SHORE EXCURSIONS CREDIT

Get ready for a real off-road jungle adventure in search of the Jade cenote cavern riding a powerful ATV through tough trails into the heart of the jungle. Following your adventurous ride, you can relax at Playa Mia Grand Beach Park, Cozumel’s complete beach destination.

Board your transportation at the pier to El Cedral Mayan Village. Following your safety briefing, gear up and hop on a double (one driver, one passenger) ATV for a 6-mile journey. Drive through the winding and tough jungle trails to Jade cenote cavern. This jungle oasis was once a sacred site for the ancient Mayans. You will have a chance to swim in it’s refreshing waters. Hop back on your ATV for a drive to the Coral Caves, a series of natural formations carved over centuries, before returning to El Cedral for your transfer to Play Mia.

This famous beach destination is home to the largest bouncing floating park on the island. Beach lounge chairs, pools, 200- foot water slide, kayaks, and a whirl tub are part of the 20+ included non-motorized attractions. For an extra fee there is jet-ski rentals, parasailing, snorkel gear, a spa, shopping, lockers and food & beverages.

OVERVIEW

Sample tacos at three venues – each specializing in a different style of taco – and learn a bit about the various ingredients and history of this iconic Mexican dish. Tacos have come a long way since Mexican silver miners supposedly invented them in the 18th century. Before your first sampling at the downtown Municipal Market, the guide will show you around the food stands and explain the types of taco seasonings. You will then be served two cochinita pibil tacos, a traditional Yucatan dish made with marinated and seasoned suckling pig meat that has been wrapped in banana leaves and roasted in an underground oven. The second and third venues will be restaurants, one known for seafood tacos, the other acclaimed for another type of taco. A refreshing beer will be served to complement your dining experience, along with samples of tequila, water or soda. Also, one drink will be included at each venue.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy taco tastings at three different venues, each offering its own special variety.
• See the typical ingredients used in traditional tacos while browsing the Municipal Market.
• Learn about the history of tacos and the types most popular on the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Spend free time in downtown Cozumel following the taco sampling.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Spend a fun-filled day at Xel-Ha, an aquatic theme park where you can enjoy activities such as river tubing, bicycling, snorkeling and soaring like a bird on the zip-line.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a scenic journey to Xel-Ha, a beautiful aquatic park in a large protected cove on the mainland. Centuries ago, the Maya created a trading center, pilgrimage site and shelter for sailors here. In the Mayan language, Xel-Ha means “where the water is born,” and it is still a fitting description.

In this natural wonderland, you will be free to participate in whatever activities interest you the most. You might ease into an inner tube and float down the Xel-Ha River. Along the way, you can pause on the riverside platforms and, if you are feeling adventurous, you can climb the Cliff of Courage and then jump off into the river.

Riding the zip-lines and then splashing down into the water is another exhilarating, adrenaline-pumping activity. You can also fly through the air on a rope swing named for the Mayan Guardian of the Air, Chuc Kay.

There are also plenty of activities that are less physically demanding. You might meander down a jungle trail, enjoy the serenity of Chacah’s Garden, and snorkel through the cove, which is teeming with marine life such as angelfish, snapper, turtles and even manatees. The day is yours to enjoy as you so fit, whether it’s being physically active or simply relaxing.

Challenge your senses and sense of reality in Xenses Park, a fantastic setting where up is down, right is left and nothing is as it appears.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a picturesque ride to the mainland and on to Xenses Park. You will then spend the next four hours or so exploring this highly unusual sensory park with all sorts of entertaining activities that are designed to challenge your perceptions and enhance your senses.

Starting at the welcome area, known as the Pinwheel, two different circuits are available. The Consensible Circuit will test your senses in areas such as The Way of the Dwarfs and Giants. Here, you feel small one second and then enormous a moment later. Enter the complete darkness of the Xensatorium and all of your senses but sight will sharpen. Then, there is the Xitric Garden, where you can drink lemonade straight from a faucet in a lemon tree.

The Inconsensible Circuit will play tricks on your sense of balance and reality. You might float down a super-salty river, soar through the air on a zip-line, and meander through a make-believe town where the laws of physics and logic don’t apply. Water will seem to defy gravity, and you may think you are ascending steps but are actually walking down them.

The experience will be extraordinarily fun, wildly amusing and mentally challenging. Afterwards, you will enjoy free time in Playa del Carmen to ease back into reality.

