Chacchoben Mayan Ruins from Costa Maya

The tour is amazing!

Our tour guide Carlos was very knowledgeable and professional. We had a great time! It was very educational and beautiful to be there.

Fun, informative tour - thanks Carlos!

Our tour guide, Carlos, was great! Fun and informative. The check in process was really easy once we found the taxis - getting out of the Costa Maya port is a bit of a maze, which was annoying. The beach club we were brought to at the end is a huge tourist trap. $10 for a small, bland guacamole, $15 minimum for most appetizers and entrees, $5 bottle beers. The beach is nice, though, and it was a (mostly) relaxing way to end the excursion.

Definitely recommend!

This was such a fun excursion for our cruise stop. Our guide was Carlos and he was a wealth of knowledge as well as very personable. We brought our 6 and 9 year old kids and he made sure that they were engaged in the information he was sharing. This is a less well-known Mayan site and we saw more than I was expecting. There were a lot of people visiting the site, but it never felt crowded. Our group with Toucan was small, which I loved. We visited the beach afterwards and it was beautiful! My kids loved having some time to swim and play in the ocean.

Incredible Mayan Ruins Tour with Toucan Tours!

If you're looking for an unforgettable experience, book your Mayan ruins tour with **Toucan Tours**! We had the privilege of exploring the ruins today, and it was beyond amazing. Our guide, **Carlos**, was incredibly knowledgeable and brought the ancient history of the Mayans to life. His passion for the culture, combined with fascinating stories, made the tour both educational and exciting. The tour was well-organized, with just the right balance of exploring, learning, and free time to take in the beauty of the ruins. Carlos kept the group engaged throughout, answering all of our questions and making the entire day an adventure. The pace was perfect – not rushed, but we covered so much ground! I can’t recommend **Toucan Tours** enough. Whether you're a history buff or just looking to soak in the beauty of this incredible site, they will provide an exceptional experience. Ask for Carlos – he made this trip one we’ll never forget! Let me know if you'd like any adjustments!

Carols was the best

Carlos was an amazing tour guide! He was so knowledgeable and entertaining. We enjoyed this excursion so much! On the way back from seeing the Ruins, we stopped and got fresh pineapple and chili, absolutely delicious! The best pineapple I ever had! I highly recommend this excursion. Definitely ask for Carlos.

Ruins

This was so cool!! My husband and I learned so much from this trip! Daniel Jr was our tour guide and was AMAZING!! 10/10 experience!!

Chacchoben Mayan Ruins with Tour Guide Juan Carlos

My family and I truly enjoyed our Chaccoben Mayan Ruins tour with our tour guide Juan Carlos and our driver Gabriel (who was safe and courteous). We were on a Carnival Cruise ship and once we found the Toucan Tours van, we were then driven to their office where we were given soft drinks, water and Tequila for those who wanted some. Juan Carlos is an awesome tour guide. He truly personalized our excursion for us with his amazing knowledge of the Mayan culture and history and also with his one of a kind sense of humor as well. You will not be disappointed booking this tour!

Fun & informative

Very informative! Gabriel took us to all of our destinations safely. Carlos shared tons of information about the Mayan culture!

Mayan ruins

The trip with guide Carlose was awsome, we saw a lot of interesting places in small group of people. Everthing was very good.

Wonderful day with Eliseo

Eliseo (guide) and Gerardo (driver) were excellent guides for our tour of the ruins. Eliseo spoke fluent English and we had no trouble hearing him or understanding him. He gave us lots of information and insight into history and Mayan culture. He was efficient and clear, giving us plenty of time to explore while being very aware of our cruise line time limits. Toucan Tours is very good.

Amazing experience

My husband and I had the best time on this excursion. Carlos was such a great tour guide. Very knowledgeable in the Mayan culture and extremely personable. Also for those concerned about speaking Spanish, his English is wonderful. After the tour we stopped at this little road side shop that sells fresh mango, pineapple and dragon fruit. We also stopped at another shop where Carlos bought spicy peanuts for us to try. All in all we had a wonderful time so i definitely recommend booking through Toucan Tours, you’ll save money and small crowd sizes as opposed through cruise line.

