Chacchoben Mayan Ruins from Costa Maya
Recommended by 92% of travelers
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Costa Maya, Mexico
- 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
This half-day tour of the Chacchoben Maya Ruins—one of the most popular attractions near Costa Maya—also offers an optional trip to a beach club. Meet your guide near the port in Costa Maya and head out to the archeological site, which you’ll get to explore deeply, from culture to flora and beyond. On the return journey, stop at a beach club at Playa Mahahual (optional) before drop-off.
- Experience a day that mixes history and culture with relaxation
- Explore the ancient temples and other structures with a guide
- Stop at a beach club on the way back to Costa Maya (optional)
- Hassle-free round-trip transportation from Costa Maya
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Travel Insurance
- Bottled water
- Soda/PopAt the time of your check in you have a complimentary drink which can be: a beer, a soda or a shot of tequila (these only at check in) and bottles of water (unlimited).
- Licensed Tour Guide
- After the ruins, an additional 90 minutes on Mahahual beach with the facilities included (optional)
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
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End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 03/08/2020 - 07/12/2027
Monday - Sunday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Itinerary
Make your way to the meeting place, just one block away from the Costa Maya Port at Mahahual, where you will board an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water and soft drinks for the ride to Chacchoben. Dating to 200 BC, Chacchoben is one of the least explored Mayan sites in Mexico.
At the archeological site, you’ll have around 1.5 hours to walk around to see the important structures and temples at the site, with a licensed guide to provide more background information and deeper insights on the ruins, Mayan culture, and the flora and fauna in the surrounding jungle.
On the way back, you’ll have the option to spend time at a beach club with amenities at Playa Mahahual before being dropped off near the cruise port.
At the archeological site, you’ll have around 1.5 hours to walk around to see the important structures and temples at the site, with a licensed guide to provide more background information and deeper insights on the ruins, Mayan culture, and the flora and fauna in the surrounding jungle.
On the way back, you’ll have the option to spend time at a beach club with amenities at Playa Mahahual before being dropped off near the cruise port.
1
Zona Arqueologica De Chacchoben
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Playa Mahahual
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Wear comfortable clothing and footwear. Consider bringing along sunblock and insect repellent.
- no hay acceso para scotters
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 1,579 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Andrea_H, Jul 2026
The Mayan ruins can be a lot of walking so wear good shoes. Very interesting history. The Beach is very nice. Gift shops can be expensive but negotiate.
paul_a, Jul 2026
This tour was well worth the money.
The tour operator was right outside the port, ready to pick me up when I got off the ship. We went to their office where I received water and got on a big air-conditioned bus. We took a very pleasurable ride to the ruins, which took about 40 minutes.
The ruins were fascinating to see, and the tour guide Carlos was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. I would highly recommend this tour to either cruisers or anyone else.By the way, they brought me right back up to the front of the cruise port.
Briana_D, Jul 2026
Decent excursion overall to see some pretty amazing Mayan Temples. We had issues finding the meeting point as instructions provided were not correct, had to eventually ask some locals for assistance - everyone was extremely friendly. Pro Tip - prior to the excursion, call and find out who the tour operator or provider is as Viator will hire the many different local guides. Knowing who the operator is prior to leaving the ship will alleviate a ton of confusion. Our tour ended up being with Toucan Tours. Our guide Gabby was awesome, very knowledgeable and completed the tour speaking both English and Spanish. It was insanely hot and humid at the temples so keep that in mind, we were there for about an hour and we were melting from the inside out. The tour did provide plenty of cooold water. Beach break isnt necessarily worth the additional time unless you want to experience the local flare for an hour. The team is very aware of ship departures so no issues getting back on time.
Charles_S, Jul 2026
Beautiful area with great people as your guide. Definitely a must see. Water provided. Consider bringing bug spray as some mosquitos noted but nothing severe
LeoArokiaraj_J, Jul 2026
It's a good archeological place to visit but it's really hot over there so mindful about the heat strokes during summer
Diana_M, Jul 2026
This was our last day of excursion and we were tired but we still enjoyed. The bus is properly air conditioned and a nice ride. Walking the ruins was very shaded-hot but at least not direct sun. Interesting to learn about Mayans-past and present-and see the temple ruins in person. Be prepared-ruins site is CASH only for souvenirs and food. Guides are local and very knowledgeable. No concern getting back to the boat on time.
