The best things to do in the Riviera Maya, ranked: the Tulum ruins and Akumal's sea turtles, cenotes and the Rio Secreto underground river, Chichén Itzá, Cobá, Sian Ka'an and reef snorkeling, with live prices and what to skip.
What You Should Know
- The Riviera Maya is the roughly 100 km of coast from Puerto Morelos south to Tulum. Its headline experiences sit inland as much as on the beach: Maya ruins, cenotes, underground rivers and the Sian Ka'an biosphere.
- Where you stay shapes your days more than what you book. Most tours pick up along the whole coast and from Cancún, so a guest in northern Cancún can spend two and a half hours in a van before a Tulum tour starts. Playa del Carmen sits closest to the middle.
- Tours run from $29 (Chichén Itzá, plus $47 in entrance fees) to $254 (a small-group day in Sian Ka'an). Many listings add a park, dock or conservation fee of $15 to $25, paid on the day, so read the fees line before you compare prices.
- Cenotes, Rio Secreto and the ruins are unaffected by sargassum, which can cover the open beaches from about May to August. They make the best plan B on a weedy beach day.
Why the Riviera Maya Is Worth the Trip
The best things to do in the Riviera Maya start with the combination that made the coast famous: the clifftop Tulum ruins, a snorkel with the green turtles in Akumal Bay, and a swim in a cenote. Ocean Tours Mexico does all three in one day (our pick, from $129). Add an underground river at Rio Secreto, a day at Chichén Itzá or Cobá, the lagoons of Sian Ka'an and an hour on the reef at Puerto Morelos, and you have the trips most visitors come for. We compared the bookable tours on live prices, ages, fees and recent reviews, and added the beaches and towns you can enjoy on your own.
The coast runs south from Puerto Morelos through Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras and Akumal to Tulum, with the Sian Ka'an reserve beyond it. Under the jungle lie some of the longest flooded cave systems in the world. That is why cenotes, the sinkholes into that network, are everywhere here, and why the coast has so many underground experiences that work in any weather. Offshore, the Mesoamerican Reef runs along the whole strip, closest to the beach at Puerto Morelos.
Below we compare eight bookable experiences side by side, rank fourteen things to do (including the free ones), and finish with costs, a sample few days and what to skip. Planning around the seasons? Our best time to visit the Riviera Maya guide covers weather, sargassum and measured hotel prices month by month.
Ocean Tours Mexico: Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote
The coast's three signature experiences in one eight-hour day: a guided visit to the Tulum ruins, a snorkel with green turtles in Akumal and a cenote swim, with tacos for lunch. It has more reviews than any other Riviera Maya day trip in our comparison, runs daily, and children under 4 go free.
Book NowCompare the Best Things to Do in the Riviera Maya
| Experience | Operator | Price | Rating | Duration & Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Pick Tulum ruins, Akumal turtles & cenote Check availability |
Ocean Tours Mexico | From $129/person ($99 ages 4–11, under 4 free); $25 fee on the day | 4.88★ (2,359 reviews) | 8 hrs, daily; small group, max 12 per booking; transport, ruins entry and guide, tacos lunch |
| Rio Secreto underground river Check availability |
Cancun Vacation Experts | From $89/person ($64.50 ages 4–11); $20 dock fee on the day | 4.68★ (846 reviews) | 3 to 8 hrs, starts 7:30 am to 2 pm daily; wetsuit, helmet, lunch; minimum age 4; transport on some options |
| Best Value Chichén Itzá, cenote & Valladolid Check availability |
Ekinox Tours | From $29/person; entrance fees $47 per adult, paid on boarding | 4.89★ (842 reviews) | 12 to 13 hrs from 7 am, daily; departs Playa del Carmen; guide, buffet lunch |
| Hidden cenote, sea turtles & beach lunch Check availability |
Cancun Adventures | From $119/person ($109 ages 6–11) | 4.82★ (1,426 reviews) | 4.5 hrs from 9 am, daily; hotel pickup; snorkel gear, beach club lunch; minimum age 6 |
| Sian Ka'an to Punta Allen Check availability |
