We visited after several weeks of heavy rain, so unfortunately, there were still some dirty patches in the ocean, especially around the rip tides (with green-yellow foam). The water failed the biweekly official quality tests, but that didn’t stop most people from enjoying the beach and water. The water temperature was fantastic, and we had amazing conditions for surfing. One very windy day made it tough for me as a beginner to paddle out to the lineup, but otherwise, the beach was super beginner-friendly. My husband and I took semi-private lessons with Kim from Nosara Surf Academy, and they were the best surfing lessons I’ve ever had! Kim was incredibly effective, and I felt safe pushing past my previous limits—highly recommend. One downside: the beach has almost no shade. I strongly suggest bringing a beach tent or canvas for sun protection; otherwise, it’s easy to get burned. Most people seemed to stay just a few hours before heading out. If you walk toward the end of the beach, there are several shortcuts to Playa Peladas, where you can see the water geyser! Also La Luna is the perfect spot for a drink will watching the sunset!

Hands down, the best beach for kids in the world (that I've been to). Surf was OK, not great. But the beach was uncrowded and all the people that were there were so friendly. You can walk down to the tide pools to the north and see live corals. Just love this beach so much. I played in the perfect sandbar waves for hours and hours with my daughter. I caught a few waves too on a 6'8" fun board. I will miss this place. I hope I make it back someday.

Amazing, open and extensive beach. Perfect to see sunsets. It's so big, that it's never crowded. The nice thing is that this is a tourist gathering spot and there is a lot of social and mingling, within a laid and relaxed vive. Upmarket feel. Perfect for surfing. Walking distance from restaurants and hotels.

My husband was scared after seeing a review about someone’s dad died from the strong rip tides there. Which made me scared too. Yes the tides were strong around 1pm-2pm still that day on a sunny day. It’s a quiet decent beach. Some surfers.

Playa Guiones in Costa Rica is a superb destination for surfing with a laid-back atmosphere and natural beauty. We recently brought 15 international surfers here for a coaching trip, and Playa Guiones exceeded our expectations. Surfing Experience: Playa Guiones offers consistent waves suitable for surfers of all levels. Our group enjoyed personalized coaching sessions against the backdrop of the beach's spacious shoreline. Beach Atmosphere: The beach exudes a relaxed, upscale vibe, appealing to both locals and tourists. Despite its popularity, Playa Guiones remains uncrowded, allowing us to focus on surfing and enjoy the serene surroundings. Local Life: The town is ideal for those who appreciate a slow-paced lifestyle. Evenings are quiet, with limited nightlife options apart from occasional house parties or events at places like Selina. Local Amenities: Conveniently located restaurants and hotels provide opportunities to explore Costa Rican cuisine and immerse oneself in the local culture after a day of surfing. Overall Experience: Our surf coaching trip to Playa Guiones was unforgettable. It offers excellent surfing conditions and a peaceful ambiance, making it an ideal spot for a relaxing and rejuvenating stay in Costa Rica.

Spent a week at the nearby Bodhi Tree Resort and loved this serene beach! Sunset painting, sunrise bike riding, beginner surf lesson, and playing in the waves. Pura vida, good for the soul!

Fantastic place for learning to surf. The waves are popular, i.e. crowded, but with our awesome instructors it was no issue.. several huts for shade but otherwise bring an umbrella/tent to avoid the sun. Amazingly clean. Incredibly soft sand.

Amazing ecosystem, lots of animals- tons of different herons, migrating and local birds, crocodiles, iguanas, monkeys, and even saw a deer. It can get hot and more dry than the majority of tropical Costa Rica, but makes for a unique ecological environment. Absolutely worth checking out, only about 1.5 hours from Lake Arenal, even closer to Volcan Tenorio National Park.

It's hard to write a review of this place because in one hand you have beautiful nature, places to walk/hike around and great views; but in the other hand you have so many mosquitoes that will not leave you alone a second and will make you feel miserable! I recommend to go during January or so (when it's very windy!) so first confirm with the local station when is windy so you really enjoy it. The people is very nice, super friendly and the food is always delicious, however the infrastructure really need maintenance. The rooms and specially the bathrooms are very abandoned!

What else is there to say other than this place is absolutely breathtaking? An absolutely MASSIVE bird watching wetland is the central focus of this beautiful park. It is quite a way off the beaten trail, but with boat tours available, hiking trails, and a picturesque wetland how can one pass it up? It is also a beautiful display of the biodiversity of the area. On my way driving there, we went from a dense jungle down to a more arid landscape. The micro-biomes of changing flora are as much of a treat as the land itself. Make sure to educate yourself of the dangers of this land though, like the Acacia Tree, which maintains a symbiotic relationship with ants and will harm you if disturbed. Or the snakes that hide in the tall grass. Be prepared! And have fun exploring this magical place!

A great nature park with plenty of wildlife, great views and dense forest. Several trails, with lookout points, and plenty of roads throughout the park to see everything. In addition, there is a paid boat tour available at the far side of the park, with very friendly and knowledgeable staff. On our 80 minute tour we saw alligators, green herons, iguanas and monkeys. Highly recommend paying this park a visit.

The park is amazing, the tour was okay. We were only on the boys tour for about 40 minutes which wasn't enough time to see much, although we did see a fair amount. We were able to see bats, iguanas, monkeys, Jesus lizard, crocodiles, birds... The tour of the traditional (historical) sugar processing plantation was also interesting.

We used Hacienda La Vieja Wetlands tour to go on the river and they were excellent. We went in December and there weren't any mosquitos. Highly recommend the river boat trip. Saw monkeys, lizards, crocodiles, tropical birds.

We went here on a boat tour and it was awesome! Our tour guide Rodrigo was so knowledgeable of the area. We saw crocodiles, birds, iguanas and monkeys. Such a unique area to explore! Will definitely return.

The owner's 9 years in Italy show in the pizza quality. The Arab Antipasto and the Blu, Jungle & Bacon Pizza, especially, would hold their own against any highly rated big city place.

Secluded Paradise in the process of being discovered. Get there before it's too late

I have been at beaches all over the world and this is one of my favourite! Just so fun. Waves rolling in but gently and predictable. You can get out a long ways. Warm clean water. Great sunsets. One of my top 10 beaches in Costa Rica!

Beautiful beach with lots of surf and fishing. Perfect for walks on the beach with smooth sand and much less rocks.

This beach seems more for surfers than anybody else. Waves are huge and the water comes pretty far up the shore. The main complaint I have about this place is that the road getting here is terrible. I would recommend something with a high front and rear clearance. I did it with low clearance kia, it was possible by going slow but it took pretty long. There is parking. If you type in Playa avellana on Waze it will take you to the correct place.

Pristine beach, isolated from the hustle of Tamarindo and more than 5 surf breaks for all levels.

This place is known as little Hawaii, we didn’t understand why. The beach is rocky and hard to get in. You have to access it thru the restaurant Lola’s, the location in the map shows the access via Hacienda Pinilla, which you need to call in advance and make a reservation. I think they charge $35 per person for the day use of Hacienda Pinilla beach bar. We didn’t visit it since we accessed the beach via Lola’s restaurant. The street to access the beach is rough, but most beach access on this side of the coast are bad.

Nice waterfall, lots of steps so not accessible for wheelchairs or folks with mobility issues. Fun for swimming. We saw some monkeys in the trees.

Cortez Waterfall is an easy, quick stop from Liberia and worth the visit if you’re already exploring the area. The walk down is short, the space opens up nicely at the bottom. During rainy season, the water isn’t clear — it turns more brown and heavy from the runoff — but the flow is stronger, and the falls themselves look more powerful. Even without the bright turquoise water you see in dry-season photos, the spot is still impressive and good for cooling off. It’s a simple place: no major facilities, just a natural waterfall you can reach without a long hike. Good for a quick swim, photos, or a stop on the way to other attractions around Liberia.

