Here’s what I wish I knew about Xcaret, Xplor & Xel-ha in Cancun, Mexico.
These 3 parks are all eco-adventure parks in Mexico’s Riviera Maya and they are all owned & operated by the same company – Grupo Xcaret. They are super popular day trips from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum and each one has a specific vibe and set of activities. Here’s what you need to know:
• Xcaret combines nature & Mexican heritage. Swim in underground rivers,
walk along jungle trails, go through aviaries and butterflies enclosures, go snorkeling, and see an amazing evening show about the history of Mexico with cultural dances from their different regions.
They even show you how the ancient people played the ball court game. It’s worth going just for the night show.
Xcaret is perfect if you want a little bit of everything, but it’s the priciest and meals are not included. You can purchase an Xcaret plus pass that gives you one meal – our favorite is Jalisco Restaurant which is a local Mexican food buffet and is amazing. The shopping is by far the best of the three parks and we found our favorite souvenirs here.
• Xplor is straight-up adrenaline – it’s a high-energy & action-packed, they have the world’s longest zip-line circuit (over 2 miles long!),
underground river rafting, driving ATV’s through caves, and splashing around through illuminated caverns.
We spent the full day here and still didn’t get to everything. All parks have photo passes with these little bat creatures that take your pictures. Xplor is a great one to purchase the pass because it is hard to have your phone with you in an action-packed day. Xplor is perfect for a day of activities over relaxation.
Nothing cultural here—just pure fun, with an awesome buffet that’s included in your price. My teens voted this one as their favorite. Go early to beat lines because you check in the wait can be long – making it hard to get to everything in the park.
• Xel-Há is the chill paradise pick of these three parks.
It’s a gorgeous natural aquarium where the river meets the ocean. You snorkel with a million fish, float down lazy rivers, jump off cliffs, go tubing through a mangrove forest, and zip-line over the water, plus relax at the beach.
It’s more laid-back and nature-focused than the others, and kids under 5 get in free.
You can also upgrade for unlimited dining here as well although the food at multiple restaurants was not as good as the other two parks.
Purchase tickets at Xcaret’s web site & when you choose to visit multiple parks, they offer you a discount.
So to review:
Cuture & variety – Xcaret
Action & zip lines – Xplor
Snorkel & relaxation – Xel-ha