Mexico Kan Tours | From $254/person; $10 to $45 extra for pickups north of Tulum | 4.91★ (1,231 reviews) | 10 hrs from 7 am, daily; max 6 per booking; boat, snorkeling, lunch; minimum age 6 |
| Cobá ruins, Punta Laguna & cenote Check availability |
Mexico Kan Tours | From $184/person ($169 ages 4–8, under 4 free); pickup surcharge north of Tulum | 4.97★ (536 reviews) | 8 hrs from 8 am, daily; historian guide, bike ride in Cobá, lunch with a Maya family |
| Xcaret park with night show Check availability |
Grupo Xcaret | From $113.25/person (evening entry); full-day Basic $154.81 ($116.11 ages 5–11) on a December date | 4.38★ (2,724 reviews) | 6 to 12 hrs, daily; underground rivers, beaches, wildlife, evening show; no transport |
| Puerto Morelos reef snorkel Check availability |
Wet Set Diving Adventures | $45/person, any age, park fees included | 4.92★ (531 reviews) | 2 hrs, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday to Saturday; max 8 per booking; ages 2+ |
ℹ️ Prices, ratings, ages and schedules were verified against live listings on November 9, 2026. Child and full-day Xcaret prices are for sample dates in December 2026. Fees marked "on the day" are not in the headline price.
Which Riviera Maya Experience Is Right for You?
If you only have time for a few things, here is how we'd match them to the trip you want.
| If you want… | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One day only | Tulum ruins, Akumal turtles and a cenote | The coast's three signature experiences in a single trip |
| Something weatherproof | Rio Secreto | Underground, so rain, heat and seaweed make no difference |
| The big Maya city | Chichén Itzá from Playa del Carmen | The cheapest way to the Wonder of the World, if you can handle a 12-hour day |
| Ruins without the crowds | Cobá and Punta Laguna | Jungle ruins you cycle between, plus spider monkeys and a cenote |
| Wildlife and wild coast | Sian Ka'an to Punta Allen | A UNESCO-listed reserve of lagoons, mangroves and reef, in tiny groups |
| A short, cheap reef snorkel | Puerto Morelos reef | Two hours, $45, park fees included |
| A full day with no planning | Xcaret or Xel-Há | Rivers, beaches, wildlife and food in one park |
| Whale sharks | A summer whale shark trip | Only from about June to mid-September |
The 14 Best Things to Do in the Riviera Maya, Ranked
Our ranking mixes the best bookable tours with the beaches and towns you can enjoy on your own. Entry fees at public beaches, cenotes and ruins change often, so check the current rate at the gate.
Tulum Ruins, Akumal Turtles and a Cenote in One Day
Ocean Tours Mexico's eight-hour day (from $129, 4.88 across 2,359 reviews) visits the clifftop Tulum ruins with a guide, snorkels with green turtles in Akumal Bay and finishes in a cenote. Reviewers' most common warnings: the ruins are hot and exposed, some groups swim rather than boat back from the turtles, and the day runs long if you are picked up in Cancún. A $25 fee is paid on the day.
Check availabilitySwim in the Cenotes
Cenotes are the sinkholes into the Yucatán's flooded caves, and the coast has hundreds, from open jungle pools to caverns full of stalactites. Cancun Adventures pairs a hidden cenote with a turtle snorkel and a beach lunch (from $119, ages 6+). Near Tulum, Mateo's Cenote Triple Adventure ($129.88, 4.96 across 468 reviews) visits three contrasting cenotes in small groups. Many cenotes can also be visited on your own for a gate fee.
Check availabilityWalk and Swim Through Rio Secreto
An underground river system just south of Playa del Carmen, explored in a wetsuit and helmet past stalactites and crystal-clear pools. Admission starts at $89 ($64.50 ages 4 to 11) plus a $20 dock fee, with transport on some options. Phones are not allowed inside, and photos are sold separately. The water is cool, so it is a welcome break on a hot day.
Check availabilityTake a Day Trip to Chichén Itzá
The great Maya city is about three hours inland, so every trip is a long day. Ekinox Tours leaves Playa del Carmen at 7 am and adds a cenote, Valladolid and a buffet lunch from $29, plus $47 per adult in entrance fees, rated 4.89 across 842 reviews. Go between November and March if you can, when the site is less punishing at midday.
