Tour Reviews

Brian
Bradenton
Chacchoben Ruins
Carnival Paradise

Great tour!

We had a fantastic time on this tour. With four kids we saved over $400 using them vs Carnival direct excursions! We had a great time, very clean sprinter air conditioned van for transportation and knowledgeable and kind staff, Rosa was our tour guide and great with the kids. Will look for them again if we have the opportunity. Because they are not affiliated with the cruise lines the office is outside the port of Costa Maya and the directions were good but they are a quarter mile walk outside the gate but we felt very safe, just not exactly sure we were on the right track until we saw the vans and office, which was very nice. To save that much money the extra walk was very much worth it!

Bryan K Strazz
Memphis Texas
Mayan Experience
Norwegian Dawn

AWESOME EXPERIENCE.

Joel and Miguel were AWESOME. Joel told us all about the local culture and was not one lost on words for his passion and love for the Mayan people and culture. PLUS...the fact he LOVES his job and loves this tour made it real special. There were no down moments on the tour at all. We stopped by a local vendor and got some of the best pineapple ever in a bag for a dollar. The wild part is it came with chilli powder. Which wasn't half bad. The Chacchoben Ruins that we visited and the history we learned about them from Joel was AMAZING. PLUS...he gave us time to take photos and explore on our own which was nice, no pressure. And the making a tortilla and having lunch with a real Mayan family was excellent. The food was really good and we had a choice on how spicy or mild we wanted it. I definitely would do this tour AGAIN.

Mary Reed
Las Vegas, Nevada
Mayan Experience
Freedom of the Seas

The Magic of the Maya

I've been on eight cruises and this was by far the most wonderful shore excursion ever! The tour guides, Enrique and Maria, were friendly, informative and so patient. The tour never seemed rushed. The bus ride included a couple of stops if there was something to show us, which broke up the hour long drive. Because I was a single, my husband opting to go scuba diving, I sat up front with Alejandro, the driver. He helped me with my Spanish as we drove. He's probably wondering if I ever learned to say Chacchoben correctly! The ruins were beautiful - barely touched by tourism. I felt like I was caught up in the time of the Mayas. They allowed enough time for bathroom stops and even a little shopping.

Lunch was the most amazing part of the tour, though. These three ladies opening up their homes to a group of tourists was incredibly generous and their hospitality was outstanding. We learned all about the plants growing in their gardens - everything from allspice and cinnamon trees, to banana and other fruit trees, herbs, and many varieties of vegetables. It was a jungle buffet! Their home is really four different buildings - all serving a special purpose. Their main home, with four walls and a thatched roof has several hooks to hang their beds, which are hammocks! We learned to make our own tortilla and ate it with traditional salsa made with pumpkin seeds. Our lunch was buffet style with traditional chicken, tamales cooked in banana leaves, steamed vegetables, black beans, rice, and many other wonderful foods.

These talented ladies also had traditional embroidered clothing and cloth covers for food to sell. This type of embroidery dates back one thousand years and is time-consuming and exceptionally beautiful. Be sure and buy one! They are a lovely memory of a lovely day.

Don't be alarmed by the walk to the tour buses - it is totally safe and I found walking off the ship just before sunrise magical - of course as the summer wears on the sun will come up earlier and earlier! Also, they took great care to make sure we were back to the ship long before the sail time.

Doug
Omaha, NE
Dzibanche Ruins Premier
Freedom of the seas

Totally worth it.

We picked this tour because, its one of the only ruins that allow to climb on the ruins and we felt the duration of the tour would give use a better experience. We were the only two people that choose the Dzibanche ruins, and we made an extra stop at one of the other sites. Our guide "Rose" was GREAT, so was the driver, Nacho? She made sure we had a one of a kind tour, and we did. Highly recommend this. We had no problem. getting back to the ship on time.

Tamie
Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA
Mayan Experience
Freedom of the Seas

Incredible Experience

My family booked the Mayan Experience Tour and it was an experience we will never forget. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable in Mayan history and culture throughout Mexico not just on the island. The tour of the ruins was incredible, our guide was very informative and friendly. Our visit to the Mayan village and lunch was fabulous. The family was very friendly and the food was delicious. I would recommend this company and this tour to anyone.

Jennifer Hull
Hawaii
Chacchoben Ruins
Marina

Very detailed and absorbing tour

Everything was excellent. It is a little walk from the cruise ship terminal but it doesn't take long. I thought the walk would be more through city streets but it is an undeveloped area, however very safe.
The Native Choice office is very pleasant and our guide was extremely nice. The mini bus we travelled in was new and comfortable with good A/C and the drive passed very quickly. The ruins are large and very attractive in an area that is covered with natural vegetation. There are good walkways over most of the area. Our guide was very well informed and gave us a lot of information. We were taken to several different areas of the ruins and they have been well restored and looked after expertly. They were well worth the visit. Native Choice is an experienced company and you are in excellent hands when you choose their tours.

Beverly
Colorado Springs, U.S.
Chacchoben Ruins
NCL

A memorable time

We loved the Chacchoben ruins. It wasn't crowded and was easy to do for everyone in our group, ages 9-76. Lunch was with a local Mayan family who cooked traditional dishes of their culture using mostly foods they grew - from chickens to cinnamon and tomatoes; most of us went back for seconds!

Katherine
Florida
Mayan Experience
Independence of the Seas

Mayan Tour

We would highly recommend the Mayan Experience Tour. We can't say enough wonderful things about this tour. We loved it and our guides Joel and Miguel are quite knowledgeable regarding the Mayan culture. The ruins were everything we expected and more...the second half of the tour included some amazing Mayan food. I don't want to say too much and spoil it for those that might be taking this tour.