I didn’t swim in the water but many people did and seemed to really enjoy it. This was a very calm and peaceful part of the tour. Fairly steep flight of stairs down but good width/safety of the steps. I’d recommend!

Easy access. Short walk down steps. Not far off the main road. An easy addition to another excursion. $7 per person for entry. Bathrooms and vendors in parking lot. Can swim.

Beautiful, peaceful. There were 2 guides to help with questions and picture taking. Very knowledgeable.

Absolutely beautiful! The water was a little murky but we absolutely enjoyed every minute. Would definitely recommend water shoes. There are rocks that I ended up cutting my feet on even with my sandals firmly strapped on. Once you get down to the waterfall area there is a trail off to the left that will take you to stairs where you can see the view from above but before you head up the stairs continue on the trail to a dive pool. Bring snacks!

Inexpensive, with easy access (5 minutes off the highway; 100m staircase). Water was murky (during the wet season at least). Good value nonetheless.

This place was pretty cool. They offer tours that will take you to the waterfall to take pictures. My wife and I saw plenty of people doing this, but we just went by ourselves. The trail is very well maintained and clear. Although, the elevation is extremely intense both ways. Wear proper footwear as it is steep, wet, and slippery. We saw the tourists in slides and bathing suits...it didn't seem like swimming was something you could do there. Also, we saw a few people slipping and falling onto their butts due to wearing improper footwear. It took a little under 2 hours for us to complete the full trail using trekking poles and moving quickly. The blue river is really neat, but the views from altitude were the coolest parts for us. We saw a family of Capuchin Monkeys. If you drive your car here (totally recommend) there is a parking lot for $6 next to the park entrance. The entrance fee was about $12 per person and you have to pay online. You can't bring any food into the park. Overall, this was worth it, and a great workout. Don't bring grandma.

This is a wonderful place if you enjoy outdoor hiking. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes because you will walk a lot ! I saw two snakes on the way but they seemed cool.

First and foremost if your coming buy your tickets in advance. Make an account and buy the tickets, they will not see you at the window without tickets and service sucks once you get there. The walk was awesome not recommended to do it if your hungover but that did help me sweat everything out. The walk is easy but if any elderly that can’t walk or is difficult to walk don’t do it. It’s flat then hilly and full of rocks. The water fall is amazing but the only downside of it is that you can’t walk all the way down to the bottom it’s closed off due to fallen trees. So you can only see it from where we took the photo. Is it worth the money maybe, but you should look elsewhere to get to a waterfall up close. You drive over the water and that’s free you can’t miss it. If we would of known that we couldn’t get to the bottom we would of gone to another one.

3km out and back hike. Challenging at times, but difficult parts are either paved or have man made stairs. The access to the waterfall was closed and definitely makes the effort of the hike less enjoyable but the pool and mixing area are worth it for those who enjoy the beauty and science of the natural world. Plenty of wildlife too including toucans, capuchins and coati.

Beautiful waterfall after a short hike. Trails are well maintained with interesting wildlife to be seen. Stairs were involved and it's a rainforest so we had some rain. Get there early. Nearby parking for a small fee.

One of the busier parks that we visited while in Costa Rica, but with good reason. We got our tickets ahead of time and we didn't have to wait to get in at all. We only went as far to see the blue lagoon waterfall, but I would almost wager that is enough on its own with how beautiful it is. The hike isn't too far but does have some decent vertical bits, and about 250 steps (each way) if you want to get to the base of the waterfall, which I highly recommend doing. At the parking lot there are bunch of vendors with delicious fresh fruit and other foods that make a great refreshing recovery snack after some good exercise.

We visited the park during the start of the rainy season but got lucky that it didn’t rain to much. 100% worth it to see the Rio Celeste. Parking cost 3,000 colones and afterwards you can get a chilled green coconut and fruit as a snack.

Fantastic park, we all had a great time. The zip lines are amazing and nice to see all the safety gear for the staff as well as the guests. Very nice animal park with large cages for animals, friendly staff around to tell you all about the animals. Horse riding was also pretty fun. Excellent buffet lunch, everything fresh and crisp , nice coffee and juices. Craft beers and full bar available for extra charge, craft beers were 5,000 colons ($10 us dollars ). Great view from the restaurant/main office. The coffee tour was interesting and sugar cane crushing was fun. Overall we all had a great day. Plenty of parking. Recommend staying a whole day in order to fit everything in.

Beautiful!!!! The park is absolutely gorgeous! The view of the ocean and Riu below is breathtaking. We sat and watched zip lining for a while. My husband and I did the nature walk. It’s a zoo. I was a little disappointed. It is nicely organized and clean, except for windows, but I’m assuming the animals make most of the mess. The animals looked well cared for. The sloth feeding was a little disappointing as you could not always hear the announcer. It’s a lovely park. I just think they should call it a zoo or animal park, not a nature walk.

Such a fun day! The all day adventure pass is well worth it. Nice buffet lunch after zip lining. Everything was well maintained and staff very professional. Zip lining felt very safe. The zoo is very well done too. So much to do on property you really can spend a whole day here. Be sure to bring an insulated water bottle to refill.

The zoo is especially well done with great landscaping and enclosures where you can actually see the native animals up close. The toucan and butterfly exhibits are especially captivating. Keepers are very knowledgeable and provide valuable information. There is also ziplining with one called the Superman. Exciting! A cultural experience, horseback riding, ATVs, a beach walk, a good buffet, and a gift shop are also available. Oh, there is also a spectacular view from the restaurant. Highly recommend a visit!

What a adventure! We did day passes which included all parts of the park, ziplining, buffet lunch, parking, shuttle, lockers. Only $140 each for all of that. The animal sanctuary was amazing. We spent the most time there. Saw many animals I have never seen before. The biggest adventure part was the ziplining. One was a MILE LONG! And started at the top of a mountain! For real. Good grief. I never would have done it if I had realized before hand. But, we did it. The crew was fantastic getting us in our harnesses and gear. Total of 5 zip lines and one drop zone or short repel. Fun and scary, too. Kenneth was an absolute treat to work with and talk to. The botanical center and learning centers were interesting. It was super hot while we were in there, so we cut that shorter than we should have. Lunch buffet hot and fresh. Also had salad bar, tea, juices, dessert. Nice selections available. Hammocks available to relax at the beach, or paddle boards. Also opportunities to ride horses or ATVs which we chose not to. Easy to spend the whole day there! So glad we did that.

Experience was great - the zip line was incredible and had the most spectacular views. The lunch that was with our package was so so, it got us easily each something we could enjoy though. The staff was so friendly from every driver and zip line person and each naturalist we spoke with.

Awesome! What’s a great place to spend the day at! So much to do. Great place to come when visiting Costa Rica. Family filled fun. If you’re driving here consider renting at least a mid performance car or at least something with 4x4. Steep hills and rocky dirt roads that are washed out or muddy. Driving yourself not for the weak of heart: narrow winding roads

We had a relaxing boat ride led by a local guide and saw a large number of birds and caimans. Also a buffalo and monkeys!

If you're seeking an authentic, off-the-beaten-path wildlife experience in Costa Rica, Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge is a must-visit. Located near the Nicaraguan border in Alajuela Province, this remote haven offers a serene escape into one of Central America's most biodiverse wetland ecosystems.

I loved it here - away from the majority of tourists and lots of wildlife. To see it you definitely need to take a boat. I organised one at the bridge very easily - I was a couple of hours early and they fed me some fresh fruit and as much coffee as I could drink. There were some cayman directly in front of the restaurant which kept me busy.

Amazing place to see lots of birds and reptiles. You must have a guide, as without one you really wouldn't see much. I never knew that huge iguanas spent most of their time at the very top of trees, its amazing to see. I recommend you booking a tour for 10am, most suggest 7am, but that totally unnecessary. Also, I recommend if driving use the road from number 4, not 35. Road 35 has much more potholes and large rocks.

