Fantastic tour! The boat ride was fun. Nate was very knowledgeable. Priscilla organised a delicious lunch. Great tour of the Lamanai site by Gustavo! Recommend! 👌🏻

Visited Belize for the first time and our resort set up this tour for us. It was amazing we had Nate guide us down the river and through the ruins and he was amazing. Very passionate about what he does. Lamanai is the only place we Got to see a Toucan and Nate found it for us. So cool traveling on a river to the ruins. Highly recommend!

What an amazing visit our tour guide was super friendly shared his lifetime of stories from the area and kept us laughing the either tour. Be warned call ahead and plan a visit on a date that the cruise ships are in port as they visit here at 500+ folks at time. We visited on a no cruise ship day which made for amazing photos, and the wild life was out and about, we saw monkeys, snakes, bats, etc.. The lunch served at the end of the tour is well worth the hike! What amazing local dishes!!

Dionisio and Junior made our trip extra special.While we were on the river we saw a crocodile, several species of birds, a manatee, bats, a turtle and iguanas. When we got to the Lamanai Reserve they shared the history of each structure and pointed out spider monkeys and a toucan! It was an amazing trip. Thank you Dionisio and Junior!

We had a great experience! The boat was clean and well maintained, and our captain Junior knew that river like the back of his hand. He went out of his way to spot wildlife (we saw a few crocodiles, and quite a few really interesting birds). The lunch provided at Lamanai was really tasty. Overall a really nice experience!

Lamanai Eco Tours Ltd. provided an unforgettable journey through Belize's natural and archaeological wonders. Our guide, Alberto, was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, enriching our experience with fascinating insights about the site and its wildlife. The boat ride with the safari was a highlight, showcasing the beauty of the area's ecosystem. Thanks to Alberto's expertise, the trip was both amazing and educational, leaving us with lasting memories and a deep appreciation for Belize's treasures. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an adventure filled with history, nature, and exceptional guidance.

This is by far one of the best Ecotours I have done in Central America. Our tour guides Collin and Alberto kept us on our toes and made what was a long day enjoyable to the fullest.

Fantastic tour! The boat ride was fun. Nate was very knowledgeable. Priscilla organised a delicious lunch. Great tour of the Lamanai site by Gustavo! Recommend! 👌🏻

Visited Belize for the first time and our resort set up this tour for us. It was amazing we had Nate guide us down the river and through the ruins and he was amazing. Very passionate about what he does. Lamanai is the only place we Got to see a Toucan and Nate found it for us. So cool traveling on a river to the ruins. Highly recommend!

What an amazing visit our tour guide was super friendly shared his lifetime of stories from the area and kept us laughing the either tour. Be warned call ahead and plan a visit on a date that the cruise ships are in port as they visit here at 500+ folks at time. We visited on a no cruise ship day which made for amazing photos, and the wild life was out and about, we saw monkeys, snakes, bats, etc.. The lunch served at the end of the tour is well worth the hike! What amazing local dishes!!

Dionisio and Junior made our trip extra special.While we were on the river we saw a crocodile, several species of birds, a manatee, bats, a turtle and iguanas. When we got to the Lamanai Reserve they shared the history of each structure and pointed out spider monkeys and a toucan! It was an amazing trip. Thank you Dionisio and Junior!

We had a great experience! The boat was clean and well maintained, and our captain Junior knew that river like the back of his hand. He went out of his way to spot wildlife (we saw a few crocodiles, and quite a few really interesting birds). The lunch provided at Lamanai was really tasty. Overall a really nice experience!

Lamanai Eco Tours Ltd. provided an unforgettable journey through Belize's natural and archaeological wonders. Our guide, Alberto, was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, enriching our experience with fascinating insights about the site and its wildlife. The boat ride with the safari was a highlight, showcasing the beauty of the area's ecosystem. Thanks to Alberto's expertise, the trip was both amazing and educational, leaving us with lasting memories and a deep appreciation for Belize's treasures. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an adventure filled with history, nature, and exceptional guidance.

This is by far one of the best Ecotours I have done in Central America. Our tour guides Collin and Alberto kept us on our toes and made what was a long day enjoyable to the fullest.

Great day out and would totally recommend. Our guide was really knowledgeable and the food was great. We saw baby crocodile, lots of different birds on the river. Big surprise was seeing and HEARING the howler monkeys at the ruins. Would certainly recommend.

Lamanai River Tours took great care of my family and I on our recent trip to Belize. We were visiting the country mostly for scuba diving, but had one extra day with no dives planned and I am so thankful that we decided to go on this tour! Captain Coconut Pete was waiting at the dock for us when we arrived. He gave a brief introduction of himself and some history of Belize before setting off on the adventure. He made us feel very comfortable and had a great attitude. We took a boat ride down the river to Lamanai and along the way Coconut Pete pointed out local wildlife, plants, and answered any questions we had. While visiting Lamanai he did his very best to ensure that we had the best experience by talking with staff and timing our visits to the different temples in a way that we could avoid as many other groups as possible. We only saw two other groups in passing and it felt like a very personalized experience. He did not make us feel rushed and encouraged us to ask any questions that we had. I found his storytelling and facts about the sites to be very interesting. Once again I am so glad we decided to go on the tour. The temples are very impressive and this truly felt like a nice retreat. The grounds were beautifully maintained and being able to admire these structures in person was an amazing experience. Thank you Coconut Pete for an unbelizeable experience ;)

Ignacio, Dora, and Junior did a great job with our tour. They were funny but also very knowledgeable about the history of the area, and you could tell they have a great respect for their land. The river boat ride over and back was beautiful, and the scenery was spectacular. The lunch was also great to come back to after hiking in the hot, humid weather. We enjoyed trying traditional Belizean food.

Had an amazing tour to the Lamanai Mayan with Coconut Pete as our boat captain and tour guide. He has wealth of knowledge of the surrounding area and has excellent customer service.

We went on the Tour with Coconut Pete last week. It was the best Tour we had in whole Belize. Coconut Pete was more than great, always looking for us and we immediatly felt like going on a trip with a friend we know for years. Coconut Pete is doing his Job with his whole heart and he shows his love to Nature, the river and the Ruins to his guests. We spotted Lots of crocodiles, turtles and many different coloured birds on the way there. We also had a magical experience with a whole troop of baboons just passing by on the tree close to us. The whole Trip was absolutly amazing and we highly recomment Coconut Pete as a Tour guide. Don't miss his Tour!!!

I had Hilberto as my guide and he was fantastic! Equal parts historian, anthropological teacher, flora/fauna expert, boat captain. He wove a story into the tour that made Lamanai’s timeline easily digestible and answered all questions with clarity. His pacing was terrific and I forgot to mention, the tour starts as soon as you get on the boat! The ride to the archaeological site was full of sightings of animals and flowers which helped break up the time. Not to mention the lunch that was served was better than a restaurant. 100% recommend and you’ll be lucky if you get Hilberto!

