Tulum and Xel-Ha All-Inclusive Day Trip from Cancun

Posted By : Joseph_B
It was a nice day trip, but it was a long day. The van picked us up at 0640 at the hotel near Cancun, then picked up guests at different hotels and took us to Xel-ha, where after a short delay we transferred to a different bus that took us to Tulum. Arrived Tulum just after 9am, guide was great, and departed Tulum close to noon. Arrived in Xel-ha and got changed in swim gear around 1230. Food at Xel-ha is plentiful but really not very good. Departed Xel-ha at 615pm, arrived at hotel south of Cancun around 745pm.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-30 17:33:22

Posted By : Travelover5240
My husband and I recently booked this tour through Amstar. It took us a while to get to Tulum because the bus picked up many passengers, and then we stopped at a transfer center to get on another bus to go to Tulum. Once we were at Tulum, we were glad we went because it's a beautiful site and definitely worth seeing. Still, it was very hot, and the guide didn't tell us much about the Mayan ruins. I read more about them on my own.

Then we went to Xel-Ha by around 12:30 pm and did some snorkeling, but we had to stay until the park closed at 6 pm. During that time, we snorkeled, ate, and lounged by the beach, yet to stay here for 5 1/2 hours was a long time. Food is okay at the park but nothing to praise.

By the time we returned to our hotel, it was 8:30 pm. So we had a 13 hour day, not an 8 hour day. 6:50 am pick up and 8:30 pm return. That's one long day. In hindsight, I should have found a better tour and probably done a half-day at Tulum and a separate all-day snorkeling trip. Just be aware of the amount of time taken by bus transfers and the time you have to stay at Xel-Ha. Xel-Ha is fun, but for 5 1/2 hours?
Rating :
Posted On : 2023-06-01 19:37:54

Posted By : 399yurim
Melina was really helpful and respond really fast!!! Thank you !!!
The tour was good and we loved it !!!!
Rating :
Posted On : 2022-12-29 20:15:29

Posted By : Gabylasouris
The tulum tour doesn’t give you a sandwich IN THE BUS. BRING SOME SNACKS.

It’s very hot with our mask.

They give you a bottle of water before the tulum tour. It was nice but OMG very humid with our mask 🤩🤩

We did snorkelling, tubing, train ride 😆😆( it’s a truck). Cenotes are amazing.

Amazing day but super tired 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Rating :
Posted On : 2021-09-23 20:43:08

Posted By : Pam_G
Having been to both Tulum and she'll Hall 30 years ago it was somewhat disappointing this time. Shell Hall has become such an amusement park that the waters were no longer clear and the giant parrot fish that it is famous for were nowhere to be found. As an avid snorkel and scuba diver I found it to be a disappointing experience. Perhaps it would be okay if you had never been in the water. Our guide at Tulum only spent about 15 minutes with us and then told us the rest of it was way too much time at one location.
Rating :
Posted On : 2021-06-07 10:57:25

Posted By : Rachel_T
Xel-Ha needs a whole day!! I for sure want to go back to Xel-Ha again!
The tour was great! But I strongly advise to go in Dec, Jan, and Feb.. not as hot!
Rating :
Posted On : 2019-08-18 14:04:17

Posted By : 442joseph
The highlight of this trip is the Cenote.. Tulum is interesting if you have a guide who is knowledgeable of the history of the Maya. MIne said that iI should take the pictures and then research them. The snorkeling is interesting specifically if you have young children, the water is not that deep and its safe to see big fish.
Rating :
Posted On : 2019-03-27 21:55:26

Posted By : ToniC2211
We were picked up in Cancun, taken to a transfer station to connect with another bus leaving for Tulum. The buses were very nice and comfortable. Thew trip to Tulum is 1.5 hours, once there we had a walk through some of the market shops to get to the shuttle carriages that took us to the ruins (the cost was included in our tickets) I would recommend keeping an eye on the time as we didn't have much free time at Tulum after the guided tour and some people missed the shuttle back to the bus with one guy passing out on board from heatstroke after running all the way back!
Tulum itself was a nice enough scene not as brilliant as some of the other ruins, however the many iguanas and coati were fun to watch and lifted way overall score of Tulum.

Once back on the bus we headed for Xel- Ha, once there it was a bit confusing as to the extra things we could do and book. My friend and I head straight to the booking kiosk and booked a swim with the manatees and the photo package option. Around the park they have conveniently placed cameras which you can swipe to take images of you including in the water. This meant we didn't have to carry our cameras around with us. There are also lockers and many towel stations all over the venue.

The manatees were an absolute highlight, we also did the underwater walk which wasn't much better than the free snorkelling however the photos taken down there were also great.
We rode the bikes up along the jungle path, did some snorkelling and ate at the restaurants which was all inclusive including the drinks.

I would have loved another day at Xel-Ha as I really think there is too much for a half day to enjoy the full offering of the park.

I'd love to return with my kids but spend at least 2 days there. Beautiful fish to see and loads to do.

Rating :
Posted On : 2018-09-20 00:12:04

Posted By : ronandlynn
Extremely hot and there is a serious seaweed problem along the coast making it impossible to swim and odor is terrible. Rather than the Xel-Ha trip we took the bus from Playa de Carmen station for less than $10 dollars US and the entry fee is very small to get into the park. There are white buses to take you back for a small amount. Two of us did the entire day in Tulum for less than $30 US
Rating :
Posted On : 2018-07-09 16:31:58

Posted By : J0rgen
After reading reviews and had a bunch of questions ready if we should buy this package from the official sales persons in cancun office.
- Is this a direct bus line or are we going to stop - no you have no stops. WRONG! Stopped for picking up people at hotels and also at their bus center where they moved people around to their specific bus transfers. So the transfer took 45 minutes more than promised.

The seond complain is from Tulum bus transfer. In the bus the guide mentioned 3-4 times that the bus will go exactly 12:00 to XelHA. Not a minute later. So we were of course in time, but after been waiting in the bus after 12 I'm asking the guide why are we waiting.. the time has passed 15 minutes ago...I must ask my supervisor if I can leave even if we are missing passengers. I would say the tour company had no respect for us that we should get less time at XelHa...

Conclusion - Don't trust what ever the tour company are saying when buying tickets !!

Both Tulum and XelHa are intressting "parks" to visit. Tulum is depending of the guide you get. IN our case we had a good guide. The most annoying was that it was crowded and it where sometimes 4-5 guides talking at the same time at the specific ruin..
XelHa wasn't that crowded and we had a good time. Think there was no real difference for the buffe's. The buffe's was well maintend and fresh all the time...

I would go again to both places but use a rental car instead to get away from the tour operator...
Rating :
Posted On : 2018-02-23 01:36:46