Maya Key or Upachaya

We are in Roatan from 8-3pm and have decided to either go to Maya Key or Upachaya. What is the difference between the two?

I have never heard of Upachaya, but have been to Maya Key and loved it. The snorkeling there is out of this world if you like to snorkel. The island is beautiful and has different things to do there.

I have a complete review with TONS of pictures (just click on it in my signature line) if you are interested in seeing/reading it. Just make sure you go to the right post count (since I have my settings on this site to very high, it might not match up). :)

I have never heard of Upachaya, but have been to Maya Key and loved it. The snorkeling there is out of this world if you like to snorkel. The island is beautiful and has different things to do there.

 

I have a complete review with TONS of pictures (just click on it in my signature line) if you are interested in seeing/reading it. Just make sure you go to the right post count (since I have my settings on this site to very high, it might not match up). :)

Thanks. I have seen your reviews of Maya Key and that looks fantastic. Looking for someone to chime on Upachaya which I understand only takes 10 persons and includes a nice lunch with 2 snorkel stops.

Thanks. I have seen your reviews of Maya Key and that looks fantastic. Looking for someone to chime on Upachaya which I understand only takes 10 persons and includes a nice lunch with 2 snorkel stops.

I asked about this excursion a while back, and didn't get much response. It looked interesting, but we decided to to w/Maya Key for our upcoming trip in January. It will be our first trip to Roatan, and it sounds like just about everywhere is good snorkeling - and that is what we want to do the most. Maybe (if there is a next time) we'll do one of the tours to just see the island. We would like that too. So little time to do all you would like!

See post #16

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1901478&highlight=upachaya

Went to Maya Key last week. LOVED IT. Hubby had to pretty much drag me out of the water. Lol

Before we cruised, I searched all over these boards for recommendations of great excursions, so I wanted to be sure and let everyone know OUR experience with what we chose.

We were on the Magic Jan 19-26. First, let me say that while we enjoyed our cruise, the weather in January (at least THIS year) was at best--iffy. We had many overcast, cloudy days, which made for cooler temps and sometimes rain or drizzle. Our excursion day included all of the above. :(

Anyway, we chose Carnival's Maya Key + lunch. We have our own snorkel equipment. After the ship docks at Roatan, we walked right off the boat, up the pier, and into Carnival's shopping port. We saw many Carnival employees holding up Carnival excursion signs, and we just had to find ours. We had about 30 minutes before we were to leave, so we walked around some of the shops. Then, we followed the guide who walked us up the hill, and down a path right to the ferry boat (maybe a 2-3 minute walk). Then the ride over to Maya Key was about 10-15 minutes on the ferry. (We could see our ship from the island.) Immediately after getting off the boat, an island employee briefed us on the different things the island has to offer - a ruin/nature walk, shark encounter, sea lions, animal rescue area, and the beach. There is a small gift shop with t-shirts & a few souvenirs. The facilities on the island are very nice, and the island is landscaped beautifully with lovely tropical flowers.

We walked down a path to the other side of the island (very short walk) and found a couple of chairs to put our beach bag & towels. We grabbed our snorkel gear & headed down the long pier towards the reef we had read about here on Cruise Critic. There is a gazebo type structure at the end of the pier where we could sit & put on our fins & masks before entering the water via ladders at the end of the pier. The water here is about 5'. There were guides sitting on the pier that told us how to follow the water bottles they have as markers out to the drop off. Then you can go left or right and follow the reef wall.

I have to say this was probably the most beautiful reef I have seen anywhere! It was absolutely gorgeous. Once you get out to the reef, it is 100% reef in such beautiful, colorful formations. We were disappointed it was so cloudy, as the colors would have been more vivid if there had been sun. There were 1000's of fish in all different colors, sizes & designs. Fascinating to say the least! We heard a couple of people say they saw lobsters & an octopus, but we could never find them. We saw plenty of other beautiful fish though. We could have stayed in there forever, but the hard rain that finally showed up drove us out.

