Called by the lure of the sea
Trying to find what is ailing
From living in the land of the free
Some of them are running from lovers
Leaving no forward address
Some of them want to smoke their "Mota"
Some are running from the IRS.......
Actually there are very few "anybodies" hiding
from anything in Xcalak, if there are, they're doing a great job, we can't find them(?). This
is the most relaxed, kick back place I have ever been. It makes Mayberry look like Amsterdam. Xcalak
is becoming very much in demand property wise with American and Canadian Ex
Pats looking to escape from what use to be a good life now turned to a not so good life as
well as wealthy Mexicans looking for a secluded, private beach retreat.
Xcalak
is almost the furthest point south on the Mexican Caribbean coast, our house beats
them out by 3.7kms and the Marino base just south of us and north of the Zazamora Canal beats
us by 1.2kms. That’s right; our house is the last privately owned structure on
the entire Mexican Caribbean coast just about 2 miles north of Belize. The
house is well known and well liked by the
locals as “La Casa Rosada Por El Mar”.................. More info is available at:
http://mycasarosada.blogspot.mx/