Nice boat tour. We got to see Spider Monkeys, Congos, lots of birds, a caiman and they even let us get off the boat and we went searching for a beautiful orange howling monkey! Gustavo and our captain (forgot his name) where very knowledgeable and really friendly! We finished with a nice lunch!

We had a wonderful 2 hour boat tour seeing all kinds of wildlife. Our guide was amazing at spotting things and ta,ing us in for a closer look. Although the day was hot, being in a covered boat on the river was delightful. Recommended

Fantastic wildlife, very close as boat drifted up and down stream. Definitely worth visiting. The drive there is tiring (so called Costa Rica massage 🤣😖) but the place is incredibly rewarding. We saw at least 23 species of bird and I suspect a lot more, plus caymans, crocodiles, lizards, iguanas, monkeys (at a distance), turtles

My first time travelling to Costa Rica and I was not disappointed. October stay and was met with beautiful sunshine every day. Beach, restaurant's and groceries are all within walking distance. I'll be back.

Spent a week on this quiet, lovely beach. Sand may not be the prettiest due to all the volcanic pumice, but it is so soft. Nice tree cover at end of beach with path to walk with easy access to the handful of restaurant/hotels/bars that filled our needs (and bellies) for the week. Area is a wild mixture of wealth and poverty and is very safe. Will definitely be back.

The beach was less crowded and pleasant. There were more food options and it wasn’t as touristy.

Great beach with few tourists. We enjoyed restaurants with local fare, the sunsets, beautiful water, and relaxing atmosphere.

Im photograper in Playa Hermosa is a true paradise in Guanacaste. Soft sand, calm waters, and sunsets that look like paintings. The perfect spot to relax, enjoy with family, and capture unforgettable moments with stunning photo sessions. A magical corner of Costa Rica that always inspires!

Really fun beach. Calm waves break for kids do play in. Keep in mind the sand is black and very fine got everywhere but soft to walk on and kids loved playing with it. Very big too so plenty of space to have your space and vegetation to have shade when you want it. There is limited parking right on the beach no hike down tot eh water needed. Also has a few restaurants options near by including one on beach that is part of a hotel. Restaurant on beach I expensive but a good option.

Beautiful beach!!! And relaxing. You can see stingrays and cute fishes

From the moment we arrived at the hacienda, we were completely immersed in the beauty and culture of Costa Rica. The property is absolutely stunning – a perfect blend of natural wonder and authentic charm. It felt like stepping into another world. The service was nothing short of exceptional. Every staff member was warm, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about making our stay unforgettable. Their attention to detail and dedication to hospitality made us feel right at home. The range of activities offered on the property was spectacular. The highlight for us was the waterfall and Rio Negro – both far exceeded our expectations. Crystal-clear water, breathtaking views, and a sense of untouched natural beauty that’s hard to describe. If you're looking for a place that offers adventure, relaxation, culture, and world-class service all in one, this hacienda is a must-visit. We can’t wait to come back!

We loved our time at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin! There is a lot of beautiful things to see and do right on the property and very close to the National Park and La Leona. As someone with a gluten allergy, I was delighted that all the food on the property is Gluten Free (and delicious!). We stayed in the Honeymoon suite and while the room was great, we were bummed that the private pool was not heated and very cold. Overall, I highly recommended a stay here.

We loved this hotel! It was located on such an expansive beautiful property with so many things to see and do. We thoroughly enjoyed the one day adventure with waterfall rappelling, tubing down the river, zip lining through the canyon, horseback riding to a waterfall, followed by relaxing at the hot springs.

We did not stay in the hotel, so I cannot speak to the quality of the rooms, but the adventure tours were fantastic! We went first with a big group of 7 of us on the Canyon Half-Day tour and had an absolute blast. All the guides were competent and there was always at least one guide who's english was very good. We went back a second day in a row for tubing and horseback riding, and had an equally great time.

One the plus: - Perfect location - nearby activities are included and shuttle bus also - lots of activities - rooms are nice - staff mostly friendly On the negative - the food! Breakfast is OK Neither of the two restaurants offer good food, however. Vegetables were completely burnt, kids' chicken fingers soaked in oil and no salt at all. Burger below average, and so on Pizza was pretty good though - room doors are simply on thin layer of wood, why? - the zip line tour was really worrying!! Nothing happened, but our group was about 50 people, and all were rushed through the course. Staff was clearly not able to focus on safety. All the time, two people were on the same line. Platforms were stacked with people. Staff had to constantly rush. Again, nothing happened, and it was fun, but I only wonder when... They should just limit the number of people per tour and focus on quality over quantity. The same goes for the Tubing, which was fun too but again like 50 or 60 people.

We stayed two nights. Really wonderful place - clean rooms and we saw a lot of wildlife right in the property of the hotel. We took some of the tours as well as independently explored some of the trail.

What a gem. Amazing service, great food which happens to be gluten free. Wonderful location that allows you to access and do so much from your hotel room. Very impressed and my celiac wife was very happy with my choice.

Most excellent tours!!! Did the ATV on a Saturday. So much fun!! Terrain was beautiful & challenging!!! Guides were GREAT!!! Came back on to do their horseback riding & it was also incredible!!! Terrain was challenging, but the horses picked their way through perfectly!! BEAUTIFUL trails & excellent guides again!! Highly recommend!!

It was a good experience, been to better .. didn’t really see any of the indigenous on this tour … did find out that sloths 🦥 carry syphilis .. 😲 no.. what’s up with that one though

We did the ATV excursion & it was fantastic. The terrain is quite rugged so but our guides were great mixing it up while keeping it fun & exciting. If we were skiing I would call this a solid Blue terrain that had sections of Black terrain. Would definitely go again, next time we try the horseback riding.

Great spot if you want a horseback riding tour while visiting this corner of Costa Rica. It’s ideal for beginners and advanced riders alike: although I’m an intermediate dressage rider, my boyfriend is a complete beginner and we both felt equally safe and engaged during our ride. The horses are calm, docile, and sure footed for the hilly and rocky terrain. The guides are passionate about animal husbandry (this is a ranch as well) and love their horses. They showed us the traditional Costa Rican tack (it’s basically a western saddle) and let us help tack the horses. This is not something that most riders ask for but if you go with a small group I recommend calling ahead and asking if you can tack the horse / spend time with them beforehand. It gives you an opportunity to get to know your horse before riding. The course is on the ranch’s property, which encompasses many many mountains and fields. We easily rode for 1.5 hours without touching the same area twice, and it is completely secluded from public traffic. During your ride you will see cattle, other horses, wildlife, and the pinnacle of the ride is a brief rest on a mountain top with gorgeous views. We found this ranch via the tourist office within Dreams Las Mareas but I am sure you can contact them directly as well. If you - like myself - are passionate about riding horses on your vacations, Hacienda El Cenizaro is an ideal spot for you.

If your looking for a great Tour while in Costa Rica this is the place to go. We did both the horse ride and Atv tour on separate days and neither were a disappointment .. situated on a breathtaking 800 acre property that offers you great scenery along with amazing views of the country side and coast you will not be disappointed.. The facilities are immaculate the Atvs are mechanically sound and the horses are well kept .. the guides are knowledgeable very personable and lots of fun . We saw a great deal while on both trips and not to worry if you do both you are taken on different paths so you don’t see the same thing .. either tour stops in the woods to let you see the many monkeys living in the wild.

We had the absolute best time horseback riding with “Popeye”. We ended up going not once but twice during our week stay at Dreams Las Mareas. The landscape is beautiful and they truly take the best care of their animals. Each horse was turned out to the pasture immediately after each ride. I ride frequently — and these were the most behaved horses I have ever seen at a dude ranch / horseback excursion. Can’t recommend Adrian & Popeye enough!

