Chacchoben Archaeological Area and Lighthouse Visit
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Costa Maya, Mexico
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Take a break from tanning on the beach and discover the ancient Mayan ruins of Chacchobén on this half-day excursion. Go deep into the jungle to visit these 8th century ruins and learn about the Mayans who built the pyramids. After your guided tour, shop for local handicrafts, then return to the starting point.
- Listen to the history of the ruins from your guide
- Choose your own tour time to suit your schedule
- Hassle-free transfers from your hotel or cruise port
- A private tour means a personalized experience
What's Included
- Round-trip transportation from Puerto Costa Maya in comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles.
- Expert bilingual guide sharing fascinating insights about the Mayan culture and the history of the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins.
- Refreshing drinks : water
- Tasting of honey pineapple, a typical fruit naturally sweetened, offering a unique flavor of the region.
- Panoramic lighthouse tour to observe the sea and some traditional life
- Meals
- Gratuities
- Entrance to the Chacchobén Archaeological Zone$9.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Av. P.º del Puerto 1300, Nuevo, 77976 Mahahual, Q.R., Mexico
The meeting point is outside the port. The port is a private company, so we are not allowed to enter.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours
- 12/13/2021 - 04/25/2027
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Itinerary
Costa Maya (Pass By)
1
Chacchoben Mayan Ruin
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Mahahual
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 166 reviews
David_B, Mar 2026
Carlos was the best, he very informative, answered our questions, adjusted to meet our needs. Most importantly he cares and is passionate about the subject
Laurie_B, Feb 2026
Carlos is a wonderful tour guide! He wanted to make sure we got the best of the Mayan Ruins. He waa a great communicator .
Laurie_I, Jan 2026
It was a great tour. Our tour guide Octavio did a great job and was very knowledgeable regarding the history of the town and the ruins. It was quite a history lesson. We got back in plenty of time for the ship and the refreshments were an added bonus. You do need to walk quite a distance through the entire port off the main property before meeting your guide.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi, thank you so much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
Janice_M, Jan 2026
Our guide was Ishmael. This was a very interesting and informative tour. Ishmael’s knowledge at the ruins was great. The experience of driving through his village was eye-opening. This is a company that employs folks local to the area who are trying to better their lives. Highly recommend
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hi, thank you so much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
Quynhanh_P, Dec 2025
Unable to reach tour operator on day of tour. We arrived in port on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas as scheduled but were told by the ship crew that we would not be able to dock and we would not be allowed to disembark. The ship then left port. I tried to call the number listed for the tour operator and got no answer. I messaged twice through Viator and got no response. I was hoping to get a refund for circumstances beyond our control, but I did not even get any acknowledgement of my messages.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Good morning,
The refund has been processed within the 48-hour timeframe estimated by the platform. We regret that the tour will not take place due to circumstances beyond our control.
Merry Christmas
kristi_p, Dec 2025
We enjoyed our personal tour of Chacchoben. Drinks provided on the van ride, and a stop for fresh fruit on the way back. Way better than a big group!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello, thank you very much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
Merrie_B, Dec 2025
We had a safe trip and was able to see the ruins which was a positive. Now for the not so positive; the location where we met was hard to find, need more signs or a person to help. Another tour company had to show us where they were. They rushed us to load in the van at the village gift shops and food after we toured the ruins. Not sure why because we got back an hour before we were scheduled to. The information from the tour guide(s) was lacking. Would like to know more about the ruins, it felt like super basic information was given. Also when we asked a question we were always told to wait that they would get to that but often they didn’t.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello, thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with us. We truly appreciate your comments, as they help us improve every day.
We’re glad to know that you enjoyed a safe trip and the opportunity to explore the Chacchoben ruins. However, we’re sincerely sorry that several aspects of the experience did not fully meet your expectations.
We acknowledge that the meeting point can sometimes be confusing and we’re already working on reinforcing our signage and staff presence to ensure a smoother and clearer arrival for our guests.
Regarding the visit to the village and the timing, we apologize if it felt rushed. Our intention is always to maintain a comfortable schedule and return with plenty of time before boarding, but we understand that this should not affect the enjoyment of the experience.
We are also very sorry to learn that the information provided by the guide felt insufficient. Our team is currently reviewing the guiding protocols to ensure deeper, more engaging explanations and to guarantee that all questions are answered with attention and clarity.
Thank you again for your honest feedback. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future and offer you a much more enriching and seamless experience.
