Anyways, we are glad you had a nice day and that you could see manatees, ospreys and colourful birds. We will have a 2-year-old in tow any thoughts about whether this combined trip of ruins and boat ride would be too much for an adventurous toddler (with his own life vest, of course)? We had read a lot online about the road being impassable in a non-44 hire car however, whilst it was fairly slow going with bumps and potholes, we didnt find it prohibitive (although we can only speak for this day in early April, we could imagine how rains and bad weather might make it too hard). We were the first folks at Muyil at 9:00 (all the regional sites open now at 9, due to COVID, I was told). Pastor turned up to meet us on the dock at 11.55 and initially it looked like we were going to be just the three of us, but then just as we were leaving another four people turned up so we had what I think is the maximum boatload of 7 persons. Do you know if it is possible to taje a boat to P A from akumal?

We followed your instructions today and all went perfect! Thanks so much for the comment and providing an update to our readers. Based upon recent feedback the price seems to be pretty fixed at $600 pesos per person, so there seems to be no need to negotiate. And thanks again for all the valuable information youve posted for everyone! Perhaps one option you could consider is storing your big packs at a hostel or hotel in Tulum, then negotiating with a taxi to take you halfway to Punta Allen in the early morning so that you could spend that entire day walking the rest of the way to Punta Allen. Hi Elizabeth Thanks for dropping by with this great feedback! Up to you. This is an amazing contribution to the DIY travelers! Even during one of the most touristy times of year, we were floating largely by ourselves. I dont know if its gone up due to it being close to high season or because there are more people visiting it. Thanks for the update about the Oxxo. Thats just a rough estimate. We went to an island and saw frigate birds nesting and newly hatched chicks, we followed a family of 5 dolphins who were only too happy to perform tricks for us in the water. Sian Kaan is a gorgeous Biosphere Reserve and one of Mexicos largest protected areas, containing tropical forests, mangroves and marshes, as well as a barrier reef and plenty of marine life. Me and my partner wanted to express our thanks for the instructions its people like you that have seriously made the trip worthwhile. Its the second driveway past and on the same side as the park. Signs, maps, descriptions of what you were looking at were limited and no guides available to explain, but well worth $3 for a jungle walk and self-guided tour of the small site. The guide drove quickly across a large lagoon, through a short canal, and across another smaller lagoon before entering the float canal. Seeing a manatee in the wild for the first time.

Thank you for this great advice! This is indeed the perfect tour for Nature Lovers ! If that weren't enough, a beautiful sandbank the locals call "nature's swimming pool" is where we take time to relax & swim in the clearest of water before we end the boat tour. Boat trip = 600$MXN. Pick up and Drop off within the immediate Tulum area is included in the price, additional price applies for areas outside of Tulum. So thanks! Best tour option for: Learning about ancient culture of the Maya, Visit of a ruins on the lagoons, Float in the Mayan Canal. Once again, thank you for the comprehensive guide, and also for the other posts in Mexico (I used them quite a bit to plan our trip!). We did the tour on December 19th. The guided tours were asking for 1900 Mexican pesos for a half day which I just didnt want to spend. Thank you for this great advice! With luck, we will also spot the local dolphins swimming in the wild and some of the different sea turtle species that inhabit the bay. We are glad that you still had a nice time in the beautiful nature reserve of Sian Kaan and that you had the opportunity to see some animals in their natural habitat. You end up at the Beach by the boatsman. We do find the price for this DIY trip to be a bit high, particularly considering recent price increases.

