Tour Reviews

Rolando Tellez
Tucson, AZ
Chacchoben Extreme
NCL Getaway

Mayan Ruins

The tour was excellent. Joel our guide was very informative of the Mayan culture. Our driver Pedro was very professional. I would book with The Native Choice again

Kari
Atlanta Georgia
Mayan Experience
Norwegian Escape

Fun and worth it even if it rained

Our tour guide David was very knowledgeable of the Mayan history and taught us a lot. He was able to answer all the questions. He also did good on keeping our group away from other groups so we could hear just him and get good pictures of the ruins. He kept us under cover or trees when the rain came through and then continued the tour. They provided water, but I do recommend sun screen and bug spray. David made sure we had ample time for breaks and shopping too. Then at the local family’s house, he walked us through the steps they take for preparing lunch and the food was so good!
If you take this excursion, it’s confusing to find the port exit while you’re trying to avoid the shop employees, but worth the walk to get to them!

Jesse
Utah
Mayan Experience
Royal Caribbean

Best Costa Maya (Mahahual) Port Excursion!

This was one of the best experiences in the Western Caribbean tour for our family. You have to walk a 1/4 mile to the Native Choice kiosk outside the security fence, but it is easy to find and they give great directions. The transportation was new, nice, and air conditioned. Alan and Beto (along with our guide to the ruins - Eric) took very good care of us and constantly was telling us about the local area and culture. They are very professional and knowledgeable about everything, including the culinary properties of all the local plants and such. A definite plus as we visited the local village and had a delightful lunch within a Mayan home. You get to see both urban and rural life in Mexico with this tour and you are supporting/paying local residents and small business people instead of a cruise line or someone else at the port getting their cut. The Chacchoben ruins were cool to see and be apart of. I would definitely recommend this tour with Native Choice to others. The whole family of 9 loved it (ages 10 to 46).

Lindsay Harper
Milan, NY USA
Chacchoben Ruins
MSC Seashore

Great customer support!

We were so upset to have to cancel our excursion to see the Mayan ruins last week. Unfortunately, my husband got really sick while on the ship and we were unable to get to the excursion. I had a family member from back home email them the day before to cancel. (Unfortunately, we did not have internet access while on the ship). Today we returned home and I was able to email them myself to see about getting a refund for the cancelled excursion, minus the last minute cancellation penalty. They responded immediately and I already have the refund in my account. They even said that I can use the $15pp cancellation fee to apply to a deposit on a new excursion if we ever return to Costa Maya. I was thoroughly impressed with their prompt response and their efficient processing of our refund. I will definitely book with them again in the future and we were so disappointed to miss the tour this time around.

Nancy White
Knoxville
Mayan Experience
Carnival

Mayan Ruins

We took a tour with Maggie. I would absolutely recommend this tour. I had so much fun looking at the ruins. Dinner with the Mayan village was fantastic. ❤️this tour

Yolanda Garcia
Cidra Puerto Rico 00739
Chacchoben Ruins
Royal Caribbean

Excellent trip

I bought the excursion myself and we walk outside of the Pier in Costa Maya everything was good we learn a lot with The guide Joel we was very safe

Ashonti Farrior
Florida, United States
Mayan Experience
Carnival legend

Best Tour Ever! Take it!

This excursion was not only the best excursion I went on during the cruise, but the best I've went on in my life. It's authentic, immersive, and informative. It leaves your brain and your belly full of chacchoben culture. Our guide, Elliot, was amazing. He answered all of our crazy questions, was very polite and even gave us unique facts like ancient Mayan math. Our tour started with the Mayan ruins with our other tour guide Jose david, who was very knowledgeable on the Mayan ruins. Our tour was the perfect duration around the national park. However, the lunch with the Mayan family and Elliot was so unique and thoughtful, my partner and I had never experienced anything like it. The food was way more refreshing than anything you could get in America, the medicinal garden was beautiful, and being able to speak a little bit with the local family using Mayan phrases was transformative. The experience was better than upscale dining in America truly. Lastly, though I suffer from motion sickness, our driver Pedro got us around quickly with no discomfort. My partner and I would for sure come and do the experience again. The whole team did a wonderful job and we are very grateful for their hospitality. Everyone should take this tour!

Lisa Ragon
Colorado
Mayan Experience
Royal Carribean

The most amazing tour. Do not book through the ship!

I have been on many tours and excursions, but this was the best tour I have ever been on. Eliot was an incredible host who gave us the most amazing lesson on the way to the ruins, and I felt I was in the presence of a true expert. He is incredibly bright, personable and well versed on Mayan Culture, as he is Mayan and grew up in the area. The ruins were fantastic, but going to a Mayan home was my favorite part. We were given a tour of their gorgeous home and garden (where they grew vegetables and medicinal herbs). It was so wonderful to meet the women who taught us how to make tortillas and provided the most delicious lunch in a gorgeous setting in their garden. They even made homemade Hibiscus juice. The bus driver was safe and carried our water for us and the bus itself was clean and comfortable. I am now so interested in the Mayan Culture and history that I am searching out more information because of Eliot! I am so glad I took the leap and booked with them and not through the Cruise Ship. It was an amazing day!