My husband did the snorkel with the nurse sharks. They have about 13 sharks in a big penned off area, and it was $35 to snorkel with them. The guides fed the sharks while his group was in the water. My husband said they were longer than him, and he's 6'. He loved it, and got some great pictures. They didn't care if you took your own camera in the water to take pictures. There were also a few stingray in the pen, turtles, lobster, etc. My DH thoroughly enjoyed this adventure.

We had a few minutes while it quit raining that we did get to walk through the ruins and visit the animals.

The excursion provides a very tasty lunch under a pavilion with chairs & tables. As others have mentioned, you are given a colored paper bracelet at the pier before the excursion. As you go through the food line (buffet style) they will mark your bracelet - so you can only go through once. They had BBQ chicken, fried fish strips (which were very good) and a delicious homemade tartar sauce. There was also salad, banana chips, pickled onions and coconut rice & beans (which was also very good). We were impressed with the meal. A lot of excursion meals leave a lot to be desired, but this one was actually good.

We would HIGHLY recommend this excursion - especially if you want an EXCELLENT snorkel spot. If you are looking for a beach, and a place to swim, I wouldn't recommend this excursion. There is a very small beach with chairs, but the shallow water had a lot of grass in it.

Because of the rain, the ferry boats started coming out early to pick us up. They delivered us back to the port. We went back aboard the ship to wash off the salt water & change clothes, then went back out to shop at the port. We had plenty of time to leisurely shop and picked up a few good items to remember Roatan.

I second this recommendation!!! We were there on January 17, 2014, and even though it was cloudy and a little wind, it was the best stop on our Back 2 Back on the Conquest.... Great staff and great place to visit.

Glad you had as much fun as we did!:D

Thanks for your review. We have already signed up for Maya Key for our May cruise.

Snorkeling is our goal and we have our own equipment. Do they have lockers you can rent? I don't mind putting towels and clothes on beach chair but would prefer a locker for my money, sail pass and nice camera. If so, where were they and how much?

Thanks for your review. We have already signed up for Maya Key for our May cruise.

 

Snorkeling is our goal and we have our own equipment. Do they have lockers you can rent? I don't mind putting towels and clothes on beach chair but would prefer a locker for my money, sail pass and nice camera. If so, where were they and how much?

You will LOVE the snorkeling here!! I can't express enough how awesome it is. I just wish our day had been more sunny, and it would have made the colors of the reef more vibrant. You won't be disappointed!

Yes, they did have lockers in the bathroom/changing room. We didn't use them, so I don't know how much they were (if anything?) Just FYI - we found some waterproof pouches at Academy Sports (and they have one of these at Galveston on the Seawall if you don't have one near you). They were like $2 & they have a clip on them. We kept our S&S cards, ID, money and our passport cards in one that my husband kept clipped inside his bathing suit. We only have a water camera, so it was always with us. All that was on our chair was beach bag w/clothes & towels and snorkel equipment if we weren't in the water w/that. No one bothered our stuff. But, if you have a nice camera - yes, I understand wanting a locker. I saw quite a few people utilizing the lockers. The bathrooms were in the building by where you will be briefed on what is available on the island when you first enter. The first room is to sign up for the shark encounter if you want to do that. The bathrooms/lockers are in the middle of the building & the gift shop on the other side of the bathrooms. The facilities at Maya Key are very nice.

Was the depth of the water for the shark encounter also 5'?

Was the depth of the water for the shark encounter also 5'?

Where they entered the water in the shark tank was about 5' (the could stand up & water was about at their waists. But, I think the water was around 10-15' deep in most places, and one corner of the tank was supposed to be even deeper. I didn't do the snorkel, so I don't know exactly.

And, where the reef snorkeling is off the pier - the water is about 5' when you enter, but it gets deeper as you go out towards the reef. Most places maybe 15', but some may be more. Then, you get to the drop off - and who knows how deep it is (you can't see the bottom). But, that is where the most amazing part of the reef is at.

I did see some people with snorkel vests on that were probably rented. But, the water was pretty calm, and I didn't feel I needed one - and I'm not a very strong swimmer. I could have floated about that beautiful reef for hours- its that pretty!