Vladimir’s was great. He took our group to the ruins and gave us a great, knowledgeable tour. Top notch adventure!

It takes a few hours on a bus to get to the ruins. The ruins are in a very small area, but for us, it is still worth viewing. There are only a handful of building ruins. But they are expanding the area. The guide was knowledgeable on the history of the area. Then you have a few hours bus ride back to port.

Had a great experience that allowed us to climb the ruins and discover the history behind these with our tour guide

Absolutely a hidden gem - the road to get here is full of potholes so will take you longer than the sat nav suggests, but well worth it. Lots to see and a very big site including a pyramid with preserved red paint and face carvings. Entry fee was $100 pesos and toilets were open, although no other facilities. It was very quiet when we visited on a Sunday, with only a few other people seen on the whole trip.

Absolute disappointing since the masks (highlight of the site) have been put into some boxes with some mosqito net. This means that the visibilty is extremely reduced. According to our guide to protect the masks. It is not allowed to bring food into the site and the restrooms are disgusting.

A beautiful place to visit. You get to stroll through the ruins. You are allowed to climb them if you wish. We were able to walk and see all the ruins on site in about an hour and a half. I recommend you being drinks and maybe even a picnic. There isn’t a place to buy food or drinks in the area. There’s a lot of grassy shady spots perfect to enjoy your food and drinks. Unfortunately we weren’t offered a tour I wish they would’ve to get more insight.

What a wonderful experience. Our tour guide German provided so much interesting information about the complex, the history behind it; the flora and fauna as well as wild animals in the rainforest there. I have been to many ruins in Mexico and this tour tops them all. What a memorable and wonderful experience. Highly highly recommended.

Amazing site! You have to drive for about 5km from the main road to get there. Easy to do if you have your own car. The road has quite a lot of potholes so you need to go quite slowly. Once there the site was pretty much deserted and it’s huge!

It takes a few hours on a bus to get to the ruins. The ruins are in a very small area, but for us, it is still worth viewing. There are only a handful of building ruins. But they are expanding the area. The guide was knowledgeable on the history of the area. Then you have a few hours bus ride back to port.

Had a great experience that allowed us to climb the ruins and discover the history behind these with our tour guide

Absolutely a hidden gem - the road to get here is full of potholes so will take you longer than the sat nav suggests, but well worth it. Lots to see and a very big site including a pyramid with preserved red paint and face carvings. Entry fee was $100 pesos and toilets were open, although no other facilities. It was very quiet when we visited on a Sunday, with only a few other people seen on the whole trip.

Absolute disappointing since the masks (highlight of the site) have been put into some boxes with some mosqito net. This means that the visibilty is extremely reduced. According to our guide to protect the masks. It is not allowed to bring food into the site and the restrooms are disgusting.

A beautiful place to visit. You get to stroll through the ruins. You are allowed to climb them if you wish. We were able to walk and see all the ruins on site in about an hour and a half. I recommend you being drinks and maybe even a picnic. There isn’t a place to buy food or drinks in the area. There’s a lot of grassy shady spots perfect to enjoy your food and drinks. Unfortunately we weren’t offered a tour I wish they would’ve to get more insight.

What a wonderful experience. Our tour guide German provided so much interesting information about the complex, the history behind it; the flora and fauna as well as wild animals in the rainforest there. I have been to many ruins in Mexico and this tour tops them all. What a memorable and wonderful experience. Highly highly recommended.

Amazing site! You have to drive for about 5km from the main road to get there. Easy to do if you have your own car. The road has quite a lot of potholes so you need to go quite slowly. Once there the site was pretty much deserted and it’s huge!

Service here was great! Everyone was super helpful and made it easy to get to Belize from Mexico. The jeep was dated and didn’t lock electronically so the trunk could be opened at all times but you probably shouldn’t keep valuables in the car anyway.

Belize VIP Auto Rentals are an excellent choice for all your transportation needs. We were lucky enough to meet the kind family. They were professional, very reliable and quick to respond. We rented a car, used them for rides to town and also to help us across the borders. We have nothing but great things to say about them and hope continued success for them.

This company is 100% professional they are always on time on pick ups mostly early, very knowledgeable and friendly staff . their rental cars are always clean in good shape. They are most valuable crossing the border from mexico to belize or other way , they are with you every step of the way , especially coming from mexico to belize . highly recommended.

Great service very easy to deal with. Had one of their vehicles for 2 days. And it was a very good experience..

The best, professionally run and operated transport company in northern Belize.

Always great service. I get rides from Belize city to Corozal.

They are superb. I use them all the time and will never change.

While visiting Corozal, we took o e afternoon to spend here. It's like going to a neighborhood park. It's quiet and peaceful. I packed a little snack, so we had a mini picnic there. It was fun to watch the iguanas in the trees. The signage was helpful. I am told that the alliance that was formed here is what allowed the Maya of this region to not be conquered by the Spanish. I love that it is in the town and we didn't have to do a long drive to get here.

Not the largest, but well worth a visit. Easy walk to the Mayan ruins. The primary docent/ guide was not at work the day we were there, I'm told he can greatly enrich your visit. Good signage to explain the history. Lots of iguana~! Everything was clean and well kept.

Beautiful small site in the town, clean and well maintained. Being the only visitor, the site was closed in the morning but a next door neighbor called the staff and 10 minutes later someone showed up and opened it for me. Friendly and helpful people around, don't be afraid to ask their help if the gate is closed. Worth the stop if you are around.

Calm

Institute guide that gave us a history was fun and incredibly knowledgeable!

What a place! Visited in mid afternoon, the only ones here. Ancient ruins and loads of iguanas! We got so many great photographs. Very enjoyable spot for an hour.

Very close to town, can even walk there if you want. Only one temple but cost is low and area is well maintained. Can take your time and relax there. The resident iguanas were great to watch too.

I went on a private guided tour with a ranger named Edwani(sp?), who was very informative, though I was ripped off by being charged $25 USD. The regular entry fee is $5 USD, but because the NGO's mission is so important, I saw the exorbitant fee as a donation and only wondered in hindsight whether the funds were going to the organization or in the ranger's pocket. Despite this unpleasantness, the butterfly habitat was nice to see, and the watchtower gives you a wonderful vista over the tree canopy. The hike through the forest is relaxing, and the area is worth a visit.

The butterfly garden was lovely! The trail is nice but bring lots of bug spray and avoid the ants no matter what. The lookout tower is very easy to climb and the view is magnificent! We were disappointed to not see animals but if you take the guided tour you may have better luck. 😊

The Butterfly House only had a few butterflies so it was not really worth the money. Only the security was there and he did not really have answers to questions and had no change for large bills. There are cabins for rent but he did not know how much and we were not able to reach other staff so gave up and stayed elsewhere.

