Things to do in Riviera Maya & the Yucatan
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Celestún Flamingo Watching & Beach Tour: Private Boat & MangrovesA private boat tour through the Celestún mangroves with a certified bilingual guide, where you watch American flamingos in their natural habitat, swim in a crystal-clear freshwater spring, and finish with lunch and beach time at a local seaside restaurant. The tour runs 7 hours total, including the drive from Mérida, and includes private transportation, a guide, beverages, snacks, and life jackets.Is it for me?Book this tour if you're arriving in Mérida for the first time or have a free afternoon and want to see flamingos and mangroves without arranging a driver, a boat captain, or the route yourself — the guide handles the wildlife spotting and the logistics, so you just step aboard and watch.
Private Uxmal Tour with Chocolate Museum and Cenote SwimA private eight-hour tour of Uxmal, a UNESCO World Heritage site on Mexico's Puuc Route, includes a guided walk through temples and palaces, a one-hour cacao experience at Choco Story with traditional chocolate tasting, and a swim in an open cenote. Transportation from Mérida, a certified bilingual guide, life jacket, and refreshments are included; lunch is at a restaurant of your choice near Uxmal.Is it for me?Book this eight-hour private tour if you want to experience three distinct locations—Uxmal's architecture, a cacao ceremony, and cenote swimming—in one day rather than piecing together separate visits.
Deep Sea Fishing in Cancun: Shared Yacht with Expert CrewA shared deep sea fishing trip from Cancun puts you on a fully equipped sport fishing yacht with an expert crew for six hours, targeting groupers, snappers, barracudas, yellow-fin tuna, blue marlin and sailfish. Beer, water, soda and coffee are included; the crew provides all rods, reels, tackle and bait, plus your fishing license. Children from age 8 are welcome, and the crew handles the setup so you focus on the catch.Is it for me?Six hours is long enough to reach the best fishing grounds and spend real time waiting for a strike, but short enough to leave your afternoon free if you want to explore the town or rest at your hotel afterward. The shared boat means you'll fish alongside other travelers, which keeps the cost down and often turns into good company on the water.
Tulum to Cancun Airport: Private SUV with Bar ServiceYou're picked up at your Tulum hotel at a time you choose, travel in a private air-conditioned SUV with complimentary beers and water, stay connected on WiFi, and arrive at Cancun Airport without arranging transport yourself. The driver handles the route while you relax.Is it for me?Book this if you want to leave your hotel without arranging a taxi, negotiating a price, or worrying about getting to the airport on time — the fixed route and included amenities mean your departure is handled before you even check out.
Cancun: Speedboat, Snorkel & Jet Ski Rental ComboYou drive a speedboat through mangroves and out to the Great Mayan Reef, snorkel above coral and tropical fish for thirty to forty minutes (including a glimpse of MUSA Underwater Museum pieces in the Nizuc area), then finish with a thirty-minute jet ski rental through the lagoon at your own speed. The whole thing runs half a day, equipment is included, and a guide handles the first two stops so you're not figuring out where to go.Is it for me?Pick this if you want three different water activities in one morning without arranging separate bookings or transport between them—the combo format means you're moving from one thing to the next without dead time, and a guide handles navigation on the speedboat and reef so you can focus on driving and snorkeling.
Ziplining, ATV & Cenote from Playa del CarmenThis half-day activity in Playa del Carmen combines ziplining, ATV riding and cenote swimming with a private Mayan ceremony and lunch. You drive your own ATV through jungle trails, fly across a 1-kilometer zipline 45 meters above the treetops, and finish in a sacred cenote after a 10-minute ritual led by a local shaman. Roundtrip transfer, bilingual guide, all equipment and a regional lunch are included; you choose between shared or solo ATV options at checkout.Is it for me?Choose a shared ATV if you want to split the cost and the ride with another traveler; book a solo option if you want the machine and the trail to yourself. The half-day length means you're back by early afternoon, leaving time for the beach or another activity the same day.
