Chacchoben Mayan Ruins Tour from Costa Maya: Certified Guide

Walk the ceremonial plazas where Maya priests once led rituals, with the jungle canopy overhead.

A guided tour of Chacchoben, an ancient Maya city near Costa Maya, where you walk through restored temples and jungle trails with a certified guide who explains the history and legends of the site. The tour departs one hour after your cruise arrives, includes entrance fees and air-conditioned roundtrip transport from the port, and lasts about four hours total. Temple climbing is not permitted for preservation. The walking involves outdoor trails with occasional rocks and roots. Wildlife sightings like spider monkeys cannot be guaranteed but are possible in the natural jungle setting.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

• Arrive at Costa Maya Port
• Drive 50 minutes to Chacchoben
• Follow certified guide into ruins
• Explore temples and plazas
• Walk beneath jungle canopy
• Discover native plants and wildlife
• Visit Gran Basamento for views
• Browse local crafts and souvenirs
• Drive 50 minutes back to Costa Maya

The experience

How do you get from a cruise ship at Costa Maya to an ancient Maya city and back in time for departure? This tour leaves one hour after your ship docks, giving you a 50-minute drive to Chacchoben in an air-conditioned vehicle. You meet at Plaza Las Fuentes, just steps from the port's main entrance, and walk about 15 minutes from your ship to reach the gathering point.

At Chacchoben, a certified guide leads you through the ceremonial heart of a city that peaked around 300 AD. You walk beneath the jungle canopy past restored temples and plazas, then climb to the Gran Basamento, the ritual center, for views of Temple One rising above the surrounding trees. The guide reveals the stories and beliefs of the civilization that built these structures, while you spot native plants, tropical birds and, if you're lucky, spider monkeys in the canopy. Temples themselves cannot be climbed. The focus is the walk through the site and the history your guide brings to it. The entire guided portion takes roughly two hours.

After exploring, you have time to browse local crafts and souvenirs at the site before the 50-minute return drive to Costa Maya. Bring comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunscreen. The trail has rocks, roots and uneven ground. Bottled water is provided. If you bring a dedicated video camera or GoPro, a $5 fee applies at the site itself. The tour runs rain or shine, so check the forecast and dress for the weather.

What’s included

• Roundtrip transport from Costa Maya in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• entrance fees to Chacchoben Archaeological Site.
• a certified guide speaking English or Spanish for approximately two hours.
• and bottled water.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 80

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for heart conditions

Operated by Next Experience Travel

Is this one for you?This is a shared guided tour, so you travel with other cruise passengers and walk at the pace the guide sets. It suits anyone with a few hours between ship arrival and departure who wants the history and context of Chacchoben explained rather than exploring on their own. The certified guide handles the route and the stories, leaving you to focus on the ruins and the jungle around you.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

Can I climb the temples at Chacchoben?

No, temple climbing is not permitted at Chacchoben. The site restricts climbing for preservation purposes, so your visit focuses on walking the plazas, trails and ceremonial grounds while your guide explains the structures and their significance.

What is the Gran Basamento?

The Gran Basamento is the ritual heart of Chacchoben, the highest point at the site. You walk there to see Temple One and the surrounding jungle, and it is where your guide brings the ancient city's ceremonies and significance to life.

Will I see spider monkeys and birds?

Chacchoben sits in a natural jungle environment where spider monkeys and tropical birds live, but sightings cannot be guaranteed. The jungle canopy and native plants are always present. Wildlife encounters depend on the day and the animals' movement.

How much time do I have before my ship leaves?

The tour departs one hour after your cruise arrives and takes about four hours total: 50 minutes each way by vehicle, roughly two hours guided at the ruins, and time to browse souvenirs. You return to Costa Maya with a buffer before typical port departure times, though you should confirm your ship's exact schedule.

What should I bring and wear?

Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hat and sunscreen. The trails have rocks, roots and uneven terrain. Carry some cash for souvenirs if you want them, as cards are not accepted at the site. Bottled water is provided, and the vehicle is air-conditioned for the drive.

What if my ship doesn't dock at Costa Maya?

If your cruise ship does not call port in Costa Maya at all, you receive a guaranteed full refund. You must provide your ship's full name and docking time when you book so the operator can confirm the port call.