Great place for horse back riding. Great staff and horses are kept in good health. It took about 2 hours to do the entire trail. Got to see plenty of animals and the view fro top of the mountain is amazing. Jeff and Gilberto were great guides. Thank you to both of them. 100% recommend them . We booked our tour with Amstar in the lobby at Dreams Las mareas.

It's a nice place to visit with excellent clubs and parties. The beach is also cool. Lots of tourists here.

One of the most exotic fun filled bays to travel to in the world. It is a surfer's and fish eaters paradise. Plenty of wonderful beachside hotels, pubs and restaurants. Come from all over the world to relax, eat surf, fish, walk and party.

•November 2023• a beautiful beach with perfectly warm water and a great place to watch the sunset. Also some great waves to swim in.

truly an amazing place. so pretty. the water is great fun to play in tho u do need to watch out for sting rays

One of the best places to visit in Nicaragua! Ambience is excellent! Great places to eat and to have fun! You must go to visit the christ statue up the hills.

There's definitely better beaches in the area, but it’s nice to watch the sunset. Everytime I came to this beach in the late afternoon, there was always volleyball games taking place on the beach and several people hanging out and drinking while waiting for sunset.

A beautiful sunrise and sunset - if you want a great spot with live music and free entertainment; walk down to the beach volleyball and sit on the bleachers to watch the sunset! Grab a beer from the bar next door and enjoy!

First let me say this spring is on par with ones I go to in Florida. It’s going to be the “Wekiva type” where the water is mostly arranged in large pools that have been manicured a bit for convenience. Truly, I think Ojo is rather well-designed. There is a shallow section with underwater ledge built to separate it from the deeper half with a diving/Tarzan swing. Some cute playset swings IN THE WATER 🫢 (why haven’t we done that before in FL?? Such a cute idea) and a smaller, medium-deep “adults” pool for those avoiding the kids & families. Sufficient seating, showers, and bathrooms all around. A really easy plantain farm hike (I greatly enjoyed it). And is no one mentioning the fact that c185 towards food is included at the restaurant?? The menu is much more expensive than expected for the most part (fish & chips for $20USD or 600+ Córdoba being the most egregious offender 😂). But c185 can get you a side of fries + queso + soda of your choice 💁🏾‍♀️ which was good enough for me. Had a lovely time. Great way to escape the heat of the day, and if you partake in one of the many cocktails (I did not), you’d probably have an even nicer time 🍻

It was super quiet when we went. People were so nice. The water was incredibly refreshing. It was so peaceful. It's definitely a nice place to stop!

A pleasant walk around a small Lake on the shores of the much bigger lake with the volcano in the background. Trail is minimally maintained. Okay if you don't have any other plans but Nothing special. Enter through the reserve Visitor Center. Don't drive past it or you will be on the property of the hotel on the shore of the lake

This natural pool was GORGEOUS and sooo refreshing on a hot day!! It has a really fun rope swing which was our favorite part!! they also have food with many options there. I would definitely recommend checking this spot out.

Really nice place with a natural pool! We were lucky to visit early in the morning as it got quite crowded by the afternoon. The food at the restaurant was quite tasty, though it had only a few vegetarian options. The staff was super helpful and friendly.

We stayed for 5h, perfect place to stay all day! Service is great, the waters are amazing, very clear, with little fishes that amaze the kids. The swings and Tarzan rope can keep kids busy for hours, and if water gets too cold for them, they can take a break in a trampoline and other games. Must do when traveling on Ometepe! Recommended to us both by tourists and locals, literally everyone we told we were going to Ometepe as a family.

Great experience! It wasn’t busy when we went which was lovely to have open seats and lots of swimming space! $10 usd per person but half of that is used as a voucher for the bar or restaurant, so great value!

Good ride, reservation required is your taking a car. Good prices. We paid $13 for 2 and one car, each way.

I would spend one night only on this island, rent an ATV, go to the waterfall, explore around see the volcanos and come back the next day. There are cute little bed and breakfasts around, but just make sure you book your trip ahead of time so you can bring your car into the island.

Amazing, peacefull island with two vulcano and lot of beautiful places for visit. I reccomend lent there motocycle or ATV better than car because many roads are really bad to see many places like waterfall, playa mangos for sunset or ojo de agua. I came here in off- season so places were empty so it was good. But in some places i felt like after some catastrophic dissaster some building or docks were empty like after nuclear accident i felt there like in chernobyl.

Amazing island. We loved our time here exploring the jungle and volcanos. The nature is fun to explore and the views of the volcanoes are just stunning. Very fun to ride around the island on a motorbike or Vespa. So much to do and see! Ojo de agua swimming pool, horseback riding tour through the jungle to see monkeys, amazing volcano views. Incredible and unique place!

Beautiful place. Just make sure you plan it well and consider being there for 7 days or more

One of the best, best places to go in Nicaragua 🤍✨ it’s really gorgeous 😍 I fell in love with the natural beauty everywhere. 💘

In Nicaragua you should not miss this great island. You can even spend there a week if you want to check all the nice activities / places. Take a boat or ferry from San Jorge witch takes around 1h (50-80C$). In my opinion Santo Domingo is the best place to stay, not many people, nice and cheap hotels / hostels / apartments and you’re in the middle of the island where you can start your trips all locations. It’s 45min with the bus or 20min with a taxi (100C$) from the harbor. 2 vulcanos (if you like hiking), nice beaches just around the corner. You shops also rent a motorbike and drive around the island. With some stops you can spend the hole day. A motorbike is much better than a scooter (25$ instead of 20$/day) because many “streets” are a bit offroad. With a motorbike it’s much easier and a lot more fun. Ojo de agua is like a small, outdoor bath where you can also relax one day. Don’t miss this great island.

Nice boat trip out to the islands in Lake Nicaragua. Enjoyable with lots of flora and fauna particularly bats and monkeys to see!

Really beautiful islands to kayak (or via boat) through. 10/10 can recommend. For kayaking: Vladimir Kayak and Boat.

Great place to spend your vacations in Nicaragua. This is one of the most beautiful places in this country with a great variety of animals and plants.

Beautiful islands off the coast of Granada. We took a boat tour to see the different islands and it is definitely recommended if you are anywhere near. Our favorite island was the one that a Veterinarian bought a long time ago in order for the local monkey population to live in. It was great learning about the history of the Islands and who owns which one. Will definitely love to do this tour again if we are ever back in Nicaragua.

Hundreds of small Islands. Some have hotels, monkeys, Bars…

A very nice boat ride to the isles of Granada lake.

From our hostel we could book the tour for 15$ and it was great! We were the only two in the boat and our guide, Lorenzo was amazing, telling us about the islands and local wildlife. The hightlight was monkeys jumping aboard the ship, just an all around amazing experience.

A wonderful, very informative museum tour! Our guide, Sylvia, clearly explained the whole process from farm to final product. The tasting session (including different cacaos and liquor) was a great experience. The visuals were excellent for understanding the journey. We loved it and bought some dark chocolate and a brownie on the way out!

The place is eclectic, offers variety of services. For me it's a spot for hot chocolate, especially cup of a 'Ceremonial hot chocolate'. A bit overpriced, but price includes unique atmosphere. Don't forget to wander around this beautiful house, appreciate the three courtyards (!) and picturesque corridors.

I went there and I got a 60-minute massage for $30 usd. It was one of the best massages I've ever had. The staff are friendly, and the chocolate iced tea was unique and tasty!

Sylvia did the tour for us. We asked her to do it Spanish but slowly. She said ok. 2 mins after she was faster than formula 1. But whatever. It was very interesting. Sylvia seemed so tired and felt like she was about almost going to fall asleep in the middle of her speech but she was relatively friendly. It lasted About 30 minutes. We got to try various products. Cool location. Nice experience

Great experience at the Chocolate Museum of Granada, Antonio gave us a tour and we learned a lot about cacao history and how it's made. The cacao tree inside the museum is cool, we could taste every drinks they make there and the boutique offers great products (we bought brownies, cacao rum, moisturising cream, caramelized cacao and so many chocolate bars!). We will come back for sure next time we stay in Granada !

