Mayan Water Hotel

The weather was perfect, which was about the only thing that helped. I’d been looking forward to visiting, but left extremely disappointed and wouldn’t recommend the place. Around lunchtime the wake park at Mayan Water Complex in Quintana Roo felt nearly deserted, with hardly anyone there. We paid over €100 for two people including rentals, which seemed completely unreasonable for what was on offer. The standard gear was broken, heavily worn, and obviously repaired again and again. Better boards cost another €10 each, and were only slightly better. The cable kept getting stuck around every three laps, which wrecked the riding experience.

I’ve ridden at quite a few cable parks in Orlando, Texas, and Colorado, and this one is at least as good as those, maybe better in some ways. Really, really good park.

If you're new to wakeboarding, the beginner classes and Wakeboard Bootcamps are a good way to learn. This place works just as well for a week-long stay as it does for someone who has never ridden before. From Cancún centre it's about 50 minutes, from Playa del Carmen around 20, and from Puerto Morelos about 15. The park entrance is right by the highway. The cable runs daily from 9am-5pm. In winter high season, early mornings and late afternoons can be quiet; during the off-season there are fewer beginners for most of the day. Wax your board, since the warm weather dries it out fast. The cable tension feels a little odd at first, but you get used to it. The operators are always in a good mood, the music is good, and they run things well. There's a nice range of obstacles. The hotel by the lakes is great, with clean, well-designed bathrooms, comfortable beds, and rooms with a TV and fridge. Free Wi-Fi, a rooftop, and a small gym round it out. The kitchen has Mexican and other dishes, and I can generally recommend it. Best cable park in Mexico, in my view. Go there!

The cable ran well the whole four hours we were there. Maybe 20 to 30 people showed up during our visit, but the line never got deeper than three or four, and often moved quickly because little kids were riding kneeboards. The water was warm and had a surprising amount of life in it, so it must be in decent condition. The floating features all looked sound, and we felt confident riding them. The two guys operating the cable were friendly and helpful. They didn't speak much English, but enough to get us on the water. We both knew how to wakeboard, though a cable park was new to us, so one gave us pointers and helped us off the launch carpet while the other ran the system. My daughter and I were visiting from the US. We'd read mixed reviews and weren't sure about coming, but I'm glad we did. It was quiet when we arrived, though we could see activity farther back in the park. The Spanish-speaking receptionist did her best to guide us. We were offered only four hours or more, unlike what some other reviews described, and paid $1500mx/ea ($94USD) for four hours. That matched the website price, but online checkout didn't work, so we paid in person. The main building is between and above the two parks. It has clean locker rooms, rentals, a "pro shop" with a pool table, a covered outdoor table area, and a place to order food. The receptionist also handed out our gear. The vests and helmets were in great shape. My board and boots were rough, with wood showing along the front edge from rail use, while my daughter's board was pretty nice but her boots didn't match. I suspect adult and grown boys' boards take the most wear. Given how much use the equipment gets, it wasn't a big deal to us. We got there early enough to claim covered seating near the main cable house, which mattered on a day over 90F (33C). The steps down are by the front of reception, and there's more covered seating past a trampoline near the cable house. The place is a concrete bowl, almost like a rock quarry turned into a water park, with less grass than the website photos suggest. The ground gets rough and hot, so sturdy soles help. The stairs out of the water had mossy slime, and railings on most were broken or missing, so be careful. The glass doors at arrival also felt unsafe. We had a great time, though we're still sore two days later. The water, helpful staff, and practically unlimited ride time made it worthwhile. I wish we had a park like this near home in the States.