Ziplining in Tulum: ATVs, cenote swim & lunch includedZipline, ATV and cenote activity in Tulum combines three separate thrills—riding ATVs through jungle terrain, soaring on multiple zip lines above the canopy, and swimming in a crystal-clear cenote—in a single day trip with hotel pickup from Riviera Maya locations. The adventure park sits between Tulum and Puerto Aventuras. You choose between a single ATV or a shared one at checkout; lunch, safety gear, a certified guide in English or Spanish, and round transfer from your hotel are included in both.Is it for me?Choose the single ATV if you want to ride independently and set your own pace through the terrain; pick the shared ATV if you're comfortable riding with a partner and want to lower the cost. Either way, the guide stays with your group and the park handles all the setup, so the day flows without you having to figure out logistics or safety gear.
Ek Balam Mayan Ruins & Cenote Swim: Guide, Meal & Cultural StopA 10-hour guided tour of Ek Balam, a Mayan city over 1000 years old, combines exploration of the ruins with a swim in a cenote, a traditional meal, and a visit to Valladolid's colonial center. The tour includes a bilingual guide certified by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, transportation with air conditioning, a life jacket, bottled water, and a buffet-style regional meal. A cultural stop lets you watch Maya artisans at work, taste handmade tortillas and Xtabentún, and receive a blessing from a shaman.Is it for me?Book this if you have a full day free and want to move between three distinct stops—the ruins, a village for crafts and food, and a cenote swim—as one guided journey rather than piecing them together yourself.
LDS Ek Balam & Cenote Hubiku Tour: Book of Mormon InsightsIf you're looking for more than just sightseeing, this tour brings ancient history and scripture together in a way that's personal and real. You'll climb temples at Ek Balam with an LDS guide who connects every detail to your faith—and then unwind with local food and a swim in one of Yucatán's most beautiful cenotes.
Isla Mujeres Sunset Catamaran from Cancun & BeachYou board a catamaran at 4pm from Cancun and sail to Isla Mujeres, where you have free time to explore the downtown before heading to North Beach for swimming in turquoise water. Drinks are included throughout the day, and the return journey happens at sunset, with the boat back in Cancun by evening. Bilingual guides handle the narration, and the group stays small enough to move around the boat without crowding.Is it for me?Pick this if you want a half-day escape from Cancun that includes a real beach and actual downtime—the fixed 4pm departure and sunset return mean you're not arranging your own transport or timing, and the drinks are already paid for.
Cancun - Puerto Aventuras: Private Airport Transfer, AC VansYou’ll step out of Cancun airport and spot your driver waiting—no confusion or crowds. Enjoy cool air-conditioning on your private transfer to Puerto Aventuras, with space for strollers or infant seats if needed. Relax as locals share tips along the way and arrive feeling looked after instead of frazzled.
Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen: Private Transfer & WiFiYou get picked up at Cancun airport by a bilingual driver who waits two hours for you to clear customs, then drives you directly to your Playa del Carmen hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi and complimentary water and beer. No negotiating fare at the curb, no wrong turns, no stress — the driver handles the route and you handle the jet lag.Is it for me?Book this if you land in Cancun with luggage and want to reach your Playa del Carmen hotel without arranging a ride at the curb or waiting for a shared shuttle — the fixed price and bilingual driver mean the transfer stops being a negotiation and starts being a rest.
Electric Bike Tour Cozumel: Punta Sur Eco Park & LighthouseA 5-hour electric bike tour through Punta Sur Eco Beach Park in Cozumel, where you ride Pedego bikes with a guide to the Faro lighthouse, crocodile habitat, snorkeling reef and beach club. Transportation from the coastal highway store to the park and back is included, along with lunch, snorkeling gear and a local English-speaking guide. The park closes at 5pm and minimum group size is two riders.Is it for me?Book this if you're staying without a car—pickup and dropoff from the coastal highway store are included, and e-bikes let you see the whole park's beaches, lighthouse, and crocodile habitat in one afternoon.
