I often get asked, why did you pick Mahahual Mexico as a place to live, work and invest. I could give you a lot of reasons, like the quiet, friendly, small town, Mayberry Mexico, charm and innocence that is Mahahual. Or the great beaches and the pristine local jungle/ocean eco-system that is being protected with environmental impact growth regulations. Or on and on and on … . Or perhaps a few pictures can better say a thousand words.
The photo on the left is Playa Del Carmen Mexico’s 5th Avenue in 1989. The photo on the right is almost the same spot today, 25 years later.
The photos above are of Avenue Mahahual (what is today the Malecon) in 2004, just 3 years after the opening of Puerto Costa Maya.
The photos above are the Malecon today, only 10 years later.
Any other questions?
Tales From Mahahual 
That was very helpful and inspiring! We are coming down there in late May and are seriously considering investing in the area, and living there for quite some time.
Keep em coming!
Ab
It did kinda shock me when I saw that photo of Playa in 89 and at the same time it reminded me of the town I found here back in 04. Sand streets in the pueblo and wires run everywhere. I think we all need to see the 25 year contrast in 5th Ave and tell ourselves we really are doing well for having grown as we have in the last 10. Yes, I believe our big days are still to come, so perhaps you can jump on for the ride someday. Stop in the Tropicante when you are in town and we can compare notes. We are open weekend nights this summer. Thanks for reading the blog and I hope to see you this way soon. Cheers!
Hey, I just found your blog a couple of days ago and totally indulged it. I was visiting at the end of march/beginning of April in Mahahual and absolutely fell in love with that place and its people! So your stories are very enlightening to me, to learn about this beautiful place. I am also thinking of leaving Germany for a while and maybe live in Mahahual. I do see a potential for the area, too. But then on the other hand not toooo much, which is good, because too much of a growth brings its own problems, for example gentrification, which is not such a good thing (in my humble opinion). We are experiencing this phenomenon in cities all over the world, I live in a big city in Germany and I really don’t like the concept of gentrification.
So if I come back next year Imma let you know! Maybe you need a hand in the restaurant 🙂
All the best and keep them stories (and pics of Mahahual) coming.
With best regards from Hamburg/Germany
Anja
Hola Anja,
Thanks for reading the blog and taking the time to send me a note! Mahahual is a very cool little place and I’m not surprised you liked it so much. That’s certainly why I live here. Please do stop in to the Tropicante when you are here again and we can discuss “ gentrification” while you are there. I’m on the fence on that one. Given the way pre-gentrification people lived here and they way they abused the eco-system, at a small scale but in very bad ways, the low environmental impact type of development we have today, and the gentrification it has brought already, might be a good thing all the way around. Again, I’m on the fence. You might find this interesting. It was published in 2000 and was I believe a Master’s Thesis by a guy who spent a year here just prior to 2000 and the coming of the port. There were just a few hundred people here then and they were living very primitive. No sewage treatment plants, sanitary landfills or paved roads to contain automobile runoff, all things we have today. I even saw photos of some of the people I know here today. Very interesting study on the economic impact of tourist development on the indigenous population. Here is the link: http://www.crc.uri.edu/download/CM_MahahualSocioEconomic_thesis.pdf
Again, drop in and say hi when you get back and tell your friends about the blog and Mahahual. Prost!