Casa de Suenos
Xcalak, Mexico
Xcalak, Mexico
Xcalak, Costa Maya, and the Yucatan
Driving Directions
Coming from Cancun or Cozumel take the highway 307 South through the Riveria Maya, past Tulum, the Zona Maya, and into the Costa Maya region . This highway is in excellent condition and is currently being extended to a four lane road. If you are coming from Cancun, you should fill up your tank in the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto or at the new pemex on the mahahual access road, and if you are coming from Chetumal fill up your tank in Chetumal or at the new Pemex. You can buy gas in Xcalak at Loncheria Silvia or off the supply trucks most of the time but it will be more expensive and is not always guaranteed. Be sure to check and see if you have a proper tire change kit, including all jack parts and couplers. The beach road has been known to pop a tire or two...
For safety of the villagers the highway contains topes(speed bumps on steroids) near the villages. The topes are always marked with signs 100-200 m before the tope. If you happened to hit a tope at full speed you can be sure the car will sustain damage, or possibly not run anymore, so drive with caution and pay attention to the signs. There will be Mayan villagers trying to sell fruit and Mennonites trying to sell cheese while you try to take the topes. A short distance after you pass through Los Limones from Cancun, take a left off of Highway 307 at the (overhead) sign to Mahahual (Majahual). Continue on this road till KM51, where you will spot the right hand turn onto the Xcalak road. This road is in great shape also, till you make it to the town of Xcalak itself, where it becomes the beach road north.
In Xcalak the roads are unpaved. When entering Xcalak, the road curves to the left around the soccer field. Take the 2nd left and continue down this road. You are now in the center of Xcalak. From here you can drive to Casa de Suenos, which is north on the beach road approximately 8.5 KM from the foot of the bridge on the right hand side of the road.
From Chetumal take HWY 307 North to just before Los Limones, taking the right exit onto the Mahahual road, and then following the directions from KM51 to Xcalak as above.
This journey from the Cancun airport to Xcalak is approximately 350 miles, and around 4-5 hours depending on traffic. It is a nice drive through the jungle, with a few interesting stops along the way, including Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
There are regular buses that drop off in Limones, where you can connect on the daily bus into Xcalak. Private charter planes are available from several outfits, and they land right in Xcalak. Cost is around $800-$900 each way up to 5 or 6 passengers.
Information
Rather than try and condense a bunch of information into this website, we recommend the following websites for all pertinent and detailed information about Xcalak, Costa Maya, and the entire Yucatan region.
Our favorite website is Loco Gringo.com which has all the best local info on where to go and what to do while here on your visit or extended stay.
For the best views of the region, check out their aerial tour
Fishing, Snorkeling, and Diving
Xcalak is a world class destination for sports above and below the water. The natural reef and surrounding coral heads make for excellent deep water dives, and the snorkeling inside the main reef is second to none, with extensive areas in 4-8 feet of water accessible from the shore! El Chinchorro bank lies just 18 miles offshore, a large atoll containing many wrecks and a huge area to explore. We can book dives for you through several area operations, please ask your host for further information or to book a dive boat. Casa de Suenos provides snorkeling gear at no charge. There are also several dive centers where you can rent scuba gear. The entire Xcalak area is within a natural preserve, so wildlife and ocean life abound. There are many types of tropical birds, ospreys, jaguars, howler monkeys, and many others for amazing photo opportunities, and the local dive centers and fishing guides all run different excursions into the lagoons and Bahia de Chetumal.
The fishing out front along the reef and further offshore is very productive, as there is very little to no effort. Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, Wahoo, Dorado, along with several species of mackeral will readily take trolled lures. Trolling along the reef you will also encounter large Grouper and huge Snapper, which can also be caught while bottom fishing or jigging, along with large predatory sharks and barracuda to test your angling skills. The winds are sometimes strong and difficult from November through March, so be prepared to head along the flats and the mangroves to target other quarry. The best time for offshore fishing is April through October.
The inshore fishing here in Xcalak is among the very best in the entire world, and grand slams are a normal everyday occurrence here. There are huge permit, bones, and tarpon, along with many species of jack, snook, and various other fish to keep you more than busy while stalking the flats or poling along in a skiff. We use the best guides in the area, through Master Captain Victor Castro, who has had so many grand slams that he stopped counting! This will provide you with the best shot at larger permit and bones in the extensive canals and cuts of Bahia Chetumal and the lagoon systems.
While staying at Casa de Suenos, you can access the lagoons via kayak, for no additional cost. The lagoons are loaded with fish, especially snook, and provide incredibly fun action on light tackle. We have a very productive stretch of beach in front of Casa de Suenos, many large Permit and Bonefish are hooked by our clients less than 100 feet from where they lay their heads to sleep! Casa de Suenos has several rod and reel combos available for rent at a nominal cost, but it is recommended that you bring a few fly and light tackle spin outfits with you, along with plenty of lures and terminal tackle. There are no tackle shops here in Xcalak, but there are stores that supply fisherman to the north in the Playa del Carmen/Cacun area, and in Chetumal as well. Please conatct your host at Casa de Suenos for an emailed file of recommended gear to bring, both for fly fishing and light tackle spin casting.
Casa de Suenos
Xcalak, Quintana Roo, Mexico
(401) 234-4897
[U.S. number rings in Mexico]
casadesuenosxcalak@yahoo.com
