Dzibichaltun Mayan Ruins & Beach Break Excursion

This excursion was nice...

This excursion was nice but a little disconcerting as they changed plans on it frequently. The ruins and guide were very nice. The beach they took us to was unremarkable except that there were so so many shells on it. That part was very cool. I have never seen so many shells in one place at a time.

Not what we booked, pretty disappointed.

We did both get to take the tour we booked. I want to start by saying our tour guide, Toni, was great and helped make the day as good as could be for us, but we did not get the tour we paid for. Upon arrival to the meeting location we were told that the ruin site we were scheduled to visit was not open at this time. Instead they took us to another site, which was nice but not nearly as impressive as the site we’re were supposed to see. My husband and I have visited Dzibilchaltún before and were excited to take our daughters there, especially to swim in the sinkhole. The backup ruin site was interesting, but just not the same experience we were expecting. The second half of our tour was supposed to be at Silcer Beach Club where we would have had pools and beach access. Silcer Beach Club was supposed to be more of an “all inclusive” type of experience with lounge chairs and umbrellas. Instead, we were dropped off at a restaurant on a dirty public beach where lunch cost us an extra $150. All in all, I’m super disappointed with the excursion experience we got and would not likely book with this company or tour guide again. I gave a two star rating because our tour guide was quite nice and taught us a lot about the Mayan culture.

Underwhelming tour.

Not up to expectations. Did not go to the ruins advertised (Dzibichaltun) due to what was explained as a non-payment by the vendor, instead was taken to Xcambo ruins. The pickup spot was somewhat confusing and hard to find despitethe instructions. The tour guide (Tony) did his best and was friendly but spoke very little english. Not much to see at flamingo location and Myan salt production area. Disappointing would not recommend this tour.

Great tour

Great tour guide that adjusted our itinerary- with our consent - due to an issue out of their control.

Visit if you have the time

We decided to visit the site on our own, so took a taxi from Merida. The ruins are very old dating from 600BC. They are small and well worth having a guide as he can explain everything to you about the buildings. The open chapel which was built of stones from the original buildings is interesting, it self a ruin, was being worked on by the conservators. The cenote is polluted therefore it is not possible to swim in it any more The echoes in the main square really do,sound like the quetzals. The most important building is the building of the 7 dolls.the window at the top was strategically placed for the solstices and the moon. The ruins were not very busy. We took about 2 hours

It worked out.

We were disappointed that the museum and cenote were closed, but our guide improvised and did a fantastic job. We really enjoyed spending our time with Carlos. He was great!! He even spoke Mayan!

Not impressed

Was not very impressed. The cenote was closed and they didn't reduce the price of admission. The museum was also closed. We did not get a guide but the ruins were not that impressive. There are a lot better options in the area.

Flexible and accommodating

If you’re looking for fancy and glamour, this tour is not it BUT if you want friendly, flexible, fun and knowledgeable this is the group for you! We had a great experience on a private tour. The tour guides were laid back and personable and extremely accommodating. The van was old and AC wasn’t great but that didn’t bother us.

Best Archaeological experience ever!

I had the absolute best time! Our tour guide, Adam, is not just a local but also a full fledged Archaeologist! He kept the 30-40min bus ride very entertaining with his plethora of knowledge, while mixing in a few jokes and stories. Bus itself was comfy and driven by a delightful driver, Toni. The Mayan ruins were incredible! To stand in the same location as the ancient Mayans is really a once in a lifetime experience. You can climb up several of the temples/structures and get some amazing photos/viewpoints. There's even temples that haven't been excavated yet, which gives you an idea of just how hard it is to find these buildings initially. Adam gives you a guided tour (about 40min), and it happy to continue giving you information about the wonderful area, and you're free to look around on your own for the rest of the time. The Sun temple, while closed to climbing, was cool to see. There's an interesting natural spring, around the size of a large swimming pool, filled with an abundance of fish who will gladly give your feet a soft spa pedicure (warning: it tickles like crazy). Weather was perfect! 80 degress and clear, I highly suggest you go in Fall and avoid the heat of Summer. Bring some sunscreen and bug spray, as you would anywhere else that Nature exists. The beach portion of trip was a lot of fun. A brief walk (about a city block) and we arrived a nice beachfront local restaurant, to enjoy roughly 90min of open bar time. Some drinks are pre-made in large batches, but everything is clean and sanitary. Cups are around 12oz, but you can easily order multiple and "double" for stronger drinks. There were a few local vendors wandering around the area (the beach is public after all) that will approach you. They're trying to make a living of course. But a kind "No" and wave of your hand (as Adam instructs you), and they will pass you by. Never did I once feel crowded by them. The staff was very kind and the prices on food was quite reasonable, akin to average prices of most Mexican restaurants back home. Food was both great and interesting! You're given free chips n' salsa, beans, and a small veggie plate, but can order more food. Bartenders were super friendly and the DJ kept the music going and even did a fun ring toss game! Beach itself was pretty. Water had a little bit of algae but wasn't gross. There are some sharp shells in the water (because it's a beach), so make sure you wear flip flops,etc. There were some seagulls, but that's simply nature for you. Just make sure you cover your plates if you get up, and every once in a while one bird might get brave and land on the table. Just DON'T feed them. You'll regret it. Overall, best Archaeological experience ever! Ruins and rum! You couldn't ask for more.

Perfect

We had our boys 5,4 and 2 with us and this was perfect .My husband loved the history and I loved swimming in the cenoate!!we especially liked that we could climb up and take pics!!The beach was also amazing !If you order food watch out the plates of nachos are huge !!!!Adam,John Paul And memo were excellent

lovely

We just went on our own...no tour. It is worth your time. go early in the morning when cooler, during the week. The ruins are amazing and the cenote is an oasis.

Decent Experience

The experience overall was good but not great. Our guide was knowledgeable about the Mayan site but only told us about the site history when we specifically asked about it. The food and drinks at the beach club(Silcer) are not included in the price, but I paid $20 for the buffet and open bar which was worth it for me. The beach club is nice and very American-focused but I wish we had more time there. Driving to and from the ruins and the time there left us with only an hour or so on the beach.

visita a las ruinas mayas Dzibichaltun

Fuimos por nuestra cuenta en familia, hay descuento para estudiantes y maestros con credencial. Si llegas en auto también te cobran el estacionamiento. No te dejan entrar con maletas, debes dejarlas en el auto o alquilar un locker por $50.00 pesos. Si vas a nadar en el Cenote ubicado adentro de la zona arqueológica, debes ir con el traje de baño puesto, la toalla y una botella de agua. Hay poca o nula información en las ruinas, se ve algo descuidado en ese aspecto, sino entras con guía o un libro se siente uno perdido. Uno de los atractivos es nadar en el Cenote, el agua es fresca y tiene una zona de vegetación adentro del agua, es hermoso. Es bastante resbaloso, por lo que se recomienda ir con sandalias. Cuidado con los moscos y las hormigas pican a muerte. Mi esposo perdió la cartera por aquello de llevar cosas en la mano, si pueden llevar en una bolsa sencilla sus cosas, si pasa sin problema Contactamos por facebook al director y se mostró amable y dispuesto, pero desgraciadamente no apareció.

Extraordinario lugar

Una zona arqueológica maya extraordinaria donde se puede aprender y conocer más de los habitantes mayas, el basamento piramidal de las muñecas su construcción es maravillosa e increíble, el manglar presenta agua clara y limpia.