Carla_F, Jul 2026
The ruins at Chacchoben were amazing! The park is kept very clean and staffed well. Did not have AC at the shops there but the deep shade worked well enough. We applied bug spray but didn’t end up seeing any mosquitoes. There were some monkeys playing in the trees, and we saw some other mammal creatures on the forest floor. They let us climb the stairs. The ride out was about 40 minutes in a conditioned bus. We even were able to stop and get fresh fruit on the roadside. Come to Mexico and share in the love of history! Thanks to Friné for sharing her knowledge!
Sara_J, Jul 2026
The excursion was great. The tour guide was really informative and we saw monkeys playing in the trees. It was tough navigating through the port to the taxis, but we were able to make it to the pick up location by asking a couple vendors how to get outside the port. From there everything went smoothly. There is one pretty big climb on at the ruins. You could skip it but it was worth the climb to see the last two pyramids.
Candace_M, Jul 2026
It was an awesome place to visit. Learned a lot of interesting things. My family enjoyed it too. Would recommend.
Hulya_E, Jul 2026
We needed to walk out of the port to find the office. It’s a little bit of walk but not too bad. It’s a reputable tour company in that area. Our tour guide Gabriella was wonderful. She talked a lot about the region, culture and Mayan traditions. I wish we had little more time at the site but overall it was a great tour and happy I booked it.
Michael_T, Jul 2026
Little on the short side, but you would hate to miss your boat
Over all it was a worthwhile experience
The direction on where to meet was a bit confusing....even asking the locals
Forget the red golf carts....thata misleading
Walk out of the port, out past security to the roundabout with the temple in the middle and go to that tour desk, that's where you check in at..
Donavon_R, Jun 2026
We had a great trip with Gabriella and Daniel today! The crew was very helpful and communicative prior to the tour, when we arrived and all the way through! The temples were amazing and we even had time to stop for fresh fruit on the way home!
Thank you for taking care of our family!!!
Celina_B, Jun 2026
Carlos was bursting with knowledge, eager to dispel the myths about Mayan culture. He was an incredible tour guide who brought history to life. Luis was an excellent driver, always ensuring the van's A/C was on to keep us cool after exploring the beach and ruins. Alma was so kind and caring, making sure everyone stayed together with the group and nobody got lost. It was an unforgettable adventure filled with amazing guides and unforgettable moments.
Amber_D, Jun 2026
It was a great experience to see the Mayan Ruins. The tour guides were great, and communication of the plan for the day was excellent. The only reason I am giving this a 3, is because it was really hot, and we spent more time traveling on a bus and listening to the guide’s explanation of the history than getting to explore the ruins. It felt rushed when we finally got to the ruins.
Amanda_D, Jun 2026
Gabby, our tour guide, was so knowledgable and very friendly. She taught us so much about the local area as well as Mayan history. She showed us around the ruins as well as helped arrange for a delicious authentic tamale lunch and also stopped at a local fruit stand for the most delicious pineapple and mango. Daniel, our driver was also great! We felt very safe and cared for the whole time, the van was in good condition and the directions on getting to the meeting point from the port provided by the tour company were easy to follow and the whole welcome staff was helpful and kind. Definitely recommend!!
Angie_D, Jun 2026
It was pretty hot as we just did this excursion at the end of June. Our travel guide Elisio was extremely friendly and so funny. As a Mexican American myself, he really made us comfortable. My mom who isn’t super mobile was able to most of the trek minus the last bit to the temple with stairs. The driver Daniel stopped on the way to the beach portion and got us fresh fruit from a street vendor and it was fantastic. Then we went to a nice restaurant and had a really great lunch. Totally recommend!!!
Hannah_W, Jun 2026
The tour company as a whole was very accommodating. They provide you bottles of ice cold water which is included in the cost of the tour. The bus is large and had A/C.
Our tour guide, Eliseo, was amazing! On our ride over, he talked a lot about the history of Mexico and the Mayan people. He even had print outs of various pictures in a binder to reference and you could definitely tell he was very passionate about sharing his culture. Overall it was a great experience and we recommend!
Juliza_O, Jun 2026
This is my second time around and was just as mesmerizing. Brought the entire family this time. The tamales were so delicious, authentic! Our guide was native believe his name is Arturo and spoke English well, very knowledgeable on explaining what each site represents and how they came about using it. Being able to touch and stand where my ancestors once stood is an indescribable feeling. Be ready for a workout when claiming those stairs. So worth it when you reach the top. Totally would recommend over and over!
