Can you imagine a place where extreme sports merge with Mayan ruins? The trails lead to white sand beaches and the Caribbean Sea. The possibilities are so many that the day will not be enough to experience it all? This place exists, located just 10 kilometers south of Playa del Carmen, in the Riviera Maya: it is the Xcaret Park.

Xcaret, a giant aquatic, archaeological, thematic, and ecological park, is one of the most visited attractions in the entire region. Why? For the myriad of activities, it offers, from snorkeling, diving, and underwater hiking, to parasailing tours, dolphin experiences, and high-speed boat rides, all in an environment full of authenticity: Mayan ruins, dream beaches, jungles and mangroves, and a wealth of local wildlife.

Are you coming with us to spend the day in Xcaret Park?

Xcaret for experience seekers

Suppose you are one of those who travel in search of intense sensations in Xcaret. In that case, you will have the opportunity to experience unique activities in the world: a fast boat ride that reaches 90 kilometers per hour; going snorkeling with sharks or manta rays in the park, or, after a short boat trip, do snuba (a hybrid between diving and snorkeling) in the Barracuda reef; swimming along with one of the underground rivers; or take the underwater trail: a walk 7 meters deep, surrounded by fish and corals, using a wraparound helmet connected to a floating oxygen tank.

And these are just the water activities: you can also practice parasailing, climbing up to 100 meters above one of the most incredible landscapes in the world, walk along the trails through the jungle, and experience an authentic Mayan purification ritual (the latter, depending on the restrictions in force at the time of your visit).

Xcaret for animal lovers

If you are passionate about knowing and interacting with the native flora and fauna of the places you visit, in Xcaret, you will have the opportunity to visit a Butterfly Garden, home to 20 native species of butterflies; an Aviary, where some 1,500 local birds live, including the Red Macaw; and to stroll through the famous Living Museum of Orchids and Bromeliads.

In addition, throughout the park, walking its trails and exploring its corners, you will find flamingos (especially at the exit of underground rivers and on the beaches); spider monkeys on Monkey Island, Jaguars on Jaguars Island, and manatees on Manatee Lagoon; sea turtles, deer, tapirs, and even bats. It is essential to understand that most of these animals are part of various conservation programs. Hence, their presence in the park is not so much a tourist attraction but an effort to save some of the most endangered species around the world.

Xcaret for families and children

Despite all the experiences, sports, landscapes, and animals, the main reason that attracts so many tourists every year to Xcaret Park is the possibility of doing practically all of the above with the family.

In addition, of course, there are activities specially designed for the little ones, such as adventure kids (from 4 years old), where they are taught about the life of manta rays and then have the opportunity to swim with them, wearing snorkel masks; and the snorkel trip to the INAH reef (from 5 to 10 years old, depending on of weather conditions), ideal for enjoying with the family.
The park offers an unforgettable evening at night with one of Mexico's greatest pre-Hispanic dance shows.

Tips for your visit to Xcaret Park

If you're visiting Xcaret Park for the first time, keep these tips in mind:

• Indeed, the day will not be enough for you to do absolutely everything the park offers, so it is best to plan everything you would like to do and arrive as early as possible.

• Remember to ask for a map of the park when you arrive and always take it with you, since the park is vast, and it's easy to get lost.

• All creams, repellents, and sunscreens that are not 100% ecological and biodegradable are prohibited to protect the park's ecosystems.

• In the park there are several restaurants, so you don't need to pack food.

• Throughout the park, you can rent snorkel equipment.

• Children under 11 years old have a 50% discount, and children under 4 are free.

And, even if it's hard to believe, Xcaret has much more to offer than everything you've read so far. It is a universe of sensations condensed in a park, an accumulation of experiences, a guarantee, after all, of more than an unforgettable day in the Riviera Maya, Xcaret Park.