My 3 children and I had a great time at Choco Museo today in Granada! Their free tour is very informative, interactive and lots of fun. Their chocolate is also delicious. Highly recommend!

This place is amazing. I came here twice. Once I had the ceremonial drink and chocolate and it was delicious, everyone must try it. 2nd time I came for a facial and it was so good, i got a massage as well. The therapist named Katrina is just amazing, I would highly recommend her to everyone. And the prices for spa services is so much better than some other places i tried. At Socialtel reflexology was twice as much and it was terrible. Gonna write a separate review on that. Also tried Chocolate martini and just delicious.

Cathedral Roof experience GETTING THERE?- The ticket office is located on the southeastern corner of the cathedrals outer complex down a small cobblestone corridor. When you have a ticket you then go to the south western corner of the cathedrals outer complex where there is a tiny gate entrance to give someone your ticket to then go up 2 flights of stairs to the roof. COSTS / PAY / PRICE - Tickets for foreigners were 4USD per person, cash only. Could also pay cordoba. WHAT TO EXPECT? Ascend 2 flights of stairs, have to remove shoes and carry them, given 25mins to explore the 2 outdoor floors of the cathedral roof with white domes and views over the city and surrounding areas. OUR EXPERIENCE- It's a unique activity, only takes 30-45mins in total to look around and can be quite hot as it's exposed. Worth doing whilst you're in Leon. TOP TIP: Worth wearing socks as it's pretty hot on the white roof floor. It's open 8-12 and 2-4pm but other reviews have suggested it can be sporadic and often closed so give plenty of flexibility.

The grandiose Leon's Cathedral is a colonial architecture marvel. It has 5 naves, the size challenges the biggest cathedrals in America. The World Heritage Site, proclaimed in 2011. Visit, enjoy & meditate

This is probably the most important attraction of Leon and it is so poorly managed. 1. It has random opening hours and no update on closure time or days. Luckily I had an extra day so I could visit. 2. The guard at the ticket area is super rude. I came to buy the tickets and said we are not selling tickets now, to come after 15 mins in a rude way even though I can see people coming out with tickets. The tickets have time on it so why can't they just sell with advance time. 3. I asked if I could wait inside as there was a huge space and he rudely said no even though it was scorching hot outside. 4. Even though I was waiting outside then some guys went directly in and bought tickets before even if they came 15 mins after me. 5. The ticket counter is also run by scammers. They asked me 145 Cordoba which I paid. Then when I got the ticket it's says the price is 3 USD which is 110 Cordoba. I didn't argue but this is a pure scam. 6. Lastly when you go up you have to take out shoes even though the ground is hot and will burn your feet. There should be some sort of arrangement. 7. Lastly they let the tour groups block the whole room before the roof and let them do tour explanation there. In the mean time you are stuck outside in the heat and with your feet burning.

Went to the rooftop and it was incredible. The architecture is beautiful and watching the sunset was amazing. I highly recommend going up for it. The ticket cost 145 to go up (they recently increased the price from 110). You need to buy it before 5pm and they let the sunset group up to around 5:20 on the right side of the building. You get to stay there until 6pm.

Worth the visit if you are in León, just beware you have to take off your shoes once you go up. Don’t be stupid like me and arrive with shoes wearing socks. Take you socks off beforehand, that way, they have no other option to let you go on top of the roof with your shoes. Everyone who was wearing sandals was able to keep them on (smart and well prepared move). Meanwhile I was wearing thin socks and burning my feet soles. Ps: you buy the tickets to go up at the backside of the cathedral. So, not at the rooftop entrance which is located on the right side of the cathedral.

Leon’s cathedral is a great place to visit and take a 360 degrees view of the colonial city landscape. Additionally, you can’t take a look of other churches, the sunset and even your next attraction. Perhaps the “Cerro negro”, the black hill ;)

I went to the Cathedral for the Nicaraguan holiday of a “Purisima” and it was a unique experience as the towns people gathered at the Cathedral to celebrate. I would just be careful with personal belongings as the cathedral gets overly packed with people, and to bring or buy refreshments along the way.

The volcano is around a one hour drive away of Leon. After that it take around 45min to get to the top of the volcano. During the hike you’re treated with amazing views of the jungle and other volcanos in the distance. Definitely stay for the sunset which is amazing to see from the top of the bus!

Cerro Negro is one of Nicaragua's youngest and most active volcanoes, famous for the thrilling experience of volcano boarding down its steep black ash slopes. The hike to the summit is moderately challenging but rewarding, offering spectacular views of surrounding volcanoes and the volcanic landscape. Visitors love the adrenaline rush of sliding down the volcano while dressed in safety gear, and many highlight the unique adventure as a must-do activity in Nicaragua. Overall, Cerro Negro combines breathtaking scenery with an unforgettable, exciting experience

Worth the experience. Bit of a goat trail up the mountain, you carry your own board. Takes an average of an hour to walk up.

Totally worth the hike with your board. Amazing place, astonishing views from the top. Weather has been a little bit odd these days, but I liked the fog too.

The trek up is not difficult and took more than half an hour. Great view at the top of the volcano. Extremely windy at the top. Waiting for sunset was the icing on the cake. Beautiful panoramic view. Going down the volcano was a totally new experience, it took about 10-15 minutes to glide down the moving, sliding volcanic pebbles. It was not easy and some really enjoyed the descent

The youngest active volcano in Central America! I'm glad to have experienced volcano boarding here, it was exhilarating! Went here with a local guide, who is an independent contractor with a group tour that I booked. It's great that we went early in the morning so we had the whole volcano to ourselves and avoided the scorching sun. The hike up to the peak is about 45 mins, rewarding you with cool breeze and amazing view. Descending down the slope with the board takes a few seconds to few minutes. An experience of a lifetime that is worth doing again! :)

A few of us went volcano boarding a few years ago, and even if had just gone for the hike and views, it would have been spectacular. Boarding itself was great fun, but make sure you cover up as much skin as you can... and bring water!

I liked, but didn't love this place. For some reason (I don't know why) I thought the ruins/pyramids would be taller, more impressive. But it is a nice place to get some history. Just keep in mind that you can't get anything to eat or drink inside the park, and if you take anything in, you have to hold onto the bottle/container until you come back out. There are no trash cans inside. Also, if you have mobility problems, there are no paved walkways, so it can be a challenge.

We visited the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Our tour guide was really great and went into thorough detail describing their life and the village that once stood there. We got to walk around and climb a little bit and overall I really enjoyed Chacchoben and I have zero complaints about my experience. (Written 11-12-25)

Great shore excursion to see very old ruins. The area is well kept and clean. The bus ride and tour was informative. The only disappointment was that you were not given much time to grab a snack. We quickly ate a snack which was okay. The tamales we the best I have ever had.

Very cool historical site to check out not too far outside Costa Maya. Check out some Mayan ruins, see some monkeys, and some of the local jungle. Make sure to get here before the cruise ship tours for the best experience. Low crowds = plenty of uninterrupted pictures opportunities!

This was my second Mayan ruins visit and I was blown away. I've always wanted to venture into a rainforest environment and this was it! In this tour, you get to wander thru a lush rainforest environment surrounded by the noises of monkeys, so cool, and I even got a picture of one. This site is spread out more than Altun Hu and the monuments might have been bigger. This site has an altar where they performed human sacrifice and many large, well preserved monuments. They have a fantastic gift shop and fabulous tamales!