The butterfly house is amazing. If you are into walking in the woods there is a trail to a lookout tower. However it is not an easy walk. It's hard to enjoy the forrest while stepping over BIG roots. Great for the young.

Well maintained park for people who want a glimpse of nature. Very impressive butterfly enclosure. I'm talking about a screened in deck system where you can walk through while beautiful butterflies flitter about. It was quite a magical experience.

I had such a nice time walking around the beautiful area, and inside the butterfly enclosure we had so many flying around us and I just loved the decorations and fun facts hanging. My friends and I all walked up the lookout tower and it was such a beautiful view.

The hiking is great but the mosquitos are RUTHLESS!

Great place! I absolutely loved this café while i was walking at the Malecón de Chetumal. It was not know some of the best cookies ive ever had they had a great selection of drinks. I am willing to just return to Chetumal for this one Café.

Nice view... Not impresive but some points have a great landscape for pictures.

I love Chetumal. So much things to do with the family. The Bay Area is a bit more pricey than center of town, however, it has less traffic and there are lots of great restaurants in that area where you can relax. Always feel safe, it's clean, you get tons of food for the price. Great shopping areas.

Visited on a Wednesday afternoon in September, after a trip to Bacalar. The weather was excellent for the walk and the sea breeze was refreshing. It started to get busier in the evening for sunset but unfortunately I had to return to Tulum.

Very nice and quiet place despite being located very centrally. It is located on a peninsula, you can easily follow the coast from there to the beach. Great opportunity to see lots of different birds, and of course the sea itself and several murals an monuments remembering Mayan history as well as Mexican revolution history. We also found a shoe-shop nearby with Mexican made shoes and sandals at very reasonable prices (see pictures), the shoes were ideal to climb the pyramids in Becán, Xpujil and Calakmul.

A nice quiet park with historical monuments, a high water mark from Hurricane Janet, and a gazebo next to the Governor's Mansion by day. At night it is a hub of activity for families to gather for food, and relaxation on the bay.Rides, games and toys for the kids. Very busy on the weekends.

Nice malecon lots of history here I was really surprised didn't expect it to be such a great place to walk and at the same time learn with all the cool monuments with information about the history of Chetumal. The food at good prices at the plaza central from all the vendors. And the bus ride for about 2 dollars each person was a big plus. Lots of parking spaces in front of the malecon.

Very interesting museum! I think they can add a bit more information in general. Feels like they only scratch the surface. Lighting is a bit of a problem and it is really hot and humid inside.

Surprisingly good museum for a small town like Chetumal. The layout is arranged on three floors representing the three level of the Mayan cosmos: underworld, Earth’s surface, and the heavens. The displays and artifacts are good quality. Signage is in both Spanish and English. The only negative comment I have is that in some places of the museum the lighting is poor and that makes it difficult to read the descriptions that are in those areas. As of January 2025, the entry fee for non-Mexican visitors is 110 pesos (see attached photo)

Excellent visit to learn more about Mayan History. The museum was easy to locate and the staff very friendly.

It can be seen that it was once an interactive museum, but now it is abandoned, many interactive functions do not work. Tickets for foreigners - 110 pesos.

This is a must visit Museum if you're visiting Chetumal. If you're visiting the City you should visit this Museum to learn more about the Mayan culture. The entrance is 100 pesos for foreigners and 50 pesos for locals. Something you should do which is completely optional is to look for a guide to give you a tour around the museum. The tour around the museum takes about 1 hour but it is absolutely worth it

This is a fabulous and really well designed museum. My preschoolers really had a blast! We also enjoyed the garden and various galleries in the courtyard. Great for families, and really informative and fun!

I’m not a museum expert but I really enjoyed my time here. Very interesting and the dim lighting creates a mysterious atmosphere. Most of the exhibits are reproductions but it was all very nicely presented. There is also an outdoor area featuring a recreation of a jungle village as well as side galleries with modern art.

Fun, fairly quiet place. Mostly for locals. Good food. Good service. Depending on which waiter you get and what mood they are in... nice afternoon to chill.

This cenote is a beautiful color and free to enter. It's a bit muddy at the entrance, but once you get past that, the water is clear and beautiful. We went at dusk & the water was warm. It wasn't busy at that time. The mosquitoes come out soon after dusk, so we didn't stay long. Bug spray and smoking are prohibited

Best swimming in the area. Life jacket signs everywhere. It's very deep but you do not need to wear a life jacket. The food was very good. Hand-made tortillas, too. Bathrooms were being cleaned regularly. Plus private changing area. It's a no sunscreen cenote. But there's lots of shadey places.

Can't understand how this cenote made it in the Yukatan travel guide! It's more like a lake. The water is warm and very deep. One shower and two changing cabins are available for woman. Entry 50 pesos.

We either had bad luck with the colors of the lake or it has changed to dark waters. We never saw light blue water. The town is not fun. AirBnb was not good. All the roads into town or hotels are a true disaster, you need a big 4 by 4 car. Not worth going unless you can guarantee blue waters. They even say there's an area that was a cementery and water smells like dead people.

I was expecting the prices as in the reviews but when I got there I was told that it is 100 pesos, 50 for entry and 50 for a lifejacket rental and the lifejacket is not optional. The prices new prices were on a handwritten sign at the entry so I'm not sure how often the price changes. There was also a sign that said the maximum amount of time to stay in is 80-90min. The area on Google maps that is said to be a park is a residential area.

Beautiful place, the restaurant there its very good, food was great excellent prices and super quick, the staff it's super friendly they make you feel very welcome, they respect so much nature. To get into the cenote you will need to had a quick shower to get rid off all the sun creams and repellent. They provide showers, toilets and changing rooms.

This place is a must visit place while in Bacalar! $100 peso entrance, have tables and chairs to rent or hammocks not just outside the water but also in the water along with swings. Be cautious getting in. You can get a life jacket but there’s only maybe 5 feet that you may not be able to touch when you first get in, then you can walk into the crystal blue water. You may want water shoes if you are tender but it’s not too bad. You can pack lunch or snacks. You only need a couple hours as you should not wear sunscreen for the safety of the ecosystem and the crystal water will get you burnt if too long. We went 2 day in a row for a couple hours and it was perfect!

Great place with the best access to the lagoon. Entrance fee is 100 pesos per person. It says on google maps that it’s closed on Monday but today is Monday and it was open.

Beautiful waters to swim in and a great stop for family. Enjoyable when not busy. Visitors pay 100 pesos per person to access the water (July 2025). Locals pay 50 pesos.

Entrance 100 pesos. Not many people on wednesday. You can park on the street outside. Would come again if i could !

