Things to do in Riviera Maya & the Yucatan
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Tulum Cenote Beginner Scuba Dive & Refresher CourseYou spend the morning learning or refreshing your diving skills at the center, then drive to Casa Cenote in the mangrove where you descend with your instructor to explore underwater roots, tropical fish, and light-filled caverns at a maximum depth of twelve meters for forty minutes. Everything — gear, entrance, transport, snacks — is included, and your instructor stays with you the whole time.Is it for me?Book this if you've always wanted to try diving but never committed, or if you're certified and haven't been down in years — the shallow depth, calm cenote water, and one-on-one instructor time mean you're learning in the safest, most forgiving environment possible.
Cozumel Private Island Tour: Custom Itinerary & Hotel PickupYou get a private vehicle, driver, and guide for four hours to explore Cozumel on your terms. Choose from Mayan ruins, parks, beaches, tequila tastings, or a mix—the guide suggests but you decide. Hotel pickup, bottled water, and air conditioning are included; attraction fees are separate. Extend the tour if you want, or stick to the four hours.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Cozumel without renting a car or joining a group schedule—the private guide and vehicle let you spend your time on what actually interests you, and hotel pickup means you're not figuring out transport logistics.
Cozumel ATV & Cenote Jade Cavern: Jungle Off-RoadYou ride your own ATV through jungle trails from the Mayan village of El Cedral to the Jade Cavern cenote, drive through an ancient coral cave, and swim in limestone-walled water the color of jade. The tour includes helmet, water, guide, and transport; you pay a 20 USD archaeological tax on arrival. Plan for three to four hours and expect to get muddy.Is it for me?This is for anyone who wants to see the interior of Cozumel and swim in a cenote without arranging their own transport or navigating jungle trails alone — the guide handles the route and the pace, which is what makes a full afternoon of riding and swimming possible in one booking.
Bacalar Private Sailing Tour: Classic Sailboat, 4 HoursA 4-hour private sailing tour of Bacalar Lagoon aboard a Catalina 25 sailboat with a bilingual, trained crew. You choose the group size (2 to 5 people) and the route—famous stops like Canal de los Piratas and Cenote Negro, or quieter spots away from the crowds. Homemade guacamole, cold beer and seasonal fruit are included; water and parking are provided.Is it for me?Book this tour if your group wants to move at its own pace and see parts of the lagoon most day-trippers miss—the crew adjusts the route to what you want, not to a fixed schedule or a crowded itinerary. The private boat means no other groups, no set departure times, and no compromise on where you stop or how long you stay.
Cancun: Private Fishing Charter Bertram 31ft, No Catch No PayYou’ll head out from Cancun on a private fishing charter with local crew, chasing marlin or tuna—or just soaking up sea air if fishing isn’t your thing. Expect laughter over tangled lines, glimpses of Isla Mujeres on the horizon, ice-cold drinks included, and honest moments that stick with you long after you’re back on shore.
Private cenotes tour Riviera Maya: Snorkel three sites, no crowdsA 6-hour private cenotes tour from Playa del Carmen that starts early to beat the crowds and takes your group to Yal-Kú Lagoon, Cenote Xunaan Ha, and Cenote Taak Bi Ha for snorkeling and swimming. The itinerary is flexible — swap a cenote if you prefer, and the guide speaks English or Spanish. Private transportation, snorkeling gear, bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle are included; lunch is optional at a local restaurant.Is it for me?Start early to swim in calm waters at Yal-Kú Lagoon and three cenotes, with your group setting the pace instead of following a fixed schedule.
Tulum Ruins, Cenote & Sea Turtles: Small group snorkel tourA small group tour near Tulum visits the ancient walled city overlooking the Caribbean, a cenote cave for swimming in mineral-rich freshwater, and Akumal Bay to snorkel alongside sea turtles. The day runs 10 to 11 hours with a guide in English or Spanish, lunch, snorkel equipment, and air-conditioned transport included; pickup from your hotel is available depending on the option you choose. Marine and reserve taxes are paid separately in cash on the travel date.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want three distinct landscapes — archaeological, natural freshwater, and marine — in one day without managing entry fees, transport or timing yourself. The small group size and the guide in your language keep the pace steady and the stops connected, so the day holds together as a single experience rather than three separate visits you are coordinating alone.
Tulum & Coba Ruins: Cenote Swim, Mayan Ceremony & BuffetYou’ll walk ancient stone paths at Coba and Tulum with a local guide, take part in a real Mayan ceremony, taste fresh-ground chocolate in a village, then cool off swimming in Mariposa cenote before sharing lunch with new friends—a day full of color and small surprises you’ll remember long after you leave.
Costa Maya cruise excursion: Chacchoben ruins & Bacalar LagoonA shore excursion from Costa Maya Cruise Port combining Chacchoben Mayan ruins with a choice of two Bacalar Lagoon experiences: a 2-hour sailing tour visiting Pirates' Canal and the Black Cenote, or The Rapids swimming area with beach club access. Your guide speaks English, Spanish or French; pickup and return to port are timed around your ship's schedule, and entry fees to the ruins and lagoon sites are paid separately on arrival.Is it for me?Book the sailing option if you want the full lagoon experience—Pirates' Canal and the Black Cenote cenote give you two distinct water environments in one afternoon. Choose The Rapids if you prefer a single swimming location where you can float and relax without moving between stops, and you want the option to eat at the beach club.
Bacalar: Janzu Aquatic Massage & Floating TherapyYou float supported in warm water while a trained therapist guides your body through slow, continuous movements—stretches, gentle massage, immersion techniques—all designed to release tension and calm your nervous system. The session includes mat, blanket, and ear plugs. No experience or flexibility required; the water does the work.Is it for me?Book this if you want deep relaxation without the pressure of a traditional massage—the water removes gravity, which is what allows your nervous system to actually slow down instead of just being worked on.