The place is rather small if you’re used to much bigger ruins like Itzá, Tulum, Uxmal and such. The entrance fee is relative cheap. If you paid for a tour or some sort of bus ticket, you my friend overpaid and failed to do your research. Educate yourself before ranting about your expenses and think that the place has anything to do with not meeting your expectations. It’s in the middle of the jungle; it will be hot and humid. Get over it or don’t visit. Yes, it may be raining and there will be mosquitoes too. So prepare yourself and stop whining. How you experience the place is up to you. The only cons about the place are two: There are no restaurants in the place, only snacks that you can buy. Be prepared to overlay a ridiculous amount of money if you want to buy souvenirs in the shops there. They overcharge tourists for artifacts. If it is within your means, wait till to go to a bigger ruin site where you can get better prices. Don’t buy these terms in Playa either; they will also be freaking expensive.

Great if you are on way to or staying at Bacalar.. we had had great guide eze , from the shop. Really informative,not just about ruins and how built but more about Mayan culture both then and now . Leant more in 2hours than anything you could find in a book or phone . BEWARE we were only 3cars in car park and so had place to self with a good beer and ice cream with eze at the end . However he mentioned day before a cruise ship had docked and 50 coaches were there . With checking if cruise liner has docked if so will be heaving otherwise serene

This reserve is so big; we really enjoyed the trip; warching the birds; first time saw spoonbills; they are so beautiful. We could also see the ruins. The best part is floating in the very cool and clear water of the Mayan canal. Luckily we could spot the manatee, but very fast so not very clearly

Truly a once in a lifetime experience!! NOTE no sunscreen, no phone, no plastics allowed! 1,000 pesos plus 100 to park but what an incredible location! Look for Cruz, he is the best guide and enjoy!

Absolutely incredible—truly the gate to heaven as its name suggests. Part of me doesn’t want to share this place for fear that tourism will damage its pristine beauty, but for those doing the research and reading this: go. I can’t recommend it enough. The water is crystal clear— even clearer than some rivers in Switzerland. Floating through the channels (more like gently drifting, lazy-river style) was deeply relaxing and surreal. No sunscreen is allowed to protect this fragile ecosystem, which I truly respect. Please—seriously—don’t pee in the water, don’t wear sunscreen, don’t touch the trees, and don’t do anything that could damage the natural environment. That said, going with the right guide is essential. My guide explained there are multiple entry points, and the scenery and road conditions vary drastically depending on the route. We had only 3 minutes of bumpy driving and arrived in about 30 minutes—but my guide confirmed (and I’ve seen on YouTube) that the wrong route can mean crawling at 3 km/h for 3 hours, only to end up somewhere polluted with trash and plastic, like some negative reviews mentioned. The route we took had absolutely pristine water but not much wildlife other than birds and fish—no dolphins, manatees, or flamingos—but I’ve heard there are other routes that focus more on wildlife viewing if that’s your priority. Bottom line: do your homework and choose your guide and route wisely—it makes all the difference.

An incredible place to experience nature in its purest form. The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is full of diverse wildlife, pristine lagoons, and untouched beaches. A boat tour through the mangroves is highly recommended — you can often spot dolphins, turtles, and different bird species along the way. The water is crystal clear, and the scenery is breathtaking. It’s best to visit with a guided tour to fully appreciate the area’s ecological and cultural importance. A must-visit for nature lovers and photographers.

just incredible. a memorable experience that will stay with me throughout my life. i am so grateful for our wise, warm guide Manuel and for Omar who drove our boat and was so attuned to the surroundings. they had a great harmony that made this tour particularly special. sian ka’an community is doing such amazing work to honour and appreciate the rich diversity of nature and her magic here and i am in deep reverence to everyone who made this experience possible. the best meals i had in tulum were here in the lodge prepared lovingly by the chef and his team, locally sourced, traditional and delightful. floating down the canal is pure peace. tranquility and wildlife abounds, this is a place of wonder. a true gift, thank you everyone ! 💚 a note to all visitors: please honour wearing natural sunscreen and mosquito repellent here to take care and preserve the delicate ecosystems.

Beautiful place to do a boat tour of the lagoons and see manatees, crocodiles and different birds. Gorgeous views.

If coming from Tulum on 15, it's not worth it!! 215 mxn pesos per person at the entrance (Arco Maya on the map). The only public beach access we could find is 4 km in and quite literally covered in trash, it's super sad to see. I wouldn't swim in it. The rest of the beach is fenced off, private property, which makes no sense on a nature reserve - but that's Tulum for you :/ For at least 14 km it's all jungle (pretty!) with no ocean or lagoon views until you get to a bridge with an awesome lagoon view, but it's only interesting for a few minutes and not worth the long drive on a dirt road. Unfortunately there are no trails or ways to really access the lagoon. I'm sure it's amazing with a tour but not if you're just driving in. Super disappointed at how this reserve has been privatized, trashed, and made inaccessible even for paying visitors.

70 pesos per person to enter. Plus 50 pesos for drones or (professional) camera equipment. Plus 50 pesos to walk the wooden path from the ruins to the lagoon. Well worth the entry fee and a few hours exploring. We did see a snake whilst walking along the path, can you spot it in my photo? The park has written signs in three languages so you don’t need a tour guide, although they do work the area. Parking is free at the entrance and there is a refreshment place and souvenirs across the road.

Fantastic ruins and a park that’s small enough to get through in the couple hours with the boat tour. Bring bug spray. The lagoon boat tour was wonderful as you have the opportunity to “swim” in the natural canal. It’s “swimming” because the current is so strong it feels like a lazy river! Enjoyed the whole experience a lot.

Definitely add on the boat tour. It was 1,000 pesos when you buy it from the park. It's so worth it to see that part. There is another smaller ruin they take you to, and the view of the biosphere is amazing. You get to float a section of it, which is refreshing after you walk the ruins and the path through the park. They don't allow sunscreen or big repelant if you are going on the boat tour. There are definitely mosquitoes during the walk through the trail.

Zona Arqueologica de Muyil is very close to Tulum. The entrance fee is very cheap. Its a very nice park to walk, lots to discover. Most of the area is in a nice shadow of trees so it is not too hot. You can choose to only see the part with the remains of the old buildings or you can choose to also go to the lagoon. I recommend to choose both, since it is a very nice walk that will take you by the remains and through the kind of jungle area full of trees.

I drove and used google maps to get to the office. Talked to one of the guys inside the booth to purchase the ticket and also the boat ride to the lagoons. Ticket price is 70 mx for the ruins and additional 50 if you proceeded to take the pathway at the back of the ruin. If you’re not going to take the boat ride, I suggest to only purchase the ticket for the ruins. There’s not much to do aside from the sketchy tower that you can climb when you’re close to the dock where they take you to the lagoon if you purchase the boat ride. The best is if you take the boat ride. It’s 1000 mx per person. They’ll take you to the 2 lagoons then lastly to the shallow canal where they let you float around for almost an hour.

Cool little historical spot to check out for a couple hours. Not a hugely popular spot so you'll have a relatively private time. There are a few different ruins, some nice wooded trails with great trail maintenance. Then there is also a lagoon you can walk to using a wood plank path that's about 1km long. Fun little day trip with multiple street taco spots nearby.

Cost for Ruins = 75 MXN per person. Cost for Bridge and Walk to Lagoon (chance to see wildlife) = 50 MXN per person. Cost for Lagoon Exploration Ride = 1000 MXN per person. (1 hr, swim in lagoon). We only did the first two. Would recommend the first, but not the second, unless you intend on the lagoon excursion. If not, save your pesos, the walk is too long for little ROI. We met a father/daughter who said the Lagoon excursion was worth it.

I recently visited this beach and had a mixed experience. The scenery is beautiful, with swaying palm trees and soft white sand, perfect for a relaxing day by the ocean. The beach was spacious, allowing for plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the sun. However, I did notice some seaweed along the shore, which detracted from the overall aesthetics. While it’s a natural occurrence, it would be great if the beach staff could clean it up more regularly to maintain its pristine look. The amenities were decent, with plenty of lounge chairs available. However, it felt a bit crowded at times, especially closer to the beach bars. Overall, it's a lovely spot to unwind, but a bit of maintenance could enhance the experience significantly. Worth a visit if you're in the area!

