Xcaret worth it or not?
 

Hi all!

We are traveling over in early May 2017. Have 8 nights in Mexico. Have big plans for a day trip to tulum and a day trip to chichen itza and ceynotes. We are there as part of our honeymoon, I'm wondering if the xcaret park is worth the money and time, or whether it's just like a water based Disney land of fake and unauthentic activities, and therefore would we be better off skipping Xcaret and doing another day trip somewhere instead, or a big ceynote filled day?

Thanks all,
TravelingTash

IMO Xcaret is well worth the time and money, We were there many years ago, may have changed but have but nothing but good memories. Get there early though and do, experience all it has to offer. Good choice.

Yes, it's just like a water based Disney land of activities that try to substitute for the authentic activities that are available in the area, but are harder/more expensive to access by those isolated in some AI resort in the Cancun hotel zone.
Your intended style of travel, potential location(s), and desired activities might effect your decision to do the park or the real thing.

The park is massive and offers a lot. We took our 7 year old boys and they loved it! Granted many of the activities you could probably do elsewhere but the park has everything central. The beaches are amazingly beautiful and we even went on a snorkeling trip off shore and saw turtles, sting rays etc. We didn't stay for the 8pm show but i understand it is beautiful. so in short, i would recommend it. enjoy and congratulations on your marriage.

I wouldn't go there to snorkel, but the Sea Trek walking underwater tour, underground river swimming, and especially the evening show are worthwhile.

There are three underground rivers that can be floated down, the water has a slight current that pulls you along and you also swim sort of, with a light life jacket on. We usually do two of those rivers. It is very relaxing and fun.

I have been there at different times of the year, and there are more "cultural" attractions like music and dance shows when there are more people there. There are performance stands where you will come upon traditional dancers or musicians, very nice. And indigenous animals, parrots, a really super (and new) indoor bird aviary with birds indigenous to 3 different ecosytems. Parrots, macaws, excremely colorful, and they are flying all around you and close to you.

I was there for Day of the Dead this year and XCaret had a fantastic celebration in the Puebla area at the park, many altars set up as you would have in Mexican towns, a huge tranditional foor area set up under tents, a big outdoor marketplace where Mayans and even some Huichol came to sell their handmade items, clothes, jewelry, backpacks and purses, etc. It was fantastic.

The nighttime show is a real big deal, huge amphitheater, lots of indigenous entertainment and Mayan dancers, a ballcourt reenactment that is very good, etc. It's long though, and we have never made it through the whole thing.

The beach is nice down at the beach end of the park, you can lay out or swim and get waited on.

The food is average in some restaurants, good in others, and very good in a few, so choose your restaurant wisely if you get the meal option- which is a very good deal considering you are in a park.

The stores there sell really good Mexican handicrafts, and there is an indigenous type village with a winding road you walk on to go see the people making their woodcarvings, bird feather paintings (yep micro paintings done on exotic bird tail feathers), embroidery, etc., and they are for sale.

I think it is a great fun time, and it is a beautiful and very clean ecopark in a very natural jungle environment.

I did both Xcarat and Xel Ha last year, both with grandkids, but they are young teenagers.
At XelHa my adult kids and grandkids and us went and had a blast. Did zip lining, snorkelling and spent the entire day there .
Personally I liked Xel Ha better, free buffet, and unlimited water, I though it was better value. I wad surprised at how the snorkelling was not too bad there.
At Xcaret you could not refill your water bottles, you had to buy a new one each time which I found very odd for a park that advertises being ECO Friendly.
I also did not like all the animals in captivity. Most people however did not have an issue with it, it is my thing for sure, just letting you know incase you feel the same way.

The evening shows at Xcaret are amazing however.So for that alone it may tip the scales for you. I would go on the website and look at both parks and see which one is a better fit for you. They are quite expensive so you probably won't do both.

P.S. There is a mastercard deal on the Xcaret website that we have used. If you pay online with matercard, you get a 2nd day free at Xcaret, to be used within 7 days of your 1st visit. So you can go back and use the beaches there or snorkel the rivers again, see rest of the park you won't make it to on the 1st day. That is a great value.

I didn't like Xcaret at all. I found it very expensive and not that exciting.
My older ones were bored but the young loved it.
We also swam with the Dolphins which basically doubled the price.
We found it rushed but the dolphins seemed to like it.
We should have found dolfins outside of Xcaret.
And it was run like any U.S. Or western managed amusement park.
Nothing authentic.
We got a thrill from swimming in a cenotte and at akumal (?) swimming with the turtles.

Ps : why do you write Dolphins with 'ph' in English !? You have other 'PH' pronounced 'f' ?

Shame on you Woinparis .

Watch Blackfish and educate yourself . I am very very disappointed in you .

Op - of course it's like fake Disneyland . Doesn't mean it's not fun .

However you can swim in censored for much much cheaper in the wild .

Stupid phone auto corrected .

.."swim in cenotes " .

We went there once and enjoyed it but cannot represent it as a good value for the money. Many do go and feel the cost was in excess of the value received, but others feel like it was worth the money and return often. It is probably reasonable to suggest to most US travelers that this is a good one-time experience. My personal recommendation is that you go ahead, and try to get as good an admission price as you can with any suggested routes of discounts, then go enjoy yourself, and forget the cost issue once you are there. You will enjoy yourself, after all that's what a vacation is for.