MEXICO
The ones worth booking.
The 12 most popular shore excursions tours in Mexico right now. What each one is really like, who runs it, and what it costs.
A 3.5-hour Chacchoben Mayan ruin shore trip from Costa Maya with A/C transport, an archaeology guide, and jungle wildlife spotting.
“We had a great day visiting the Mayan temples. We had a small group and a private tour guide, Ismael. By comparison to the cruise ship excursions groups of 50 or more, I much preferred this small group. Highly recommend you go off-ship and book with Viator.”
Private 5-hour Cozumel shore excursion with pickup, WWII air base stop, Kaokao chocolate tasting, tequila sampling, Mayan ruins, and a beach break.
“Gerry was an excellent tour guide! We spent 7 hours exploring Cozumel. We did a chocolate tour, Mayan bee sanctuary tour, pueblo de maiz, downtown historic sites, coastal drives with stops at beaches, and even bird watching! Bonus: saw crocodiles. Had dinner at a local seafood restaurant, which was amazing: conch, lobster, grouper, shrimp, and…”
A short, small-group mini-SUB underwater scooter ride in Cozumel with one-to-one guidance, marine-life sightings, and optional photo add-ons.
“An amazing experience. Joaquin and Jesus were patient and engaging. I am a non-swimmer but they provided great instructions on how to get in and use the sub. I would highly recommend this excursion. If I am ever back in Cozumel I would definitely do this excursion again. The only hiccup is when getting the…”
Private half-day in Ensenada with AC transport, La Bufadora blowhole and artisan market time, plus city sights with a bilingual guide.
“We met with our tour guide, Daniel, outside the port by the glass building. He had a clear sign with our name on it which was super helpful. He was kind and thoughtful during our entire trip! Very safe driver and attentive. He also gave us really good advise for the market. Made a stop…”
A private Playa Uvas beach pass in Cozumel with 4 hours of open bar, lunch, guided snorkel, and kayak time near Chankanaab.
“I'm giving it 5 stars only because of the staff and the actual set up the place. The only issue I had with this place was the entrance of the ocean, it was terrible, so many rocks that you can't really get into the ocean without having shoes on. But other than food and drinks…”
Private Ensenada shore excursion pairing La Bufadora’s blowhole with 60-minute horseback riding, plus flexible stops and scenic routes.
“The tour with car was ok but the one of the main reasons to do this tour My daughter 11 and myself wanted both horse riding peope to do the horse riding on the beach - the horses where extreme skinny - bad fed and kept - so my daughter refused to ride - beach…”
Horseback on the Pacific beach, a visit to La Bufadora blowhole, then downtown Ensenada shopping on a private 5-hour shore tour.
“We had a great tour with Jorge as our guide. Came off the Royal Caribbean cruise, got picked up right in front of the ship, and rode was comfortable. Jorge told us about everything we passed on the ride, and talked us through what to buy, hat to negotiate, and what to avoid. Horse riding…”
Private ATV ride near La Bufadora with helmeted safety, plus optional taco or wine stop, ship-friendly timing, and easy pickup.
“It was so easy meeting up for this excursion. Armando, our guide who drove us there and back was so friendly!! He gave great customer service and made us feel at home. The atv was super fun!! It was great because the scenery was wonderful and felt like a real atv experience. Front desk at…”
Mazatlán shore excursion with city sights, cliff divers, tequila tasting, and 3 hours at Shekinah Beach Club with pools, jacuzzis, and direct beach access.
“Everything about this excursion was absolutely wonderful! Our tour guide was flexible, friendly and very knowledgeable. He took us to places that weren’t even on the itinerary. Our time at the Shekinah Beach club was wonderful! We enjoyed the beautiful and relaxing environment, the pool, the beach and the yummy food and drinks we ordered!”
Private Bacalar day from Costa Maya with Lago Bacalar, Fuerte San Felipe, and Cenote Azul—tickets, snacks, and a guaranteed return.
“Our tour guide Chamaya (spelling?) was wonderful and provided lots of great info. Bacalar was beautiful. Water was too choppy to swim much but still a nice place. We loved Cenote Azul. Long drive from cruise port but was a nice day.”
Kayak near Ensenada’s blowhole with a private guide, dry-bag gear, geyser views, and optional taco or market time in 3.5 hours.
“Disorganized. Found them easy enough but drove to La Bufadora in their rented taxis and they made us wait for two hours while another group went. Told us to go shop. The time we wasted cost us the ability to do anything else back in Ensenada.”
Ride horses from desert to Playa Migrino, spot marine wildlife, then enjoy a tequila tasting on this Cabo shore excursion.
“Lots of horses. Since we had no experience, they gave us horses that plodded behind the guide. I think I could have handled a little more spry horse, but this gave me confidence for next time. Victor was our guide and he was super. We only rode for a little over an hour instead of…”