The pre-made tent option looks great, but well have all our things with us so was also wondering if its possible to leave backpacks (with laptops etc) somewhere safe during the day in order to trek comfortably? Hey Zeke, thanks so much for the comment. When driving or walking down this road, we noticed that if you look carefully there are some amazing hidden bits of Mayan ruins and carvings within the banks either side of the road. itza chichen I asked if you can just book the boat tour down at the peer and our guide confirmed that as well, supposing your accessing over the dirt road. Thanks so much for your detailed description of how to go here. You can spend a peaceful night in Punta Allen, snorkel on the reef, visit the archaeological site of Muyil, practice sport fishing, explore the mangroves, walk in the jungle. We are in Tulum and considering doing this trip. I usually dont write comments, but I want to express gratitude. All reservations are subject to availability existing at the moment of your request. Any idea if they will take a single person out on the boat for $600 pesos? THANKS FOR THE AWESOME SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS. The price was 600 pesos, but they did not charge us for the 2 year old. Weve heard the road is as bad as people say it is. Thank you again for putting together this awesome guide!! The wooden sign with yellow paint, as pictured below, helps to ensure youve found the correct trail. Followed your directions exactly by driving to Muyil from Tulum. We did it at our return so that we were sure to have a boat. So we hope this detailed travel guide also helps you to reach this special place in the world! Charlotte. The guided tours are very expensive. Thanks! We just came back for the trip. Loved this place, had a great day, thanks for your recommendations and advice . Looking for an adventure off the beaten path ? Hope it works out. This expanded tour will continue further towards the ocean, so you may see some marine life. We were able to see all the animals and babies. We found your guide very useful and have successfully visited today.

But instead, we recommend visiting the Muyil ruins and jungle boardwalk first. Hope you had a wonderful time enjoying Sian Kaan! I did Coba the day before, again on my own, and it also worked perfectly well. Understand: Two Different Areas to Explore, Directions Through Muyil Ruins to Boat Docks, Taking a Boat Through Sian Kaan + Canal Float, DIY Adventure to Sian Kaan vs Booking a Tour. We find the Sian Kaan tours can also be worth the cost for the ocean route towards Punta Allen, like. So glad to hear this was helpful and thank you for returning to our site to provide an update. A word of warning to other parents about the lifejacket situation. Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. It puts a big smile on our faces to hear that this was helpful! Have a great time in Sian Kaan and please drop us a line if anything has changed or was unclear. The bus ride is a quick 20-minute straight shot from Tulum to Muyil. Hi everyone, many thanks for the detailed informations.

Karen was our guide. Theyll know what youre here for. I am a bit hesitant to give out a name as the booking was more of a favor then anything else. But those small group tours do include the convenience of hotel pickup from all over the Riviera Maya, snacks, drinks, entrance fees, guide, etc. It was just my husband and I. And the boat drivers dont speak English to offer any commentary about the surroundings. .

Snorkeling gear will be provided. Roughly and hour drive until the visitor center of sian kaan. On one end, its ocean. Regarding your packs theres definitely no left luggage or anything like that. We had a truly wonderful time . The Mayan ruins are nice but you dont get a real feeling of a jungle walk, it is short and the wooden deck kills the natural feeling. Thanks! They simply drive you to the points of interest around Sian Kaan. A small size tour keeps things intimate and boats help to avoid that slowgoing rough road. So glad to hear it helped and it turned out to be a highlight! Take care. So glad to hear this was helpful! We had the place to ourselves! Using a conversion calculator on our iphone (works offline), we showed him that 2 people at 1200 pesos calculated to $76 USD total, so he was willing to accept $80 USD. Just stand outside the park entrance and youll get a ride. And thank you for confirming current pricing! When we were last there, about eight months ago, didnt even notice any construction of Oxxo going on. 2500 pesos total. Its also nice to see that the trip is even slightly more economical now given the further devaluation of the peso. I am so excited about this day trip! Where you able to contact him in advance? Great! Also, thank you so much for confirming recent prices. Sian Kaan is a National Park covering 5280 km/1304714 acres, making it the third largest protected area in Mexico.

