Xcaret Park Day Trip in Riviera Maya from Cancun

Xcaret is the name by which the Riviera Maya's largest water theme park is known.

With over 81 hectares of land and more than 50 attractions available, visitors come to Xcaret to enjoy activities such as swimming among tropical fish, exploring underground rivers and ancient caves, learning about the Mayans and enjoying the wild vegetation of the tropics.

The best part is that Xcaret Park is located 75 kilometres from the city, making it one of the best things to do in Cancun during your holiday. The only thing you need to do is to plan your itinerary carefully and choose, among the existing options, the one that best suits your budget and itinerary.

Rated by tourists and locals alike as one of the best tours and excursions from Cancun, the Xcaret theme park excursion is offered in two main versions: the basic option and the plus option.

Numerous local companies offer this experience to the traveller; if you are going to Cancun with children for a family holiday, you simply shouldn't miss it.

Basic excursion

The company organising the experience offers the traveller the transfer to and from Cancun to the facilities. The price includes private transport for a small group and the basic entrance fee to Xcaret to enjoy more than 40 attractions in the park and the shows.

Activities include the use of hammocks and sunbeds in the rest area, use of Xcaret's natural pools and beaches, use of snorkelling equipment as Xcaret is considered one of the best snorkelling spots in Cancun and much more.

• Price: The basic Xcaret Park experience is available from 155€ per traveller.
• Duration of excursion: Varies slightly depending on the itinerary but can range from 6 to 12 hours.

Excursion with Plus access

XCaret Plus access offers an unrestricted pass that allows you to enjoy the park with full benefits. It includes a buffet-style meal at the restaurant of your choice and entrance to exclusive facilities with lockers, changing rooms and private restrooms.

This is an option that I highly recommend to friends who are travelling for a short stay, such as 3 days in Cancun, as this type of pass will allow you to enjoy the experience to the fullest.

Additionally you will have the opportunity to enjoy the Xcaret Mexico Espectacular show; considered one of the most complete shows in Cancun and the Riviera Maya, it allows the visitor to visualize some of the most representative Mexican traditions and traditional customs.

• Price: Available from 210€ per traveller; children from 5 to 11 years old pay a special reduced rate.
• Duration of the excursion: The duration of the experience is regulated by the organising company, but it is generally recommended to reserve about 12 hours for this adventure.

If you are looking for a way to enjoy multiple activities and save not only planning time, but also money, pay attention to the combination tours offered by many tour operators in the city.

Combined excursion: Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza

This is a highly recommended alternative for those travellers whose itinerary includes, for example, 7 days in Cancun, as this multi-day pass allows booking some of the most fun and interesting activities to do in this destination during the holidays.

This special pass includes the following attractions.

• Visit Xcaret Park...: It is an aquatic amusement park considered one of the best attractions in the Yucatan Peninsula. Its location combines in the same space the most interesting natural environments that this zone of Mexico has to offer, resulting in totally dazzling landscapes.

• To know Xel-Ha Park...: Xel-Ha Park belongs to the Xcaret family. It is an aquatic theme park where you can enjoy numerous attractions, including trails between cenotes, snorkelling experiences, water slides, zip lines and much more. It is located in Quintana Roo in the state of Tulum.

• Xplor Park...: Xplor Theme Park is a theme park located in a breathtaking natural environment where you can enjoy activities such as jungle safari vehicle rides, zip lines and underground cave exploration. It is located in the Riviera Maya, south of Playa del Carmen.

• Visit the Chichen Itza Ruins...: Finally, this combined excursion allows you to visit the mythical Mayan Ruins of Chichen Itza, the city that was once the most populated in the Yucatan Peninsula and where you can admire the vestiges of the Mayan and Toltec cultures.

• Price: The adult pass to the combined excursion for these attractions is usually available from €240 per traveller. If you add up the individual price of each experience the savings are significant.

• Duration of tour: Completing all visits to the parks and Chichen Itza usually requires at least 3 days.

Combined excursion: Xcaret, Chichen Itza and Isla Mujeres

This alternative is highly recommended for those travelling to Cancun in the months of December and January to enjoy the winter holidays. During these months the weather is spectacular and you will be able to enjoy long days outdoors without feeling the overwhelming heat.

