Tours to the Chacchoben ruins, about 50 minutes inland, cost $69 to $79 and take 3 to 4.5 hours. The ruins and Bacalar lagoon day starts at $150 and needs 8 hours in port.
Put in your ship's arrival and all-aboard times from your cruise planner. Each tour is checked against the time you have, minus the buffer you choose for getting off the ship and back to the pier.
Example times are filled in. Your cruise line's daily planner has the real ones, and a tender port needs more buffer.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Back-to-ship | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.5 hr Costa Maya Snorkeling Tour in Mahahual (Eco-Friendly & Small Group)Includes Certified English-speaking guide, Mask, snorkel, fins and life vest, Water, fruit and sodas, Underwater photos |
$35 per person |
1.5 hours |
Small group; minimum 2 guests to depart; booking form takes up to 10 |
Says guests are back at the meeting point with plenty of time to return to the cruise terminal | 100% refund if the ship doesn't dock, in extreme weather, or for cancellations 24 hours before the trip. | Check dates | ||
Sea Turtle Snorkeling AdventureIncludes Snorkel gear, Guide, Drinking water, Beach club access, Round-trip port transport ($45 option) |
$45 per person |
90 minutes including a 45-minute snorkel |
Guaranteed return to ship on time | Full refund if the ship doesn't dock or weather prevents the tour; no other terms stated. | Check dates | |||
Day Pass With Open BarIncludes Open bar and soft drinks, Beach loungers and umbrellas, Snorkel gear, Guide assistance |
$54 per person |
One day (no set hours given) |
18+ | Not stated | Check dates | |||
Costa Maya Swim & Snorkel ToursIncludes Snorkel equipment, Bottled water and soda, In-water guide, Life jacket |
$55 per person |
12+, or with an adult 18+ at all times | Not stated | Check dates | ||||
3-Hour Eco Snorkeling Tour in Mahahual, Costa Maya |
$65 per person |
3 hours |
up to 10 guests per booking |
Guarantees a timely return to the meeting point | 100% refund if the ship doesn't dock, in extreme weather, or for cancellations 24 hours before the trip. | Check dates | ||
Chacchoben Ruins TourIncludes Round-trip transportation, English-speaking guide, Entrance fees, Bottled water |
$69 per adult |
4 hours (about 50 minutes travel each way, 1 hr 50 min guided tour) |
States an on-time return guarantee; deposit fully refundable if the ship doesn't make it to port. | Full refund if cancelled 2+ days before; later cancellations and no-shows pay $15 per person. | Check dates | |||
Chacchoben Ruins TourIncludes Round-trip transport from Costa Maya port, English-speaking local guide, Entrance fees, Bottled water |
$75 per adult |
4.5 hours (1 hour drive each way, 2 hours guided) |
Maximum 14 people per trip |
Not stated | Check dates | |||
Chacchoben Mayan RuinsIncludes Round-trip transport from Costa Maya, Bilingual guide, Archaeological site fee, Beer, juice, sodas and water, Snacks |
$75 per adult |
5 hours (itinerary steps add up to about 3 hours 50 minutes) |
Minimum passenger numbers apply; no maximum listed |
Says guests will be back on time for the ship; tours are timed to each ship's schedule | No fee 7+ days ahead, 50% at 3 to 6 days, 100% within 2 days; full refund if the ship skips port or weather cancels. | Check dates | ||
Chacchoben Mayan Ruins Excursion and Beach ClubIncludes Round-trip transportation from Costa Maya port, Water and snacks, Beach club access, Tour photos |
$79 per person |
3-4 hours from port departure, incl. about 50 minutes each way |
Private |
Not stated | Check dates | |||
Costa Maya Excursion to Chacchoben: Discover Mayan HistoryIncludes English-speaking driver and air-conditioned vehicle, English-speaking guide, Chacchoben entry and guided tour, Insurance, Water, soft drinks and beer |
$85 per adult |
4.5 hours |
Maximum 12 participants |
Not stated | No-shows forfeit the deposit; if the ship doesn't dock, a transferable voucher for the deposit amount. | Check dates | ||
Bacalar 7 Color Lagoon and Cenote Boat TourIncludes Private air-conditioned round-trip transport, Pontoon tour with three cenotes, Bird Island and the Pirate Canal, Grilled chicken lunch, Fresh fruit, Water and soft drinks |
$100 per person |
About 5 hours from the port (about 1.5 hours' drive each way, 2-hour boat tour) |
Private |
Not stated | Check dates | |||
Chacchoben Extreme TourIncludes Air-conditioned round-trip transport, English-speaking guide, Entrance fees, Chacchoben guided tour, Lake shore club visit with kayaking, Lunch and drinks (two alcoholic drinks 21+) |
$105 per adult |
5.5 hours |