Our guide was very informative, the lagoons are gorgeous, and the float down the canal was incredible. Im already dreaming about coming back. Once at the dock, our guide, Carlos, collected our shoes and put it in a dry bag and floated with us (quite patiently) as we spotted fish. If you are six people, you pay more or less 720$ per person. Many thanks for the information on your site. There were seven boats docked when we walked back to the boat. Sun protection: The Yucatan sun is strong. Thank you for your elaborate instructions! You will notice changes in water color and endless skies stretching out over the Caribbean. Hey Priscilla, (This is just my two-cents from someone who doesnt have children. Located just an hour and a half from Cancun, its beautiful beaches, nice Tulum is one of the treasures of the Riviera Maya in Mexico. Required fields are marked *. If you are prepared enough, camping along the way could be a real good DIY experience we imagine, anyway! You could getsick, a flight gets canceled, hurricanes (June-Nov), your phone falls in the water, cameragets stolen, etc. BOOK IT HERE, 14 Best Things to do in Pismo Beach, California, Go City Dubai Pass Review: Is it Worth it? Next, we will go to two different places to meet dolphins and turtles living together in total freedom in the wild. Your instructions were PERFECT and led my boyfriend and me to one of the most memorable experiences of our Tulum adventure. Thanks for this post. Our friend driving who was the only one of us to speak Spanish, had a long conversation with the guy. Instead, turn around and retrace your steps back to the Castle, pictured below. A man we spoke to there spoke some decent English too (although dont count on that). Short tour (2h) is 700 pesos per person. Now that I live full-time in Akumal, I wanted to find a do-it-yourself option so I was thrilled to find this post! It was definitely a highlight of the trip! The canal float is a must-do! Hi, Thank you SO MUCH for this detailed post. The jungle section is cool, well worth the extra pesos especially the observation tower! And thanks so much for stopping by with the positive feedback! My girlfriend and I did this day trip from Tulum 2/20/16 and the overall cost was about $42, including boat ride, ADO bus back and forth. Hi Michael, We hope to see you next time! There are certainly some nice walks along the shoreline, but dont expect a network of hiking trails. If not, Id imagine that they could probably call someone else to come. But no pickup time was given and extra transportation charge was hidden in the ticket exclusions which caused embarrassment. In retrospect I think perhaps we should have chosen the earlier or later tour, because there was not much wildlife about in the heat of midday. Cash (Most of the local vendors only accept cash). Discover breathtaking wildlife and natural fauna in Punta Allen. From our hotel on the beach in Tulum, travel time was 2 hours. Behind that Sian Kaan sign, youll see a palapa ticket booth. Hi Hugh, Please note that there are no ATM machines in the area, nor do any of the vendors accept credit cards. collectivo back: 30 M$. They encouraged us to do the boat tour first and then come back to the ruins to beat the heat (as much as you can do in Mexico in August!). You just put a smile on our face. To come back, I jumped into a collectivo after waiting almost one hour for the bus.

