During my first trip to Cozumel I wanted to visit Mayan ruins. It was a short ride from the port. I paid the entry fee and got a lovely guided tour of the ruins that came with a lovely history lesson. It was a lovely walking tour and it wasn't rushed. There was an interesting lesson on every stop. I definitely recommend this tour for everyone visiting the port with a sense of adventure! read more

We booked the tour through Royal Caribbean while on Grandeur of the Seas. We hadn't been to Chacchoben, and thought it would be a good outing. It was. It is a 50-60 minute drive to get to the ruins. Our motor coach had comfortable seats, seat belts, and cold AC. On the way, Pablo, our tour guide, told us what we would see and a little about the area. Once there, Pablo gave us time to use the bathrooms. Bring change if you want to tip the attendants. The tour of the ruins with the guide was about an hour. Then we had another 30-40 minutes to explore on our own. If you intend to shop, bring cash. The bugs weren't bad, and we were glad since we forgot bug repellent. It was mostly shady, and we didn't need sunscreen. But it was hot at the beginning of September. We did sweat a lot. We brought refillable water bottles, which we used. And our tour guide provided each of us with a can of water, which we needed. read more

Booked a shore excursion here via the cruise line, which included air conditioned bus transportation. Our tour guide was informative and gave us ample time to take photos at each stop of this walking tour of the ruins. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, bring bug spray & sunblock and don't forget your camera! read more

See all

This is a very good option for shore excursions if you're in the Costa Maya cruise port, especially since the port itself was fairly underwhelming and this is one of the obvious cultural destinations that worth visiting (and is about 45 minutes via bus from the port). There are several ruins of note (though this is really the remains of a much larger complex at one point in Mayan history). There is a little village area full of extremely overpriced souvenirs along with quite a few bathrooms nearby which is helpful after a bus ride. The area is fairly spacious and the walking pathways are fairly wide. They made changes recently where many of the ruins are no longer climbable but you will still have some areas where if you want to access certain temples you'll have to really make a slog up some very steep steps to get there. Keep this in mind if you are with anyone who requires assistance, or are elderly or have trouble walking/use wheelchairs. Also make sure to wear comfortable shoes when coming here with traction. I would say obviously this isn't as majestic as Chitzenitza or as close to the ocean as Tulum but this is still a worth side trip whenever you are in the Costa Maya area. read more

Chacchoben Mayan Ruins - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chacchoben, ROO

The trip was fun and informative. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. A few tips.... This trip is all walking, close to 2-3 miles of walking. I went in April and it was still extremely hot. The tour guide said the summer months are unbearable when doing the tour. The terrain is uneven. You can bring a backpack and BRING WATER!!! There is NO INTERNET from the port to the location and back! There was maybe ONE spot while driving that had internet. You also NEED CASH! There is a small gift shop (same stuff as ALL the gift shops in the area) and an area for snacks and food. They only take cash. No ATM. Also, I was disappointed in the food. $6 for a small cup of salsa and chips pour out of a bag. I was hoping for authentic food but it was a rip off. read more

See all

While planning our trip, we knew Mayan ruins had to be on the itinerary. When our cruise offered a 6 hour trip to Chacchoben (pronounced Chaak-cho-ben) with a side trip to a private beach, we immediately jumped on the opportunity and prebooked our outing to Chacchoben with our cruise line. The tour bus, driver and guide we had were excellent. Our tour guide Sergio was friendly, knowledgeable and engaging. Upon entering the bus, we each received a cold bottle of water. We rode on the spacious Cancun Discovery. The seats were plush and had footrests. It was air conditioned and held around 50 people. The bus had a bathroom in the back which is always a plus on long rides. Travel to Chacchoben was an hour each way. Sergio kept the tour fascinating by giving us a primer of the site and the Mayan way of life during the trip up. With the amenities and entertainment provided on the bus, over all it was a smooth and comfortable ride. Chacchoben is as ancient as Mayan ruins get. The site was inhabited as early as 200 BC with its structures dating from 700 AD. Our tour guide mentioned each layer of the stone structure was built once every 52 years under the Venus cycle. If you visit during the spring equinox at a particular time, the sun is viewed being cradled by the structure which is rather cool. Surprisingly the temples we visited are just a few of what is still hidden under the jungle landscape. During our visit, there was yet one other site to undergo excavation. The grounds are ancient, mysterious and beautiful. We got a chance to learn about the Mayan people and its interesting culture. My pictures and review simply don't do this site justice. You just need to see it for yourself. read more

See all

We booked an excursion here during our cruise with NCL. The drive was about an hour away from the port, but our tour guide (Daniel Jaguar) and the views were enough to pass the time. Once we arrived we began the tour, which I believe took us to 5 different sites along a circular path. We were able to climb or walk around most of the ruins, but there were parts that were off limits. The whole tour took about one and a half hours, and afterwards we went to another resort to eat/swim/kayak and hangout. our tour guide was very informative, letting us know know the history behind not only the ruins, but the area in general and the beautiful Mayan culture. After this trip I definitely plan on doing more excursions in Costa Maya. The vibe here is incredible! read more

