Category: Costa Maya

GLASS-BOTTOMED BOAT & SNORKEL TOUR
This approximately two-and-a-half-hour excursion allows guests to see the world’s second-largest living coral reef – and some of its diverse marine life – through a glass-bottomed boat. Those who want to get closer to some of the wildlife below their feet can also go snorkelling in the reef, assisted by qualified guides.

Explore the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and view its biodiversity first-hand during this approximately two-and-a-half-hour excursion. Begin with a transfer of approximately 15 minutes from the port to the beach in Mahahual. This former fishing village is known for its beaches and as a hotspot for snorkelling and diving. It also houses Banco Chinchorro, one of Mexico’s largest coral atolls (a circular-shaped coral reef), in the waters off its coast.

Once arrived at Mahahual, a 15-minute allocation allows for a safety briefing and boarding your glass-bottomed boat. Then, enjoy cruising the Caribbean Sea for approximately 30 minutes until you reach the reef. Simply look through the boat’s glass underbelly and start observing the scenery below you.

Next, approximately 45 minutes can be spent onboard the boat – continuing your observations and relaxing – or taking part in a snorkel tour, during which you can get a closer view of some of the reef’s inhabitants, accompanied by a qualified guide. Numerous species of fish, other sea creatures and plant life inhabit the waters, so look out for all kinds of interesting sights.

Afterwards is an approximately 15-minute sail back to the pier at Mahahual beach, where there’ll be 15 minutes or so to disembark. From here, a 15-minute transfer returns to the port.

Important Information: Please note: guests must be at least 8 years of age to take part in the snorkelling portion of this tour.

For safety reasons, the tour is not available for pregnant women, guests with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, with cardiac conditions (including a history of cardiac arrest and/or surgery), diabetes, epilepsy, back/neck injuries, and guests taking medication such as anti- depressants, lithium, beta-blockers, and base vein constrictors. Guests will be required to sign a waiver which may only be available in English. Presence of seaweed in the Mexican Caribbean Coast is seasonal and could cause limited visibility and be present in the water or beach.  Seaweed is not harmful but may cause light itching on sensitive skin

JAGUAR TRUCK: MAYAN ADVENTURE EXPEDITION

Prepare to get active in a series of exciting outdoor pursuits on this approximately four-hour excursion, which also features a ‘Jaguar Truck’as one of your various modes of transport during the day. You’ll get to ride a bike, take a dip in a tucked-away forest swim spot and paddleboard on the Caribbean Sea.
Excursion Details

Begin this varied excursion, which lasts approximately four hours, by boarding your Jaguar Truck (a unique, custom-built vehicle, designed for entertainment and adventure) and traveling in style to your first stop, on a journey lasting around 30 minutes.

Once arrived at the base camp, spend about 20 minutes receiving safety instructions on how to ride a bike with a fellow excursion guest, before pedaling through a forest to some refreshing water for a swim.

Spend around one hour cooling off in the waters and enjoying an outdoor lunch (included in the excursion cost) before hopping back on the Jaguar Truck. A ride of 30 minutes or so takes you to a beach, where you’ll have approximately one hour of free time to enjoy the seaside setting. Try stand-up paddleboarding, glide through the water on a bodyboard, relax on a floating mat or simply soak up the sun from the sands. The excursion concludes with a final ride in the Jaguar Truck, which returns you to the port in around 30 minutes.

Important Information: the tour is designed for guests who enjoy high-level outdoor activities. Guests will be required to fill out and sign a waiver/release form. Guests wishing to take part must weigh no more than 300 lbs. At a maximum depth of 4 ft./1.2 m, the natural pool is a safe environment even for guests who are not strong swimmers. Guests must be at least 8 years of age to take part and are generally recommended to wear a hat, comfortable shoes, light clothing (that can get wet while paddle boarding), apply biodegradable sunscreen and insect repellent (from August to December) as well as to bring a change of clothing and a towel. Guests must know how to ride a bike to participate in the bike riding portion of this tour. The maximum age to participate is 70 years old

SALSA COOKING, DANCING & BEACH BREAK

Find out how to prepare authentic Mexican salsa and guacamole before learning a few salsa dancing steps on this excursion, lasting about three hours. You’ll get to try out your dancing skills by the Caribbean Sea and enjoy time on the beach.

This approximately three-hour excursion blends Mexican cuisine, traditional music and beachside relaxation, as well as providing cultural insights along the way.

Begin with a transfer of around 15 minutes from the port to a beach club – the ideal setting for your cooking lesson, which lasts around 45 minutes. You’ll be taught how to make authentic Mexican salsa and guacamole, and you’ll get to keep the recipe to continue using back at home. Both guacamole and salsa have been made and eaten in Mexico (their place of origin) for centuries, and their development can be traced back to the Aztecs.

