The Riviera Maya is a paradise of turquoise waters, lush jungles, and ancient wonders—making it one of the best destinations for tours in the world. I’ve explored this breathtaking stretch of Mexico’s Caribbean coast extensively, and I can tell you firsthand: whether you’re seeking adventure tours, cultural experiences, or luxurious escapes, there’s something for every traveler.
From swimming in cenotes (natural sinkholes) to discovering the secrets of Mayan ruins like Chichén Itzá and Tulum, the variety of Riviera Maya tours is unmatched. Love the ocean? Snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal or diving into the Great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second-largest reef system on the planet—is an unforgettable experience. If adrenaline is your thing, zip-lining over the jungle or exploring underground cave systems at Rio Secreto will get your heart racing.
But choosing the right tour operators and excursions can be overwhelming. I’ve sifted through the options, separating tourist traps from truly authentic experiences to help you plan an incredible journey. Whether you’re visiting Playa del Carmen, Cancun, or Cozumel, I’ll guide you through the absolute best tours in Riviera Maya, ensuring you make the most of your trip. Let’s dive into the top-rated excursions that will turn your vacation into an unforgettable adventure.
Top 10 Tours in Riviera Maya
Magical towns, Mayan ruins, cenotes, colorful lagoons and islands with heavenly beaches : the Riviera Maya has incredible spots to make the most of a great trip. To make sure you don't miss any of its must-sees, here is our selection.
1. Chichén Itzá Mayan ruins, the most famous excursion (and yes, recommended)
These are the most important Mayan ruins in Mexico and visiting them is a dream come true. But be prepared to walk a long way: Chichén Itzá is much more than the famous Kukulcán pyramid . If you are going on your own, let us give you a tip: get up early. Try to get there early (the ticket booths open at 8am) to enjoy the visit with fewer people and less heat. When we left, around 12, there were a lot of tourists and of course, this takes away some of the charm.
On your own:
Upon arrival, you can park your car and decide whether to visit the archaeological site on your own or with a guide. The entrance fee is 481 pesos (for foreigners).
On tour:
There are Chichén Itzá tours that depart from Cancún, Playa del Carmen or Tulum. They include a visit to Chichi Kan and services include transportation, a Spanish-speaking guide, entrance fees, food and tequila tasting.
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2. Tulum archaeological zone
If Chichén Itzá is the most famous ruin on the Yucatán Peninsula, Tulum is the most unique, due to its location. They are the only Mayan ruins overlooking the sea, and form one of the most famous and beautiful views of the entire Riviera Maya. If you are lucky and there is no sargassum, you can bring your swimsuit and take a dip in the beach at the foot of the ruins.
→ In this post we give you all the necessary recommendations to visit the ruins of Tulum
On your own:
If your accommodation is in Tulum , you can get to the Mayan ruins by car or even by bike. If you go by car, we recommend getting up early and leaving it on the beach road: the entrance is closer and parking is free (we explain everything in the article). Arrive at 8am as it is one of the most famous excursions in the Riviera Maya and after 10am it tends to fill up quite a bit. The entrance costs 70 pesos.
On tour:
If you are staying in Cancun or Playa del Carmen, there are numerous tours like this one that will take you to Tulum in one day for about €55, with transportation, guide, tickets and snacks.
3. Lagoon of the Seven Colors in Bacalar
The Bacalar lagoon was one of the places that surprised us the most on our trip to Mexico. We took a sailing boat trip to see the famous Laguna de los Siete Colores (Lake of Seven Colors) and it was an incredible experience. Although there was very little wind blowing, it took us forever to complete the trip (about 6 hours). While you sail through its waters, it's hard to believe that you're not in the Caribbean: its colors are so impressive that you won't feel like you're in a lagoon at all! Without a doubt, for us, one of the best excursions in Riviera Maya .
→ This was our visit to the Bacalar Lagoon
On your own:
If you have a car, it is worth coming here and spending a few days relaxing in this little paradise. This magical town is still relatively untouristy and, although accommodation on the lagoon's front line is more expensive, it is the option we recommend. Being able to enjoy the sunset and sunrise on the shore is something unique.
To make the most important visits within the lagoon you will have to hire a tour (a sailing boat is better, as it is eco-friendly, but quite a bit more expensive). A good option (and cheaper with the risk of spending a few days with muscle aches) is to rent a kayak and go, at least, to the pirate channel!
On tour:
If visiting the lagoon in one day is enough for you, you can sign up for a tour that starts at various points in the Riviera Maya and includes pick-up and transportation, a boat tour of the lagoon and a set menu meal, although the price is not cheap due to the distance.
- Bacalar Excursion from Cancun
- Bacalar tour from different points of the Riviera Maya
- Bacalar Lagoon Tour from Mahahual
4. Ruins of Coba
Perhaps because they were the last Mayan ruins we visited, they were the ones we liked the least. Although objectively they are definitely worth a visit! More than anything to climb the highest pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula: the Nohoch Mul pyramid, 42 meters high. In addition, the site has a couple of other structures and the surroundings are very pleasant.
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On your own:
You have two options: walking like we did or renting a bike (this is the option we recommend). In this case, as in the previous ones, the best thing is to get up early: it was one of the sites where we found the most tourists. The entrance costs 75 pesos . Here we tell you how to organize a visit to Cobá on your own .
On tour:
If you want to visit the area with a guide, you have the option of booking a tour to Cobá that picks you up in the Riviera Maya area (Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras and Tulum) and also includes a visit to a cenote and a buffet meal.