We stopped in Costa Maya on an NCL cruise and booked a tour through the ship. Although Chacchoben is an hour long drive from costa maya, we ended up getting a tour guide who lived in Chocchoben and spoke Maya. He was really informative and once we got to the Mayan ruins, I was actually pretty impressed. There were 4 cruise ships in port that day, so I assumed the Mayan ruins would be crazy packed with people, but it really wasn't too bad. We were able to take nice pictures, learn about the history of the ruins and even climb up some stairs to see the temples. Before getting on the buses and heading back to the ship, I purchased some souvenirs and ate some tacos. The souvenirs at chocchoben are really expensive ($8 for a handpainted magnet, $10 for a shot glass), but I guess that's what you can expect at a tourist shop. And we're helping out the local economy? There's a lady who sells tacos and tamales here. They were pretty great.... way better than anything I can get in Hawaii. The tacos were $2 each. This was my first time experiencing Mayan ruins and it was a great experience. I recommend it if you're in costa maya! read more

The Chacchoben Mayan Ruins were a settlement by the Mayan, whereas Chacchoben is Maya for "the place of red corn". This site is estimated to be around 200 BC, and it contains large temples & massive platform groups; which were naturally covered over a period of 2000 years. Chacchoben is one of the more popular ruin sites in southern Quintana Roo, with regular tourist trips from the port of Costa Maya. Visitors to the site today walk a circular path that includes three excavated & restored pyramids, as well as many walls & staircases. Excavation is continuing on several mounds which are known to contain further buildings. Some structures still bear traces of the red paint with which they were originally coated, and INAH has set up shaded areas to prevent further degradation of this pigment by the sun. Also notable at the base of the largest pyramid is a large stone slab called a stela with a Mayan hieroglyphic inscription. When you have a port stop at Costa Maya, and if you're interested in visiting some Mayan Ruins, I highly recommend taking a trip out to Chacchoben. It is about an hour ride (one-way) to the Mayan Ruins, so be sure to give yourself at least 3+ hours to make this excursion. read more

Chacchoben Mayan Ruins - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chacchoben, ROO

See all

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Indiana Jones. I wanted to be him (an archeologist, that is, not Harrison Ford). Chacchoben has been one of the top three archeological sites that I've always dreamed of exploring. This and Chichen Itza were my fantasy, archeological adventures in Mexico. So it was a major deal when I discovered I would have the chance to book a Chacchoben Mayan Ruins excursion during a cruise to the Western Caribbean. I immediately told my travel partner, "I'm fine with whatever you want to do during our trip, as long as I get to go to Chacchoben." Honestly, not knowing what to expect from the cruise (my first ever), I was fine if Chacchoben was the only thing I got to do. Of course, the cruise offered more than I could have imagined, but that's another review. All of the ruins throughout Mexico are inland. The coastal areas are vulnerable to hurricane damage, so the Mayans established their cities far from the ocean. So know that, if you are porting in Puerto Costa Maya (which is the name of the port in the town of Mahahual), it's about a 50-60 minute automobile ride to the archeological park. Mahahual is a sleepy little coast town. You can book a tour at Puerto Costa Maya on your own or, and I would recommend this if you are cruising here, pre-book it through your cruise ship. Because it's a longer bus ride, going with 30+ fellow cruisers will decrease the chances of you not making it to the ship on time, being left stranded, and then forced to find your own way to the next port on your own dime. Just saying. I'm normally a bit of a gambler, but in this case I'd play it safe. From the port, you drive on local roads from east to west, then you get on a state road traveling south to north. I took some cool pics while on the bus on the local road, where you see houses, animals, and other scenic shots. So when you get to the park, you'll turn onto a semi-long driveway from the state road. In front of you, you'll see a large area for busses to park on the left and a kind of a welcome center area straight ahead. Here you'll find a cafeteria, gift shop selling a deluge of trinkets, and - very importantly - the bathrooms. From here, our tour guide (Diana Garcia - she was fantastic, knowledgeable, and very passionate about her Mexican heritage) lead us through the park. At the beginning, there are winding, loose-stone pathways that you walk on before you hit your first building, then it becomes dirt paths (much of the original vegetation has been preserved, unlike some archeo sites that have completely stripped away greenery). Because of this, it's a little cooler at Chacchoban - the sun is no joke on the Yucatan Peninsula. So that's on your side, but watch out for fire ants! Be mindful of where you step. I recommend wearing closed toe shoes (sneakers or any other rubber soled shoe) and bug spray. I sprayed my ankles and foot area. Sneakers are also good because there are some uneven and rocky paths. Plus, the steps on some of the structures are steep, uneven in places, and can be slippery. There is no local hospital. I mean, there is some facility, but not a place that can handle broken bones or a serious fall. We were warned. However, if you do climb (and it's not bad if you are careful), there are some amazing photo ops. I recommend walking up the 32 step climb and having someone take a pic of you there. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it. Our tour was about an hour or so before the group had to load up back on the bus. Again, I would recommend booking a tour through the ship if you are cruising to Puerto Costa Maya/Mahahual. Chacchoban is a great archeological site to visit if you are interested in Mayan Civilization because of a) its archeological significance and b) it's not as physically demanding and time consuming as Chichen Itza, which is enormous and requires more travel time. [NOTE: If you have the time, Chichen Itza is well worth the visit, but not if you must rush through it because you have travel time constraints.] Hands down, I would recommend visiting Chacchoben if you are in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico! read more

We stopped by here a week ago on our cruise and had an amazing time learning about these old temples.