This unique experience begins with a scenic tour along the Cozumel coast, onboard our vessel Ana that will take our guests to the Submarine Atlantis XII, and then dive to a depth of up to, at least, 100 feet. This adventure will show you a spectacular natural scenery of the Chankanaab reef, which is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, one of the largest living structures on the planet, and which is home to fish, lobsters, rays, sharks, and turtles, which can be admired depending on it's from the season. It will also take you to the famous Cozumel’s Wall, with a vertical drop of 2000 feet which delimits the Island. The new submarine route explores the biggest dive wreck in the area, the Felipe Xicotencatl, a 154 feet longship that was sold to the Mexican Navy. Later was sank to enhance the life of this Protected Natural Area and preserve it for future generations. Nowadays, it is home of mainly fish, sponges, and soft corals. An experienced crew will relate to you an interesting narration of the area and its diversity of underwater life, providing relevant information during your tour. The Submarine Atlantis XII is the only one of its kind in Mexico; it is powered by batteries, which helps minimize its ecological footprint, and its passenger cabin is air-conditioned and maintains the same pressure as atmospheric at the surface.

Come and witness the region's most unique natural treasure, a series of caverns connected by underground waterways and awarded as “Mexico and Central America’s Leading Nature Reserve”! Picture yourself in there admiring the breathtaking crystal museum carved by Mother Nature during millions of years. Experience a short ride into the jungle to the Río Secreto Nature Reserve where you’ll be outfitted with a wetsuit, life vest, helmet and a head lamp. Incredible natural formations will meet you around every corner as you walk, wade and swim through the easy 0.37 mile/600 meter route in its crystal clear fresh water. This protected nature reserve, included in the “NAT GEO Top 10 Family Activities” and EarthCheck Silver certified for its good sustainable practices, has astounding stalactites, stalagmites and other formations that will amaze you with their variety and natural splendor.

Your expert guide will inform you about the ancient caverns’ cultural and natural importance as you marvel at the magical subterranean world that until now has remained unexplored for millions of years. After the tour you will taste the local flavors with a delicious snack and beverage. You will have the opportunity to visit, explore and shop in Playa del Carmen and its famous 5th Avenue before the ferry ride to Cozumel. The ferry ride to and from Playa del Carmen is included. This adventure is perfect for all ages and everyone will be amazed as they explore one of the most unique caverns in all of Mexico.

OVERVIEW
After a 45-minute ferry to Playa del Carmen, your guide will lead you to an air-conditioned motor coach for a scenic and informative one-hour drive to Tulum.

Discover the only mayan city located on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean sea and visit a natural park located in the jungle to explore the beautiful and mystic cenotesTulum sits atop a small seaside cliff and is considered the most beautiful archaeological site on the Yucatan peninsula. The Maya built the walled city-state of Tulum in the 11th century to control maritime commerce, and its excavated temples and buildings are spectacular, especially the tower El Castillo. As you meander about, you will also see the Temple of Frescoes and the Temple of the Descending God. The Yucatan is just as captivating beneath the surface, as you will discover at the Mayan Cenote. To enhance the experience, you can swim in the crystal-clear, cenote-fed by the filtration of rain and by the currents of underground rivers.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Walk through the clifftop ruins of Tulum, the only Mayan city-state on the sea.
• Behold the ruins of buildings and temples that the Mayas constructed in the 11th century.
• Enjoy a guided visit to a natural park located in the jungle.
• Swim in the cenote fed by the filtration of rain and by the currents of underground rivers.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

• Bring water shoes for the cenote portion.

• Lockers available at an extra cost.

Explore the ruins of Tulum, the only Mayan city-state on the sea, and then enjoy a delicious lunch at an aquatic park built on a natural inlet where the Mayas once gathered.

After a 45-minute ferry ride to the mainland, settle in for a relaxing drive to the Mayan ruins at Tulum, which sit atop a small cliff overlooking the sea. Although not the largest or most elaborate archaeological site on the Yucatan peninsula, Tulum may be the most beautiful.

The Maya built the walled city of Tulum in the 11th century to control maritime commerce, and the city-state’s excavated temples and buildings are spectacular. The most prominent is El Castillo, a tower at the edge of a cliff that probably served as a landmark for sailors.

As you meander about, you will see the Temple of Frescoes, which was an observatory used to track the sun’s movements. The frescoes inside the temple represent various gods and supernatural serpents. The building was once painted red and you can still see remnants of that hue. The carving over the doorway of the adjacent Temple of the Descending God is worth a look, as well.

Continuing on, you will soon arrive at Xel-Ha, which means “where the water is born” in the Mayan language. Although the inlet of Xel-ha has been developed into an aquatic theme park, it has retained the natural beauty that attracted the Mayans centuries ago. You will have 2 hours to enjoy lunch and explore as much as you can of the park. Ask your guide for quick recommendations to make the most out of this leisure time.