Children under 10 must kayak with an adult | Lists 'Timely return to port' (no further terms). | Free cancellation up to 48 hours before; within 2 days $15 per person fee. | Check dates | ||
Bacalar Lagoon (7 Colors Lagoon)Includes Round-trip transport Costa Maya to Bacalar, Lagoon boat tour with life jackets, Bilingual guide, Lunch at a Mexican restaurant, Drinks, fruit and snacks, Insurance |
$105 per adult |
5 hours |
Minimum passenger numbers apply; no maximum listed |
Says guests will be back on time for the ship; tours are timed to each ship's schedule | No fee 7+ days ahead, 50% at 3 to 6 days, 100% within 2 days; full refund if the ship skips port or weather cancels. | Check dates | ||
Bacalar Lagoon Explorer TourIncludes Round-trip transport from Costa Maya, English-speaking guide, Boat ride with stops at Cenotes Esmeralda, La Bruja and Cocalitos and the Pirate's Channel, Two swimming stops, Lunch with drinks at Holly Margarita Lake Shore Club |
$110 per adult |
5.5 hours |
10 to 12 guests per boat |
Promises a guaranteed on-time return | Free cancellation up to 2 days before; later cancellations and no-shows pay $15 per person; fully refundable if the ship cannot dock. | Check dates | ||
Kohunlich & Dzibanche Ruins TourIncludes Round-trip transportation, English-speaking guide, Entrance fees and guided tours of both sites, Water, sandwiches, fruit, sodas and beer, Video permits |
$110 per adult |
7.5 hours |
Maximum 10 guests |
Not suitable for children under 5 | States an on-time return guarantee | Free cancellation up to 2 days before; later cancellations and no-shows pay $15 per person; fully refundable if the ship cannot dock. | Check dates | |
Bacalar Lagoon Boat TourIncludes Round-trip transportation, Guided boat ride, Lunch stop with local food, Bottled water, Cenote Cocalitos visit |
$145 per person |
Boat trip up to 5 hours; lagoon about 90 minutes from the cruise port |
Says you return to the ship with time to spare | Check dates | ||||
Excursion Chacchoben and Bacalar: Mayan Ruins and Boat Tour on the LagoonIncludes English-speaking driver and air-conditioned vehicle, English-speaking guide, Chacchoben entry, Bacalar lagoon boat tour, Life jacket and insurance, Water, soft drinks and beer |
$150 per person |
8 hours |
Maximum 12 participants (the same page also says 14) |
Not stated | Deposit refunded if cancelled 24+ hours ahead; if ship doesn't dock, voucher or 50% deposit refund; no-shows forfeit deposit. | Check dates | ||
Bacalar with Boat TourIncludes Air-conditioned transport with driver, English-speaking guide, Lagoon boat tour, Life jacket and insurance, Water, soft drinks and beer |
$150 per adult |
6 hours |
Maximum 12 participants (the same page also says 14) |
Not stated | Deposit refunded if cancelled 24+ hours ahead; no-shows forfeit it; ship no-show gets a deposit voucher or 50% deposit refund. | Check dates | ||
All-Inclusive Combo PackageIncludes Transportation, Open bar, Lunch, Beach seating, 30-minute massage per person |
$236 per group |
2 adults |
Says its trips are planned around your cruise schedule (no further terms) | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 22, 2026. How we compare.
What the cruise lines list for their own excursions in Costa Maya, from their websites, next to a local operator's trip of the same kind.
| Line | Excursion | From | Length | Same kind of trip locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Norwegian |
$89.99 per adult |
about 3.5 hours |
Coconut Water Tours (Coconut Water Beach Club), $45$44.99 less | |
Carnival |
$149.99 per adult |
6.5 hours |
Coconut Water Tours (Coconut Water Beach Club), $79$70.99 less | |
Norwegian |
$159.99 per adult |
about 4 hours |
The Native Choice, $69$90.99 less |
Read on each cruise line's website on October 22, 2026. Lines change these prices often, so check the page before you book. Trips are matched by what each listing names; inclusions and transport differ, so open both. Every port compared.
Ships tie up at the Costa Maya pier, which takes up to four at once, and tenders run only when every berth is full, according to The Points Guy (September 2026). From the ship it is a walk of 10 to 15 minutes to the port area, and a free shuttle runs while ships are in. Inside the gate are a large saltwater pool with a swim-up bar, an artisan market and the Aviarius bird walk ($14 adults, $12 children).
Independent operators cannot work inside the port, The Native Choice explains; only cruise-line excursions do. Its kiosk is a few steps past the main port gate. Coconut Water Tours sends guests left at the end of the pier, skipping the shopping center, to the bus parking lot. From there a road leads to the port entrance, where a driver waits with a whiteboard. Taxis wait at the port, and there is no Uber or Lyft.
