Playa del Carmen excursion reviews
I’ve done all six of these trips with paying guests — most of them many times, in every season. These reviews are what I’d tell you over coffee before you book: what the day is really like, where the extra costs hide, and which complaints in the reviews are worth taking seriously. Ratings and review counts come straight from GetYourGuide, including the ones that don’t flatter. For the whole catalogue side by side, start with all excursions or the price breakdown.
The six excursions, reviewed
Chichén Itzá, Valladolid, Cenote & Buffet
The flagship. Twelve hours door-to-door, and the trip where a bundled excursion clearly beats driving yourself.
from $93Read the full review ›
Tulum, Cenote & Akumal Turtle Swim
Cliff-top ruins, two cenote swims and a guided turtle snorkel. Read the fine print on extra costs first.
from $76Read the full review ›
Round-Trip Ferry Ticket to Cozumel
A ticket, not a tour. The value is a sorted crossing and flexible sailing times — you plan the island day.
from $38Read the full review ›
Isla Mujeres Catamaran with Open Bar
The 4.1 is honest. It is a party boat — hot, loud, crowded — and at $35 with an open bar, that is the point.
from $35Read the full review ›
Riviera Maya Buggy Tour with Cenote Swim
Highest rating on the site. Three hours of jungle convoy and a cenote swim, with one shared-buggy catch to know about.
from $105Read the full review ›
Río Secreto Guided Tour
About 600 m of walking and swimming through a cave. No personal cameras — decide about the photo upsell before you go.
from $119Read the full review ›How I review
I worked five seasons as a bilingual excursion coordinator for a Riviera Maya DMC before going freelance, which means I’ve stood at the pickup point at dawn more times than I care to add up. I only write up trips I’ve done with guests. Where I quote reviewers, they’re real GetYourGuide reviewers, first names only, as the platform shows them. And I flag the costs a listing glosses over, because a $93 day that quietly becomes a $120 day sours people on excursions that are otherwise good value. If you want the ranked shortlist rather than six full reviews, that’s at best excursions; the wider planning picture is in the complete guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are these reviews independent?
Yes. I’m an independent guide, not a tour operator, and I don’t sell tickets. Booking links go to GetYourGuide and earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you, but the ratings on this page are GetYourGuide’s own — the catamaran sits at 4.1 and I say exactly why.
Which excursion would you book first?
With one big day to spend, the Chichén Itzá trip — it’s the clearest case where the bundle beats doing it yourself. The highest rating on the site belongs to the buggy tour at 4.8. A ranked list by traveller type is at best excursions.
Do the listed prices cover everything?
Usually not quite. Several of these days have extras — gate fees, gear, photos — that the headline price doesn’t include, and each review spells out which. The full bundled-versus-DIY numbers are on the prices page.