Check availabilitySnorkel the Reef at Puerto Morelos
The Mesoamerican Reef comes closest to shore at Puerto Morelos, a protected national park. Wet Set Diving Adventures runs two-hour small-group trips for $45 with park fees included, four times a day from Monday to Saturday, and takes children from age 2. It is the best-value reef snorkel on the coast and a short drive from Playa del Carmen or Cancún.
Check availabilityExplore Sian Ka'an to Punta Allen
South of Tulum, the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of lagoons, mangroves and empty beach. Mexico Kan Tours' full day to Punta Allen ($254, 4.91 across 1,231 reviews, max 6 per booking) adds a boat trip through the reserve with snorkeling and lunch. Pickups north of Tulum cost $10 to $45 extra per person.
Check availabilityCycle the Cobá Ruins
Cobá is a jungle city whose temples are spread far enough apart that you rent a bike or a pedicab between them. Mexico Kan Tours combines it with the spider monkeys of Punta Laguna, a cenote and lunch with a Maya family ($184, 4.97 across 536 reviews). It is the calmer alternative to Chichén Itzá for travelers staying near Tulum.
Check availabilitySwim With Whale Sharks
From about June to mid-September, the world's largest fish gather off the north of the peninsula. Ocean Tours Mexico's trip ($199 for adults and children aged 3 and up, 4.84 across 1,291 reviews) picks up along the coast. In our check, its 2027 dates ran from June 1 to at least September 15. It is a long day with an early start and open-water swimming.
Spend a Day at Xcaret or Xel-Há
Grupo Xcaret's parks are full days out with everything included. Xcaret mixes underground rivers, beaches and wildlife with an evening show (from $113.25 for evening entry; a full-day Basic ticket was $154.81 on a December date). Xel-Há is a snorkeling inlet with tubes and bikes. Reviews are lower than for the small-group tours, mostly over crowds and extras. Our comparison of Xcaret, Xplor and Xel-Há helps choose.
Check availabilityDrive a Jungle Buggy to a Cenote
One Jungle Adventures runs four- to five-hour buggy tours on jungle tracks outside Playa del Carmen with a cenote swim ($115 per adult, 4.90 across 1,911 reviews), from Monday to Saturday. Children from age 3 can join, but not in the two-seater buggies. If you prefer quads, our Playa del Carmen ATV guide compares the options.
Eat Your Way Down Playa del Carmen
Eating With Carmen's three-hour walking tour (1,420 MXN, about $76, 4.93 across 1,372 reviews) mixes food tastings with Playa's history and street art, with drinks and tips for the restaurant staff included. Morning and evening tours run daily. Our Playa del Carmen food tour guide compares it with the alternatives.
Cook in a Tulum Family Home
Rivera's Kitchen teaches a three-hour Mexican cooking class from scratch in a local home in Tulum, with a mezcal tasting (1,700 MXN, about $91, 4.95 across 613 reviews). Classes run daily at 10:30 am and 4 pm, and children 7 and over can join. It is a good use of a rainy afternoon.
Take the Ferry to Cozumel
Ferries cross from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel in about 45 minutes, so the island's reef walls and west-coast beach clubs make an easy day trip. Go early, and keep a spare day in winter, when a strong norte can stop the crossing. Our ferry guide has the schedule.
Spend a Beach Day on Your Own
The coast's beaches are public by law, and several of the best need nothing but a towel. Punta Esmeralda in Playa del Carmen has a shallow cenote spring running into the sea. Akumal Bay has turtles grazing close to shore (life jackets and a guide are required in the turtle zone). Xpu-Ha is a long, quieter strand between the two. In the evening, Playa del Carmen's Fifth Avenue is the coast's liveliest walk.
Where to Base Yourself for These Experiences
Almost every tour picks up along the whole coast, but drive times add up. Here is how we'd choose a base around what you want to do.
Closest to Cancún airport and the reef snorkel. Quiet, with a calm beach. Long drives to Tulum, Cobá and Sian Ka'an.
