We were told to arrive at 6:50 AM. Because of the early meeting time, I expected a full-day…read moreexperience in Tulum and Coba. Our hostel told us to bring snacks and said we would probably return around 5 PM.
The bus arrived around 7:10 AM. After several stops, we were moved from a minivan to a coach, which took us to Cancun's Hotel Zone around 7:30 AM.
We were told to get off and wait on the street. We waited from 7:30 to 9 AM with nothing to do. Breakfast was offered, but we bought coffee at the Oxxo next door because lunch was supposedly included.
After another coach and another 30-minute wait, we finally left Cancun at 9:30. Between 9:30 and 11 AM, the coach continued picking up and dropping off passengers. Several guides and groups came and went, and we had no idea who was with our tour.
Around 11:30, we arrived at the Tulum ruins and were immediately taken to a café where a latte cost 145 pesos. After bathrooms, it was about noon. We had been awake since 6:30 AM and had barely eaten, so I was becoming lightheaded.
Our archaeological tour lasted about 30 minutes. Although the guide entered the site, he did not accompany or explain anything to us. We were left to explore alone.
At 1:30 PM, the entire group was waiting at the café. The only person missing was the guide. We bought snacks because everyone assumed lunch was next, but the guide had told us to leave our snacks on the bus.
We were then told to switch buses again, this time to a small minivan with broken AC--14 people in 33°C heat. When we asked about lunch, we were shocked to learn that it would not be until 4 PM.
Around 2:30 PM, we stopped at a Mayan souvenir shop, which we expected. We left around 3 PM for Coba. After another ticket dispute, we entered at 3:15 PM.
We were immediately told to pay 180 pesos for a bike carriage because the pyramid was 5 km away and entry for climbing closed at 3:30 PM. We felt this was unfair: after hours of delays, we were being pressured to pay extra to reach the pyramid in time. Some people could not get carriages and had to stay behind.
We arrived at 3:30, but park officials said we needed to arrive by 3:15 to climb. They initially refused to let us up. After pleading, we were allowed to climb, but most of our group was not. We had never been told about the 3:15 deadline.
At 4:30 PM, we reached a cenote restaurant for the included buffet lunch. The rice, meat and vegetables were cold, but we ate because there were no alternatives. When my boyfriend tried to drink his own water, restaurant staff told us outside drinks were prohibited and that we had to buy a drink.
Few people wanted to swim in the cenote. Everyone was frustrated by the delays, poor planning and unexpected costs.
On the return journey, a group complained about the day. Instead of addressing the feedback, the guide closed the minivan door and said, "If you have issues, complain to your representative."
Around 7 PM, we stopped at a gas station and waited another 30 minutes while the guide argued about the bill. There was still no AC, and some passengers were worried about missing dinner reservations.
The guide never addressed the fact that most of the group had been unable to climb Coba. My boyfriend also heard him complain that he was not receiving tips and was having a bad day.
We finally returned to Cancun at 8:45 PM--12 hours after leaving.
We paid $79 per person, roughly the same as our excellent Isla Mujeres catamaran tour. This experience was completely different.
The day felt dominated by delays and extra spending on food, bike carriages and drinks. The guide even said, "What's $10 to you?" We can afford $10, but that does not make it acceptable to pressure tourists into unnecessary expenses.
This was the worst tour experience we have had. The itinerary was poorly managed, communication was inadequate, and most of the group missed key parts of the tour. We felt disrespected and treated like sources of extra money. Avoid this company if you want a well-organized day.