Amy_H, Jun 2026
I enjoyed this much more than drinking on another beach. Our guide was great. Bus ride was just long enough for a little nap which was great
Shalee_V, Jun 2026
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and a delight to learn from. The ruins were amazing. I’m sure if time allowed, we would have spent even more time there.
Jeremy_F, Jun 2026
The tour was Great Eliso provided us with a lot of information and also was able to answer any questions about the Mayan ruins and there culture.
Kelly_E, Jun 2026
My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Our tour guide was great and very knowledgeable. The bus ride was comfortable and well air conditioned. We were given multiple bottles of water throughout to keep everyone hydrated. The only negative I could say is that I was expecting a private tour. Although the tour was not private, it was not overly crowded and a great experience.
David_B, Jun 2026
Carlos was an excellent, knowledgeable guide. Very friendly and easy to talk to. Bring lots of bug spray. Ruins can get fairly crowded but we got there early enough to avoid big crowds and the hottest part of the day. Interesting, scenic. A good value.
Maci_B, Jun 2026
The ruins were really cool and our guide Carlos was great too! He knew what he was talking about. I would recommend bug spray for the ruins! We did not stop at the beach as it was extremely windy and we didn’t think the beach snorkel break was going to be enjoyable.
timothy_l, Jun 2026
Great service. Very attentive and nice! Our guide Carlos was very knowledgeable and explained everything very well!
Ruben_G, Jun 2026
We had an spectacular time with Tucan tours! They are very kind and professional people. Tour guides Paul and Carlos were very knowledgeable and kept us engaged and interested the whole tour. Driver Daniel was great. I highly recommend them!
Evan_G, Jun 2026
My family and I had a great experience. It was our first time doing a cruise and we booked two excursions on the ship but decided to try one from this app (Viator) because it was much cheaper. $55/person compared to $150/person.
I can honestly say I don’t see how the $150/person tour offered on the ship could have been any different or better in any way. The only issue we ran into was getting off of the ship and trying to find the Tour shop.
Since we booked on Viator I was looking for signs that said Viator but they book you with a third party tour company which we had to call to find the location of. The directions said to meet them in the parking lot but we got to the parking lot and nobody was there to give us directions so we had to call. Thankfully someone picked up and the other local tour guides helped us find the right place.
But after that everything was great. I would probably book all of my excursions from this all in the future to be honest. I booked a 150$ / person excursion for the next day in Honduras and the guy told me he only gets paid 20$/day. Where does the rest of that $150 go to? I’d rather pay 50$ and give a 50$ tip than pay 150$ and give a 10-20$ tip for the exact same experience.
Katharine_G, Jun 2026
Overall, it was a great excursion! The company was very well-organized, refreshments were provided before we left on the bus (water, soda, juice, or beer (beer for adults only, of course)). They were constantly offering bottled water from a cold cooler, so no issues with needing water, including while on the bus. The meeting point was convenient from the cruise boat (we were on Royal Caribbean), and just a few minute walk. The bus ride was about an hour each way. The coach bus was air conditioned with a restroom on board, and the guides were excellent! The guide truly loved what he did, gave us a true appreciation for the area, and had great graphics and pictures on an easy-to-see iPad at the ruins. The guide was very well-versed in Mayan culture and history, and did a great job!
Jesselyn_M, Jun 2026
an amazing experience! our main tour guide, gabriella, was truly exceptional in both knowledge and hospitality! we learned a lot about the ruins and had sufficient time to see everything. they also provided free water throughout the entire trip, starting from the port and stopped at a local fruit stand to try mangos and pineapples. it was so good. overall this is a must-visit if you want to see the mayan ruins!
Emil_A, Jun 2026
Our tour operator was just outside of the Cruise Terminal waiting for me and my family. They drove us to their office, which is a few blocks from there. In less than 20 minutes we were on the way to the ruins on an air conditioned bus, with a very friendly and fun host.
The trip is about 45 minutes (each way), the walk is short (about 1/2 mile), it was hot, but most of the walking is under the trees and there was a nice breeze. The ruins are just magical, and our tour guide explained a lot about Mayan Culture. You just have to go there!
On the way back we stayed on the beach, where you can use their chair and umbrelllas for free, you only pay for food and drinks if you want them, and they don't pressure you to buy anything. They drive you back to the pier with plenty of time to get back to your cruise.
RECOMMENDED 100%
From $58.00
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