Travel bucket list idea:

Xcaret Park

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Credit Shutterstock.com/posztos

Last updated: 07 February, 2025

This huge eco-theme park offers visitors a pot pourri of ready-wrapped, family-sized Mexican attractions. There are Mayan sites, great snorkelling, cenotes and underground rivers, a purpose-built Mayan village and ‘Day of the Dead’ cemeteries. You can swim with dolphins, nurse sharks and manatees; and there are tame jungles populated with rainforest wildlife, and after-dark, a glitzy Maya ‘cultural show’.

Yes, you can the real thing elsewhere. But accept Xcaret as a kind of Maya World Disneyland and it’s great fun.

Don’t miss

Be sure to stick around for the evening spectacular, where 300 or so performers recreate Mayan culture and history. Touristy and nothing like the real thing, but fun all the same.

Logistics

Price from: £80

Minimum age: 0

Age suitable: 4+

When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Xcaret is about 1 hour’s drive from Cancun, 15 minutes from Playa del Carmen, and 30 minutes north of Tulum. You can book a shuttle service with the park to collect you from your hotel, although these can be time-consuming and it’s far quicker (and not much more expensive) to hire a car. There are also hotels onsite.

The dolphin or shark encounters are always popular, so book well ahead for these to avoid disappointment. Advance online booking also offers discounts.

There’s free parking, but animal encounters, meals, rental equipment, and more all come on top of the basic entrance fee. There’s a fee to rent a locker (about £5) or snorkels (about £10 plus a deposit of £25).

When to do it

It’s open all year round, seven days a week. The evening spectacular show starts at 7pm.

The weather in the Mayan Riviera is generally good all year round, and the water is always warm enough for swimming. The rainy season from May through October sees the fewest visitors to Mayan Riviera. June through October is hurricane season. The dry season – November through April – gets busy everywhere.

If you can, avoid peak season in December to January, when it gets oppressively crowded, especially around Christmas and New Year.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Xcaret Park Entry Tickets with Cultural Night Show Included

Cancun

Viator

Enjoy access to beaches, bays and natural pools with complimentary lounge chairs, hammocks, lifejackets and inner tubes. Swim or snorkel in the pristine waters of Xcaret’s underground rivers and stroll through the Tropical Jungle Trail. Marvel at the views from the Rotating Scenic Tower, visit the House of Whispers and see the Living Museum of Orchids. At the end of the day, dazzle your senses with a musical spectacle of light and color that takes you on a journey through the history of Mexico since pre-Columbian times. For sure there will be something to excite you because this park is for all ages. The Full Day Admission ticket includes the access to more than 50 spectacular activities. The Plus Admission ticket includes the access to more than 50 spectacular activities plus a buffet lunch, one beer and unlimited soft drinks.

Min age 0

Rating 4.25 / 5 [1912 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Xcaret Park Day Trip, transportation and Cultural Night Show

Cancun

Viator

*** This is an offical product of Grupo Xcaret *** Spend a day in paradise at Xcaret, an eco-archaeological park located in the Riviera Maya. Discover an underground maze of rivers where Mayans once prepared for ceremonial rites, frolic in a lagoon, and snorkel in clear Caribbean waters. Keep your eyes peeled for birds, butterflies and monkeys as you wander the lush forested grounds and visit archaeological sites. When the sun goes down, settle in for a spectacular show of lights, music and dance highlighting Mayan history and culture. Convenient pickup and drop-off from most Cancun hotels are included. The Plus Ticket includes buffet, one beer and access to Plus facilites.

Min age 0

Rating 4.29 / 5 [1624 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Xcaret 4-Cenotes-Guided Tour- Snacks, Lunch and Drinks included

Cancun

Viator

Leap into four different cenotes (flooded sinkholes) amid a jungle oasis in the Yucatan – all in one day! Rappel and zipline over rock walls into the crystalline springs, and explore the caverns by kayak, snorkel and inner tube. Enjoy delicious snacks plus a gourmet picnic lunch amid splendid natural surroundings and hear about ancient Mayan legends of mythical guardians that protect these sacred waters. Receive personal attention from your guide on this small-group tour, limited to 19 people.

Min age 0

Rating 4.81 / 5 [840 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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2 Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option

Cancun

Viator

Indulge in some of the greatest attractions on offer in the Riviera Maya with this Cancun combo! Select two out of four amazing options – Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor or Chichen Itza – depending on your preference. You’ll gain admission to the best aquatic, adventure and archeological parks around, with an expert guide at UNESCO World Heritage-listed Chichen Itza. Round-trip hotel transport by luxury coach plus food and drinks are included. Just take the two selected tours within 15 days of each other (one per day).

Min age 0

Rating 4.45 / 5 [272 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Cancun Xcaret Plus Full Day Trip with Round Trip Transport

Cancun

Viator

Xcaret is a theme park, amusement park, eco-archaeological and more, in one place. For its privileged location in the Mayan jungle between underground rivers, cenotes and facing the imposing Caribbean Sea, it has stunning scenery which you can enjoy in different activities that make the most of each of them. In addition to the amazing natural settings, Xcaret is a park that celebrates the present and rich history of Mexico's past, a country recognized for its traditions and folk culture. Mexico's most famous parks worldwide. Enjoy food, crafts, music from Mexico and more. In addition to the more than 50 attractions included in your admission to Xcaret, you can also enjoy a buffet meal at the restaurant of your choice and have access to the exclusive facilities of the Plus Area, with lockers, walk-in closets and private bathrooms, as well as make use of snorkeling equipment in the underground rivers. Experience Xcaret Park with all the benefits!

Min age 0

Rating 4.01 / 5 [52 ratings]

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