Xel-Há - Stunning Nature, So-So Food, and Skip the Timeshare…read more Xel-Há is easily one of the more beautiful and enjoyable destinations in the Quintana Roo area. The natural surroundings, cenotes, lazy river, and waterslides offer a full day of adventure and relaxation. If you break down the ticket price by the activities included, it's actually a solid overall value. But let's be clear: this is not a 5-Diamond experience. The food is the biggest letdown. The buffet is nothing special--average at best. The fries, in particular, are almost always cold and soggy, thanks to a heating system that doesn't keep up, even when food is freshly made. It's the kind of food that fills you up but doesn't leave an impression. A few tips to help you make the most of your trip: * Buy tickets online in advance - This helps you skip the lines and sometimes score a small discount. * Avoid visiting during election season - Due to Mexican law, no alcohol is served during this time, even at tourist locations. If part of your plan is to sip a drink by the water, plan around that. * Skip the timeshare presentation - While it might sound like a good deal (free breakfast + discounted or free tickets), it's really just a pitch to buy into a discount program. You're not buying a vacation home--just access to marked-up offers with a "discount" tag. If you do your homework, you can usually find better deals on your own. Bottom line: Go to Xel-Há for the nature and fun activities. Just manage your expectations with the food, and avoid the timeshare trap. It's worth a visit--just not worth believing the hype.

Overall we had a wonderful experience but with major hiccups first they allowed our travel agent to…read morebook a dinner reservation to a restaurant that no longer exist and we didn't find out till check in while verifying all of our reservations secondly one of our two reservations to xoximilco was not in the system we canceled and rebooked and at the end of our trip we were being charged for that first reservation that didn't show on the computer which caused the check out to prolong which made us miss our scheduled reservation bus back to the airport. Then they tried to insinuate that it was our fault that we missed our bus a 5-minute checkout turned into a 30 minute checkout because a f****** on their part. on the drive back from xoximilco, there was a group of about 10 people that were clearly intoxicated, being very disruptive and nothing was done about it. Skip the timeshare presentation they told us that we would get a $400 massage and it turned out to be maybe a $70 massage also they say it's an hour and a half from beginning to end and it took over 2 1/2 hours. The all-inclusive is definitely worth it if you eat a lot and drink a lot which is something we did. on our last night there we went to restaurant that supposedly had the tomahawk steaks come to find out they didn't they had sent their meats to another restaurant so that was very disappointing. Staff is very friendly

Amazing Service + Thrilling Tours = Unforgettable Memories…read more My husband and I planned a last minute vacation 5 day vacation to Cancun the week of 4th of July. The week before leaving to Cancun, I was browsing the Cancun Best Discount website and as I was browsing (which I had already spent about 30 minutes on the website looking at what to choose) Martha contacted me. Martha was wonderful! She asked me what I was interested in doing and provided recommendations. We booked 3 tours with Martha: Tour #1: Whale Shark Adventure Tour #2: Coba Mayan Encounter Tour #3: Selvatica Air Assault Once we were booked, our confirmations were sent to us immediately. When we were in Cancun, Martha called our hotel room to confirm pick up times for our tours. On day 4 we had to change our Selvatica Gimme All tour to the Air Assault tour since we couldn't do an 8 hour tour. Martha was able to change the tour without a problem and refund the difference in tickets immediately! Talk about incredible customer service! All tours were AMAZING! Swimming with whale sharks was incredible! The group was small with about 8 people. We swam with about 20 whale sharks (I swear I am not kidding). Even though my husband and I do not get sea sickness, we did on this trip so make sure to take dremamine. While you are waiting for your turn to go in the water with the whale sharks you sit on the boat and it rocks A LOT! We were lucky to have spotted the whale sharks about 45 minutes into the trip and we were one of the boats to get to the whale sharks so we had a lot of time taking turns to swim with them. If you do this tour, you have to be in good shape since there is current and you have to keep up with the whale sharks - trust me they aren't as slow as they look. After the whale shark swim which was an incredible experience, we set out to eat a ceviche lunch docked at Playa Mujeres was a great relaxation after a day of chasing whale sharks. The Mayan Coba Encounter was great! The tour guide Isreal, zip lining, repelling into a cenote and climbing up Coba was remarkable. Our Mayan buffet lunch was tasty. The Selvatica Air Assault is for the young, adventurous heart. My husband and I were the only ones who chose that tour so we had 4 tour guides all to ourselves! The attention and interaction we had with our guides was so personalized. I could have done without all of the bridges in the tour, but our guides, the bungee and superman zip lines made it all worth it. I have traveled a lot and I must say this has been THE BEST tour and customer service experience EVER!! All of these tours are a MUST DO! I would call Martha and Cancun Best Discounts in a heart beat when vacationing in Cancun again.