Great place to spend the day, 100 pesos entrance fee and you can bring your own food and drinks. There are also other restaurants nearby to buy some food for a reasonable price. The resort has available toilets and the place is well-kept. I loved the sand bar and the turquoise water. Make sure to respect the rules such as no littering and don't step/touch the stromatolites.

I spent the most blissful afternoon here, swimming and sunbathing. 100 pesos entry (adult). It closes at 5pm. Half price for Mexicans. Take a book, a bottle of water, a volleyball...relax. The water is an extraordinary light green/blue colour. Not much wildlife and v shallow. There is a rope, a few swings and hammocks in the water. They serve crisps and there's an ice cream vendor outside for a sweet treat. Probably not a good site to visit after heavy rain because the lawn can get v muddy - they had soaked up the last rainfall with liht sand. Recommendation to the owner: ban the use of personal speakers. Music is already playing. Ban single use plastics!

Beach is beautiful and well equipped. Toilets and suplementy stuff are in bad condition and needs renovation. There is no parking so you have to find a spot along the street. Bar owner is really rude. During the rapid rain he chased away beachgoers hiding from the downpour under a tent.

Truly beautiful, so much to see and do. We only spent a few hours there and it was not nearly enough time to see everything.

The fort has a scenic position overlooking the Bacalar Lagoon and the Pirates Passage. The small bilingual museum inside is extremely informative. We spent about an hour and enjoyed learning the history of the area.

Fuerte de San Felipe is a wonderful place to visit, to understand how Bacalar came to be, and what it took to keep it. Well laid out grounds, with story boards along the way, providing the needed historical information to provide you with an in depth look back in time. There a great view of Laguna Bacalar from the east side of the fort. Its a must visit, if you are in Bacalar, as it is time well spent. You'll need a little over an hour for a vist, much less if you arent really interested in history.

Easy access, great views, good parking, vendors selling all kinds of items, iguanas putting on a show, cannons

Lovely historical site. The museum has the history in both English and Spanish. It was very interesting. There is no shade at the fort or air conditioning in the museum, bring water to stay hydrated.

Cute little Fort in Bacalar Mexico. This Fort was here to protect the priceless wood from the pirates. That backstory alone makes this Fort with visiting. There's also a nice little park where they have entertainment and shopping behind it. Bring pesos and pay at the gate.

Interesting history of bacalar. We love Bacalar...tranquil

This 7 colour lagoon is amazing. Much nicer than ocean. Cristal clear, warm water. Every shade of blue you can imagine. Mangrove alley. Possibility to swim, take a boat tour, take a cajac. Place to make plans for some 2 to 3 days of true bliss

We drove from Playa del Carmen to Bacalar Lagoon. The road was safe and we left Playa at sunrise, we arrived with enough time to make a great day trip. I wish we would have stayed longer. The water was amazing, the local places look lovely too.

There is no single word to describe this place!! Its the serenity you won’t find anywhere else, its the literally crystal clear water, its the delicious authentic Mexican food, and the extremely nice people. We were very lucky to see the lagoon’s 50 shades of blue. While we were on a sailing boat trip, we witnessed the crazy rain that came out of nowhere and added to the the magic and beauty if this lake, and it was such a fantastic experience!! So even if the forecast is saying it will rain cats and dogs there, just never cancel your boat trip, believe me you won’t regret it and it wont rain more than half an hour.If you’re visiting the Quintana Roo area, don’t hesitate to visit Bacalar Lagoon, its easily reachable from Tulum ( 2 hours by car)

My 3rd third time in this area . it's been a very pleasant experience overall. Truly recomend. Just make sure you stay for couple days . It's and easier commute if you stop first in tulum Instead of driving directly from Cancun ...

I came here on a cruise ship excursion from Costa Maya. While the hour and half ride from Mahahual (where the port is) is a bit long and very bumpy, the Bacalar Lagoon was well worth it. The water is beautiful & a perfect temperature. It was not crowded at all. We saw no motor boats, it is a very pristine place. I cannot recommend it enough.

Best shore excursion ever. But it was not as good as I thought. In my case cloudy and shower so it’s depend on weather. I think awesome place when sunny day. Ps. Thanks Sofia our tour guide for amazing experience and wonderful time.

Lake is beautiful. Boat tour was ok. I didn't have great time in Bacalar though. Entire beach privately owned, I felt terrible for local people, not only buildings blocking views/breeze water, it's just seem so unfair and sad. So if you want to have decent time you either have to pay expensive beachfront hotel/apartments or pay for private beach club day ( with terrible food and overpriced drinks. Public beaches sometimes overcrowded and don't have much shade. I personally didn't have good time also because locals complained that I have service dog with me. So security have to come and check my papers every time, then settle it with locals. The whole thing felt uncomfortable, so I had to pay for beach clubs. Also it was mistake to come in August. It's extremely hot. I mean it's more hot than Singapore. Most restaurants and stores also have no AC. Again blocked beaches making it feels worse. Plus children that walking around entire day and begging tourists buy souvenirs - heartbreaking. Immediately I remembered similar tough childhood. This is my personal experience at lake Bacalar.

This 7 colour lagoon is amazing. Much nicer than ocean. Cristal clear, warm water. Every shade of blue you can imagine. Mangrove alley. Possibility to swim, take a boat tour, take a cajac. Place to make plans for some 2 to 3 days of true bliss

We drove from Playa del Carmen to Bacalar Lagoon. The road was safe and we left Playa at sunrise, we arrived with enough time to make a great day trip. I wish we would have stayed longer. The water was amazing, the local places look lovely too.

There is no single word to describe this place!! Its the serenity you won’t find anywhere else, its the literally crystal clear water, its the delicious authentic Mexican food, and the extremely nice people. We were very lucky to see the lagoon’s 50 shades of blue. While we were on a sailing boat trip, we witnessed the crazy rain that came out of nowhere and added to the the magic and beauty if this lake, and it was such a fantastic experience!! So even if the forecast is saying it will rain cats and dogs there, just never cancel your boat trip, believe me you won’t regret it and it wont rain more than half an hour.If you’re visiting the Quintana Roo area, don’t hesitate to visit Bacalar Lagoon, its easily reachable from Tulum ( 2 hours by car)

My 3rd third time in this area . it's been a very pleasant experience overall. Truly recomend. Just make sure you stay for couple days . It's and easier commute if you stop first in tulum Instead of driving directly from Cancun ...

I came here on a cruise ship excursion from Costa Maya. While the hour and half ride from Mahahual (where the port is) is a bit long and very bumpy, the Bacalar Lagoon was well worth it. The water is beautiful & a perfect temperature. It was not crowded at all. We saw no motor boats, it is a very pristine place. I cannot recommend it enough.

Best shore excursion ever. But it was not as good as I thought. In my case cloudy and shower so it’s depend on weather. I think awesome place when sunny day. Ps. Thanks Sofia our tour guide for amazing experience and wonderful time.