Amazing

My husband and I had the best time on this excursion. Carlos was such a great tour guide. Very knowledgeable in the Mayan culture and extremely personable. Also for those concerned about speaking Spanish, his English is wonderful. After the tour we stopped at this little road side shop that sells fresh mango, pineapple and dragon fruit. We also stopped at another shop where Carlos bought spicy peanuts for us to try. All in all we had a wonderful time so i definitely recommend booking through Toucan Tours, you’ll save money and small crowd sizes as opposed through cruise line.

Mayan adventure

The ruins were really cool, and in the beach experience the water was perfect . Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. The site was shady, so no sunburn worries

Fun, safe, informative excursion

I did this tour as a cruise excursion with my husband and family and had a wonderful time. The pickup location at the port was a bit tricky to find but staff at the port were nice and directed us to the right location. Once we found the correct stand, a driver took us over to the main office in a van in less than 5 minutes. Check-in was smooth. All the staff was friendly and informative. We were loaded into a van with another group within minutes and received plenty of cold drinks in an air-conditioned van. During the hour long ride to the ruins, our tour guide Eliseo kept the group entertained, which was great since there are little to no sights to see on the drive to the ruins. The driver, Manuel, was very kind as well. Eliseo was passionate, knowledgable and friendly. After the ruins tour, we were given the option to go to the beach for about an hour, which was beautiful. Eliseo gave us food recommendations that did not dissapoint. The staff was very mindful about the fact that my family wanted to be back at the port by a certain time so as to not miss our ship. This is definitely a family friendly and cruise friendly excursion for your money.

Mayan Ruins from a Cruise Ship

My daughter and I decided on this cruise we would venture off our normal path of just visiting beach resorts. We decided to try the Mayan Ruins. Our guide was a lady by the name of Gabriella aka Gabby. She was really informative and funny. Made the trip enjoyable and was attentive to our needs from the time it started till it finished. Overall, a great experience and I would highly recommend booking through trip advisor since the cost is half the price of what carnival charges.

In general the tour was great and the tour guide was very knowledgeable. Transportation was also good and helpful

We arrived to the ruins on time and we were the first group so no one was there, perfect timing to take some pictures of the ruins. Unfortunately the tour guide decided to give us first the long history of the ruins so by the time she finished, it was hundreds of people taking pictures and it was almost impossible for our group to take better photos. Take this comment also as a suggestion

Unforgettable Chacchoben Ruins Tour with Amazing Guides and Local Experiences!

Our tour to the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins from Costa Maya was an unforgettable experience, and a huge part of that was thanks to our amazing guides, Carlos and Freddy! They were not only incredibly knowledgeable about the ruins and Mayan history, but also made the trip so much fun. Carlos shared fascinating stories and facts about the site while we were on our way there. The Chacchoben ruins themselves are awe-inspiring, set in a beautiful jungle landscape that adds to the atmosphere. Carlos’s detailed explanations really brought the history of the ancient Mayan civilization to life, and we were given plenty of time to explore and take it all in. On the way back, we were treated to a special stop where we got to experience authentic local food. It was a unique opportunity to taste real Mexican cuisine away from the tourist spots, which was an unexpected and delightful bonus. We even got to visit a local convenience store that Carlos jokingly called the "Mexican Walmart"—a fun little cultural side trip! The only downside to the day, which wasn’t related to the tour itself, was that the port area was a bit confusing. It was tough to find the parking lot where the tour started due to the lack of clear signage at the port. A little more direction at the port would have made things smoother, but once we found it, everything from then on was perfect! All in all, this tour was an excellent mix of history, culture, and fun, and I highly recommend it for anyone visiting Costa Maya!

Worth the time and money.

Nice relaxing drive to the ruins. Tour guide was very informative and answered all our questions. Would have preferred more time at the beach.

Excellent Service

I truly enjoyed this tour. Gabby was awesome, our driver was excellent as well. This is my first time to Mexico and I will definitely be back. I will definitely book with the same tour group.

