Travel by boat into the Paradise of Mayakoba

World Class Development Attracts World Class Investors

Sitting in a low-slung wooden boat, shaded by a thatched roof made from palm trees, we meandered through narrow canals and expansive lagoons bordered with limestone cliffs.  Where are we?  Venice? An Indiana Jones movie? 

As we slowly traveled into Mayakoba on this peaceful quiet boat, my mind drifted far away as if I was in the Mayan Jungle…..but wait, I am in the Mayan Jungle and this is not a dream.  It's real!

On this lovely summer afternoon, Patsy Chilson, Dir. of Sales for Laguna Kai, one of Mayakobas world class developments took my wife and I for a ride of a lifetime.

We started our day meeting Patsy at the Hot Bakery just off 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen.  The rain was pouring down is a typical summer rain storm style.  You know, heavy rain for about 45 minutes and boom sunshine!

Patsy said, "Okay kids, lets go pick up one of our clients.  They bought into Mayakoba and I am going to take them in for an update tour.  Come on, you will be super impressed".

We proceeded forward and picked up Jack Waldrip and Lola Lott along with her husband Todd. They came down with the company team and are just having a great time here in the Riviera Maya at Mayakoba.

Dressed in Riviera Maya Mayakoba casual we all jumped into Patsy's SUV and took the 15 minute drive north to Mayakoba. Getting to know Jack, Lola, and Todd we found out that they are world class business people.  Jack and Lola own and operate one the largest most prominent creative art businesses for TV Commericals out of Dallas Texas called Charlie Uniform Tango. 

Jack, Lola, and Todd had a bunch of questions for us about the area and we were happy to let them know what it's like to live here in the Riviera Maya.  More, importantly, I was more interested in their creative endeavors.  Wow!  They do commercials for the biggies like American Airlines and stuff like that.  I mean, it's not every day you get to meet world class business people.  

Anyway, we get into Mayakoba and drive around towards the beachfront area where we board the boat.  Awaiting is our boat guide complete with Tequila, Beer, Sodas, and anything else one would want on such a ride through paradise. Slowly, we moved forward pointing out interesting birds while our straw-hatted boatman steered the little craft.through the crisp clear waters.  Then into a lagoon we arrived at our destination. 

Wow, what a casita!  This hotel room was a gorgeous home like casa built out over the lagoon.  "Patsy, oh my…." Betty said.

We walked the grounds and toured the property with Jack, Lola, and Todd.

As the late afternoon passed, we proceeded passing other casitas, hotels, even distinctive trees illuminating in the lighted afternoon mist.  Romantic and Dramatic.

Now, there are other ways to get around Mayakobá's various landscapes - walking, biking or driving golf-carts on its intimate, tree-lined trails. But one of the hallmarks of the Mayakobá experience will be traveling its waterways in these romantic boats, or lanchas.

Partly inspired by the gondolas of Venice, partly by the trajineras of Xochimilco, near Mexico City, these timeless-looking boats are the result of considerable thought and modern engineering.

To soften the intense Caribbean sunlight, the designers modified the roofless gondola and trajinera with a peaked palapa roof. Made of warm teakwood and outfitted with benches and table, the lanchas are more comfortable than the traditional Venetian and Mexican boats.

And, very important at Mayakobá, they're powered by environmentally friendly and quiet electric motors, custom designed by two of the finest manufacturers of such boats, Elco in Athens, N.Y and Budsin in Marshallberg, NC. Mayakobá's fleet numbers 40, including lanchas and boats that will accommodate 4 to 16 people. Truly a memorable way to navigate a unique resort.

Below, you will see pictures of Laguna Kai as we toured it. 

Laguna Kai is a Rosewood operated, investor owned 7 star Boutique Hotel. Currently under construction on the waterways and ocean front and soon to be released for sale Villas 9000 sq ft.  The Hotel has 120 suites and opens June of 2007. There will be 32 Villas constructed over the next 3 years.

For information regarding the Villas call Patsy Chilson at 984-876-3125 or US 801-550-9779.  Or send her an email to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it :

• Mayakoba
• Laguna Kai
• Patsy Chilson Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Mayakobá at a Glance: Facts and Figures

• Hotels & Resorts at Mayakoba: 5
• Such as: Fairmont Mayakoba, Laguna Kai, A Rosewood Resort, Banyan Tree Mayakobá, Viceroy Riviera Maya
• Date of completion (for the entire resort): 2008
• Golf Courses at Mayakoba: 1 (two more projected)
• Number of Beach Properties: 5 Beach Clubs with 1200 hotel rooms
• Entire cost of Mayakoba: $1.5 billion USD
• Buildings above three stories: Zero
• Length of Mayakoba seashore: 1.6 kilometers
• Seaside/Inland distribution: 20% beach; 80% inland
• Size of Mayakoba from highway to beach: 240 square hectares
• Width of Mayakoba roads: 5 foot 6 inches
• Miles of lagoons at Mayakobá: over 6 miles
• Boats in the Mayakoba fleet: 40
• Cenotes at Mayakoba: 7
• Cenotes on the golf course: 4
• Cost of preliminary environmental and technical studies: $5-$6 million USD
• Percentage of mangrove trees saved at Mayakobá: 90
• Trees and plants saved on the site: 127,000
• Mangroves planted: 25,000
• Number of lantana plants used for hotel and lagoon landscaping: 30,000
• Size of Mayakobá's nursery when complete: 9 hectares
• Size of monumental palapa roof at main entrance: 70 meters by 21 meters
• Years a well-treated palapa will withstand leakage: 25