Tour Reviews

Andrea Vargas
West Plains, Missouri
Chacchoben Ruins
Carnival Valor

The Great Ruins Adventure

What an awesome excursion to see the Chacchoben Ruins. The meeting point was an easy walk from the cruise port. The drive to the ruins was very comfortable. We were given plenty of cold water and the a/c worked well in the van. Only an hour from the cruise ship so we had plenty of time to observe the ruins and were even able to do a little shopping.
We would highly recommend this tour, Erick was extremely knowledgeable about the Mayan culture and history. His diagrams were very unique and helped us understand more of the history of the ruins. We were able to see a monkey climbing in the trees. We would do this excursion again in the future.

Dustin Mata
San Antonio, Texas
Chacchoben Ruins
Carnival Breeze

What a Tour! 13/10 Would Do Again

To start, this tour/excursion/day was phenomenal. I was part of the Chacchoben Ruins (Archaeological Deposit) tour with David and 2 other members of the company (I’m sorry I forgot your names). They warmly greeted myself and my group with smiling faces (and a much needed bottled water) at check in, then showed us to the van. I highly recommend getting there a little earlier because if you have to sit in the back of the van, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

During the first half of the trip to Chacchoben, David provided us with some facts about the area, the culture, and about Mayan history. He was very knowledgeable and answered any and all questions we had.

When we arrived at Chacchoben, we walked around the area where you can use the restroom or buy some snacks before we walked through to the first site. During our walk, we came across some interesting plants/fungi which David pointed out to us and explained how they were incorporated in Mayan life and how they’re still important today. We also got a chance to see a monkey swinging from tree to tree and had sufficient time to take pictures/ask questions.

After the tour, we came back to the area mentioned before where you can buy souvenirs/snacks. David then provided some more information and answered any other questions we had while on the van back to the port.

Also, this is probably common sense but, it was a bit humid and we walked a good amount so wearing comfortable clothes is a must. There were times when we walked through slippery trails (mud) and some stairs covered a bit with algae/moss so wearing some good closed-toe shoes with grip is *HIGHLY* recommended.

We got back to port with PLENTY of time (like an hour and 45 minutes) before our ship took off so verify what time Ships Time is so you get to shop around as well. If you’re on the fence about getting this tour, or the one provided by a cruise line, pick this one. You get a better experience with people who live in the area and know what they’re doing.

Roberta Hand
New Bern, NC
Chacchoben Ruins
Carnival Valor

Wonderful tour

We took the Chacchoben Ruins tour with Joel as our Guide. He had so much knowledge and experience, being a native in the area. He was very enjoyable and friendly. I learned so much from him and would definitely do again if in that area again.

Kenneth Blair
Florida
Chacchoben Ruins
MSC

Superb Tour

Abel, Salina, Elliot and Yoshi not only went above and beyond to make everyone's experience memorable, they educated us on plant life, tequila and many other things unique to that area of Mexico.

Geoff Beckstrom
Houston, TX
Mayan Experience
Granduer of the Seas

Fantastic

Our tour guide Yoshi was fantastic. Our archeology guide Diego was fantastic. The food with the Mayan family was fantastic. Everything was safe and we were back to the port in plenty of time. Highly recommend them and will use them again when we come back to Costa Maya.

Janitza
Brooklyn, NY
Chacchoben Ruins
Norwegian Breakaway

11/10

Thank you so much for Joel and his expansive knowledge of the Mayan ruins and community. The tour was enjoyable in every single way. Whenever my dad had a question, Joel was always glad to answer his questions. Joel speaks with such enthusiasm and from the heart.
The hour ride to the ruins was comfortable and quick and on the way back we were able to buy local fruit which was a plus. I will definitely be taking another tour if I find myself again in Costa Maya. Thank you, Joel and Native Choice!

Kendall James King
Virginia Beach
Mayan Family + Seven Color Lagoon
Allure of the seas

Neat experience in Costa Maya

This excursion combined a glimpse into a Mayan village and a pleasant afternoon swimming at a lagoon. It included about a one- hour drive where we got to see the countryside, roadside pineapple vendors, and even a small Mayan ruin. At the village, Mayan ladies showed us how to make tamales and tortillas and all of us (ages 10-74) actually made some that tasted pretty good at the lunch that followed. It was then on to the lagoon for a quick dip at a small resort and drinks. Throughout the trip our tour guide Rosy looked out for us, providing details on the history of the area and the flora and fauna. She even had the van stop and picked up tree leaves that turned out to be "All Spice"
She was a superb hostess. Sancho was an excellent van driver and a was very glad that I was not doing the driving. Overall, a wonderful experience, fun combined with learning about the Mayan history and culture. Highly recommended.

David
TRINITYT NC
Kohunlich Ruins Premier
Majesty of the seas

Better then expected

Didn't know what to expect with the tour but upon entering Native choice blog I was put at ease with how professional everything seemed our driver was an older gentleman that was a good driver our tour guide Grissy was wonderful my 13 yr old son and I felt like we were in an exciting history class. I felt like we were back in time she captured the spirit of the ruins every time she spoke. I learned so much she is a wonderful guide and a very caring woman .She made she we had water bug spray and her pace was perfect can't wait to do one of the other tours.Thank you Grissy