Very interesting to see something new and great timing for cruise shore excursion.

It was very nice to see ruins that aren’t Roman. We learnt a bit about the Mayan culture, their origins and eventual demise. Due to heavy rain, we chose not to go to the beach (others did) and I was happy this was actually an option. Our tour guide, I felt, was a bit rushed, we had a man on the tour with a slight mobility issue, and he was constantly being left behind, I had to ask the guide to stop and wait for him. Otherwise, we enjoyed the tour, it was great timing for our cruise shore excursion and about half the ship price.

Great tour of the Mayan Ruins

The vans are comfortable and air conditioned. Which is good since it's about an hour senic drive, in each direction. The guides give some interesting information about the areas as you pass them, and may even include a stop at the road side fresh fruit stands if you ask. The ruins themselves are not to be missed. The history of the Mayan cities is fascinating, and should be on every ones bucket list to visit at least once. Highly recommend this tour, and tour group.

Nice archeological site to visit

The guide was good and company offered bottled water and soda as advertised. Unfortunately, there was no AC in the van. Definitely not a trip for elderly people, or people with knee problems like arthritis. Beach was ok, costa maya port would have been better place for us to hang out in then the beach they took us to, mainly because we don’t swim and the local market is overpriced, more then the port.

It was just ok

We only had less than an hour at Mayan ruin . Our guide was nice but not knowledgeable of the Mayan people . Disappointed in that.

Great to see the sites, if you've not been... then go!

The ruins are the star of the tour and are impressive. It was good to have bottled water throughout the trip - as it was hot! The guide was informative and happy to answer any questions, his English was good, although he did repeat himself a little at times. The site has toilets, a gift shop and food stores - although to be expected they are tourist prices. The coach was comfortable and air-conditioned. However note that it is a "large" coach tour and not a minibus tour, so there will be 50ish people on the tour - it's not an intimate tour experience at all. As our boat was departing at 3:30pm we didn't feel we had enough time to visit the beach - no reflection of the tour itself, just us wishing to get back to the port (as there is lots to do at the port itself). We (the parents) had previously done a trip like this 6 years ago without the kids. It was a minibus (10 people) tour with unlimited soft drinks, a stop at the side of the road for local fruit tasting, etc and a guide that had a smaller group so it felt more personal - it was so much better, this made this trip a little disappointing for us. Again not this tours fault, but do realise you're in a big coach group with this tour.

Should try at least once!

We booked our tour through Trip Advisor since it was almost half the price if we booked it through our cruiseline. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and gave an overview plus lots of information during the 45ish minute drive to the Mayan Ruins. The one suggestion I would pass along to future travelers is to bring bug spray, they do have bug spray for purchase outside of the Mayan Ruins but it is $15, which I suppose is a fair price to avoid malaria and Zika virus haha. During the tour everyone stayed with their own group and guide, it was certainly nice to see at least once in my lifetime! Nothing but nice things to say about our tour guide we could tell he really does like his job and what he does. The car ride back was a little bumpy but nothing can be done about that.

Great ruins and beach excursion!

Eliso was very great! He kept us in front of the big groups so we didn't get crowded out by the big groups! He was very informative and made sure we made it back to our ship on time! Had a great driver to and from the ruins! The beach we visited at the end was very nice and quiet and the restaurant was authentic food!

Great driver and Tour Guide!!

Driver Victor and Tour Guide Juan Carlos were excellent. Juan Carlos was really knowledgeable about the Mayan traditions and explained everything very well

Great trip!

This was a great tour! They provided water all along the way, and soda while we waited for everyone to arrive. The guides, Gabriella and I can't remember her partner's name, were very informative. They answered our questions and taught us about the surrounding communities as well as the ruins. They also made sure we got back to the cruise ship on time. It was a great day!

Mayan Ruins Tour

Carlos gave a great tour of the ruins. He was a walking encyclopedia on the subject. There was a lot to see and he knew about it all. Great guide and very professional and personable.