The best all-round base: Rio Secreto, Xcaret and the Cozumel ferry are minutes away, and Tulum and Chichén Itzá trips start here.
Closest to the turtles, the Tulum ruins, Cobá and Sian Ka'an. Further from the airport and Playa del Carmen's nightlife.
Best Time for Riviera Maya Experiences
Most of these experiences run year-round, but a few are tied to the season.
- December to April: the dry season and the most comfortable months for the ruins, Cobá's bike paths and Sian Ka'an. March and April are the driest. Prices peak from mid-January to mid-March.
- May to August: hot, with afternoon storms and, in most years, sargassum on the open beaches. Cenotes, Rio Secreto and the ruins are unaffected, and whale shark season runs from about June.
- September and October: the wettest months and the peak of hurricane season. Tours run but are more often affected by weather.
Our best time to visit the Riviera Maya guide has the month-by-month detail, including measured hotel prices.
What a Day in the Riviera Maya Costs
Tour prices below come from the comparison table, verified on November 9, 2026. Remember the fees paid on the day: $47 at Chichén Itzá, $25 on the Tulum day, $20 at Rio Secreto.
A free beach day at Punta Esmeralda, Xpu-Ha or Akumal, the Puerto Morelos reef snorkel ($45), Chichén Itzá ($29 plus $47 in fees) or the Playa del Carmen food tour (about $76).
Rio Secreto ($89 plus $20), the hidden cenote and turtles ($119), Tulum, Akumal and a cenote ($129 plus $25), or a full day at Xcaret (about $155).
Cobá and Punta Laguna ($184), a whale shark trip ($199) or a small-group day in Sian Ka'an ($254, plus a pickup surcharge north of Tulum).
For most visitors, the best-value pair is the Tulum, Akumal and cenote day plus the Puerto Morelos reef snorkel: about $199 per adult including fees for two very different days.
Our Take
The complaint we see most across these tours is not the guide or the sights but the van. A day sold as eight hours can become eleven when the pickup loop starts in Cancún. Staying in Playa del Carmen or further south, or choosing tours that start where you are, does more for your trip than picking the top-rated operator.
Tips for the Riviera Maya
- Check where the pickup starts: reviewers staying in northern Cancún describe two and a half hours each way to Tulum. If you are based there, Chichén Itzá and Tulum days are long.
- Read the fees line: the Chichén Itzá ($47), Tulum ($25), Rio Secreto ($20) and catamaran marina fees are paid on the day, usually in cash.
- Go early to the ruins: Tulum is exposed and very hot by midday. Bring water, a hat and shoes you can walk in. One reviewer found the walk from the parking area hard going for children and a grandparent.
- Be honest about swimming: on some turtle trips the boat drops you off and you swim back to the beach. Weak swimmers can usually sit out that part, as one of the reviewers above did.
- Use biodegradable sunscreen, or none: many cenotes and Akumal Bay ask swimmers not to wear regular sunscreen. Our Akumal turtle rules and Rio Secreto rules guides cover what is allowed.
- Choosing between the big ruins? Our Chichén Itzá vs Tulum vs Cobá guide compares them, and our Tulum ruins tour, Cobá and Chichén Itzá from Playa del Carmen guides compare the operators.
- Want more on the water? Our Puerto Morelos snorkeling, Akumal snorkeling, Playa del Carmen cenote tour and Sian Ka'an guides go deeper, and our Xcaret vs Xplor vs Xel-Há comparison helps you pick a park.
- Travelling with children? Our best things to do in the Riviera Maya for families covers ages, child fares and what to skip with kids.
- Still choosing a base? Our Cancún vs Riviera Maya guide compares the two, and our guides to the best things to do in Playa del Carmen and Tulum cover each town in detail.
- Heading to the islands or the lagoon? Our guides to the best things to do in Cozumel and the best things to do in Bacalar rank the top experiences across the channel and further south.
Where to Stay in the Riviera Maya
Staying in the Riviera Maya or planning a trip? Here are three well-reviewed hotels, with live prices from our booking system. Rooms at the best-rated hotels are usually the first to go, especially in peak season and over holidays, so it's worth locking in your stay before availability fills up.