A beautiful beach with an amazing view. Try to get up early and watch the whales swimming and the sun rising. Absolutely lovely place. Can't wait to go back there next year. Suitable for couples, families,larger groups. Just an amazing place.

We didn't enjoy Tulum. It's like the movie your best friend overhyped and then it's a total disappointment. You have to pay an entrance fee to get in to Paraide beach, pay to park, pay to actually use the beach, pay for chairs/umbrella and pay again for a towel and THEN you can pay for your drinks and food. We went when the seaweed was out of control so it didn't help that we couldn't even enjoy what we paid through the nose for. It's the same issue at all of the beaches and I gave a 3 because it's the best of the ridiculous beach accessibility choices.

Beautiful beach that you can see from the Tulum archeological site. It was an amazing blue ocean and white sand!

There is so much sargassum here that the sea has turned brown. Also you have to pay an entrance fee to access. Would not recommend.

Definitely our favorite beach in Tulum! The sand is amazingly soft and white, sea is warm and calm, with no fishes around. The beach is in natural reserve (so in the protected area, as other Tulum beaches) so you can’t bring any plastic here (plastic bottled water or other potential garbage) - which is great, because this way they can maintain the beach clean, nice and preserve it for future generations! We have travel a lot but haven’t seen a beach this clean! And of course, you can find here the famous leaning palm tree 🌴

No idea what time portal other visitors traveled through to get to the beach they rave about, but this entire stretch of coast was a disappointment. First off, this entire area is part of a National Park. The fee to enter the one road leading to it is 50 MXN. Then when you choose an area to park, you must pay. It is not free. About 250 MXN. These prices would be worth it for any good beach, but my visit in late May was a bummer. Not the fault of service nor of the locals, but I walked from Playa Paraiso up to Playa Santa Fe and sargassum was washed up along the entire shore. The sand away from the water was beautiful; fine white powder. But the water was not even that stunning, and also contains even more sargassum. Makes me wonder where all those other photos came from. I don't need to visit again.

Tulum was an amazing place to visit and see the ruins. The history here from the Mayans over 1200 years ago. Learning more about the specifics and civilization was incredible. Our guide was amazing, very informative, and kind. This was a must see place for me visiting Cancun.

Number 1 must visit attraction in Tulum. The area is well maintained. Lots of iguanas. The access was quite affordable as for such huge complex. Amazing paradise beaches which are unfortunately closed for the public. I would rather recommend to come with the guide if u want not just nice photos but also to know more details about this ancient site.

We made our own way there via uber and got a tour guide at the ruins.. he was good. The ruins were good but definitely not something I would go back to see again.

Tulum is a great place to visit Mayan ruins. It is a moderate walk, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. I would recommend a guide so that you can learn not only the history of the ruins, but the history as known about the Mayan's themselves.

It was such a great experience. Our tour guide Victor was super knowledgeable. 11/10. Must see if you go. Shout out to Nipsey for the recommendation to see the Tulum ruins 🏁🛖💙

It's really well organised and there are also small golf carts to take you from the entrance to the site. Be aware of the parking!! Google Maps took us at a private parking which was completely full while the official one was empty! Check first with the satellite view and go where the big parking is.

Tulum was my first time there, and it was beautiful. The scenery was stunning, and it wasn’t too crowded, which was a relief. I also enjoyed learning about the history of the place.

Swimming with the turtles was more fun for adults and scared the little patooties around. The place is magical like you entered a different dimension! The entrance fee was very affordable too! We drove 2 hours from Cancun to Tulum and also paid a visit to this most talked-about Cenote.

At 500 pesos, very overpriced for what it is. We spend about 2 hours here, snorkeling, laying on the grass and taking some pictures. Beware that if you want to use their snorkeling equipment, you will need to leave your ID with them or a very big deposit. You can reach this place by bike from Tulum, the road is not that bad.

Its called “Salva Maya” as well. Best place to visit while you are in mexico around cozumel or cancun. You have to stop by and take a dive. Great sinkhole which has secure stairs, they give you life jacket with little 1 USD fees and they have few shops for shopping. We were on the way to Chichen itza and our tour bus stopped by for couple of hours for this Sinkhole with our tourist group. must stop at this place. They have little fees for an entry under 15 USD.

Really cool place, definitely recommend to go there. Entry cost 180 pesos, well worth the money. You can find turtles and "pedicure fish", it was quite busy when we got there by still really enjoyable. Bring your snorkelling stuff or you can rent them anyway there. Definitely do it:)

Very, very beautiful!!! Totally worth it. A bit pricey though, but a life jacket and snorkel kit is included. Bring an ID to secure the snorkel

MXN 500,- per person, MXN 250,- per child. MUST wear swimwest & shower (incl. hair) before swimming in the cenote. you can see turtles there. feel sorry for them bc of the overtourism which infects their habitat :-/ the ppl, who work there are very unfriendly and not helpful.

Entrance fee 180 pesos. Worth it! Recommend take your own or rent(80 pesos +id card) snorkeling equipment, because all beauty are under water ! If you can't swim there is a life jacket rental (about 60 pesos + id). You can rest there on grass or sit in buffet. Recommend ! There is a lot of turtles and fish.

This place is AMAZING! You do have to drive down a long dirt path (so be prepared) lol but it is worth it! The cave tour was very interesting and the cenote is something out of a dream! Crystal clear blue waters and beautiful rock cave formations. All the workers are so nice!!!! 🩷 Also, They have the cutest spider monkeys!! We wanted to come back the next day just to see them again, adorable!

Our visit to Aktun Chen was an experience that truly took our breath away. It's hard to describe how incredibly beautiful and peaceful this place is. It made us stop and think — how amazing and fragile our world is. Our guide was absolutely wonderful — he spoke with such love and deep respect for nature, explaining the formation of each stalactite and stalagmite like telling a sacred story. You could feel his passion and how important it is to preserve this natural wonder for future generations. Swimming in the cenote inside the cave was magical — the water was cool and clear, and the atmosphere was calm and spiritual. Thank you to the whole Aktun Chen team for such a meaningful and emotional experience. We’ll never forget it!

It’s worth the trip and the hiking is not difficult. Be prepared to need to duck down as you enter the cave as it is low for the first 10-20 meters but almost all of the rest is a comfortable height and not too many stairs.

Pretty spectacular place. Went on a rainy day so perfect for a cave cenote. 4 stars because the pricing looks like they change it. 650 mxn per person just for the cenote. Expect to pay per activity And We got there too late to do the other activities. At 340 pm we paid for the cenote they told us they close at 530. At 445 they were trying to say they were closing at 5pm. We stayed until 518. But they cut the WiFi off at 510pm and all the workers started leaving. No transportation back to reception We had to wait for our ride for 25 minutes with no WiFi hoping they would find us at the cenote instead of at reception Wasnt a great way to end our experience negotiating the time we paid for and WiFi to get picked up.

We had an amazing experience with our tour guide, Victor. He is very knowledgeable, speaks five languages, and has an incredibly positive attitude. We highly recommend visiting this park to everyone who loves nature on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Amazing experience and the staff were amazing! Learned so much about the local fauna and the history of the site! Highly recommend!!!

Lovely day in the amazing cenote Jaimie was a great guide for our group. Very knowledgeable

Entrance is 140 pesos now and you will be harassed by so called ‘information’ and ‘bay patrol’ guys every 5 minutes. Just go to the Lol-Ha cafe to have breakfast and have a look at the beach before and after. It’s not a nice bay anymore, it’s full of snorkel / dive boats, full of sea weed and most of all full of lines with buoys that help snorkel guide chase turtles in groups of 12 (!!!). Any many groups at the same time. If you want to snorkel yourself, you can in the first 20 meters, you can spot a turtle in that under water grass as well. Just enjoy it from a distance. And for really nice reef snorkelling, go somewhere else.

