From Tulum, I took a daylong bus ride to Limones, and from there a taxi to Majahual. In high season, there are also buses from Limones to Majahual.

I’d chosen my accommodations carefully. The Mayan Beach Garden Inn has only seven rooms, and innkeeper Marcia Bales, a Seattle native, is extremely welcoming but makes it clear there are few entertainment options other than the sea. Guests spend their days — as I did — lounging in chaises, sunbathing and beach-combing.

My second-story cabana was clean, quiet and comfortable. A cool breeze kept the temperature perfect, my large private patio with hammock was much-used and my views were spectacular. The spotless beach with its sugar-fine sand was mere steps away.

Bales offers a meal plan and unless you want to make the half-hour trek to town to eat, I recommend it. She contacted me several weeks before my arrival to ask about my food preferences, and the meals prepared by her incredible, tiny team of chefs were the best Mexican food I’ve ever eaten.

Bales says her clients tend to be independent travelers, not those looking for an all-inclusive resort. “Our guests are those who like being off the grid and all the things that implies, from the stars to the imperfect beaches to the conservation that may be required. It’s like going camping but in comfort,” Bales said.

For example, toilet paper must be thrown into a basket, not flushed; electricity is available only during certain hours and cell phone service is virtually nonexistent. There is wireless service in common areas however, so I was able to Skype my family back home. And if you plan on day trips, you’ll need a rental car. Some guests visit other towns or ruins, or plan snorkeling excursions to a nearby shipwreck.

When I got home, I immediately began planning my return visit. Turns out it will be sooner than I thought. After sharing my stories and my photographs, I persuaded my brother and his fiancee to get married in Costa Maya. Marcia Bales is helping them plan.