Private Tour: All Inclusive Chacchoben Mayan Ruins Tour

We were picked up by JoJo and motored to the site during which we received a wonderful lecture on the history of the Mayan people at the site we were greeted by Maria. She was very expert. We enjoyed the tour very much. The two of them are most competent I recommend them wholeheartedly to anybody seeking this type of tour.

Jhoanna was great! She is really knowledgeable and fun to chat with. We really enjoyed her! The private tour at the ruins is with a certified person at the park and her so we got a lot of extra info which was awesome. It was super interesting. We stopped at a roadside stand for fresh fruit on the way back which was delicious. The car was a taxi and his very fast driving was quite scary in the rain. Jhoanna was great in watching his speed after we requested he slow down as the hydroplaning was frightening especially after hearing the closest hospital was 2 hours away. This was a small vehicle and not very comfortable. Note that there is no cell service or internet in the car- I was able to get Satalite to send a text once in the 45 min ride from the cruise port. The ad says beer, tequila, WiFi are included and they are not. We did get a bottle of water from her when we got the the park and then we got pineapple cake, juice, and fresh pineapple roadside included. Overall it was great and we would do it again (but maybe request a van or larger vehicle ;)).

Jhoana was awesome—so friendly and great with our kids! We texted her a few questions the morning of our tour, and she replied right away. She knows so much about the area and Mayan civilization, so definitely come ready to ask questions. We met her just outside the cruise port area. The only tricky part was finding our way out of the shopping district (which isn’t Jhoana’s fault), so give yourself a few extra minutes to navigate the crowds. The shop owners can help point you toward the exit if you’re unsure. Our taxi ride to the ruins was air-conditioned and super comfortable. On the way, Jhoana shared tons of cool facts about the region, the people, and the Mayan culture. She handled our entry tickets and introduced us to the local ruins guide, who joined us and gave a great tour. Together, they explained the history, purpose, and construction of the temples—it was fascinating! You can’t climb the main temples, but there are smaller structures and stairs to explore as you wander through the ruins. The grounds are gorgeous—lush trees everywhere, from sacred and coconut palms to pepper plants—and we even spotted a wild spider monkey swinging through the canopy! If you’re visiting with an infant, skip the stroller and bring a backpack or shoulder carrier instead; the terrain’s a bit uneven and the tour includes stairs. On the way back, we stopped for a quick snack of fresh pineapple and bananas before Raoul, our friendly taxi driver, took us back to the shopping area. Between Jhoana, the ruins guide, and Raoul, everything ran super smoothly. Everyone in our group agreed—it was an amazing experience, and we’d absolutely recommend this tour!

Jhoana was awesome—so friendly and great with our kids! We texted her a few questions the morning of our tour, and she replied right away. She knows so much about the area and Mayan civilization, so definitely come ready to ask questions. We met her just outside the cruise port area. The only tricky part was finding our way out of the shopping district (which isn’t Jhoana’s fault), so give yourself a few extra minutes to navigate the crowds. The shop owners can help point you toward the exit if you’re unsure. Our taxi ride to the ruins was air-conditioned and super comfortable. On the way, Jhoana shared tons of cool facts about the region, the people, and the Mayan culture. She handled our entry tickets and introduced us to the local ruins guide, who joined us and gave a great tour. Together, they explained the history, purpose, and construction of the temples—it was fascinating! You can’t climb the main temples, but there are smaller structures and stairs to explore as you wander through the ruins. The grounds are gorgeous—lush trees everywhere, from sacred and coconut palms to pepper plants—and we even spotted a wild spider monkey swinging through the canopy! If you’re visiting with an infant or small children, skip the stroller and bring a backpack or shoulder carrier instead; the terrain’s a bit uneven and stairs are part of the tour. On the way back, we stopped for a quick snack of fresh pineapple and bananas before Raoul, our friendly taxi driver, took us back to the shopping area. Between Jhoana, the ruins guide, and Raoul, everything ran super smoothly. Everyone in our group agreed—it was an amazing experience, and we’d absolutely recommend this tour!

Our private tour to the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins with Jhoanna on March 24 was unforgettable. She was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing rich historical context that brought the ruins to life—especially for my son, who recently studied Mayan culture in school. Her storytelling made the experience immersive and meaningful. A delightful bonus was our stop at Pedro Santos, where Jhoanna treated us to fresh cut pineapple, mango, and adorable mini-bananas. A quick tip: if you’re arriving by cruise, be prepared to walk all the way out of the cruise port to meet your guide. The terminal is confusing and it took us a while to find the actual exit. But once we met up, everything was smooth, professional, and amazing. Highly recommend this tour and especially Jhoanna!