Lake is beautiful. Boat tour was ok. I didn't have great time in Bacalar though. Entire beach privately owned, I felt terrible for local people, not only buildings blocking views/breeze water, it's just seem so unfair and sad. So if you want to have decent time you either have to pay expensive beachfront hotel/apartments or pay for private beach club day ( with terrible food and overpriced drinks. Public beaches sometimes overcrowded and don't have much shade. I personally didn't have good time also because locals complained that I have service dog with me. So security have to come and check my papers every time, then settle it with locals. The whole thing felt uncomfortable, so I had to pay for beach clubs. Also it was mistake to come in August. It's extremely hot. I mean it's more hot than Singapore. Most restaurants and stores also have no AC. Again blocked beaches making it feels worse. Plus children that walking around entire day and begging tourists buy souvenirs - heartbreaking. Immediately I remembered similar tough childhood. This is my personal experience at lake Bacalar.

We stayed here for four nights. Javier is the perfect host going out of the way to accommodate people. The water is beautifully clear and warm. We will return!

I love this quaint adorable spot! Xavier and the staff are extremely nice. Kayaking is only 75 pesos and entrance to the park is just 20. The ceviche was traditional and super delicious! (Honestly, better than some of the ceviches in the restaurants of Bacalar). I’m soooooo happy we stumbled upon this place. This place made my trip!

Best place to stay around Laguna Bacalar ! The owner Javier is a wonderful person. I felt at home there and will definitively be back one day ! Abrazos Javier

This place is a hidden gem! So calm, beautiful and true to nature. If you are around Laguna Bacalar, I highly recommend to stop by.

Perfect quiet place. Excellent food and service.

Amazing view and relaxing atmosphere!

Familiar

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

What a wonderful day!! After leaving our cruise ship we met the Maya Chan group with ease and perfect directions. We boarded a van and headed to the beach club. To say the ride is bumpy would be an understatement. But as they say, getting there is half the fun!! Maya Chan did not disappoint. The place is beautiful. Lots of special details go into making your visit one to remember. The areas for lounging and exploring are so peaceful. My 60 year old ass even climbed to the top of the treehouse with a drink in my hand. The beach club staff members are all amazing and super friendly.. and Ana, the chef, oh my!!! … INCREDIBLE. The food was soooo good! The massage team is also wonderful so don’t miss out of a pleasant beat down!! 😀 This is a less-crowded, WAY off the beaten path, alternative to other beach clubs and resorts on the island. You’ll love it!!!

The best excursion of our whole trip. My wife and I chose Maya Chan because it was recommended by experienced cruisers and it was cheaper than any “Carnival Excursion” and we wanted to be away from all the crowds. From the beginning we were told exactly what the expectations should be, about the water. seaweed The fact that I grew up going to Galveston,TX the seaweed was nothing to us. We were told that the ride was gonna be bumpy but it only added to the good time we were having. We were setup with our own private area on the beach. The entire staff was amazing and the service impeccable. Drinks were great with the perfect amount of alcohol. The food was all freshly prepared and cooked to perfection. We opted for the massage on the beach. Magic hands. Highly recommend. We had an option for tequila tasting but opted out after all the drinks we already had. We do however try the house tequila and it was better than any high dollar tequilas I have ever had. This is one of those places that you want to keep to yourself but also want everyone to know just how amazing it is. Part of our group has been going to Maya Chan for the past 10 years and I understand why. Anytime we are in Costa Maya we will be going to Maya Chan. Thank you to everyone at Maya Chan for such a wonderful and memorable time.

What an absolutely beautiful place. Booking was so easy. I had some issues with my travel party, and the owner was so nice and understanding about getting my party size changed. Getting to Maya Chan was so very easy. They have the cabs waiting for you when you arrive. Once you arrive to Maya Chan the staff is so nice, explaining everything to you and getting you to your dedicated area for the day. The food was absolutely delicious, and the drinks were strong and tasted good. This is a must do if you want a nice quiet relaxing day in Costa Maya. This will be our home for the day every time we return to Costa Maya.

I received recommendations from other cruisers to go to Maya Chan. I came here to get away from the constant vendors at other beaches in Costa Maya. I was able to do that but keep in mind the following if you ever come here. Transportation: The ride to the beach was long and very bumpy due to the potholes in the sandy thoroughfare. The taxi ride was included in the price of admission. The ride took about 35-40 minutes and 15 minutes of that was bumping up and down on the bus. Water: (Disclaimer) the staff did warn us at every juncture including the booking email that the water was not clear due to seaweed. They even showed us a video before we took the taxi to the beach. That being said, the water was even browner and murkier than it looked in the video. Lots of people still enjoyed water activities but I would not get in personally. Food/Drinks: The taco buffet was delicious and the mixed drinks were slightly weak but plentiful. Crew: Staff was top notch. Everyone was so friendly and attentive. Pets: Also please note there are LOTS of dogs on the beach as well. It was an experience but I doubt I will return just due to the water and the long, rough drive. I don’t think what you get is worth the trouble to get there or the $89 fee.

We booked for a family of four. When we got to the meeting point, we were given information that the beach is overwhelmed by seaweed and given a choice to cancel. But we went ahead anyway, and it ended up being one of the best experiences we had. The staff tried their best to accommodate the guests by asking if we needed anything when we were low on drinks and snacks, we also had tequila tasting and tortillas making. The lunch was really good, and served buffet style. I do recommend coming here when it is during the rainy seasons.

Maya Chan provided such an incredible experience for the day we visited Costa Maya on our cruise. Despite the long ride and not ideal waters, the staff did an incredible job to provide activities and sports options. Luis was a great host for all of the competitions and games. We made tortillas and did a tequila tasting that was super informative and entertaining. Julie, Perla, Ethan, Andy and all other staff were so friendly and attentive. I could not have asked for a better experience. Thank you all!!!!

This place was highly recommended and I see why. Fantastic service, good food and drinks. Enjoyed watching them make fresh guacamole and tortillas. Loved having our own cabana with chairs and a bad. Water and beach has a lot of sargassum, but I expected that and they gave us the opportunity to cancel before the drive. Transportation there was slow and bumpy (a little over 4 miles, but takes ~25 minutes). The staff is fantastic!

We spent the day here on a cruise stop. It was fabulous. Markam greeted us as soon as we walked in and was so incredibly attentive and friendly for our stay. The service was incredible, the drinks were delicious. I tried the tempura shrimp tacos and they were so good. They have a netted off area in the water and it's so calm and clear. We wouldn't hesitate to go here again on our next trip.

We visited the beach club with a group of 9 family members and had a great experience. The area we were set up in was quiet and comfortable, providing a relaxing spot to enjoy the beach. The food was good, and the service was excellent throughout the day. Everything went smoothly, and we’re all looking forward to returning.

