Puerto Costa Maya is a purpose-built cruise port, sandwiched between bottle-green rainforest and the blue Caribbean Sea. The coastal area here has been inhabited since around 6500 B.C., with the first Maya cultures appearing around 200 B.C. The Maya demonstrated advanced agricultural and architectural skills, building elaborate cities and transporting jade, obsidian, and fabrics for trade in their dugout canoes.
The Maya were subjugated by Spanish adventurers in the 16th century, which led to the colonial era. But the colonialists themselves were victims of regular raids by English pirates, attacking ships carrying gold back to Spain, a situation that plagued the coast here until the 19th century.
In 1940, the Mayan territories in the Yucatan joined the United States of Mexico. The port of Costa Maya opened in 2001 and continues to expand, providing significant employment for local people. Gentle haggling here is a way of life, so it’s always worth trying to negotiate for pricier souvenirs. Most people speak English, but you’ll get further and make more friends if you can speak a little Spanish.
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