Meander through the extraordinarily well-preserved ruins at Chichen Itza, a sacred site that was one of the great Mayan centers on the Yucatan peninsula for centuries.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for an immensely scenic drive on to Chichen Itza. Now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Chichen Itza had enormous importance as a religious, ceremonial and astronomical center, and excavations have unearthed a number of significant structures.

You´ll be provided with a tablet so you can live the Mayan Ruins through the uses of virtual and augmented technology allowing you to better understand the history of Mayan Civilization. Be transported to the past and witness how the Mayan temples looked like centuries ago full of colors and vividness.

The most iconic is the pyramid-like Temple of Kulkulcan, which has 365 steps, one for each day of the year. Its architecture is Mayan but heavily influenced by the Toltec warriors who migrated to the Yucatan in the 10th century. The pyramid is oriented to mark the solstices and equinoxes, as the Mayans were skilled astronomers.

While meandering about the excavated grounds of Chichen Itza, you will also see the largest ancient ball court in the Americas. The acoustics are amazing even by today’s standards, as a whisper at one end can be heard at the other end, more than 500 feet away.

The Temple of the Warriors is another highlight. Flanked by hundreds of columns with carved figures of Toltec warriors, this massive building was used for ceremonial gatherings.

OVERVIEW

Learn hands-on how to make a variety of authentic salsas and then learn the finer points of salsa dancing in a fun-filled class at the Cozumel Hotel & Resort by Wyndam. The chef will first teach you to prepare fruit-flavored frozen margaritas, which you can sip on the entire time if you wish. They go great with the cheese quesadillas and crispy taquitos that will be served. During the salsa-making class, the chef will show you how to create from scratch favorites such as fiery red salsa, tangy green salsa and Oaxaca-style guacamole. The ingredients typically include roasted jalapeño and chili peppers, fresh cilantro and tomatillos. After snacking on corn chips dipped in your salsa concoction, your attention will turn to salsa dancing. The steps are easy and it won’t take long to catch on to this quintessentially Mexican dance. During the leisure time that follows, you’ll be able to submerge into the crystal waters of the Caribbean sea or Cozumel’s largest pool.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Join a hands-on class and learn to make a variety of authentic Mexican salsas from scratch.
• Learn how to salsa dance or just fine-tune your salsa dancing talents.
• Enjoy endless margaritas and snack on quesadillas, taquitos, chips and guacamole.
• Enjoy the amenities of beautiful hotel resort. Dip into the pool, unwind on the beachfront.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Bring swimsuit.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Experience Xcaret, one of the world’s most famous ecological parks where you will find underground rivers, natural pools and a myriad of attractions including the first Butterfly Pavilion in Mexico and a coral reef aquarium. This unique theme park offers many exhilarating activities and more than 40 attractions. It is pure fun and enjoyment in a natural setting. As you get off the ferry in Playa del Carmen, your bi-lingual guide will take you to your transportation for a short ride to Xcaret. At the park, your guide will assist you with planning your day,advising you where to go and what you can do.

You are then on your own to explore and experience the park. Choose from the butterfly pavilion, museum of Popular Mexican Art, cemetery, Henequen Hacienda, a bird sanctuary, botanical gardens, aquarium, restored Mayan ruins, a replicated Mayan village, beautiful beaches and natural pools. Don’t miss the opportunity to swim in an underground river. Other activities are available at an additional cost: the dolphin swim, SNUBA® diving, Sea Trek and Temascal, an ancient Mayan ritual in a pre-Hispanic sweat lodge. Please bring your bathing suit.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfies in Cozumel, the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean, rich in history, Mayan vestiges, and natural wonders. This amazing experience starts at Benito Juarez Park, featuring narrow, tree-lined pathways with ample shade. Enjoy the Clock Tower, which has long been a Cozumel landmark and a popular meeting point for locals and tourists. Stop at Cozumel’s main plaza, a colorful square perfect for a selfie and souvenir shopping! You will visit the Monument of Two Cultures where the beginning of the miscegenation in Mexico is commemorated. After that, you will be going to a recreation of the ancient civilization, where you will witness the seamless blend of tradition and modernity, gaining insights into this captivating civilization. This place is full of history and color so be ready for amazing selfies. Your tour will end at a beautiful beach in Cozumel. Spend free time enjoying the clear waters on the virgin side of the island and of course, take amazing photos! If you are looking for a fun and original family adventure, then look no further. This selfie tour is a fun way to capture the beauty of the island while learning about its history and culture!