Chacchoben Mayan Ruins & Bacalar Lagoon with Certified Guide
Description
Two of our favorite places in a single day. Travel through history from the ancient Maya to the pirates of Bacalar, combining two completely different sides of Costa Maya in one adventure. Discover Chacchoben, an ancient Maya city dating back to around 200 BC, where impressive temples and ceremonial grounds rise among the tropical jungle. Walk the same paths once traveled by Maya priests, nobles and rulers as your certified guide reveals the history, secrets and legends of this fascinating city. Then exchange ancient temples for the turquoise waters of Bacalar’s Seven Color Lagoon, a former haven for pirates. Swim, kayak, float or simply relax by the water with a tropical drink in hand, surrounded by brilliant shades of blue. Complete your day with a lakeside Mexican lunch and refreshing drinks, enjoying the breeze and views across the lagoon. From Maya history to the turquoise waters once sailed by pirates, experience two of the places we love most — all in one incredible day.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your adventure begins one hour after your cruise arrives at Costa Maya Port. Enjoy the 50-minute drive to Chacchoben, one of the Maya region’s lesser-explored archaeological sites, dating back to around 200 BC. Follow your certified guide through ancient plazas and ceremonial grounds as impressive monuments rise among the tropical jungle. Discover the history, beliefs and secrets of this ancient city while you walk the same paths once traveled by Maya priests, nobles and rulers. Discover the Gran Basamento and Temple One as your guide brings Chacchoben to life through its architecture, traditions and legends. Along the way, discover native flora and keep an eye out for tropical birds and spider monkeys in their natural habitat. From the ancient Maya world, continue on a scenic 25-minute drive to Bacalar’s spectacular Seven Color Lagoon, where a refreshing afternoon by the water awaits.
Continue to Bacalar’s Seven Color Lagoon, a former haven for pirates where striking shades of turquoise and blue stretch across one of Mexico’s most spectacular freshwater lagoons. Make yourself at home by the water. Swim in the refreshing lagoon, explore by kayak, float in a tube or settle into a lounger and simply enjoy the breeze and incredible views. When you’re ready, enjoy a lakeside Mexican lunch with chips and salsa while overlooking the lagoon. Cool off with iced tea, hibiscus tea or traditional horchata, and guests 21+ can choose two alcoholic drinks, including beer, Tequila Sunrise, Blue Lagoon, Purple Rain or Sangria. During your time at the lagoon, paddle, swim, float, sip a tropical drink or simply relax by the water — the choice is yours. After a morning exploring the ancient Maya world of Chacchoben and an afternoon enjoying the turquoise waters of Bacalar, relax on the one-hour journey back to Costa Maya — two completely different experiences in one incredible day.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This tour will depart one hour after your cruise arrives to port from Plaza Las Fuentes, conveniently located just a few steps away from the main access of Costa Maya Port.
- Please note that the total walking time from your cruise ship to the meeting point is about 15 minutes.
- IMPORTANT: Travelers coming by cruise ship must provide the full name of the ship.
- Cruise guests arriving after 12 PM. Make the most of your limited time in port by booking our Chacchoben Mayan City Tour or our beach break options
- No port, no pay! Guaranteed full refund if your cruise ship does not call port in Costa Maya at all
- Temple Access: For preservation purposes, climbing the temples is not permitted.
- Children: The historical portion of the tour is best appreciated by children ages 6 and older. Younger children are welcome.
- Water Activities: Life vests are mandatory for water activities and are provided. Civil Protection may restrict kayaking or other water activities due to wind, lightning or unsafe weather conditions.
- Lagoon Conditions: Water clarity, color and other natural conditions at Bacalar may vary depending on weather and environmental conditions.
- Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are served only to guests ages 21 and older. The tour includes two select alcoholic drinks; premium and additional alcoholic beverages are available at an extra cost.
- Dietary Requirements: Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available upon request. Please provide dietary requirements in advance.
- Weather: This tour operates rain or shine. Please check the forecast and dress appropriately for the day’s weather.
- What to Bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a swimsuit, personal towel, change of clothes, hat and biodegradable sunscreen. We recommend carrying some cash for souvenirs and personal expenses.
- Cameras: A fee of approximately $5 USD applies to dedicated video cameras and GoPros and is paid directly at Chacchoben. Tripods and drones are prohibited inside the archaeological zone.