Did a wonderful snorkeling tour here. Good to know: Entrance to the beach is 140 pesos, cheaper for children. This fee is for the lockers, changing rooms, showers etc. The sign at the ticket office explicitly says you don't need a tour to enter the beach. There is a route made through the water with ropes which I believe most tours were following. You just swim it with your guide (I believe swimming vests are mandatory). We got to see 5 Turtles, some Stingrays, different types of fish and the reef. The beach itself is pretty rocky, so not ideal for a real Beach day. You can park about 100m from the entrance for 100 pesos.

The fact that literally all the beach altough offers no actual amenities is paid…is so sad…you are not even allowed to a certain point where the turtles are without paying for a guide…. Locals told me that used to be actually public/ free but not anymore…

Really enjoyed this clean and safe beach. It has a nice atmosphere - lively enough to feel fun, but not chaotic. A small tip for anyone visiting: if you don’t want to pay the 120 MXN access fee, walk straight down Calle 16 to the very end. You’ll reach a car park, just walk through the grounds and past the pool, and you’ll end up right on the beach.

Ok I read the reviews about how the turtles are being exploited and was skeptical at first but they actually look pretty relaxed and unbothered, they look clean and not filled with barnacles. The guide leads you to where they are and points some other marine life. I had a fun experience here! I had a private tour just myself and paid 30$. I looked online and usually they charge 45$ per person. It was fine by me since I had the solo attention of the guide. Me and my husband went around 10am ish and went to Lo-Ha restaurant this way we didn’t need to pay for beach access since my husband is not into beaches. We ordered drinks and lunch. While waiting I walked around the beach and there were a couple of guides that offered tours. So you can pick and think about it. You don’t need to buy it in advance since there are an abundance of guides at the beach area. My guide took care of me, he had new snorkels, I let him pull me a bit since he had fins and I didn’t. They all have floatation devices for safety. But I saw different sizes of turtles, and blue fish, squid, rays, even a ships cannon from the Spanish era. All in all it was a good experience. If you want to swim with the turtles I say go for it! Oh and parking is 100$ there’s a lot to your right that will say the price, and they will give you a ticket.

We came here on Thursday, November 6, 2025 and snorkeled with the turtles and the fish. The water was very warm, the weather was great! Our tour guide, from Cancun Adventures, who was with us all day, showed us around and she was really awesome! Although there was less fish than I expected and I couldn’t get any photos, it really was awesome to see! (Written 11-16-25)

Highly scammy - “impossible to swim without a guide”. The “guides” costs 700 pesos per person and you go in groups of 12. We looked from the beach and the waters were packed with people and boats. Much better options going somewhere else.

The snorkeling in lagoon was very cool. The food was subpar and not good. The service at restaurant was lacking. We did rent a palapa and enjoyed it. The ceviche Vallarta was not good. My child said chicken nuggets were mushy inside. French fries good. Crowded in opening with tours, after tours left in afternoon a lot more pleasant. There were hammocks in our palapa that we enjoyed. Make sure you eat well before you get there, as the food service was not good. They do not allow you to bring your own food. They need more help in restaurant.

We rented the Casa Laguna adjoining this lagoon and it was amazing to explore the place at different times of the day. Around 5-6pm is the best time of day, we experienced at least 7-8 full schools of different fish and they were much more in the open than during the morning or midday times. One of the highlights of our trip to Akumal for sure, highly recommend this experience and this casa was wonderful!

This is a place you want to visit because it located in a beautiful and connects to the ocean. The water is pretty and landscape also. There is no overhead canopy cenotes, they all open so great for kids. Buy tickets there, cheaper.

A very beautiful cenote. I loved it. It's a good choice since I've visited several. Even though it's an open saltwater cenote, it's still an excellent place. There's a variety of tropical fish and small animals.

Our friend advised us this lagoon. The earliest you get in, the better it is so you can enjoy being almost alone there. It is quiet, chill, and you can actually see a lot of fishes. The snorkeling area is quite vast so you can wander around and contemplate the underwater world with lots of space to explore. The water is very nice, considering its not possible to swim anywhere else in the Sargassum period ! An oasis of quietness and finally, swimming possibility for us ! 🙏 (We went there middle of August). You can hang around, lie in hamacs and sleep… we stayed here all day, enjoyed the sun and the nature surrounding us. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. 👍

Super cool! Not a lot of people and lots of fish to see snorkeling!

The lagoon is beautiful! I highly recommend getting there early. Around 11 it started to get busy, and it became a little crowded. The water was clear and cool, and fish were plentiful! We rented gear from the front desk, and the masks were the full face snorkel masks that tend to fog up a lot. The current is strong to the right of the entrance, towards the ocean. Life jackets are required but weak swimmers be careful!

Not well maintained, the bicycles were nice. Infrastructure needs work. Take your own water, bug sray, and a towel. It is hot and pure jungle, of course. Entry was $150 pesos. Guide offered for 1000 pesos. We declined.

This place is full of ancient ruins, when you reach the place park your car to the closest park to the gate, it is the cheapest one. You will need about 2 hours to finish the tour. You can higher one of the guides there to have some fun learning about the Mayans. The views are beautiful on the ocean. You will find a lot of iguanas and some colored lizards 🦎. I personally liked the decending God illustration, the feet towards heaven and the head on the ground. A bird like a peacock 🦚 followed us for about 5 minutes, it didn't heart but we didn't know why. I included his photo. Don't forget always to take water with you. The people are so peaceful.

This place was amazing and our Mayan guide was very thorough with the history and the facts. We learned a lot from him, he was amazing, and our bicycle taxi person was so respectful when we had to get on and off, being two senior ladies. The weather was perfect, and they have a public bathroom outside of the ruins, so make sure to use it before you enter. They do have two entrance fees one for parking and one for the entrance fee.

This is a must do while in the vicinity. We have been back twice in two years, and every time we become more educated on what life was like an ancient times. If you are lucky enough to have Pedro as your tour guide, you will be enchanted by his storytelling of the Mayan people in life in Coba. Plan to spend a long time so you can sit quietly and peacefully among the place and listen for wildlife. We were lucky enough to see wild turkeys, iguanas, and several varieties of birds. Definitely rent bikes, but make sure they fit you well as they can become uncomfortable quickly as we learned that day.

What an incredible place to visit!! I’m told it’s a less popular spot to view the ruins and I cannot see why. The entry fee is very reasonable and we got a private guide which we also found very reasonable! Pedro was very informative, had great stories, and visuals. He was great with my son as well, keeping him engaged and telling age appropriate versions of the history. We HIGHLY recommend the bikes to see the second part of the site. We had so much fun riding them and I think we saw a lot more with their use. We were all thrilled to see the snack shack near the “Big Hill.” It was a little under construction when we visited in July, and I’m excited to see the improvements they are making!! I wish I could donate money to them so they could rebuild more buildings!! 6000 buildings are scattered throughout the site - but the cost is so high to uncover and maintain. And one of our favorite meals was at the restaurant that sits right outside the gates!! Restaurante Xaibe. Fabulous Sopa de Lima, handmade tortillas, and Mayan style pork!

Great ruins, love the history. It is so nice to go to a heritage site and not be mobed by venders trying to sell over priced items. You muat go to Coba!

This was one of my favorite attractions in the Yucatan area. We got a personal guide and the experience was great. The Coba ruins is HUGE and many parts have not yet been excavated and restored yet. Our guide explained that Coba is like a Mayan highway where people from different areas come to meet and trade. Aside from temples, there are also other structures like gaming areas and many tablets that helped illuminated the Mayan culture, including tablets that mentioned some powerful women rulers as well as the end of the world story.