What to Pack for Costa Maya

You are packing a day bag, not a suitcase.

The whole trip's packing question belongs to the Mexico packing guide, which is written for people spending weeks in a country with deserts, highlands and two coasts. This page is about the much smaller decision that faces almost everyone who comes to Costa Maya: what goes in the bag you carry down the gangway for a handful of hours.

Get that bag right and the rest of your luggage is irrelevant to the day. Get it wrong and the nearest replacement is a shop that knows exactly how few options you have.

Sun, water and the reef.

This is a Caribbean coast with a reef close inshore, and most of what people do here happens either on the water or on unshaded ground. So: sun protection that you can reapply rather than apply once, something to cover your shoulders, and a hat you will not lose to the wind on a boat. Water you brought or bought rather than water from a tap.

If snorkeling is the plan, your own mask is the single item most worth its space. Rental gear is generally fine and a mask that fits your own face is the difference between an hour in the water and an hour clearing a leak. Reef safe sunscreen is worth choosing on principle over a reef, and it is the kind of thing far easier to buy at home than at a pier.

What stays aboard.

The official advice for Mexico records that pickpocketing and theft are common, including on public transport, and that crime is a risk particularly in tourist resort areas. Nothing about that is unique to this port, and the response to it is the same everywhere: carry what you need for the day and leave the rest in the cabin safe. Jewelry, a second card, the passport if your ship holds documents, and anything you would be genuinely upset to lose all belong behind you rather than with you.

Bring some cash in pesos in small denominations. The money guide explains why that is more useful here than a precise exchange rate.

Two things people forget on a short call.

Medication, in its original labeled packaging, carried with you rather than left in a cabin you may not get back to quickly. And a light layer for rain, because an unshaded archaeology site in a downpour is a different proposition from the same site in sun, and the weather guide is candid about how little anyone can tell you in advance.

If you would like a day built so that what you are carrying actually suits it, tell us what you want out of the hours.

Sources

• UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: the Mexico safety and security page: that crime is a risk to foreign nationals in Mexico, particularly in major cities and tourist resort areas; that pickpocketing and theft are common, including on public transport; that unlicensed taxi drivers have robbed and assaulted passengers, and that travelers should use the better regulated sitio taxis from authorized ranks or ask a hotel to order one; and that travelers should check their travel insurance covers all their planned activities. Accessed 21 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: the Mexico travel advice landing page: that no travel can be guaranteed safe, and that anyone who chooses to travel should research their destination and get appropriate travel insurance. Accessed 21 September 2026.