Xcaret
An eco-archaeological park built around underground rivers, with an evening show.
Duration
8 hrs – 11 hrs
Best time
At opening, and stay for the show
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
The park is built on an old Maya caleta, a cove that served as the departure port for Cozumel. Its main asset is natural: three underground rivers, part of which are swum for several hundred metres, vest and mask provided.
The rest is a theme park: reconstructed Maya village, butterfly house, animal enclosures. The evening show, México Espectacular, runs two hours and retells the country's history with several hundred performers — and it is what most people remember.
Getting there
Six kilometres south of Playa del Carmen. Shuttles from hotels in Playa and Cancún, included with some tickets.
What the price covers
day ticket, expensive; several packages, rates to confirm
What to bring
- Swimsuit
- Sunscreen
Rules on site
Ordinary sunscreen is confiscated at the gate: only biodegradable formulas are allowed, and they are sold on site at a steep price. The basic ticket covers neither the meal nor several activities: read what is included before buying.
Other places in Playa del Carmen
- Quinta AvenidaForty pedestrian blocks of restaurants and shops, with beach access every hundred metres.
- CozumelThe island across the water, sitting on the world's second-largest coral reef.
- Cenote AzulThree open-air freshwater pools, with a rock jump for those who want it.
- PlayacarThe beach south of town, wider and quieter than the central stretch.