Compare Live Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Prices
Live all-inclusive rates, meals and drinks included, for a three-night stay for two adults checking in about a month from now. Change the dates at checkout and book with instant email confirmation.
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- Free cancellation on selected rates
Catalonia Royal Tulum Beach & Spa Resort
An adults-only all-inclusive on the beach at Xpu-Ha, between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, with seven restaurants, a spa and big pools; 9.0 on 739 reviews. Guests praise the beach and staff; some rooms get little sunlight.
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Dreams Aventuras Riviera Maya
A family all-inclusive at Puerto Aventuras with six restaurants, a spa and a beach bar, about an hour from Cancún airport; 9.0 on 485 reviews. Guests love the staff; some rooms are dated.
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Barceló Maya Tropical
Part of the large Barceló Maya complex at Xpu-Ha, with three pools, a swim-up bar, seven restaurants and plenty of family activities; 8.6 on 704 reviews. The beach entry is rocky.
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Estimated nightly rate for a 3-night stay, 2 adults. Final price on Expedia or Booking.com.All-inclusive rate: meals and drinks included. Local taxes and fees are added at checkout.
How We Selected These Experiences
We started from every bookable experience listed for the Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, then shortlisted the ones that run from the coast, have a strong rating on a large number of reviews and have been reviewed within the past few months. We checked each one's live price, child prices on a sample date, ages, schedules and the fees paid on the day on November 9, 2026, and read recent reviews, including the negative ones, to find out what the listings leave out. The ranking also includes the beaches and towns you can enjoy on your own. Public entry fees change often, so we have not quoted them. Rankings reflect our editorial judgement of what is most worthwhile for a first visit; operators do not pay to be included.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in the Riviera Maya?+
The essentials are the Tulum ruins, snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal, swimming in a cenote, the Rio Secreto underground river and a day at Chichén Itzá or Cobá. Add the Sian Ka'an reserve, the reef at Puerto Morelos and, in summer, a whale shark trip. Our top pick combines the Tulum ruins, Akumal's turtles and a cenote in one day from $129.
How many days do you need in the Riviera Maya?+
Five to seven days lets you do two or three big trips (Tulum and Akumal, Chichén Itzá or Cobá, Sian Ka'an) with beach days in between. The long day trips start early and return late, so we would not book them back to back.
Is it better to stay in Playa del Carmen or Tulum?+
Playa del Carmen is the better all-round base, because it sits in the middle of the coast, close to Rio Secreto, Xcaret and the Cozumel ferry, and tours to Tulum and Chichén Itzá start there. Tulum is better if your trip is about the southern sights: the ruins, Cobá, Sian Ka'an and Akumal.
What can you do in the Riviera Maya when there is sargassum?+
Head inland or underground. Cenotes, Rio Secreto, Xcaret's rivers, the Tulum, Cobá and Chichén Itzá ruins and the Sian Ka'an lagoons are all unaffected by sargassum, which mainly affects the open beaches from about May to August.
How much do Riviera Maya tours cost?+
In our November 2026 check, prices ran from $29 for Chichén Itzá (plus $47 in entrance fees) and $45 for the Puerto Morelos reef snorkel to $129 for the Tulum, Akumal and cenote day and $254 for Sian Ka'an. Many tours add a park, dock or conservation fee of $15 to $25 paid on the day.
Can you visit the Riviera Maya without a tour?+
Yes. The beaches are public, and colectivo vans run along the highway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Akumal Bay, Punta Esmeralda and many cenotes can be visited on your own for a small entry fee. A guide is required to snorkel in Akumal's turtle zone, and tours are easier for Chichén Itzá, Sian Ka'an and the whale sharks.
When is whale shark season in the Riviera Maya?+
From about June to mid-September. In our check, Ocean Tours Mexico's 2027 whale shark dates ran from June 1 to at least September 15, at $199 for adults and children aged 3 and up.
What should I skip in the Riviera Maya?+
Skip back-to-back long day trips from a base far up the coast, and skip the Tulum ruins at midday. If your time is short, choose one big Maya site (Chichén Itzá or Cobá) rather than both, and keep at least one day free for a beach or cenote on your own.
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