It was a great tour to Chichen Itza. Lots of drinks on the bus. Alex was a good server/bartender on…read moreboard the bus. Lunch buffet was good! A few comments though: 1 - we went on Tuesday, which apparently, Valladolid had a fiesta and so we did not stop, and just passed through it. If that was the plan of not stopping if there are fiestas, they should have informed us when we were booking. Would hvae been nice to walk around Valladolid. 2 - the tour guide just started talking after 1.5 hours on the bus en route. Wold have been more appropriate to say even a few words as soon as we drove off from the pick up area so to give us a bit of idea of what we are doing, how long is the drive, what to expect, etc. 3 - there were only 6 of us English speakers vs 30+ (i think) of the Spanish speakers on the bus. Antonio aka Kojak (i think was his name), our tour guide, gathered the English speaking tourists, but passed us to another tour guide from the other bus who had about 20+ people already. Would have been nice to have the guide with only a few people. Good thing, the other guide (Alfonso) did a good job. He knew a lot and was very articulate, and dressed the part.

Gonzalo showed us a fantastic time! He took us to spots we never would have found otherwise. It…read morewas a day full of laughs and fun! Highly recommend!

This was a top highlight of our trip to Isla Mujeres. Gonzalo took us to some of the best/hidden…read morespots the island has to offer and I had the BEST margarita of my life. He even extended the tour to the grocery store since I had forgotten sunglasses and my friend a phone charger. Was not a big deal at all. The drinks and hospitality were so amazing and I would have been devastated not to have taken this adventure day. 10/10 recommend and will do again when I come FOR SURE.

**A Day of Sun and Discovery: Chichen Itza Adventure, local lunch buffet, and cenote visit**…read more I recently had the opportunity to visit the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, and I must say, it was an unforgettable experience! Despite the scorching heat, our group had an absolute blast exploring this incredible site. **The Weather: A Sizzling Challenge** Let's get the obvious out of the way - it was HOT. Like, "I-can't-even-wear-my-sunglasses-because-their-frames-are-melting" hot. The sun beats down relentlessly, making every step feel like a marathon. But, as they say, "no pain, no gain" - and we were determined to make the most of our day. **The Ruins: A Treasure Trove of History** As we ventured deeper into the site, our eyes widened in awe at the sheer scale and grandeur of the ancient structures. The Pyramid of Kukulkan (El Castillo) stole the show, its intricate carvings and stairways a testament to the ingenuity of the Mayans. The Temple of Warriors, with its 9 pillars, was another highlight - each one adorned with symbolic carvings that told stories of battles and mythological creatures. **Cenote** We were also lucky enough to visit a local cenote and were thoroughly impressed. Despite the short visit, the experience was refreshing and rejuvenating. (about an hour 1/2 or so) The water was crystal clear and a perfect temperature - a welcome respite from the hot Cancun sun. The calm and peaceful atmosphere made it easy to unwind and relax. If you're looking for a quick and easy way to cool off or experience the natural beauty of Cancun, I highly recommend checking out one of these local cenotes. Don't expect to spend hours exploring, but do expect to leave feeling refreshed and invigorated. **Tips and Takeaways** * Bring sunscreen. Like, a lot of sunscreen. * Bring a canteen filled with Ice and water * Wear comfortable shoes - you'll be doing a lot of walking. * Take breaks in shaded areas or under umbrellas to avoid heat exhaustion. * Don't miss the acoustics demonstration at El Castillo - it's an impressive display! * Be prepared for crowds and long lines during peak season. * Consider booking a guided tour to get a deeper understanding of the site's history and significance. Thank you NOE and team!

Our tour guides, Miguel & Carmona were very helpful and knowledgeable. The deluxe tour package to…read moreChichen Itza and the cenote was well worth it. I was truly impressed with everything they planned for us.

I truly appreciated this airport transfer service. They were very communicative leading up to our…read morepick up date. They even let you know lots of people will try and sell transportation when exiting the terminal and to keep an eye on the driver with the sign for our name. Our driver was friendly and offered us ice cold water when we arrived in the car. Reconfirmed drop off location before we departed. The white shuttle van was clean and well kept. AC was blasting which was great. Smooth ride to our hotel.

Highly recommend booking an excursion with CA Tours. The staff was prompt, professional, friendly…read moreand knowledgeable about everything. My group of 6 got picked up in a fairly large fan. We chose the Cenotes, Mayan ruins and snorkeling excursion. The $170 excursion included lunch, cold water, snacks, transportation from our resort in Playa Del Carman, tour guide. The 3 part excursion lasted from 745 to 3 PM. Highly recommend bringing towels, bug spray, water proof phone case, snacks and if you choose the Cenotes bring a flash light if you arent a fan of the dark. My friends and I really enjoyed our experience. Everything was organized. We had plenty of time to ourselves to explore and overall we felt really safe. We booked on Trip Advisor to get the price of $170. I'd recommend going through maybe your resort or hotel to see if you can get an additional discount.

MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE I HAD IN MY STAY IN CANCUN! we were…read moreskeptical about buying the package because the sales men (guys wearing neon yellow shirts) haggle you into checking out their deals. My family and I bought the deal just because it covered a lot of stuff to do in Isla De Mujeres. (See picture attached) they provide snorkeling equipment. So the way it works is you get assigned a boat with your own driver only for your party. They will take you all over the island. You get to choose how long you want to stay in each area. Our captains were "El Negro" Jose and Jorge from Veracruz. TIPS: you are allowed AND SHOULD take food into the boat. Best deal is to go to the OXXO next door. Buy beer to make it fun! IF YOU HAVE A GOPRO or any underwater equipment TAKE IT! (I left my GOPRO in the hotel) At the beginning They took us to the most touristic part of the island for about an hour and a half. You get to hang out, explore, get in the crystal clear waters) After that they took us snorkeling off the shore to see fishes. If you know how to swim well, they will take you to a little tour where the current takes you off and you get to see different species of fish. When you are done the boat will pick you up. Once you're in, they take you to another part of the island where you can eat. Part of the package. They will cook you a saw fish (pes serrucho). Drinks are not included and you can't bring drinks inside. But it's worth it. While you wait for your food. You can swim with cat sharks and take pictures. (They are harmless). When everything is done, the best part comes! You will get on the boat and they will take you to see the lost village (under water museum) you get snorkeling gear and you explore everything for as long as you want! Beautiful scenery! After all that is over they will take you to shore and you're done. Should end around 6pm and you will be tired!

When finding an excursion for Cancun is really difficult. There's so much to do so little time…read more After a couple of days of looking, my Mr found this one from Amigo tours. We booked it on trip advisory. Plus you have to pay Mexican tax, so that's separate from the purchase you made online. It's a two hour drive so make sure you pack alot of water, sunscreen, towels, extra clothes. Please make sure you pay attention to the guides and what they have to say. There are rules. Each destination has a time limit. One more thing, they do pick you up at your hotel depending where you are staying. You go to three places. Here is the itinerary: -Valladolid, a colonial town in the Yucatan Peninsula (1 hour behind) -Sacred Cenote - refreshing, enchanting underground sinkhole, sacred to the Mayan people. -Lunch at Cenote grounds (Restaurant-Buffet style. -Tequila Tasting (Chichikan Tequila) ONLY found at this location. -Chichén Itzá, a UNESCO landmark and an important relic of the Mayan civilization. One of the seven wonders of the world. My favorite was swimming at the Cenote. You are required to purchased a life jacket separately and it's required. You have to shower before you go in. They want to keep the water clean so no sunscreen. Third was the ruins. I absolutely love the history behind it. I forgot about the tequila tasting. It was short but the tequila was so good. They only make it for Chichikan, no other place. I wish we could've had more time at the colonial town of Valladolid. I would've liked to explore more. What a great experience and my Mr and I had a blast. Hats off to Romeo, Juan and Hugo. They were amazing guides. They looked out for us and made sure we were okay. I would highly recommend this trip! It's worth it!

**1 STAR - AVOID THIS TOUR OPERATOR**…read more We booked the **VIP Chichén Itzá tour specifically because it included hotel pick-up**, and before paying we checked that our hotel was within the advertised free pick-up area. The terms and conditions clearly state that an additional fee may apply **if the hotel has difficult access**. Our hotel does not. Within minutes of booking, the tour operator contacted us demanding an **extra payment**, claiming our hotel was "too far away." When I pointed out their own T&Cs, they responded by quoting them back to me while **conveniently cutting out the part that says the additional charge applies when a hotel has difficult access**. That was enough for us. We cancelled immediately. Even more disappointing was **GetYourGuide support**. Instead of actually checking the advertised pick-up conditions and the wording of the T&Cs, the agent simply defended the tour operator. It genuinely felt as though she hadn't even bothered to read what I was pointing out. If you advertise **free hotel pick-up**, confirm an area is included, and then demand more money immediately after somebody pays, that is extremely misleading. **Cancelled and booked elsewhere. In my opinion, this felt like a bait-and-switch. Avoid.**

Herman was our tour guide and was outstanding. He was helpful, friendly, caring, and kind. We did…read moreEk Balam, Chichen Itza, and a cenote. He explained everything so well to us, taught us about the Mayan history, and so much more. He was a safe driver and answered all of our questions as well as the others in the group. The lunch was a yummy authentic Mexican lunch with the best homemade tortillas. Alma Tours picked us up and dropped us off directly to and from our hotel. Communication was very effective. Can't say enough good things about the tour, the history, and Herman. We were so impressed and would recommend this to anyone we know who is coming to Cancun.

We booked with Alma Tours, two days before on kind of a last minute decision once we were already…read morein Cancun. Wanted to LDS experience, and it was wonderful. We felt entirely safe (and loved, a little bit). Mario was our tour guide and driver, and he was kind, social able, and respectable. He also kept an eye on us on breaks and shopping. Been to Mexico a lot, and it is generally safe, but he helped feel super safe and comfortable. The tour we did was Chichen Itza.