We visited Yaya Beach during our cruise stop in Costa Maya, and it was such a great experience. The place is nice, clean, and well-maintained, and the service was absolutely top-notch — the staff was friendly and attentive without being pushy. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, which made it even better compared to typical cruise excursions. The only downside was the beach water, but that’s not their fault — the entire strip has been dealing with sargassum (seaweed) for years. If you’re looking for a chill, affordable place to relax during your port day instead of booking an overpriced cruise excursion, I definitely recommend checking out Yaya Beach!

The place is beautiful, especially at night with the lighting. When they have a DJ playing, it feels even more welcoming, always featuring chill-out or soft techno music. Gregorio provides exceptional service—I’m truly impressed by the way he took care of me. The food is also very good. I’ve had a great time every time I’ve visited, no matter the hour. Highly recommended!

EXCELLENT FOOD, SERVICE AND CLEAN. FOOD TO THE MAX ... Shrimp Tacos with the red chipotle sauce is the bomb. *Manager Markam is wonderful Civiche with Red Snapper 😍 EXCELLENT AND WILL BE BACK!!!

If you want to have drinks and relax or swim, this is the beach for you. Great service the manager was great. Food was good. Great vibes all around. Relaxing music!

Cool place, good vibes, good Guac and cold Cerveza! Get the tacos and the Guacamole. I appreciate the waiter warning me about the green sauce. In his words, "Green is very hot, you be careful with it, do not use too much". The Gringo in me could not resist and I tried the green sauce on my tacos and it was Hott! Like clear your sinuses hot - not sure I have nose hair anymore hot. After recovery, I had another Pacifico and enjoyed the view.

The beach is great, lots of area to hang out and the water is nice and calm. There are vendors that come around every 5 minutes trying to get you to buy something (as expected). It’s only a $4 ride from the port.

Very busy when a cruise ship lands here. The prices for food and drinks are pretty high, specially compared to other locations in Mexico. The beach is beautiful (except for the seaweed season) and there are a lot of shops and bars. If you have the option to go elsewhere I would consider it.

Was worth the $10 per person to get away from the port. Was not harassed as bad as other places we visited. Lots of vendors coming up trying to sell items but were not rude.

Walked here from the cruise ship terminal, peaceful 30-40 minute walk through mostly residential areas. Beach was nice, but the water was super shallow. Lots of pushy shops to go browse. If you think things are cheap in Mexico, you’re wrong. Taxi from cruise terminal is $4 a person, which is ridiculous for a short ride like that.

Our excursion was cancelled due to mass seaweed, so a man offered to take us there by taxi with promise of no seaweed and showed us a fake photo. It was netted from seaweed when we got there and we had no breathing room to talk due to nonstop vendors approaching us. It was overwhelming until more ppl showed up from the cruise ship then it eased up. I couldn’t stand it till towards the end. Thanks to my beta-blocker med lol… I respected the vendor hustle but it was ruthless saying no to them every minute. But good spot if you have no other options

Loved cruise port! Free pool with swim up bar. Easy free beach access. The air walk aviary was awesome. Was only $15 per adult to do. The Mayan air acrobats were very cool as well.

Mahahual Beach was amazing. The water was crystal clear and so clean. The beach was well maintained with lots of seating. Our excursion offered us an open bar and clean restrooms maintained by the employees. Make sure to bring cash with you as there are a ton of local street vendors with lots of yummy fruit and street tacos and corn cups. Bartering is a big thing with the vendors so be aware.

I don't recall seeing Dolphins at this particular place but when we arrived here from our boat they said the beaches were full of seaweed. When we came over here from shopping there was a pool party so we stayed and had some drinks at the bar which were delicious by the way! The staff was fast and friendly.

This was one of the stops on the Wonder of the Seas cruise. It was my least favorite location out of all the places we visited. I say this because the location felt very touristy. When you get off the boat, you walk directly into a shopping plaza, and EVERYONE is chasing you down trying to sell you something. If you decide to leave the market area, I highly recommend booking an excursion because all the areas around the market are small, full of local vendors chasing people down to sell their goods. We decided to take a taxi over to this small beach strip, thinking that we would be biking downtown along the water, and it was not that at all. Only a small portion of the beach was accessible and it had a lot of trash littered in the water. The bikes were all old and rusty, and the "downtown" was just vendors. It was not what I expected, is all😒

Please be aware this is a travel port so everything here is double the price. If you want something reasonable priced you must go into town. Besides that it is a safe area to swim, eat and shop.

Tourists trap.Food overpriced and mot very good, service rush rush. The only thing I like was the tree house massage

Worst port on cruise. Americanized tourist center, complete with listening to Chris Stapleton while shopping the over priced products. The little shops were pretty and lots of photo spots.

Opted for the manatee encounter. The whole encounter lasted about twenty minutes for my group of five. One by one we fed one of two manatee a leaf of romaine. A photographer forgot to put my face in frame. The majority of our time was spent on a nice private beach with plenty of free drinks. The food was also free and tasted great. I went through the buffet three times. Try not to spend money in the gift shops or on photos. Its all way to expensive. Our guide was great, wildly extroverted.

Nice chill day at a small beach in Costa Maya. Restaurant was close by and food was delicious.

The staff are very nice here, but the park in general seems rather in disrepair. Slides causing scratches on the back, but the ones with mats or tubes were fine. Transfer tried the ziplines and thought they were good. Wheelchair/mobility impaired users are able to get to the lazy river (extremely lazy river), and the relaxation pool. Additionally the pyramid-like structure has an elevator so you can get to the top floor for sight seeing. FYI to fluffier folks that many of the slides have a weight limit of 220lbs The price seems a little high, and not everything is perfect, but we still enjoyed ourselves.

This place is amazing! Tryed all the slides and all above 10! Personnel are great and very attentive! Park is very clean and well maintained. Very few people and lines were less than 5 minutes! Food is quite expensive though, $19 hot dog and $22 burger, $5 drink. The park is excellent, recommend it!

Excellent !! The Dolphins and the personnel explained us a lot ! If for some reason you book all day pass , We suggest you to do the kayak and paddle board first then the other activities later!!! The wind and weather changes a lot after the morning !!!

Awesome experience! We got our tickets from the excursions at the cruise, The place offer a plenty of spots for people, my kids enjoyed all the time with the life ward at kids pool and I need to said that Alex has a lot of experience with kids and we all had a blast!!!