Tulum Ruins & Cenotes: Jungle Adventure with LunchYou’ll wander ancient Tulum ruins before crowds arrive, swim in three cool cenotes hidden in jungle shade, try ziplining and canoeing if you want, then share a traditional Mayan lunch under palm trees. Expect sandy feet, laughter with your guide, and memories of turquoise water lingering long after you’ve dried off.
Valladolid, Cenote Suytun & Cenote Oxman tour from MéridaThis full-day tour from Mérida visits Valladolid and two cenotes—Cenote Suytun, a cavern cenote where you swim beneath the rock ceiling, and Cenote Oxman, an open-air cenote on a hacienda property. A certified guide leads you through Valladolid's cathedral, convent, and main square, and lunch with a drink is included at the hacienda restaurant. Round-trip transport, life jackets, and snorkel masks are provided; the tour departs at 7 a.m. and returns by 6:30 p.m.Is it for me?Book this tour for a full day away from Mérida when you want to see both cenotes and a colonial town without arranging separate transport or managing multiple bookings—the guide, timing, and meals are all planned around the route, so you move through the day as a group.
ATV Riding in Akumal: Jungle Trails & Monkey SanctuaryATV riding in Akumal combines off-road jungle trails with a visit to the Akumal Monkey Rescued Animals Sanctuary and a swim in a hidden cenote. You operate a single or shared ATV through authentic jungle terrain, stop to cool off in the cenote's clear water, then spend time with rescued monkeys in a responsible setting—something most ATV tours don't include. Hotel pickup is included for selected hotels; the full experience runs four hours. Minimum age to drive is 16 (ID required); children ages 5–16 may ride double with an adult.Is it for me?Choose the single ATV if you want to operate your own machine and control your line through the jungle; pick the shared ATV if you'd rather ride with a companion and split the focus between the trail and conversation. Either way, the four-hour window gives you enough time to ride, swim and spend real time with the monkeys without rushing any of it.
Chocolate Workshop in Cozumel: Make a Mayan BarThe Mayan Cacao Company in Cozumel is a 90-minute chocolate workshop where you learn to make a handmade chocolate bar using the authentic Mayan recipe. You work with cacao ingredients in a tropical setting, discovering the history of chocolate in the land where it originated. The workshop runs in English and Spanish, and children from age 5 are welcome.Is it for me?The workshop sits at The Mayan Cacao Company in Cozumel, so you don't need a car or a guide to get there—it's a fixed location you can reach on your own or by taxi. If you're staying elsewhere on the island or arriving without transport, this keeps the afternoon simple: show up, make chocolate, leave with something real.
Bacalar Seven Color Lagoon Boat Tour from Costa MayaYou're picked up at the Costa Maya cruise port and driven to Bacalar Lagoon, where you swim and relax on a pontoon boat with fruit snacks and drinks included. After a couple of hours on the water, you eat authentic Mexican tacos at a local restaurant before returning to the port. The whole day takes six to seven hours, so you're back well before departure.Is it for me?Book this if you're docked at Costa Maya and want a full lagoon experience without arranging your own transport or timing—the pickup and return are built around the cruise schedule, so you don't have to negotiate getting back to the port.
Tulum Cenote Scuba Dive: First-Time Course & Lagoon SwimYou’ll learn the basics from a local instructor right by Tulum’s cenote lagoon, practice breathing underwater until it feels natural, then dive into crystal-clear water surrounded by mangroves and sunlight. Expect small moments—like fish darting by or laughter over snacks—that stick with you long after you dry off.
Cozumel: 5 Ziplines & Jungle Walk in 60 MinutesYou arrive, get fitted with gear, walk into the jungle, and zipline across five platforms while guides manage safety and timing. The whole thing takes under an hour, includes all equipment and a bilingual guide, and leaves your afternoon free. Book if you want the rush without rearranging your entire day.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in Cozumel who want an adrenaline hit without losing half the day—the sixty-minute window is what makes it fit between breakfast and your afternoon plans. You'll need moderate fitness and comfort with heights, but no prior zipline experience.
Isla Mujeres: MUSA Underwater Museum 2-Tank DiveYou descend to two sites off Isla Mujeres' southern coast to dive among 450+ underwater statues and live coral reef. Your guide navigates you through MUSA and Manchones, pointing out turtles, rays, and tropical fish living in and around the sculptures. Equipment, boat refreshments, and MUSA's conservation donation are all included; you just need to be a certified diver and in moderate physical condition to go.Is it for me?Book this if you're a certified diver who wants to see one of the world's most unusual reef systems without arranging your own boat, guide, or equipment — the 5-star center handles all the logistics, which is what lets you focus on the dive itself.
ATV and Clear Boat Snorkeling in Cozumel: Sunken ShipAn ATV and clear boat activity in Cozumel combines off-road riding on a double ATV with a snorkeling trip aboard a transparent-hull boat to a sunken ship in the north part of the island, finishing at Playa Uvas beach club with lunch and full amenities. The clear boat portion requires an additional fee and is subject to weather. Guides speak English and Spanish; children are welcome from age 7.Is it for me?Pick this if you want both ATV riding and water activities (snorkeling, boat, kayak) in one outing, rather than booking separate tours.
Chichen Itza & Cenote Private Tour with Valladolid LunchYou’ll walk through Chichen Itza before crowds arrive, guided by someone who knows every corner. Cool off swimming in a cenote’s clear water. Share Yucatecan dishes over lunch in Valladolid and wander its colorful streets—all with private transport and time to linger where you want. There’s something about seeing the ruins so quietly that just stays with you.