Enjoy your creations with crunchy tortilla chips and accompanied by a complimentary margarita, Mexican beer, water, or sodas.

Then it’s time to learn about a very different type of salsa. For the next 45 minutes or so, follow your guide’s step-by-step instructions and learn the basics of salsa dancing. Shake your hips, feel the rhythm and embrace the energy of this quintessential Latin dance, believed to be one of the most popular dance styles on the planet.

Wind down your excursion with approximately one hour of free time on the beach. Feel free to take a swim, sunbathe or admire the coastal scenery. A 15-minute drive then returns to the port.

Important Information: Please note: Minimum age to consume alcohol is 18 years old. The tour is not available for guests with mobility problems or who use mobility aids such as a cane, walker, or a wheelchair. Guests are recommended to wear comfortable shoes and wear (or bring) swimwear under their clothes as well as to bring a change of clothes, a towel, a hat, sunscreen, and some cash to cover the cost of any additional purchases.

Guests will be required to sign a waiver which may only be available in English. Presence of seaweed in the Mexican Caribbean Coast is seasonal and could cause limited visibility and be present in the water or beach.  Seaweed is not harmful but may cause light itching on sensitive skin

BACALAR and 7 COLOURS’LAGOON

Explore the charms of Lake Bacalar during an excursion lasting approximately six and a half hours. Admire the lake from a boat before going in for a swim and enjoying lunch at a local restaurant.

The town of Bacalar is perched on a lake, also known as Bacalar Lagoon. This excursion of around six and a half hours brings you up-close to its waters on a boat trip and even provides the chance to swim in them.

The outing starts with approximately 15 minutes to meet at the end of the pier, before a transfer of around 90 minutes to Rancho Encantado Eco Resort & Spa in Bacalar. Here, there’s a short safety briefing of about 15 minutes before you board your boat and spend approximately two hours sailing across Lake Bacalar. There’s also the option to take a dip in the lake.

The sailing time also includes a short visit to Cenote Negro, one of Mexico’s thousands of cenotes – deep, naturally occurring sinkholes filled with water. Admire its strikingly dark colour (it is thought to be around 100 metres – 330 feet – deep). Finally, you’ll sail through the area known as Canal de los Piratas (‘Pirates’Canal’), a channel once used by pirates hundreds of years ago, but now a scenic waterway.

Afterwards, enjoy lunch over approximately one hour at a restaurant in Bacalar while also soaking up the views. Finally, a journey of about 90 minutes returns to the port.

Important Information: Drinks at the restaurant have an extra cost. Guests must be at least 8 years old to participate. Guests must be at least 18 years of age to consume alcohol. Alcohol will be served to participants in a spirit of watchful tolerance. All participating guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult at all times. Guests with impaired vision or hearing must be accompanied by a paying assistant, friend or family member as well as an interpreter (for hearing impaired guests); they will not be permitted to go swimming. The tour is not available for guests of limited mobility. Medical restrictions apply to guests wishing to swim in the lagoon.

Guests are recommended to wear swimwear under comfortable clothing and to bring a towel, high-factor sunscreen, insect repellent and some cash to cover any additional purchases. This tour does not include entrance fee to visit the fort nor time is allocated for guests wishing to visit it unguided at their own expenses. The transfer to and from Bacalar takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes each way. Depending on the weather conditions, the colours of the lagoon may vary. The maximum age to participate is 70 years old

RIVER TUBING AT BACALAR LAGOON

Experience beautiful Lake Bacalar up-close in a tube boat on this approximately six-hour excursion. You’ll have plenty of time to gently bob along the waters and admire the scenery as you’re towed by another boat, and there’s the chance to swim in the lagoon. Lunch is also included.

Excursion Details

Take to the water on this tubing-based excursion across Lake Bacalar, lasting approximately six hours. Also known as Bacalar Lagoon, this vast body of water is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Mexico, stretching for over 60 kilometers (37 miles). Begin with a transfer of around one hour and 45 minutes to arrive at the lake and its strikingly blue waters -there are said to be seven different shades of blue here.

Then hop into your inflatable tube and explore the lake as an assistance boat gently pulls the group for around one hour and 15 minutes. As you drift along, admire the green vegetation surrounding the lagoon and travel through some gentle rapids. You will even have the opportunity to take a swim, or simply float in your tube.

Afterwards, there’s approximately one hour and 15 minutes of free time for a picnic lunch and to take a dip if you wish -swimming or simply floating in the lagoon’s waters is a truly memorable experience.

During your time at the lagoon, look out for one of its most interesting geographical features: stromatolites. These rock-like formations are fossils created by microorganisms, some almost 3.5 billion years old. After traveling back to the shore on a final tube ride, the return transfer to the port lasts around one hour and 45 minutes.