If you’re like me and trying to find the price of the water park before you buy the excursion through your cruise line, let me help you out. Our cruise was charging $139 a person. When we got off the ship the guys at the end of the dock were willing to do it for $120 a person ( no matter age) but I still didn’t think that was a fair price so we walked down to the water park, maybe a 10 minute walk. When we got there the sign said $120 a person, I was thinking at least we didn’t pay the $139. Once I went to pay they let me know 15 and under are free! So personally I saved myself $280 by going in person. They take credit cards. My kids had a ton of fun, they loved the zip line and waterslides. We didn’t go in the lazy river because it looked slow and dirty. There were quite a few iguanas around, it was a great way to beat the heat. The walk ways were incredibly painful to walk on, (we don’t have sensitive feet). You can’t wear water shoes on the slides but you can on the zip line, so we would wear them and just take them off when we were forced to.

We were here in January 2025. The prices were covered up. In the internet we found regular prices of 89$ but since lots of cruise ships are arriving here at the same time, they want to defraud their clients. That’s all. Official offered price today was 1/3 more expensive than on the internet. I don’t recommend this park at all. I don’t know how it’s on the inside but I don’t want to find out anymore after such a treat!

We just spent an amazing day here on our cruise to the Western Caribbean. We had so much fun doing the fast water slides, zip lines, zip line coaster, lazy river, swimming in the pool, and hanging out in the little kid water park. It is a gorgeous park, and we had it all to ourselves. If you are vacationing in Costa Maya or taking a western Caribbean cruise, this excursion is well worth it. The hospitality in the park was absolutely top-notch. The food was good (the mango margarita was delicious and can be ordered without alcohol for the kids!). The park hasn't recovered to the same level of tourism since before the pandemic, so the lines are short, but it would be awesome to support this business since it's such a gem. If you have kids and are looking for a good time, this is a great place to spend a day!

It good port. We like it. We like the beach, drink are 15.oo and up dollars and food is are pricey. Massage was great 30 min for 40 dollars. There aggressive vendor on the beach Just be careful that people take advantage. We book a last minute golf cart just make sure that book advance with cruise or near by port . We did last minute golf cart with mahahual with 3 party company after the Port area left side. They are cheap 80 dollars full day but we broke down in main strip. And a vendor by the last exit by Port. He charge extra for no reason. I bought a sun shirt and big vanilla bottle. He charge 113.26 goes by merpago...even the people took little bit advantage on us we still had pretty good time. It Mexico..

Beautiful port and very colorful. Like most ports, stuff can get pricey. The shop workers weren’t overly aggressive about trying to make sales during our experience so I appreciated that. We didn’t eat food at this port but there was fun music and it looked like a large swimming area. Very nice people!

We had a wonderful day in Costa Maya. We walked thru shopping maze and grabbed a taxi to town. We had them take us to The Krazy Lobster. Great day of swimming, floating, eating, drinking and massages. We always end our time here with pleasant walk toward lighthouse before grabbing a taxi back to Port. Taxis are $5 per person. Massages are $20 to $25.

This cruise port was so much more than I expected. The sales people are pretty pushy though, just walk by and say no thank you. The power was out when we got there which made it so much warmer because no ac or fans anywhere. Tons of photo apps just within the port. Flamingos in the port. Also, an amazing beach pool area. Its a pool with a beach entry with sand and lounge chairs also, a swim up bar! No charge! There is an additional one in the port too. A little smaller and quite with a kiddie area. This port was phenomenal and we cant wait to go again!

The port was decent, but super crowded. It's July so I get it, but there were 3 cruise ships there all at once so it was inundated with people! There are several shops, 2 pools, and a few places to eat and grab drinks if you didn't eat before leaving the boat. We didn't stay long (it was pretty hot), but it might be great to visit in the off season.

We came through this cruise port on the Majestic Princess on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. It was very pretty here. The people in Costa Maya (Mahahual) were very nice and overall we had a great day walking around Mahahual and shopping and eating and we also did an excursion. It was my first cruise port ever, so it will always be special for me. (Written 11-12-25)

I give 3 stars because in order to occupy the chairs at the pool area, you're expected to purchase a drink per chair you want to occupy. It was 5 of us, and 3 of us purchased drinks, so we were able to sit in 3 chairs. The drinks were $20.00 each. It was a really big drink, though. I just didn't think that was fair, I saw a lady and her children leave because she didn't drink and didn't want a mocktail. Other than that, there are a nice amount of shops there and some food also.

I had such a brilliant time at Na’atik in Felipe Carrillo Puerto — I honestly can’t recommend it enough. The absolute highlight of my experience was staying with our homestay family. They were so warm and welcoming from day one, and really made us feel like part of the family. We got to join them on little trips to their father’s rancho, hang out at home for movie nights, and enjoy plenty of fun afternoons by the pool. And our homestay mamas cooking was next level!! I can’t say enough good things about them — staying with them made it so much easier to start using Spanish in real life right away. The classes were great too. I had one-on-one lessons with Oscar, who was amazing and very very patient at helping me work through the topics I couldn’t seem to grasp!! Learning a new language is pretty tough but I noticed progress really quickly especially because I could ask Oscar to focus on the topics I needed to work on. We also got to go on some awesome excursions, like a visit to a cenote and a tortilla-making class, which made the whole experience feel even more connected to the local culture. And lastly the Na’atik staff were also super helpful — they went above and beyond when I wanted to extend my stay and made everything really easy. Given the chance, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat!! I can’t recommend this program enough.

The team at Na’atik is wonderful. And our host family was so welcoming and generous with their time and space. The family adventure package was great for our family of four. Our guide and driver, Javi and Dani, were so much fun. And we all learned a lot, at our own pace. Carrillo Puerto was super welcoming and Christmas was a great time to be here.

I have participated in 9 immersion + homestay programs over the years, in countries where Spanish is spoken. As a teacher of English to both children and adults, it. Is such an honor to continue to try to improve my own second language. My 3 weeks at Na’atik were the experience I had always longed for. From the ease of registration, airport transfer, and concern for my safety and enjoyment of the program, the staff were like no other I have ever encountered. They are young, vibrant and genuinely friendly and interested in all the students. I have also never had a homestay experience like I had in Felipe Carrillo. I was included in family birthdays and outings, and there was a real interest in my struggle to speak Spanish. My preference for vegetarian food was never a problem, and every meal was different, typical of the area, and delicious. As for the instruction itself, I never would have believed it possible that I advance so quickly. There are worksheet packets that exactly fit my needs, and my instructor, Pedro, knew exactly what I needed to focus on. What a gift to be taught by a teacher with over 30 years in the profession. The hours flew by every day. Yes, this program is more expensive than any others I’ve participated in but as a spanish learner in this school, I was pleased to contribute to the maintenance and success of their wonderful after school English program for the local children. Na’atik has it all: excellent organization, phenomenal teachers, Mayan culture, all while embracing the needs of every student. Muchísimas gracias!