The exact pick up time will be confirmed to you once you have provided us with the pick up location. The road to Punta Allen is not just potholes, but more like massive craters in places. It was a really good trip overall. [2022], 16 Fun Things To Do in Playa del Carmen in 2022 - Every Steph, [] LOOKING FOR MORE OPTIONS? One thing Ive heard no mention of is presence of alligators or crocodiles in the preserve. Thank you so much for this blog. Cathy. A Sian Kaan visitor center is just beyond, where you can check in and begin to attempt to drive down the very rough road ahead. I was wondering if its possible to walk around the reserve starting from Punta Allen, and if there are enough trails to cover two full days of trekking? We entered through the Muyil Archaeological Zone and your instructions were 100% accurate. at least visitor guide you would have a guide who speaks something else than spanisn. Also the wildlife is pretty unexciting. I anticipate that Dec-March will likely be busy too, so thats really helpful to know for others to potentially budget a wait into their time. +$30USD per person extra for pick-ups between Colosio Street (North of Playa) del Carmen to Iberostar Grand Paraiso. Weve actually never made it to that side but were determined to make it there one of these days. Not to mention it revolutionized how I wear a life jacket! (And it was actually easy to follow) How is parking at the entry of Muyil? Our visit to the Muyil Ruins was hands-down the highlight of our stay in the Tulum area. We are planning a trip in May and have booked tickets from France to Cancun. among coastal jungle until we reach the boat dock. Thanks so much for stopping back by our site and for confirming the prices you paid. Q:What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Sian Ka'an Adventure ? The colectivo departs at 2:00 pm from the iTour Mexico agency, directly across from the Super Aki supermarket, located right here. Thank you for your feedbacks about your Sian Kaan Adventure with us. Great experience. Our costs were very consistent with recent comments. Perhaps it was a busy day and/or word about Muyil and Sian Kaan is starting to get out. I thoroughly recommend this trip. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experiences start time. Indeed 900MXN fixed, but we found it worth it. Hi Maria Jose, All cancellation requests must be addressed in writing to VISIT SIAN KAAN as the basis reference. Such tours embark on a very similar route to whats been described in this post and the cost is roughly double what it takes to do it on your own. (Theyre usually negotiable) Either way, glad to hear you got the price down a but, and happy to hear you enjoyed the Sian Kaan and the recommendations proved helpful. I just asked at the Muyil entrance booth which way to go and was pointed down the street to the next entrance on the left side of Highway 307. Hey Moving my comment to the correct article Are these conversions correct? Happy travels! There are a few stores and such across from the ruins too. There was a bunch of guides waiting at the entrance to the ruins and we had no problem booking a tour even at 2pm. Thanks a bunch! We do hope the directions prove helpful and that you thoroughly enjoy Sian Kaan when visiting in April. "A pristine environment full of wild aquatic animals, interspersed with breathtaking landscapes and unparalleled views of the Caribbean". We agree that the boat trip is amazing and well worth the cost. As for animals, theres a lot of luck involved there and I wouldnt get your hopes up too much. We knew we were close, having located km 206 and 204 (!) I MUST say, Thank you very much for all the information youve posted! (Okay, well maybe a little frightening too, haha!) We waited about 20 minutes for the bus to return to Tulum town, and when it finally came by it didnt stop. That is so great to hear! Our guide told us this was his only trip of the day. Again, thanks for the information it was very helpful! We ended up there, so maybe all in all its not that bad we missed the tour . The boat does not provide them for you. Were desperately looking for some natural treks and non-tourist traps around the riviera (all over Yucatan really, but doesnt seem to have many) and the biosphere seems to have both, so this post and the comments are greatly appreciated. The canal float is the highlight of the experience, and they quoted us 600 pesos without asking. So glad its helped! A new Mexican friend recommended a taxi driver who would arrange everything in advance and take us there. BOOK IT HERE. Boat trip was well worth the money. ), but its still a very beautiful natural environment. Anyway, we paid 1000 MXN per person and were on our boat by 10:45. Thanks so much for dropping by to let us know and reconfirm pricing.

Yes, that is indeed true. As a result we, regretfully, could not take the boats. Hey you guys, thanks for this amazing post! We went there on Monday, 14th with a rental car to the Muyil ruins and had the place nearly to myself. The return collectivo was 40 pesos per person. Alternatively, if wanting to visit the Sian Kaan beachside in a day, a small-group tour is the way to go unless you have a car that can handle the rough roads. The lagoon is HUGE and very calm waters. 2) Leave your shoes in plain sight if you do the canal float. Thanks so much for the recommendation and sharing this special place with everyone! Thanks so much for this post. But it may not quite satisfy your urge for trekking. Usually, there is at least one person who also speaks great English. They proposed us but we wanted to visit the ruins and Mirador. Same problem with taxis. But just in the past few weeks, people have been commenting about higher prices and a cap regulating the number of boats going out for the lagoon tour each day. It made everything really easy. We checked and the message was sent. Thanks for letting us know. So you need to find the people in advance, best in your hostel, or maybe still at the ruins and pretend you are one group together. Happy travels to Mexico and to Sian Kaan! Theyre such a mild-mannered bunch, which is completely different to the sometimes-aggressive tour hawkers and promoters working off commissions found in the tourism hotspots nearby. Its about 40 kilometers from the beachside entrance of Sian Kaan to Punta Allen, so that distance would likely prove too much to walk in a single day, particularly considering the heat. Your encounter at the boat docks sounds about right. Charter your private vessel (2 hours) to cruise the lagoon of one of the largest eco-reserves in the world at the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka'an. The car park is just off the major road and the ticket booth is in site of the parking lot. This tour experience is interesting for those who enjoy a boat ride, nature, bird watching and might want to get surprised by manatee and crocodile sightings. If for some reason, the colectivo + boat option is not running, there is another colectivo option. There are usually many seats available. My friend gave him 650 pesos by accident (she paid with lots of notes) and the guy promptly gave her the 50 back, stating he thinks its important to respect us. That all said, I am certainly not a wildlife expert of Sian Kaan and hence would have to defer to someone that is to give you absolutely certainty of any croc risks of this specific area. Paid $1000 for the adults and $800 for the kids , we did the 2 hour tour but it seemed for $5000 for the boat you could do the 4 hour to include the ocean crocs and manatees.I think that was what he saidso worth doing if you have the time!

