Tulum/Xel-Ha or Xcaret?
Feb 2nd, 2003, 07:24 PM
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Tulum/Xel-Ha or Xcaret?
Message: Hi!<BR><BR>My mom and I are first time cruisers. We are taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean with a stop in Cozumel. We arrive at 10 am and leave at 7 pm. So not much time to do everything!<BR><BR>We need to decide between an excursion that visits Tulum and Xel-Ha and another excursion that goes to Xcaret. We are interested in seeing ruins, marine life, local vegetation/jungle, and gorgeous beaches.<BR><BR>My understanding is that the Tulum/Xel-Ha tour is too rushed but the Xcaret theme park is over commercialized and fake.<BR><BR>We do not want to venture out on our own since this is our first cruise. Any advice on the pluses and minuses to each excursion and which one to pick?<BR><BR>Thanks for any help!
Feb 3rd, 2003, 04:42 AM
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Keri, Having been to both of your excursion choices, I vote, overwhemingly, for the Tulum and Xel-Ha experience. Even if it seems like too much (we spent a day at each), it is still many times nicer than Xcaret. The ruins at Tulum are fantastic and not to be missed. The snorkeling and park at Xel-Ha are great. This excursion will make a full but exciting day. Enjoy.
Mar 24th, 2007, 01:29 PM
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I haven't been to either but I've heard that X-Caret is more Disney like - there are a lot of fun shows to watch. I am choosing to go to Xel-ha because their website shows A LOT of cool things to do and I prefer a more natural type of scene (not a lot of shows).
Mar 24th, 2007, 04:43 PM
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We've been to Xcaret back in 2001. It must have change since we've been there because it was not "fake" or "Disney" like at all to us. Lots of lagoons to swim in, lots of anmials to view, the underground river was very nice. We stayed all day and went to the Mayan ball game and the dance show. We really enjoyed it and would love to go back.
Personally, I wouldn't travel to either destination during a cruise ship stop from Cozumel. Your going to spend more time traveling there and back then actually getting to enjoy the destinations. It's a 45 minute ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen and then another 30-45 minutes to either site. Most tours indicate this is an 8 hour tour. I've been reading on the cruise boards (we're also going on another cruise to Cozumel next month) you'll only get about an hour at Tulum and 1 1/2 at Xel-Ha. Xcaret, you'll probably get about 3 hours. You will not have time to see the night shows.
Cozumel has a few ruins. Of course not as elobrate as Tulum or Chichen Itza. Cozumel is great for snorkeling/diving. They have Chakanaab Park and several beach clubs. There are also jeep island tours.
We picked going to Chakanaab Park for our cruise stop. We honeymooned in Cozumel in 2000 and went back on a cruise in 2002. Cozumel is very easy to get around.
Personally, I wouldn't travel to either destination during a cruise ship stop from Cozumel. Your going to spend more time traveling there and back then actually getting to enjoy the destinations. It's a 45 minute ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen and then another 30-45 minutes to either site. Most tours indicate this is an 8 hour tour. I've been reading on the cruise boards (we're also going on another cruise to Cozumel next month) you'll only get about an hour at Tulum and 1 1/2 at Xel-Ha. Xcaret, you'll probably get about 3 hours. You will not have time to see the night shows.
Cozumel has a few ruins. Of course not as elobrate as Tulum or Chichen Itza. Cozumel is great for snorkeling/diving. They have Chakanaab Park and several beach clubs. There are also jeep island tours.
We picked going to Chakanaab Park for our cruise stop. We honeymooned in Cozumel in 2000 and went back on a cruise in 2002. Cozumel is very easy to get around.
Mar 24th, 2007, 07:58 PM
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i have several alternatives you might consider.
take the ferry to playa. then get a taxi to the xel-ha ruins. these are directly across the road from xel-ha park. not as reconstructed as tulum but you can get right next to them which you can not do at tulum. you will be able to see wall painting on the building nearest the highway. take loads of bug spray and mind the ant trails. you can see these ruins in approx 45 mins. check out this link: http://www.locogringo.com/past_spotlights/may2005.cfm then have your taxi take you across the highway and into xel-ha park. this is a great place to snorkel and see large specimans of fish. it's a good 1/2 hour further to tulum and those ruins take at least 90 mins. if you don't tell anyone you will probably have xel-ha ruins to yourself.
there is no real beach at xel-ha. does your ship stop at costa maya? there is a fairly nice beach by mahahual for you if it does.
or, if you want to step outside the box a bit have a taxi take you to yal-ku lagoon near akumal. still south of playa but north of x-caret and xel-ha. great snorkeling here. then get a taxi back into akumal. have drinks at la buena vida then over to akumal beach for a swim, more snorkeling and lunch at lol-ha.
or go to tulum ruins, skip xel-ha and go to tulum beach. it is long and wide and the sand is wonderful. good swimming but no snorkeling. have lunch and a mojito at le mezzanine at the south end of the beach.
you can get lots of info on all these places on locogringo's site.
taxi drivers are very nice, you will have no problem.
take the ferry to playa. then get a taxi to the xel-ha ruins. these are directly across the road from xel-ha park. not as reconstructed as tulum but you can get right next to them which you can not do at tulum. you will be able to see wall painting on the building nearest the highway. take loads of bug spray and mind the ant trails. you can see these ruins in approx 45 mins. check out this link: http://www.locogringo.com/past_spotlights/may2005.cfm then have your taxi take you across the highway and into xel-ha park. this is a great place to snorkel and see large specimans of fish. it's a good 1/2 hour further to tulum and those ruins take at least 90 mins. if you don't tell anyone you will probably have xel-ha ruins to yourself.
there is no real beach at xel-ha. does your ship stop at costa maya? there is a fairly nice beach by mahahual for you if it does.
or, if you want to step outside the box a bit have a taxi take you to yal-ku lagoon near akumal. still south of playa but north of x-caret and xel-ha. great snorkeling here. then get a taxi back into akumal. have drinks at la buena vida then over to akumal beach for a swim, more snorkeling and lunch at lol-ha.
or go to tulum ruins, skip xel-ha and go to tulum beach. it is long and wide and the sand is wonderful. good swimming but no snorkeling. have lunch and a mojito at le mezzanine at the south end of the beach.
you can get lots of info on all these places on locogringo's site.
taxi drivers are very nice, you will have no problem.
Mar 25th, 2007, 12:30 AM
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There's a small beach, good for bodysurfing, directly below the ruins
at Tulum -- but you may find the ruins
overcrowded with bus tours. A good alternative is COBA, about a half hour
inland, with temples still intact with polychromed carvings and the smell of copal incense and stellae on jungle paths...
at Tulum -- but you may find the ruins
overcrowded with bus tours. A good alternative is COBA, about a half hour
inland, with temples still intact with polychromed carvings and the smell of copal incense and stellae on jungle paths...
