Mayan Experience Tour

Mayan Experience Tour The most authentic experience in Costa Maya!

Share our passion for culture and history in this five and a half hour interactive experience that will immerse you in a journey from the past of a Maya city in ruins at Chacchoben Ruins to the present of the Maya people at Chacchoben Village. Enjoy this unique opportunity to interact with the people who are keeping the culture and traditions alive.

We invite you to witness daily life and celebrate the colorful culture of the modern Maya as it unfolds right before your eyes. Listen to the sounds of their language, learn about traditional home remedies, savor a traditional Mayan meal, make new friends and see the world through the eyes of a Maya.

Our Mayan Experience Tour includes the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins Tour, plus a visit to Chacchoben Village where you will be hosted by a local family for a personal interaction at their home.

No visit to a Mayan home can be complete without a meal!

The highlight of this experience comes when the proud ladies in the family show their skills in the kitchen as they serve a meal cooked with local spices and ingredients specially for the occasion. The menu consists of only Mayan traditional dishes.

Learn the secrets behind the prefect tortilla in a one-on-one tortilla lesson and be ready to make your own. You may also be invited to join the ladies in one of their traditional dances!

Mayan Experience Tour Details:

Price per person: Adults US$70.00, Children US$65.00.

Inclusions: Round transportation in air conditioned vehicles, travel insurance, English speaking guide, all entrance fees, guided tour at Chacchoben Mayan ruins and bottled water. It also includes a visit to Chacchoben Village, interaction with a Maya family at their home and a Mayan lunch.

Duration: 5.5 hours.

Departure times: This excursion departs from The Native Choice Hospitality Desk (just 150 yards from the port) one hour after your cruise ship docks.

Deposit: A deposit of US$15.00 per person is required at the moment of booking to guarantee spaces for this excursion. Balance payment will be required ONLY in cash at check-in. You can also pay the total of your reservation at the moment of booking if you don't want to carry cash with you.

Your deposit is refundable if for any reason your cruise ship doesn't call port in Costa Maya.

Restrictions: Child rate applies for children under 12 years of age. There is no charge for children 5 years old or under.
There is a fee of US$5.00 (NOT included in the tour price) for the use of video cameras at Chacchoben Mayan ruins, this fee is paid directly at the entrance of the site.

Recommendations: Wear comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sun block lotion would also be a good idea. Consider bringing extra film (or an extra memory card) and batteries for your camera. Also bring extra cash for shopping as credit cards are not accepted at Chacchoben Ruins.

Important Notice: Your confirmation will include detailed directions on how to find us after you disembark.

Mayan Experience Tour Itinerary:

Our excursions depart from our office one hour after your cruise ship docks.

The following itinerary is an example to give you an idea of travel times and times spent at Chacchoben Ruins and at Chacchoben Village. This scenario would apply for a cruise ship arriving to Costa Maya at 8:00AM. Times vary based on your ship's arrival time.

08:00AM Cruise Ship arrival time.
09:00AM Departure from The Native Choice Office.
09:50AM Arrival to Chacchoben Ruins.
10:00AM Guided tour at the ruins.
11:30AM End of guided tour.
11:40AM Departure from Chacchoben Ruins to Chacchoben Village.
11:55AM Arrival to Chacchoben Village.
12:00PM Interaction with a Mayan family at their home and lunch.
01:45PM Departure from Chacchoben Village to Costa Maya.
02:30PM Drop off at Costa Maya.

Mayan Experience Tour Info:

The ride from Chacchoben Ruins to Chacchoben Village takes approximately 15 minutes. On our way we have to cross Lazaro Cardenas town (not a Mayan community!). The road is narrow so we always recommend to enjoy the ride since the experience starts when you see the people walking on the sides of the road with their loads of corn or fire wood. Have your camera ready as we may find something interesting on our way.

Lunch will consist of only traditional Mayan dishes, cooked with local spices and ingredients. The recipes will be explained during your visit and you will also have the opportunity to see the ingredients and spices added to your meal and learn how they were used.

The Mayan diet is based mainly in vegetables, however, for this special occasion most likely you will find chicken or turkey. If you don't eat meat, let us know ahead of time and we will make sure there is something special for you, please be as specific as possible and let us know if fish and/or dairy products are acceptable.

We have been able to accommodate guests with special diets. The Mayan diet doesn't regularly include wheat, barley or rye. If anyone in your party is allergic to nuts, crustaceans or gluten, just let us know, we can accommodate your needs.

Food safety is one of our major concerns for this excursion. Families hosting tourists at their homes received extensive training on how to cook and handle food safely. They are also recertified by the health department every three months. The food presented during this excursion is perfectly safe and the ingredients used are fresh and available for you to see and taste.

There aren't places where they sell crafts to the visitors at the village. All pieces produced are taken to the ruins for sale, however, don't be surprised if you find a small collection of pieces at the home you are visiting.

Please don't hesitate to contact us in case you need any further details or if you need any kind of assistance. It will be our pleasure to help you!