Family tour of Chacchoben

Eliseo and Gabby did a great job describing the pyramid, how it was built and the city around The Costa Maya port. They also made sure we got back to the port in plenty of time. Thanks for making our tour enjoyable!

Great day trip from the cruise port

All of the drivers and tour guides were very nice and friendly. (Funny too!) gave good insight to the ancient roots of Mexico. They gave us cold water upon arrival. Additional water once we arrived. The van’s A/C is very weak. So be prepared to be hot and a bit sweaty by the time you arrive. It was a great day and dropped by a local fruit vender and get some fresh fruits! For $55/pp it was a good deal compared to the cruise excursion prices.

Great excursion

Juan Carlos (tour guide) and Victor (driver) were great! Very knowledgeable about the Mayan history and ruins. The transportation vans were nice with AC and charging ports. Before we left we had our choice of a beer, shot of tequila, or soda and then they kept us hydrated with bottled water the rest of the trip. We stopped at a road side stand and got pineapple and fruit juices. Get the pineapple, so good!!! Our family chose to go to the beach after. If you're looking for a quite not crowded beach, skip this part. There were chairs and umbrellas included. Lots of shops, people selling all sorts of things, restaurants, and massages. My husband got a massage and said it was pretty good. They do it there on the beach under a canopy for $20 for 1 hour. There are restaurants on the beach as well, but we didn't eat as we only had 1 hour.

Fun trip!

Our guide was really great! He made the trip fun and interesting. We got off to a rough start when the air conditioner on the bus did not work and we sat there 30 min in extreme heat. He got us off the bus then we took off in a van. We learned a lot and enjoyed the afternoon.

Good trip!

By the time we got to the port, which was 10:30 ish, we were not able to find the tour guide who was supposed to be in the parking lot. We ended up walking all the way to the office. The office was very nice and accommodated our trip shortly. The ruins were under repair but still, it was great to see such wonder. The ruins guide was sweet and explained the history as well as some fun facts. Overall it was a good trip.

Great experiences

Such a fun trip. Elisio (spelling??) was such a great tour guide and taught us a lot about the Mayan culture. Great value too!

Well-run ruins tour

First, understand that Costa Maya is largely built around and for the port. The port itself is a private entity and the goal of the port owners is to keep you there so you spend money there. None of that money flows into the poverty-stricken town of Costa Maya that is outside the port. With that said... ...Once you're able to find the port exit (they do not make it easy), then find the Toucan Tours rep, you take a short shuttle trip to their office. After a short wait (and maybe a drink if you'd like), you board a different shuttle for a roughly 1 hour drive to the Mayan ruins. Our guide Eliseo did a great job guiding us though the park and explaining the various buildings / temples and surrounding grounds, vegetation, and history. There is a souvenir shop with ice cream / snacks on site as well. Top tips: bring bug spray, as the mosquitoes were moderate when we were there. Use restrooms in the port before you leave, and at the ruins before you leave. On the return trip to the port, we had time to stop about midway at a vendor on the street side selling fresh fruit (mangos and pineapples, which this area is known for); chile power optional. We made it back to port with plenty of time to get back onto our cruise ship and could have spent time walking around the port if desired. Overall, a good experience in Costa Maya that we far preferred over just hanging out in the private port for half a day.

A must see!!

Carlos was great- very knowledgeable and the food and pineapple we were able to purchase on the way back was the best- don't forget your bug stray it is damp conditions around the area.

Highlight of cruise

Carlos (tour guide) and Victor (driver) were the dream team! I went on this tour with my family (including two teenage girls who are very hard to please and a rambunctious 7yr old.) All the kids enjoyed the trip! We were offered waters the whole duration of the tour and never once felt hot in the humid climate. Carlos was very informative and offered visual hand outs to explain the Mayan culture even further. We really enjoyed this as it was one of the highlights of our trip. I would probably skip the beach next time (no fault of the tour.) Overpriced merchandise and only use of chairs if you purchase food or drinks. We were told my locals that merchandise was cheaper at the port. My daughter wanted a bracelet, we paid $10… found the same bracelet at the port for $3. Poverty is apparent in the region and it’s heartbreaking, we were very understanding however only brought limited amount of cash. We will definitely recommend this to future travelers. Keep of the great work!

