Cozumel: Hands-On Chocolate, Tortilla, Salsa & Honey Experience

what a wonderful experiece!!! all three stations were incredible interesting and awesome "hands on" experiences!

TLDR: I usually avoid excursions, hate writing reviews, and fully expected this to be another overpriced tourist trap… but somehow this ended up being one of the coolest, most authentic experiences we’ve had while traveling. If you’re skeptical of cruise excursions too, read this. We booked the “Visit Cozumel Shuttles and Tours” private excursion through Viator while visiting Cozumel on a cruise, mainly because we wanted something more authentic than the typical cruise-sponsored excursions. Cruise excursions often feel expensive and overly structured, and using Viator gave us the flexibility to experience the island in a much more personal and genuine way. From the start, Diego made everything incredibly easy. Before we even departed the ship, he reached out with clear communication and meetup instructions. Once we arrived, he was waiting with a sign, a warm smile, greeted us all by name, and immediately made us feel comfortable and welcomed. The tour itself was scheduled for four hours. Two hours were planned, while the other two were flexible depending on what we wanted to see and experience. Diego’s suggestions complemented the already planned events extremely well and really completed the experience for us. Diego suggested a local chocolate manufacturer and market experience that we never would have discovered on our own. His communication and knowledge of the island were outstanding. He didn’t just drive us around — he explained the culture, how the municipalities operated the local markets, and introduced us to local foods and drinks along the way, including fresh juices from small independent vendors. The main excursion was at Tierra Maya, where we learned how to make fresh tortillas, salsa, and traditional chocolate by hand. We honestly expected something touristy or “assembly-line” like many cruise-planned excursions, but this private experience was the exact opposite. It felt personal, educational, and deeply rooted in local culture. At Tierra Maya, we were hosted by Joel and Gabby, who were both fantastic. The location itself may be off the beaten path, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of our trip. The amount of knowledge shared about Mayan culture, traditions, rituals, and local history was incredible. We sampled regional honey varieties, tequila, and local liqueurs while learning the stories and significance behind them. Nothing felt rushed or scripted. After the original four hours ended, Diego offered to extend the tour for an additional hour at a very reasonable cost, and we’re so glad we accepted. He drove us to the east side of Cozumel, where we were able to experience the island’s more unincorporated and non-developed side, and then took us to a local taqueria where we had some of the best tacos we’ve ever eaten. Before this trip, most of what we had heard about Cozumel centered around cruise ports and tourist areas. Diego completely changed our perspective and gave us a genuine appreciation for the island, its people, and its history. This was easily one of the most authentic and memorable travel experiences we’ve had. Thank you again, Diego, Joel, and Gabby — we truly appreciate the experience and highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to see the real Cozumel beyond the cruise port.

This tour shows the beauty of cozumel. Great tour guide and true Cozumel. Best mojitos on the island.

Great experience! Highly recommend if you want something different or you are tired of the beach. Knowledgeable and friendly staff! Tasted local honey and used Mayan tools to make salsa, etc.

Wonderful experience! We learned so much and created incredible memories. Highly recommend this tour. The food and drinks were delicious.

Bottom line: this tour is worth every minute you spend and you should not hesitate to book it! Excellent experience with a knowledgeable guide, Johny. Johny has lived on Cozumel for 10 years and has all sorts of interesting fun facts to share. The van was safe and comfortable, and we had no issues getting in and out. (Watch your head!) When we got to Tierra Maya we were greeted by the friendly staff and started making our “chocolate bar” which started with roasted Cacao beans and we learned how to “peel” them and then grind them down on a stone plate with a stone “rolling pin.” I don’t remember the name of those tools. Then we mixed in some honey for a yummy treat. After that we were on to “meet the bees” and some liqueur and Tequila tasting. It was so interesting to see the tiny little stingless bees right there in their tree. The tastings were great and many different kinds were tasted. Then we made a salsa out of roasted tomatoes and ground pumpkin seeds. To eat the salsa there were, of course, tortilla chips. But the we got to press out a tortilla and they cooked it on a grill. The salsa on the fresh tortilla was amazing. After the Honey and Chocolate we were treated to a stop down by the water not far from the town and Johny gave us more fun information about life on Cozumel.

Real good experience lots of facts and traditions passed onto us.

We had an amazing time. We would definitely book this tour again. Learning how to make chocolate and salsa was so much fun.

We had a lovely and informative visit on this outing. Our guide at the bee farm was passionate about the natural world, the Mayan culture and the future of the bee farm. Who know there were stingless bees?? Everyone was so hospitable especially the guide, Diego, who brought us there

Charlie was an excellent tour guide - the best! We appreciated his flexibility and his vast knowledge of the area and its history. Tierra Maya was an great experience. Each of the four stations taught us something new. Learning about and seeing the Meliponini bees and sampling the honey were a highlight. He taught us enough to know that we need to come back to Cozumel for another visit! We packed a lot into our half day tour and it was wonderful - Cenote (with crocodile), chocolate, east coast beaches and more.