Tour Reviews

Olivia Shephard
Nashville, TN
Chacchoben Extreme
Norwegian Dawn

Kasi & Alex

My friends and I did the Chacchoben Extreme tour with our moms for our senior spring break. Our tour guide was Kasi and our driver was Alex- both were amazing. Kasi was incredibly thorough in her background about the Mayans, and her explanations were never boring. I could not have imagined a better way to spend our time in Mahahual. I especially liked the tour we picked because it included both the Mayan ruins and a relaxing trip to the Seven Color Lagoon (which, by the way, was the coolest thing I have ever seen and a highlight of my cruise as a whole). If I come back, I would definitely book another tour through the Native Choice!

Shari
Nashville, TN
Chacchoben Extreme
Norwegian Dawn

A perfect day!

Our tour guide Kasi and driver Alex were the best I've ever seen. Kasi's knowledge about the area, the Mayan culture and the ruins was exceptional. Alex was extremely helpful and courteous. The lagoon area was one the prettiest things I have ever seen. Worth every penny - and ask for Kasi and Alex - you won't be disappointed!

Mandi
Shawnee, KS USA
Chacchoben Extreme
Norwegian Getaway

Wonderful Day

Amazing!! For everyone looking at using this company: don't be turned off by the long directions to get to their office. It's really not difficult and everyone along the way told us where to go. We were a little nervous with what seemed like a long walk at first but it's WELL worth it. Everyone we dealt with was friendly and informative. The tour of the ruins was so cool and our guide told us some awesome stories. The lagoon was a part of our tour as well. They fed us an amazing lunch and margaritas! Then we got to hang out by the water before heading back to port. I would use them again! They are a local company which also means smaller groups. Such an amazing experience!!

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.