But I would like to add another very interesting suggestion to everyone. You can also rent snorkel and mask (do it, its beautiful down there!). Rates listed are exclusively valid for the inquiry date. We used it as a reference point and visited Muyil. All the best on your continued travels! Enjoy a delicious lunch in Punta Allen. Nice Trip but we Wouldt do it again just cause its a lot of Money still, but we are only once here so therefore it was fun and Great nature to See. Have a great New Years in Mexico! Thank you for such a detailed account!

And thanks for the Corona store recommendation. Now, another $200, yikes. Does anyone know if we could take a detour and catch some manatees? We really appreciate you sharing your experience with our readers. I look forward to this trip and will follow your tips. The ranger at the ruins/reserva entrance was kind unlocked the gate for me even though I was a bit late, as otherwise its necessary to walk the road back from the boat launch. Report back if you can to let us know. Any question about our Sian Ka'an tours ? DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF THE YEAR, THE ROAD AND THE BOAT RIDE CAN BE BUMPY! If youre interested in birds, the Sian Kaan & Birdwatching Tour is definitely the one for you. The ruins are small, but it is a lovely and quite walk in the forest. Theres a proper ticket counter to buy your entrance ticket to this archeological site. again, that is a supposition

), Boat with snorkel equipment(mask, snorkel and fins), The Snorkel activity is not included and is a bonus if the weather is good to do it. Its an interesting archeological site to visit. A spectacular tapestry of coral that is home to dolphins, marine turtles and up to 500 species of fish, the Mesoamerican Reef is one of the most extraordinary places to snorkel on this planet. Ironically, the bus hove into view just as we were boarding the collectivo! The water is crystal clear, so you can easily spot fish swimming around. There is no need to reserve a ticket in advance. For future visitors, the boat trip is still 600 pesos per person, the bus trip there & back was 56 pesos per person (return). Thanks a lot John, your blog is amazing and so helpful. This convenience comes at a price, of course, but it can be worth the splurge. Hey, at least that helps to keep the mosquitos away! Thanks. Recommended tour start at 06:30 a.m. (+/- 1 hour)*, Early morning visit > stay ahead of other tours, Wildlife observation: birds, dolphins, sea turtles**, Guided snorkeling tour at the reef of Sian Ka'an, Duration of this tour is approximately 9hours, *we are happy to adjust your pickup time to your preferences, Certified driver and fully insured car/van with a/c, Full snorkel gear provided, including life jackets, Lunch at the fishermen village of Punta Allen (all inclusive), Sanitary (WC/Showers) facilities and changing rooms, Water, soda, beer and snacks in the van. You will not experience as much marine life as on the ocean side (no dolphins, turtles, etc. But if you ask the bus driver nicely to get off at the Muyil ruins, hell likely oblige which will save you a two-minute walk. Incredibly helpful, thank you! Thank you so much for the updated and extra info youve provided here. But look up in the air too, as Sian Kaan is known for over 300 species of birds. Tours to Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve from Tulum are the most common route and offered throughout the region. Thank you for your help. Were always so glad to hear that it has helped other travelers find their way to Sian Kaan! Thanks for any help! Boats only left once there were six people in the boat, so my partner and I joined with a family of 4 and headed out. There does seem to be tiny bit of wiggle room possible to negotiate with larger groups. Thank you so much for this. You then walk perhaps another 2 minutes to reach the boat dock, so they may have slightly moved the parking area as the article description mentions parking was AT the dock. Thanks again for stopping by to let us know. If youre fairly comfortable with traveling independently then I think you can manage to get by on the DIY version with some very minimal Spanish and a smile. This all can help to justify the higher price. Thank you so so much for this post! Thanks for this article! We never would have made this trip without this posting, though, so thanks so much for opening this