Which day trip to pick
If you only have room for one, go to Coba. It gets you ruins, jungle, monkeys and a lagoon in a single day, and lunch is cooked by a local Mayan family. If you have two, add Muyil for something completely different. Chichen Itza is the famous one, and it's a full day, so save it for a longer stay.
All of these are trips we set up through our concierge. They're by appointment, need a reservation and aren't included in your room rate. Tell us the day and we'll handle the rest. No rush. We'll be here.
| Trip | What you do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Tulum Ruins + Underground River | Archaeological site, a cave, then tacos | A first or last day, a short outing |
| Coba Jungle & Monkey Reserve | Hike, kayak, bike, ruins, lunch with a Mayan family | Your one big day out |
| Chichen Itza & Valladolid | The sacred city, then lunch in a colonial town | Longer stays, history people |
| Muyil Adventure | Float the Mayan canals, sunset picnic on the lagoon | An afternoon in Sian Ka'an |
| Snorkeling Expeditions | A cave, an open cenote and an ocean inlet | Swimmers who want all three in one day |
| Aquatic Sanctuary | Paddle-board or kayak a mangrove cove, healthy lunch | A calm, low-effort morning |
| Sailing Experience | Sunset cruise or coastal snorkel on a yacht | A last evening |
Tulum Ruins and the underground river
This is the gentlest day out on the list. You visit the archaeological site at Tulum, the walled Mayan city on the cliff over the sea, then go underground to explore a cave, and finish at what our team will tell you is the best taco place in Tulum. It suits your first full day, when you want to see something without committing to hours in a car.
Coba jungle and the monkey reserve
Coba is the one we'd choose for ourselves. You hike through jungle with howler and spider monkeys overhead, kayak the lagoon, bike between the ruins of Coba, and sit down to lunch cooked by a local Mayan family. It's active, so wear proper shoes and bring water. Most people come back saying it was the best day of their trip.
Chichen Itza and Valladolid
Chichen Itza was the Mayans' most sacred city and is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It's also the busiest site on this list. The reason we pair it with Valladolid is the lunch: a colonial town with painted streets, which turns a long sightseeing day into a proper day out. Plan it as a whole day and don't book a spa treatment for that evening.
Muyil and the Sian Ka'an canals
Muyil is our quiet favourite. You ride through the ancient Mayan canals and float down their natural "lazy rivers", then finish with a sunset picnic overlooking the lagoon. The canals are part of Sian Ka'an, the biosphere reserve that starts where the beach road ends, so it's the closest of the big trips to us. Good for an afternoon after a slow morning.
Water days: cenotes, mangroves and the sea
The Snorkeling Expedition is the one for strong swimmers: a crystal-filled cave, an open-water cenote and an ocean inlet full of tropical fish, all in one outing. The Aquatic Sanctuary is the calmer choice, a private cove in a mangrove explored by paddle-board or kayak, with a healthy lunch on site. And for a last evening, the Sailing Experience takes you out on a yacht for a sunset cruise or a coastal snorkel.
If you'd rather finish a day with a Temazcal, our Mayan Healing ceremony takes you to a sweat lodge in a local village next to a cenote, followed by a Yucatecan dinner.
Before you go
Take cash. Tulum runs largely on it, and you'll want pesos for tips and small purchases on the road. Don't drink tap water. We put purified drinking water in your room, so fill a bottle before you leave. If you'd rather not drive, we can arrange private transportation, and our concierge is available 24/7 to sort out the timing.