5. Calakmul, a very original Riviera Maya excursion
The Calakmul ruins, lost in the middle of the jungle, are one of the most impressive visits in the Riviera Maya. When you are there, surrounded by huge trees and the howls of spider monkeys, you will have a feeling of total solitude (when we visited there were very few tourists). The bad thing? It is far from everything, so if you want to visit Calakmul, you will have to dedicate a couple of days.
→ In this post we tell you about our visit to Calakmul .
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On your own:
We spent the night near Becan (10 km from Xpujil) and the next morning we got up early to arrive at Calakmul at 8am. Once there we visited on our own, but at the entrance there is the possibility of hiring a local guide. We think it is worth it (we regret not having hired one). The entrance (divided into three payments) costs 188 pesos.
On tour:
When we went there was no tour that included transportation and a visit to Calakmul, but now there is one 🙂 It includes transportation to/from Bacalar and a guided tour of Calakmul. We think it's a great option, really, because you save the trip (it's a long trip) and accommodation.
More information and prices for the tour to Calakmul from Riviera Maya .
6. Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres was one of those places that leaves you cold after visiting it, but that you appreciate much more as time goes by. It is true that there was a lot of tourism and that Playa Norte (considered one of the best in the Yucatan Peninsula) did not seem too special to us, but the idea of renting a golf cart to drive around the island, drinking margaritas, walking quietly at night among the little lights of cafes and restaurants, is cool!
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On your own:
All you have to do is buy a ferry ticket that will take you to the island's port in half an hour from Cancun. The next step is to rent a golf cart, the island's typical means of transportation, and visit its main points. We sincerely believe that visiting the island on your own is the best option, especially if you want to stay there for a couple of days.
On tour:
However, visiting Isla Mujeres on a tour from Cancun is not a bad idea, especially if you want to enjoy a good day of snorkeling and you don't have much time. There is a tour that combines a visit to Isla Mujeres with a visit to Isla Contoy (we didn't visit it but we heard wonderful things about it). Remember that the coral reef here is the second largest in the world (after Australia's) so if you're a mermaid, you have to visit it! Just put on lots of sunscreen, because the sun in this part of the world is strong! If you want to take it easy, there is also the excursion to Isla Mujeres by catamaran .
7. The Reds
We didn't go, not because we didn't want to, but because it was not in our itinerary. We'll be back XD What are Las Coloradas? It's an area in the north of Yucatan where there are several lakes that are dyed different colors, due to special algae. The most famous is a pink lake that you've seen a thousand and one times on Instagram. There are also mangrove areas and a flamingo reserve, so if you have time, it's a highly recommended visit.
On your own:
The best way to visit the area is from Valladolid, leaving early and arriving in Río Lagartos 1.5 hours later. To see Las Coloradas, a good idea is to book a tour from Río Lagarto… you will save a bit of money. It lasts 2 hours and includes a boat ride where you will see mangrove areas, different types of birds and, if you are lucky, even crocodiles. Of course, there is a stop at Las Coloradas. The price is 1,400 pesos per boat (about €62) so it is best to share it to reduce costs.
On tour:
From Valladolid you can easily book guided tours that take you to Río Lagartos. If this option interests you, you can take a stroll around the city center and book the tour for the next day. If you are staying in the Riviera Maya area, you can book this tour .
8. Cozumel, another of the best excursions in Riviera Maya
Another visit that we were ultimately unable to make: we arrived in Playa del Carmen so tired that we decided to take a few days off, haha. We kind of regretted it, but hey, you always have to leave something to come back to, right? Apparently it's the star excursion from Playa del Carmen, and the one that's most on offer.
→ Here is our travel guide to Cozumel
On your own:
The visit is easy since there are ferries from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel that arrive in half an hour. Once here, the best thing to do is to take a tour, in this case make sure that it includes a visit to the famous “sky of Cozumel”, an area of shallow waters where there are many starfish (remember not to touch them or, of course, take them out of the water).
On tour:
There are tours that leave from Playa del Carmen and include a day of snorkeling around Cozumel. You can ask a local agency a day in advance to find the best option that suits your plans.
9. Cenote Route, an unmissable excursion in Riviera Maya
There is no real cenote route, but we do think it is important to talk about them, since they are one of the most characteristic attractions of the Yucatan Peninsula. Visiting several cenotes can end up being quite expensive, since they are on private property and the entrances are generally expensive.
The best area to explore these underground sea caves is around Valladolid : there are many cenotes here and their entrance is quite affordable.
10. Excursions that we DO NOT recommend
These are the ones that take you to see some of the most famous amusement parks in the Riviera Maya. We decided not to go since we saw that most of them offer activities with animals. Of course, we also avoided all the excursions that include swimming with dolphins and/or turtles… It's better to leave the animals alone and enjoy the rest of the charms that the Riviera Maya and the Yucatan Peninsula hide, which are quite a few!
We also don't recommend taking a day trip to Holbox . For us, this beautiful island deserves at least 3 full days (and believe us, once you get there you'll want to stay as long as possible). But if you don't have time to waste and only have one day to visit Holbox, one of these tours might be worth it:
- Holbox Island Excursion from the Riviera Maya
- Holbox tour from Cancun
These are, for us, the best excursions in the Riviera Maya and the Yucatan Peninsula . Have you done any? Which is your favorite? Ready for adventure? The Riviera Maya awaits you.
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