door for us! We had a great time and nothing went missing. Tulum coastal road Tulum- Boca Paila- Punta Allen, 109, Q.R, Whatsapp: +(52) 1 984 141 4245 Thanks a lot foe all the information! We are in Tulum now, and planning to do Sian Ka-an one day, via Muyil. Thanks. Id plan for about a half day total. It seems quite odd that they have seemed to suddenly greatly restrict the boat trips, and in the low season nonetheless. Im going there in a couple of weeks and didnt want to take a group tour, and this is exactly what I needed! You could opt out of the canal float if you needed to care for your little ones, but Id strongly recommend trying to do the canal float as it tends to be a favorite experience of this trip. Would u advise doing the DIY version, if we dont speak Spanish? The boatman stays with the boat as you float down the canal on your own, which takes about 15-20 minutes. Always glad we could help a fellow traveler. They encourage you to do the boat first and ruins after. So glade you posted this so we could enjoy it too. We hope that you and the family will make it there too, the kids will especially love it. Thanks so much for posting this detailed guide. Had we not found this fantastic article, we would never have figured out how to visit Sian Kaan on our own. Worst case scenario, youll be stuck carrying your packs through Muyil and bringing them on the boat with you. Everything is exactly as described, except the entrance fee to the Muyil ruins is now 50 pesos. The only snafu was getting back. We are definitely interested in Birding and dolphin/whale watching. Thank you Steven for sharing your experience and providing an updated pricing on what you paid. You wont have to pay more for the boat trip, as the price is per person. Gracias again! 50 pesos for the Ruins and back with the colectivo directly from the Main Street at the entrance of the Ruins for 70$ pesos each. COVID-19 Updates: Learn about our recent updateshere. Thank you so much for writing this article! Thank you for the tips on getting there, it was super useful. Thats exactly what we were referring to in the instructions to Get directly to a boat to explore Sian Kaan. We liked visiting Muyil and the boardwalk but going directly to the boat docks is good for if its really hot, bug-infested, or anyone that just doesnt want to walk.

We stopped for lunch at a little cocina opposite the ruins entrance which was delicious and only 130 pesos for 2 people, for panuchos, quesadillas, a coke and fresh coconut water (a joy after coming from $$$ Tulum!). I would not trade this intimate experience for anything, well worth going alone or with a small group of friends. So glad it proved helpful and you have a great trip! The only issues I could foresee is heat and mosquitos bothering the little guy while in Muyil or at the boardwalk area. Thank you again! And we did the full tour (with the floating etc). But part of the appeal of the Muyil ruins is that youll likely have this archeological site entirely to yourself since it is seldom visited. Youll clearly see the entrance to Muyil from the parking lot. The $4,500-peso (~$240) price seems outrageous to us. Thanks so much for the feedback on your recent experience very helpful! And he had to open the gate to the parking lot to let out our car. Hi A friend and I will be there the first week in June. She was wonderful and loved seeing the animals as much as guests. We did this trip on March 23, 2016. Weve found it to be safe.

Thank you for this great plan for travelers on a budget. We were given a guide much sooner and it was just our family of five. The ruins were interesting and had good tree coverage to keep cool. It was 40 pesos/person from Muyil to the bus station in Tulum. Wanted to provide an update (several months late) as your info was indispensable in planning my trip. However, we do offer snorkeling on the coral reef if weather conditions allow. We really wanted to have everything set up in advance as the drive was a significant investment. Upon completing the nearly 2-hour boat tour and float down the canal, you can either exit the reverse way you came in on the trail back to Muyil. Were so glad this helped. Thanks for confirming the price and very interesting to hear that children are negotiable! It's great to read you really enjoyed the landscapes, lunch and the snorkeling.

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