Thanks, we have a drypac we can use around the neck, but it would be nice to also take my nice Nikon for some land shots. A locker would be needed for it. I have an Olympus tough I got for Christmas I'm excited to use snorkeling.

We have an Olympus Tough water camera also. They are great. That is the only camera I use on a cruise anymore. I never take my big camera, and I wouldn't on shore. The Olympus takes great pictures.

I quit taking my big Canon camera on cruises after it shorted out once when we were arriving in Jamaica. The humidity was so high that I guess it got moisture in the camera somehow & it quit on me. We were still on the ship when that happened. I didn't have another camera with me, except a cheap underwater camera (I hadn't got the Olympus at that time). Anyway, when I got home, I had to send the camera off and get it repaired. So.....now I won't take my nice camera on cruises. Just FYI...

You will really like the Olympus. We would like to get another so each of us could have a camera when we snorkel.

We have an Olympus Tough water camera also. They are great. That is the only camera I use on a cruise anymore. I never take my big camera, and I wouldn't on shore. The Olympus takes great pictures.

 

I quit taking my big Canon camera on cruises after it shorted out once when we were arriving in Jamaica. The humidity was so high that I guess it got moisture in the camera somehow & it quit on me. We were still on the ship when that happened. I didn't have another camera with me, except a cheap underwater camera (I hadn't got the Olympus at that time). Anyway, when I got home, I had to send the camera off and get it repaired. So.....now I won't take my nice camera on cruises. Just FYI...

 

You will really like the Olympus. We would like to get another so each of us could have a camera when we snorkel.

Thanks, the Tough is the 830, not the more expensive one. I think I will try out some land shots and see how they compare. I may leave the Nikon on the ship.

Thanks, the Tough is the 830, not the more expensive one. I think I will try out some land shots and see how they compare. I may leave the Nikon on the ship.

I put my Olympus on a lanyard, and it went everywhere with me on the ship. I would also invest in one of the floating straps if you don't already have one (they are bright orange & they will keep the camera afloat if you drop it in the water). I take the floating strap off when I'm on the ship. We had a dining mate at our table this past week, and she went diving in Belize, and she dropped her camera while diving and of course it went all the way to the bottom of the ocean - out of her reach. That would NOT be good!

I did go ahead and get a bright orange float strap for the camera. I could just see me dropping it.

I did go ahead and get a bright orange float strap for the camera. I could just see me dropping it.

You will be glad you did.

Here are some pictures of our snorkeling adventure at Maya Key. These pictures would have even been more vivid if the sun had been shining. The day we snorkeled it was cloudy and overcast & it finally rained. The sun would have really made these reefs sparkle! It was so beautiful!

My husband did the shark encounter at Maya Key for $35. He REALLY enjoyed it. They fed the sharks while they were down there. They are nurse sharks.

Beautiful!! I wonder if DH would want to swim with the sharks!! That would be a little much for me.:o

We will be there soon. Can't wait!!

Thanks for the photos!!!!

The reef does look beautiful. I think Roatan is now the stop I am looking forward to the most due to the snorkeling.

Beautiful!! I wonder if DH would want to swim with the sharks!! That would be a little much for me.:o

 

We will be there soon. Can't wait!!

Yes, me too! I don't think I could handle being in the water w/something that is longer or bigger than me! He said these were about 7' or more. I was happy just seeing the pictures, thank you! :D However, he loved it, and said it didn't scare him. The guide told them to keep their arms & hands in close to them, and to not reach out & touch the sharks. He said he was brushed up against by them more than once. I think they had about 13 sharks in the tank. There are also a few stingrays in there too, but they just looked at them - no interaction with them like there is in Grand Cayman.

2OKies, I have read several of your reviews / comments today and you are very helpful, thank you. I, as a born planner, love your long posts and detailed information.

I have been researching Upachaya vs. Maya Key. Thank you for the info you put up about Maya Key on your trip to Roatan. My question is, if one pays more money, can one go through the buffet again? I have a 16 year old son with an unstoppable appetite. Honestly, I don't know where he puts it all.

Thank you!

Lisa