- Wildlife: Wildlife sightings, including spider monkeys and tropical birds, cannot be guaranteed.
- Late Arrivals / No-Shows: Guests who arrive late or fail to show up for their scheduled activity are not eligible for a refund.
- Single kayaks have a maximum weight of 220 lbs; double kayaks have a maximum combined weight of 270 lbs. Children under 10 may kayak when accompanied by a supervising adult and cannot paddle a single kayak alone.
- Guests should be comfortable walking along outdoor trails with occasional rocks, roots and uneven terrain at Chacchoben.
- Transportation vehicles can accommodate foldable/collapsible wheelchairs only. Non-folding wheelchairs cannot be accommodated. Please note that the lagoon portion is not wheelchair accessible due to its natural access points.
- For safety reasons, kayaking is not permitted for pregnant guests. Guests may still enjoy the other lagoon activities.
Reviews(393)
Very nice tour, we enjoyed it a lot! friendly staff, we back on time and everything was planned carefully!
Loved this excursion. Bacalar was beautiful and the tacos were amazing! Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly
Diego our guide was amazing! The trip was professional, clean new comfortable mini vans. Beautiful ruins, the lagoon was peaceful. We didn’t have a boat trip on the lagoon, just lunch, swim and kayaking. Highly recommend for a full day trip.
A great tour to learn Maya ruins and a break at the beautiful lagoon. Would recommend to friends. Water shoes are recommended for swimming at the lagoon.
We went to Costa Maya to see the undersold Mayan Chacchoben ruins, which are surreal and not to be missed, and Elliot, the Mayan with the Scottish name!, did not disappoint! The Bacalar lake experience offered several varieties of delicious tacos and the beautiful, but rocky, lake itself was a refreshing swim after the epic morning!
The tour was really good and informative. The only thing I would have changed was to allow 20 minutes to shop at the ruins. Other than that, it was an amazing trip with awesome tour guides.
This was an outstanding excursion and one of the best experiences of our entire trip! While the Chacchoben Mayan ruins were fascinating, our guide, Erick, really brought the history to life. He was knowledgeable, engaging, and had a great sense of humor, making the entire day both educational and enjoyable. The real highlight, though, was Bacalar Lagoon. The lagoon is absolutely breathtaking, and swimming in the crystal-clear water was incredibly refreshing, especially in the July heat. It ended up being one of the highlights of our entire vacation and is something we’ll never forget. Lunch by the lagoon was fantastic, and the included aguas frescas were the perfect way to cool off after our swim. Everything was well organized, and we always felt like we had enough time to enjoy each stop without feeling rushed. Another thing we really appreciated was the comfortable, air-conditioned van. Visiting in July, the strong A/C made a huge difference and kept everyone comfortable during the drive between destinations. If you’re visiting Costa Maya and looking for an excursion that combines history, beautiful scenery, great food, and outstanding service, this is the one to book. A big thank you to Erick for making our day so memorable. We would absolutely do this tour again!
This was a very chill excursion for us. We had our guide show us the main points of the ruins so we were there for only about 45 to 50 minutes because we wanted more time at the lagoon. Then we headed to the Bacalar Lagoon. The food at the lake was AMAZING, AUTHENTIC and FRESH. (except for the chips, they joked they were from Costco😄). We had tacos and drinks here and played in the water. The water here is beautiful. My pictures do not do it justice. It's very clean and a see through blue. You can kayak here or just jump from their pier. It's definitely something to see!
Joel was an experienced and professional guide. He shared his experience living in this area for his entire life and seeing it develop in the last few decades due to tourism. He and Miguel, our driver, were most accommodating, informative, and helpful. We were fortunate enough to be the first tour at Chacchoben that morning and got to see the site when it was empty! The lagoon visit that followed was relaxing and enjoyable. A few of us kayaked and some swam. We each had four tacos for lunch and several drink options. Excellent experience!
This was a good excursion. The guides were nice, and as described, the ruins are far, over an hour drive each way. The ruins are cool but you are only there for a little bit. The blue lagoon was very cool though! Got served a seemingly authentic meal, and enjoyed water and drinks! That was by far the high lite! It was a very light lunch though so pack more if you eat a good amount. Also, the water the supply are the little water bottles so if you drink a lot, bring your own! Over all, I would recommend, but wouldn’t go back to the ruins.