Samuel_S, Dec 2025
We had a great time seeing ancient sites and hearing about ancient Mayan culture. We are history nerds so every word and each sighting was moving. Carlos is a great host and very knowledgeable. He patiently answered all my questions! I also really enjoyed the beers, and my wife loved the honey pineapple. We would be happy to return and use this same company for more adventures!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello, thank you very much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
Michelle_S, Nov 2025
Our guide was extremely knowledgeable of Mayan history and ensured we were comfortable and safe when climbing the steep steps of the ruins. We got to see monkeys, as well as sleeping bats and honey bees. We even stopped for some pineapple and oranges on the way back to the ship. Truly a tour you don’t want to miss!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello, thank you very much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
michaelfudan, Nov 2025
We had a nice visit to the Mayan Ruin. The tour guide gave good information and was very friendly. We also tasted the local pineapple, very sweet. The meeting point is a bit far from the cruise but the direction was good enough to follow to find the tour.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello, thank you very much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
Best regards.
Fahmi_M, Nov 2025
Sergio and Moncho were amazing! Our all aboard time got altered from 3pm to 12:30 and they made sure to give us a great tour while getting us back to our boat on time! I would highly recommend booking with them!!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello, thank you very much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
Best regards.
Dee_W, Oct 2025
Wonderful experience. Rafael was a wealth of knowledge. Informative and nice. Very nice and clear speaking in English. Loved the ride, the pineapple, everything. Our driver, I know I will butcher his name, was safe and efficient. Getting us to the ruins safely. Will definitely book again when we return. Would love to see the lagoon of seven colors with these guys!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello, thank you very much for your comment. We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. We hope to see you again soon.
Best regards.
Adrian_K, Feb 2025
Carlos is a decent man who guided us on a trip to Chacchoben Mayan Pyramids. Good contact via Whatsap. At the place gave us a big amount of information abut history, belief and life od Mayans. Excursion worth the price. The car was clean and the atmosphere was very nice.
Kevin_S, Feb 2025
Chacchoben is pretty amazing. Carlos was a great guide. I was worried that he was kind of quiet on the long drive from the port to Chacchoben, but once we got into the park, he was great. He provided a lot of information about Mayan society, politics and architecture - something no one had done at the other Maya sites we've visited. He was very accommodating of our one guests who was having physical difficulties. But despite this we didn't miss out on anything.
The van was immaculate and comfortable.
Just be aware, if booking from a cruise ship, the walk to the meeting place is kind of far and rules allow him to get only within a certain distance of the port.
John_B, Dec 2024
Carlos is a great guide. You will want to go with him and experience the sights and his awesomeness. Have fun eh.
Ken_Y, Mar 2022
After an initial snafu with company management (which our guide Genesis helped to resolve), the four of us enjoyed one of the best private tours we have ever taken. Genesis was friendly, informative, and extremely informative. He had prepared a binder that contained many historical photos of Chaccoben and Mayan culture, which greatly enhanced our understanding of the sights we visited. He had a great sense of humor and was flexible to accommodate our interests. Sensing our interest in local fruits, he stopped at a fruit stand and treated us to sweet pineapple and mango slices. Any future traveller wishing to book this tour should definitively request for Genesis' services.
Valerie_P, Feb 2022
Juan Carlos was an outstanding guide! His knowledge of cultural and physical anthropology regarding the Maya was excellent. The privately guided tour allowed us to take our time and ask as many questions as possible. In addition to sharing his knowledge verbally Juan Carlos used numerous charts and photographs to enhance the learning experience.
caworldtraveler, Dec 2021
Carlos was an excellent guide and gave a very detailed tour of the site as well as driving us back and forth from the cruise port. We had plenty of time to explore and take pictures as well hear the interesting info Carlos shared. Carlos was very attentive and adjusted pace and route to accommodate my mother, who walks with a cane. Overall, this was a very good trip and well worth the cost. We were expecting it to be a private tour based on the Viator description of a private tour. So I was surprised when Carlos told us there was also a family of 3 on the trip with us. The van held 7 people comfortably and the other 3 people were already at the meeting point when we arrived, so it didn’t delay or inconvenience us at all. I was also surprised when we arrived that entry to the site is not included. We had to pay that in cash when we arrived. It was only $6 per person, so not expensive, but would have been better to be clear about in advance. This trip worked well for our cruise excursion. We had plenty of time to shop and explore the cruise port options after getting back from the tour before getting back on the ship for a late lunch.
Joanne_R, Aug 2021
This was a private tour for our group of 6. Carlos was just awesome! He is so knowledgeable and had so much information to share. One of our party had issues walking, he was in no rush and slowed down so we could all enjoy the morning. We even saw spider monkeys! I have already recommended this to someone traveling in the area. Great value and great day.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
I really appreciate that you have booked with me! And i am very glad that you liked the tour.
It was very nice to meet you, and i had a really good time with you, i enjoyed it, thank you!
The best!
Malika_B, Mar 2026
Apart from the ruins, nothing was respected. No other stops
We tasted 2 slices of pineapple on the bus that was driving...
Very expensive experience and very disappointed
Auto-translated
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We are very sorry our tour is performed in english and you probably did Not understand the schedule
Kind regards
From $80.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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