Mahahual village is about 3 km (1.9 mi) from the port, and ships in port are visible from it. The Points Guy puts it at a 10-minute taxi ride or roughly a 45-minute walk, and quotes the fare as about $8 in one place and about $5 a person in another. Coconut Water Tours says its beach club in town is about 1.5 miles from the port entrance and 5 minutes back by car.
Quintana Roo, the state that includes Mahahual, has kept UTC-5 all year since 2015 and does not use daylight saving time. Check the ship's clock against local time before a pickup. The Native Choice says the earliest tour for cruise guests leaves one hour after the ship docks, and later start times depend on how long the ship stays. Leon Tours sells its ruins and lagoon day only to ships in port at least 8 hours.
Unpredictable weather and seas have given the port the nickname Costa Maybe, The Points Guy says, and the area is hot and humid most of the year. The Native Choice refunds every payment if the ship cannot dock for any reason, and its tour runs rain or shine. Leon Tours offers a transferable voucher worth the deposit, or half the deposit back, when the ship does not dock.
Chacchoben is the closest of the area's three major Maya sites, and all four operators listed here run trips to it. INAH began excavating in 1994 and opened the site to the public in 2002. The Native Choice says visitors may climb the Gran Basamento and the temples on top of it, with views of the jungle and Temple One, but not the other temples. Tours cost $69 to $79 and take 3 to 4.5 hours, with about 50 minutes of driving each way.
Bacalar, called the lagoon of seven colors, is about 90 minutes from the port by group tour. Leon Tours pairs it with Chacchoben in an 8-hour day from $150. The drive from the ruins to the jetty takes about 30 minutes, and the boat then spends roughly 2 hours on the lagoon, with cenote and swimming stops and a visit to Bacalar town. The boats have no toilets.
Mahahual sits about 3 km from the pier, with the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef running along its coast, and both Coconut Water Tours and Chunky Monkey Tours have their own beach clubs. Coconut Water lets guests stay at its club as long as they like after the ruins. Inside the port, the Danza de los Voladores is free to watch in the main square, The Points Guy says.
The Native Choice has the lowest Chacchoben price of the four, $69 for adults and $59 for ages 5 to 12, with entrance fees, an English-speaking guide and water included. It states an on-time return guarantee without further terms, refunds in full if the ship cannot dock, and charges $15 a person for cancellations inside 2 days. A deposit of $15 a person holds a seat, and a balance paid in cash earns 8% off.
Chunky Monkey Tours charges $75, caps groups at 14 and allows 2 hours at the site in a 4.5-hour tour. Its page names no pickup spot, return promise or cancellation terms, and its child prices conflict: $55 for ages 3 to 7 in one place, $45 for 5 to 12 in another. Coconut Water Tours charges $79 for a private vehicle with snacks, photos and beach club access. Its guide costs extra and waits at the ruins entrance.
Coconut Water takes a $5 deposit, wants the balance in cash, says returns are timed to cruise schedules and gives no cancellation terms. Leon Tours, the long-day option, adds the Bacalar boat and drinks including beer. It takes a 15% deposit, collects the rest in cash with no cards on site, and refunds the deposit for cancellations 24 hours ahead. Its page gives the group cap as 14 in one place and 12 in another.
from $35 per person
1.5 hr Costa Maya Snorkeling Tour in Mahahual (Eco-Friendly & Small Group) and 1 more option
Back to ship: Says guests are back at the meeting point with plenty of time to return to the cruise terminal
Describes itself as a locally owned eco-tour company in Mahahual
from $45 per person
Sea Turtle Snorkeling Adventure and 2 more options
Back to ship: Guaranteed return to ship on time
Operates its own beach club near the port
from $54 per person
Day Pass With Open Bar and 1 more option
Back to ship: Says its trips are planned around your cruise schedule (no further terms)
Runs its own beach club in Mahahual and offers private snorkeling and fishing trips
from $55 per person
Costa Maya Swim & Snorkel Tours and 2 more options
Back to ship: Says you return to the ship with time to spare
Local, family-owned; office at Av. Paseo del Puerto 1180, Mahahual
from $69 per adult
Chacchoben Ruins Tour and 3 more options
Back to ship: States an on-time return guarantee; deposit fully refundable if the ship doesn't make it to port.
Legal entity Turismo Chacchoben, S. de R.L. de C.V.; also runs chacchobenruins.com
from $75 per adult
Chacchoben Mayan Ruins and 1 more option
Back to ship: Says guests will be back on time for the ship; tours are timed to each ship's schedule
Run by Budy Tours Travels Costa Maya, registered in Othón P. Blanco, Quintana Roo
from $85 per adult
Costa Maya Excursion to Chacchoben: Discover Mayan History and 2 more options
No back-to-ship policy stated
Describes itself as a locally owned family business with its own boats
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 22, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.