Important Information: The minimum age to participate is 8 years old. The maximum age to participate is 70 years old The tour is not available for guests of limited mobility, who use a wheelchair and for pregnant women.

Guests with cardiac conditions, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, other heart or respiratory conditions or any other medical condition are requested to exercise special caution when selecting tours with swimming elements since such water activities could be subject to adverse sea conditions such as high winds, waves and sea currents. Guests must not exceed 108 kg (240 lbs) in weight and be at least 8 years of age to take part. Guests will be required to sign a waiver that may be available only in English. It is recommended that guests wear a bathing suit under their clothes. The transfer to and from Bacalar takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes each way.

OPEN-AIR BUGGY RIDE, BEACH BREAK, AND LUNCH

Explore a Mexican fishing village and its surroundings in an open-air buggy on this approximately three-and-a-half-hour excursion. Also enjoy a tequila tasting and free time at the beach, including a Mexican lunch.

Begin this approximately three-and-a-half-hour excursion with a drive of around 15 minutes from the pier to Mahahual, a village on Mexico’s Costa Maya coast. For added excitement, you will be travelling in an open-air buggy, which will be your transport for the day.

Once arrived, spend around 15 minutes visiting and photographing Mahahual’s lighthouse, a striking local landmark that’s entirely solar-powered. You will also be able to learn a bit about the town’s history (Mahahual boasts some interesting features, such as Banco Chinchorro, one of Mexico’s largest coral atolls – a ring-shaped coral reef – which sits in its nearby waters).

Afterwards, it’s back to the buggy for a coastal drive of approximately 30 minutes to reach your venue for the tequila tasting. Over half an hour or so, learn about Mexico’s national drink and how it’s made from the agave plant, before sampling some different varieties.

Next, it’s time to relax and enjoy approximately one hour and 45 minutes of free time at the beach. Sunbathe and swim, and also enjoy a Mexican lunch during this time. A 15-minute journey then returns to the port.

Important Information: Guests are advised to wear comfortable shoes and swimwear under their clothing and to bring a towel, hat, and biodegradable sunscreen. Guests wishing to drive must be at least 21 years of age and in possession of a valid driving license. Guests must be at least 5 years of age to take part in the tour.

The tour is not available for pregnant women and guests with pre-existing back/neck injuries. Guests will be required to sign a waiver which may only be available in English. Each dune buggy can take up to four (4) guests. However, if your party is smaller than 4, you may be required to share the vehicle with other guests. If you wish to have your own buggy, you will be required to pay for its full capacity of 4 guests. Please inquire with the shore excursions desk onboard should this be the case so that the remaining spaces can be charged to your onboard stateroom account.

MAHIKAL BEACH WITH LUNCH AND OPEN BAR

Enjoy a relaxing stint at Mahikal Beach on this approximately five-hour excursion, which is an opportunity to soak up a stretch of Costa Maya’s coastline. Take to the water in a kayak or just sit back and sunbathe, knowing that lunch is included and that there’s an open bar, making things even easier.

Get ready to ditch your worries as you escape to Mahikal Beach and indulge on this excursion, lasting approximately five hours. Begin by meeting on the pier and boarding your transport for a drive of around 45 minutes through jungle landscapes. Once arrived at the beach, staff will welcome and guide you to your spot on the beach – you’ll be able to choose whether you want sunshine or shade.

Then settle-in for approximately three hours and 30 minutes of free time to spend however you like. Take a dip in the Caribbean Sea or move things up a notch by paddling out in a kayak (available on a first-come, first-served basis) and exploring the nearby area.

Alternatively, you could just relax on the sands and top up the tan – it’s entirely up to you. However you choose to spend your time, it’ll be made even more enjoyable by a buffet lunch and an open bar, meaning you happily can sip a cocktail, beer, soft drink or other beverage of choice without worrying about the bill, instead focusing on enjoying those coastal views.

After the free time comes to an end, a transfer drive of around 45 minutes returns to the port.

Important Information: It is recommended that guests wear comfortable clothing, bring sunglasses, a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Kayaks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Presence of seaweed in the Mexican Caribbean Coast is seasonal and could cause limited visibility and be present in the water or beach.

Seaweed is not harmful but may cause light itching on sensitive skin. The complementary grilled buffet includes beef steak, chorizo sausage, corn, zucchini and onions, potatoes, and corn tortillas. There is an additional chips & salsa bar with seasonal fruit slices and green salad at extra cost, approximately $15 usd per person. Open Bar includes selected cocktails, soda, water and beer. Menu is subject to change. Umbrellas are available in limited quantities and offered on a first-come, first-served basis