I attended the special Janal Pixan program (the Mayan Day of the Dead week) and it was truly a life-changing experience. If you are looking for an authentic cultural exchange while learning and practicing spanish, this is the program for you. The school is very invested and integrated into the community, and this is evident in all the activities and programming. The staff and homestay families are all incredible—I made many new friends and will definitely be back! Carillo is a really special place with rich mayan history and heritage—this is the real deal, y’all.

This has been the most immersive experience of my life. Na’atik is full of personable supportive people who genuinely care about your experience. If you need anything or even just to talk about something, someone is there for you. Everyone is patient and understanding if you’re like me and don’t speak much Spanish. If you’re interested in diving in and learning as much as possible, definitely give this a shot. But, the best part was staying with my host family!!! I am so grateful for them because they really took me in as part of the family. I feel honored to have a place in their hearts. Apart from classes, they’re how I’ve been able to learn how to listen and speak better. Not only that, but I’ve shared so many moments with them that I now get to cherish. :) I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. If anything, I’m already thinking of coming back!

Lovely school! Staff are amazingly attentive and accommodating. My teacher curated an individualized learning plan for me which helped me improve my Spanish so much. Homestay family was also amazing. They were very patient, accepting, and supportive of my Spanish development. 5 stars, definitely recommend for learners of any level

I spent two weeks studying Spanish at the Na'atik Language and Culture Institute, I enjoyed my time very much. I went during January so the weather was a little more mild in the mid 80s. The classes I took were challenging and I feel like they really elevated my Spanish level especially with listening comprehension. The school also offered opportunities to interact with the community/other students through Game Nights, and other get to know you activities. The family I stayed with was very nice, the husband was an English language student at the institute. He and his wife were very nice hosts, cooked delicious meals and also had plenty of snacks and fresh fruit. They took me to church events and to meet their families so there were many opportunities to practice my Spanish with different people. Carrillo is a lovely area, although the population is ~25,000, it still has the feeling of being a small town, the residents are very nice and patient when you try to have conversations. It was easy to get around town and explore with the bike that was provided by the institute. Love to go back some day to take more classes and explore the area even more

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.

The BEST!!!! Our trip to Punta Allen was magical and Victor's was a huge part of that magic! My husband, Matt, got to fulfill his bucket list item of saltwater flats fishing with the amazing people at Victor's. All of the guides are outstanding! Claudia, Victor's daughter, was so incredibly helpful to us as we planned our trip. We started planning a year in advance 😂 and she was so patient with me and all of my questions and changes over the year--I love her and just can't say enough about her kindness. Needless to say, my husband is now addicted and won't stop talking about coming back next year to fish with David (one of the excellent guides at Victor's). So, here we are.....now planning our trip for next year! I can't recommend Victor's highly enough. There are some bigger and flashier fishing outfits in Punta Allen, but Victor's is so wonderful and personalized, and it was EXACTLY what we were looking for. We will be back! As a side note, the people of Punta Allen are an absolute treasure! They welcomed us with open arms and accepted us into their community for the week that we were there. We already miss them and are itching to go back and hang out with our newly made friends!!

Look no further for fishing in punta allen. If you want bones snook tarpon & permit this is the company for you. OMG! We loved fishing with Senor Victors's guides, Carlos & David. Senor Victor & Claudia are here at communicators very attentive & directed us to good accommodations The two guides worked well as a team to place us on the fish. David would be working hard on the polling platform to sight the fish and position the boat so we had the best angle to make a good cast. Carlos was great at choosing the right flys , helping sight etc. Señora Lucy made us good hearty lunches each day. For you ladies, tip these guides have bladders of steel so if you have to go just tell them and they will help make it happen for you to find a safe place to relieve yourself.

Another fabulous trip to Punta Allen, fly fishing with Victor's flying club. Victor and Claudia are terrific host. Just rely on then to take care of all the details. All expectations were met and exceeded ! Fly fishing, clean,cozy accommodations, great food , local people , culture etc. Definitely planning to return next 2023...God willing! Regards to all, Joe Gallagher

Wow. Second year with Victor's - last year only day trips in Boca Paila area but this time stayed in Punta Allen to fish Ascension Bay with a few friends. Victor's Fly Fishing Club is a small family run company and is very professionally run by Victor's daughter, Claudia, who is MOST friendly and helpful with planning everything! It was so easy to book everything, especially after her help from last year. From the moment we were picked up at the Punta Allen "Harbor" by Victor's son, Edgar, and dropped off at our house (which is owned by Victor/family) just a few blocks down the road, I knew Claudia had set us all up for a special time. The house is perfect for four guests - two bedroom/two bathroom, kitchen and dining/seating area. There are solar panels on the roof so 24 hour electricity and cold air conditioning when sleeping too. We ate at a couple restaurants recommended to us by Claudia/Edgar/Victor that were within easy walking distance - this was some of the best food I've had in Mexico! We were picked up every morning, by Victor himself, and had breakfast at "Lucy's". Wow. Ask for the mole (especialidad de la casa)! I also found out who makes the awesome tortas for lunch daily as well! Punta Allen is a super charming little fishing town, very safe and very friendly locals! We even caught the local soccer match the first night we arrived. Victor let me use his personal bike one afternoon to cruise around town, definitely go check out the lighthouse at the end of the road! I then came back from that ride and found some cigars for our group, left as a gift to us personally from Edgar! One of our group members wanted to fish an extra day at the "last minute", Claudia was able to set this up and Victor/Edgar took my friend out personally for the day! A huge part of what made this trip so special for all of us was the incredibly personal service provided to us by Victor/Claudia and their entire family and everyone with Victor's. Our guides Oscar and Carlos worked very hard getting us on the fish and were so helpful and very patient with my fly casting (trout fisherman using a 5 wt, not used to the 8-10wt rods, in the wind!). I learned a lot from them every day. They also offer spin casting to those that don't fly fish. Remember, it's up to the guides to get you the "opportunity" and on you to make most of it/catch that fish... Oh yeah, we also caught TONS of fish every day! Couldn't even keep count. Cannot wait to be back! Kinda did not want to write this so I can keep this place to myself but owe it to them after such an amazing and personally touched experience. MUCHAS GRACIAS Claudia, Victor, Oscar, Carlos, Edgar (and everyone else)!!

Was vacationing in grand sirenis/ akumal and took a day trip to fish with victor's fly fishing club. My two guides were hilarious and great help. Charlieeee-boy! Thanks for sharing your habañero at lunch. I got on some good and fun fish but probably would have been happy just to hang with victor's team all day. I'll be back and I recommend this for any fisherman or anyone who wants to see another side of Mexico further from the resorts.

Great fishing trip yesterday.Cosma is a great guide.looking forward to fishing with you in January! I love the sound of line flying off the reel!

Super experience with Don Victor and the team. From his daughter Claudia who takes care of all logistics to don victor and his guides who make sure you have and incredible time. One place to come back for many years to come

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.