Fun trip to the Mayan ruins

Great tour guides. Shared lots of history of the ruins and the Mayan people. Kids loved it as much as the parents.

Pretty good

The guide was great. The bus ride on the way there was long and hot as the AC was not working. They offered lots of water which helped. The ruins were very cool. I would probably choose a different ruins to visit if I were to redo this trip. There is not too much to see for the hour each way travel time.

Great tour with small group and awesome guide!!

This tour was phenomenal. Carlos was excellent and there was so much to see at the site. It was a guided tour also, which was not inferred by the advertising. The check-in is not difficult to find if you know what you're looking for...keep walking all the way through the port until you walk into the parking lot. Turn right and you'll see a little tiki hut with people in it to help you. The staff was very mindful about getting us back in plenty of time also. Highly recommend this tour.

Great tour

Our guide Eliseo was very knowledgeable and helpful. The walk to the ruins isn't long at all. We had 1 1/2 at the beach after and they took us straight to a spot with food and chairs. Great day!

10/10 would recommend!

Juan Carlos (tour guide) and Victor (our driver) both went out of their way to make our tour memorable and enjoyable. We were treated to beer and water when we arrived at port. On the ride to the ruins (~45 minutes) Juan Carlos was able to brief us on the rich history of the Yucatan Peninsula. When we got to the ruins we realized that the knowledge he shared on the way there was only the tip of the ice berg. Not only was he able to provide information about the ruins themselves, but also had expansive knowlege about the surrounding vegetation and ecology in the area. After the tour, Victor brought us to a beautiful beach where we were able to cool off and enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches of Costa Maya. The servers of the restaurant brought us menus and drinks (for an extra charge) but also brought us beach chairs so we could really relax. Victor stayed at the restaurant the entire time so to ensure we got back to port on time!

Mayan day

It was a slow drive there but that was to be expected. We could have taken the beach option but chose to walk and do a tequila tour

Great!

Absolutely wonderful! Much better price than the cruise line. Nice and local people, and an informational tour! Carlos and Victor were great. If you get the chance to stop on the way back to get a snack, do so! Make sure you get some pineapple and mango.

Breathtaking

We had an amazing guide. It was a little bit of a drive to get to the ruins but worth it. Make sure to have bug repellent because the mosquitoes are very active. The information and ruins are amazing to look at and explore. You won't be disappointed.

Best bundle and smaller group tour

Loved the smaller group. BRING BUG SPRAY. Luckily our tour guide, Carlos had some. The small group is nice to move through the very mosquito infested area quicker. Carlos was awesome and informative guide. Offered plenty of cold water for before and after. Plus a free trip to beach. Best bundle price wise!

Great experience

We had a great experience! Carlos and Carlos were wonderful tour guides! Very knowledgeable about Mayan culture. They tried to keep us in the shade as much as possible, and they even had bug spray because there were more mosquitos than usual because of hurricane Beryl. Definitely recommend this tour!!

Fun in the rain forest

It was a great excursion. Our tour guide was so kind and helpful, not to mention super knowledgeable. I highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes and to bring bug repellent.

Great family trip, ice cold transportation

We were very impressed with the nice air-conditioned buses. The staff had plenty of water for everyone on board throughout the day. Our guide, Elisio, was so friendly, and took time to answer everyone's questions, with lots of visual aids and clear grasp of the location's history. He spent lots of time with all the kids, relating the Mayan culture and traditions to them in a way all could understand. The ruins are very well preserved, and it is clear that the local government is working very hard to maintain its integrity. The drive to the site is about an hour each way, but the cold, comfortable bus made it very doable, especially since there was a lot of sweaty walking at the site. One thing that wasn't advertised on Viator was the optional beach trip afterward, and we were pleasantly surprised by the opportunity to spend an hour in Mahahual for some great local fare on the beach. Definitely recommend this tour for any interested in a historical excursion.