Frequently asked Questions
Most Questions you may have are Answered here, if not please send us an Email.- Food, Groceries, and Restaurants.
- What should I bring, or not bring?
- Water, Laundry, and Electric?
- Driving and Gasoline.
- Money and Credit Cards.
- Weather, Bugs, and Sunburn.
- Beaches, Reef, and Xcalak Park.
- Day Trips around Xcalak.
- Is Xcalak for Me?
- General Hotel Information.
Food, Groceries, and Restaurants.
Though we are Remote you won't go hungry in Xcalak, we have 5 great Restaurants, a few small stores, and Grocery Trucks that come every other day by the Hotel Driveway. Costco, Sam’s Club, & Wal-Mart are in Cancun. Chedraui Store & Sam’s Club in Playa del Carmen, or San Francisco Market in Tulum, are available to get Groceries at on your drive down, (if you don't have a 'Club' Card you can get a Day Pass at the Customer Service counter). It's great if you are able to bring a soft-sided foldable cooler with you. You can get basics in Xcalak, snacks, fresh tortillas, can goods, salsa, soft drinks, bottled water, and of course beer.
What Should I Bring, on Not Bring
It is very Casual everywhere in Xcalak, typical things to bring are Short
sleeve shirts or T-shirts, Shorts, Sandals & Sneakers, Long sleeve shirt,
Light sweater or pullover, hat and
Sunglasses, and of course your swimsuits. Waterproof Sunscreen & Lotion/Sunburn
Cream. Zip-Lock baggies & a Flashlight are very handy. Not needed in Xcalak
is dress clothes or high-heels, all your items should be for comfort especially
your sandals & shoes (you don't want blisters on vacation), and no need
for make-up, hair dryers, curling irons, or clothes irons.
Water, Laundry, and Electric.
As common in Tropical Locations Fresh Water is precious. Xcalak does not have 'City Water' service. We do ask Guests to please conserve water. Each Hotel generates its electricity by Solar Panels & Batteries and/or Generators. We do ask our guests to not use high energy use items such as hair dryers, curling irons, clothes irons, hot plates, etc. If you are an extended stay Guest we can arrange to have your clothes washed for you. You can charge camera and laptop batteries at any time, it's recommended to use a surge protector for electronics.
Driving and Gasoline.
Driving is similar to driving anywhere else. But it is not recommended to Drive at night for many reasons, wildlife on the road, no lighting, narrow roads with no shoulders, and many miles of only Jungle. The drive to Xcalak takes over 5+ hours. If you have arrived in the afternoon, you should consider staying overnight in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum. At all Gas Stations the Attendant will fill your car. Some stations will take Credit Cards and US Dollars but not all, usually it is Pesos Only. After Tulum there is only 2 more towns to get gas in before Xcalak at Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Mahahual. » Driving directions
Money and Credit Cards.
Cash is the common rule, there are NO Banks or ATM's in Xcalak. You can Exchange money or use an ATM to get Pesos in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum. South of Tulum most businesses do not accept Credit Cards. The nearest ATM to Xcalak is in Bacalar a 2 hour drive away, 2 hours each way, with usually a 3,000 pesos limit per day, if the ATM has cash. We cannot accept credit cards at the Hotel.
Weather, Bugs, and Sunburn.
The difference between Winter and Summer temperature is small, generally less humidity and rain in the winter. Temperature averages 30'C / 85'F all year round. Almost always we have a pleasant breeze coming from the Ocean that makes the temperature enjoyable. We don't have a bad problem with bugs, but is common to have some mosquitoes in the early evening, just apply a little mosquito spray. There's no quicker way to ruin a Vacation than by getting a bad Sunburn, bring sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, and a beach cover-up. A Long sleeve T-shirt or Snorkel top are great to use in the water to not worry about your sunscreen coverage.
Beaches, Reef, and Xcalak Park.
The Reef blocks most waves from reaching the shore, so most of the shoreline in Coast Maya has Seagrass. The Seagrass is a vital part of the marine life that populates the Reef. We are not allowed by law to dredge the sea grass to make swimming areas, this makes it a little hard to swim straight out, but is possible to swim, snorkel, and lounge on pool floats. The Reef is close to shore, but far enough that it is best to take a snorkel boat trip. Snorkel trips are inexpensive and your guide will take you to the best spots. Xcalak is a National Marine Park with common sense rules the same as most Marine Parks, do not touch or stand on Coral, do not harass marine life, and please use Biodegradable Sunscreen. It is necessary to purchase a park admission wristband for all water activities, these can be purchased at the Park Office or the 2 dive shops. Fishing licenses are arranged by your fishing guide.
Day Trips from Xcalak
If you are an extended stay guest or would like to try visiting sites when coming or leaving there is many Day Trip destinations you can visit near Xcalak. Chacchoben and Kohunlich are nearby Maya Ruin sites. You can take boat trips from Xcalak to Chinchorro or San Pedro. Or visit the towns of Mahahual, Bacalar, Chetumal, and the Belize Duty Free Shopping Zone.
Is Xcalak for Me?
Xcalak is a very small remote village, we have no partying nightlife, no crowds, and no Timeshares. Cell Phones don't work here, we don't have a Phone, No TV, No Radio Stations, No A/C, and No Banks or ATM's. Living here we have come to accept this and don't think much about it (an ATM would be nice, but doubt it is in our near future). We are a Get-Away-from-it-all area, Your days revolve around the Water, Relaxing on the beach, go Diving, Snorkel, Kayak, or Fishing. Life in Xcalak is very relaxed slow pace, once you become accustomed to it you won’t want to leave. That's the allure of remote Costa Maya.
General Hotel Information
Flying Cloud is a very casual Hotel, much like visiting a friends comfortable beach house. Maybe you just want to relax, read a book, sunbathe, or you may want activity bike riding, kayak, snorkel, dive, or go fishing. We let our guests set the pace of their visit, we have daily housekeeping but if you prefer less or more is up to you to decide. In keeping with water conservation we change linens and towels on the 4th day of your stay. And we do require a 3 night minimum stay when visiting us, Thank you.