Isla Mujeres: MUSA Underwater Museum & Coral Reef SnorkelYou board a boat in Isla Mujeres and spend 20–25 minutes reaching MUSA, where you snorkel among underwater sculptures now colonized by coral and reef fish at 30 feet deep. After 30 minutes there, the same boat moves you to Manchones coral reef for another 30 minutes in the water. All park fees are covered; snorkel rental is $5 if you need it. The lifejacket requirement keeps you safe in a protected marine zone.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see both an underwater art installation and a living coral reef without arranging two separate trips — the single boat ride covers both in one morning, and all the park fees are already paid.
Coco Bongo Playa del Carmen: NYE 2027 Party & Open BarYou arrive at 10pm, get your special edition shirt, and step into a 1,500-person venue with live acrobats, multiple bands, world-class DJs and unlimited drinks until 4am. The countdown happens here, surrounded by production value and strangers who all made the same choice you did. No cover charges after entry, no drink minimums, no negotiating the night — just six hours of Coco Bongo's standard chaos, but with the whole year ending while you're inside.Is it for me?Book this if you want the New Year's Eve countdown to happen in a place where the production, the crowd and the drinks are all already arranged — you show up, and the night takes care of itself until sunrise.
Costa Maya Snorkeling Day Pass: Massage, Open Bar & LunchThe Pitaya Costa Maya Day Pass is a six-hour beach day at Mahahual with snorkeling, massage, food and drinks all arranged. You get a shaded lounge chair, a 1.5-hour boat snorkeling tour with underwater photos, a 50-minute massage, an open bar with national alcoholic drinks, and one lunch plate of tacos or ceviche. Restrooms and showers are on site, and the package suits families, couples and groups who want both activity and downtime without planning separate bookings.Is it for me?Families, couples and small groups looking for a full beach day without splitting time between different vendors will find everything here—the snorkeling, the food, the drinks and the downtime all happen in one place and one price.
Cozumel Airport to Hotel: Shared Shuttle & Meet-GreetYou're met at the airport by a uniformed driver holding a sign with your name, directed to a shared air-conditioned shuttle, and dropped at your hotel in your assigned zone. The 20- to 30-minute wait for other passengers happens at the airport, not on the road. No negotiation, no surprises, no arranging transport after a flight.Is it for me?Book this if you want to skip the taxi negotiation and arrive without arranging ground transport — the fixed price and meet-and-greet mean you know exactly what to expect before you land.
Snorkeling with turtles in Akumal: Cenote swimming includedSnorkel with sea turtles and stingrays at Akumal, then swim and snorkel in a cenote with rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites. The activity runs 6 to 7 hours and includes a live guide in English, Spanish or French; hotel pickup; lunch and drinks; and all entrance fees. Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.Is it for me?You do the snorkeling yourself with your own mask and fins, so this suits anyone comfortable in the water who wants to move at their own pace between the turtles and the cenote. The guide stays with the group but doesn't choreograph the experience — you choose where to look and how long to linger, which is what makes the wildlife encounters feel unhurried instead of rushed.
Kayaking in Bacalar: Sunrise paddle with breakfastKayak the Lagoon of 7 Colors in Bacalar at sunrise, paddling toward the Pirate Canal through mangroves as dawn breaks across the water. The experience includes a bilingual guide, safety instruction, light breakfast with local coffee and fruit, GoPro photos and videos, and a stop in a protected natural zone where the guide shares the lagoon's history and ecology. Minimum age is 10 years; infants sit on an adult's lap. Service animals are welcome, and you can bring a pet to join you on the water.Is it for me?Three hours on the water means you're back by mid-morning with the rest of your day open—ideal if you want the sunrise without sacrificing the beach or other plans. The minimum age is 10 years, and infants can sit on an adult's lap, so families with younger children can join if an adult paddles with the child aboard.
Cancun Airport - Akumal: Private Transfer, AC Vans & PickupYou’ll be met right outside Cancun Airport by a local driver holding your name sign — no wandering around lost. Air-conditioned vans make the ride to Akumal comfortable (even if you’re half-awake). Families can request infant seats ahead of time. There’s something calming about letting someone else handle the drive while you watch palm trees blur by.