With this combo package you can enjoy the following activities in Cancun.

• Visit Xcaret Park...: Without a doubt the most fun and interesting water park in and around Cancun. On a visit to Xcaret you can enjoy the most traditional water activities such as water slides, snorkelling and fun on the beach but enhanced with the most incredible landscapes you can imagine.

• Visiting Chichen Itza...: Visiting Chichen Itza from Cancun is an activity that every traveller must do during their holidays in the city. In this ancient Mayan city you will find from the impressive ancient architecture of the first American inhabitants to vestiges of Mexican culture and tradition.

• Visit Isla Mujeres...: Visit Isla Mujeres from Cancun to get to know a beautiful, small and picturesque tropical island located only 20 km off the coast. This adventure is considered one of the best boat trips in Cancun, as tour operators offer travellers a full day of fun in the sun, including the boat trip, snorkelling excursions and much more.

• Price: The price to pay for the whole experience is usually around €200 per traveller. The cost represents an interesting discount if you compare how much you would have to pay for each of the activities individually.

• Duration of the trip: It takes approximately 3 days to complete the experience with 1 day's itinerary for each of the adventures.

XCaret Park is the largest theme park in the area. With some 50 attractions available and an impressive 80 hectares of land, it is often difficult to determine the best attractions.

However, visiting XCaret for just one day during your Cancun holiday makes prioritising the most impressive attractions a priority. Here's a guide to some of the favourites of hundreds of travellers.

Spectacular Mexico.

Approximately 300 actors, singers and dancers take to the stage to present an impressive show described as one of the best artistic representations of Mexican culture in this part of the country.

Mexico Spectacular is a beautiful journey through Mexican history and culture that will make you love this country and its warm people even more.

See the aviary

The aviary was opened to the public in 2015 and quickly became a favourite attraction for locals and foreigners alike. It has habitats created with an astonishing level of detail and commitment and is home to some 1500 different birds - impressive!

Marvel at the underground rivers.

The blue waters of the underground rivers in this part of the Yucatan are well worth the entrance fee to the XCaret park alone. You will need to wear a life jacket for the tour and you will have the opportunity to swim through mangroves.

Don't miss the reef aquarium.

If you have the opportunity to dive in Cancun you will be able to see some of the impressive reefs of the Mexican Caribbean alive.

However, if you don't dive or visit the city with children, at XCaret you will find a majestic representation of more than 5000 marine organisms and 500 coral structures. Your eyes and senses will be totally amazed.

Visit the Mexican Cemetery and the Guadalupe Chapel.

One of the most beautiful and intriguing aspects of Mexican culture is its relationship with death and its deep-rooted religious devotion.

This important aspect can be enjoyed and admired by visiting the section of the park dedicated to the Chapel of Guadalupe and a beautiful cemetery where you will find beautifully decorated tombs designed around the values and beliefs of the Mexican people.

For those travellers looking to get the most out of their XCaret excursion, I recommend the following tips.

About food

Food inside the park is expensive and it is usually cheaper to buy a ticket that includes lunch than to buy lunch on your own inside the park.

Arrive as early as possible

A single day is not usually enough time to visit the entire park, but it is enough time to enjoy the best attractions. However, it is important to arrive early in order to make the most of every available second.

Get to know the park before you visit

I recommend planning your day's adventure as much as possible and listing the attractions you want to see. It is also a very useful resource to familiarise yourself with the XCaret map days before your visit in order to determine where to go and better plan your route.

XCaret Park Mexico is open to the public from Monday to Sunday from 8.30 am to 10.30 pm at night. The best way to enjoy all that Xcaret has to offer is to arrive at the facilities as early as possible.

In addition to being open on weekends, the park is usually in operation during national holidays. For example, if you travel to Cancun over Christmas for the holidays you will be able to enjoy XCaret's facilities.

As a general rule, children between the ages of 5 and 11 get discounted prices for their entrance to the park as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of 4 enjoy free admission, but must be accompanied by an adult.