Our Visit To Xcaret Park: Tickets, Tips, Photos and More

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We just returned home from a wonderful Spring break in Mexico! We split our time between an all-inclusive resort near Cancun and an Airbnb in Playa del Carmen. While in Playa del Carmen, we took a few day trips and even spent the day at Xcaret Park. It’s one of our favorite places, and today, I want to share my Xcaret tips, how we buy our Xcaret park tickets, and more with you!

This post is specifically about the park Xcaret, which we have now visited twice. This group also owns the new Xcaret Hotel and several other nearby parks, such as XPlor, Xel-Ha, Xenses, Xavage, Xoximilco, and more. These are located all over Quintana Roo. I have heard many great things about the Hotel Xcaret Mexico all-inclusive resort.

So, let’s get started!

Xcaret Park

Xcaret is a large ecological park located in the Riviera Maya. It is home to three natural rivers (some parts underground), ancient ruins, and a beautiful coastline. Additionally, there are animal habitats and encounters, snorkeling, cultural experiences, great shows, and so much more!

Xcaret opened in 1990 and is celebrating its 35th anniversary! It’s not all waterpark or theme park. But don’t expect it to be a Mexico Disneyland! It’s truly an eco-adventure park. There are over 50 natural and cultural attractions at Xcaret in Mexico.

This cultural theme park is truly a destination in itself, and I recommend a day at Xcaret to anyone visiting the Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum areas. And make sure to budget the whole day because you will not run out of things to do. On both of our visits to Xcaret, time flew by as we enjoyed the natural water activities. I will say that we enjoyed it when the kids were younger but loved it now that they are 13 and 15.

Check out this cute Instagram reel for a side-by-side photo reenactment of both visits. They have grown so much!

Where is Xcaret?

Park Xcaret is located near Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan Peninsula. The map below shows its exact location. The easiest way to get there is by Taxi, but many resorts also offer transportation. The taxi ride from our rental in Playa del Carmen took less than 10 minutes!

Location: Xcaret Map

Booking.com

Buying Xcaret Park Tickets

You can buy your Xcaret tickets directly from Xcaret Park or through a third party. Many hotels also offer tickets through their concierge. These are all safe options. However, I would avoid buying tickets from street vendors or random kiosks.

For this trip, we bought our Xcaret tickets through Get Your Guide for several reasons.

(1) The tickets were basically the same price when I booked.

(2) I like the Get Your Guide app for both translation and staying organized.

(3) Tickets are changeable. In fact, a couple of days before our trip, we changed ours from Thursday to Friday after realizing that I had several Airbnb check-ins on Thursday that would require by phone nearby all afternoon.

(4) You can cancel your ticket up to 24 hours in advance for a refund.

However, buying Xcaret tickets directly from the park can offer advanced pricing deals like the one above. All tickets include access to the popular evening Xcaret México Espectacular show!

IMPORTANT TIP: You need to ensure you have your ID to claim your tickets at the ticket booth. I didn’t have mine and thought we were out of luck. Thankfully, I had a scan of it on my phone, and they took that. Make sure the ID you have in hand matches the name on the ticket receipt.

Xcaret vs Xcaret Plus Tickets

There are two main types of tickets: the regular ticket and the Xcaret Plus ticket. We purchased the basic full-day ticket for both of our trips.

The regular Xcaret tickets include access to most parts of the park.

The Plus ticket also includes these 3 additional items:

(1) Use of snorkeling gear

(2) Access to Plus Area facilities, including dressing rooms, restrooms, and lockers

(3) One lunch buffet. Includes one beer and unlimited non-alcoholic beverages while consuming food

You can still add additional experiences, such as the dolphin encounter, Sea Trek, Snuba, boating, etc., to either ticket.

Which Xcaret Ticket Should You Choose?

They essentially break even if you use all three extras with the Xcaret Plus ticket, so you can choose either option.

In my opinion, if you want to do the buffet, just buy the Xcaret Plus Ticket. We preferred to graze and snack throughout the day rather than have one big sit-down meal, but we probably ended up spending the same amount of money, if not more. You can also rent the lockers and snorkel equipment that’s included in the Plus ticket separately.

There is also a cheaper afternoon-only ticket and a Total ticket with one optional activity. However, I think you need a full day to really enjoy the park, and there is plenty to do without adding on the extras.

You can click the below links to look at the various tickets and prices!

Xcaret Park Tickets (direct)

Xcaret Tickets via Get Your Guide

The Xcaret Park Photos Pass

I want to stop here and HIGHLY recommend that you purchase the Xcaret photo pass! We did this on both trips, years apart, and cherish the photos from both trips. Getting all four of us in photos is challenging, as I am typically behind the camera. However, with the photo pass, we ended up with 100+ fun family photos.

Years ago, our photos came on a USB drive, but in 2024, we simply downloaded the images from the website within 30 days of our trip. It was very easy! They do have a small Xcaret watermark on them.

Visiting Xcaret with teenagers this time made the photo pass extra fun! They were often off on their own or ahead of us on the rivers and took a photo at every opportunity. We all loved looking through their Xcaret Park pictures.

Most of the photos you see in this post (with the Xcaret watermark) were taken with our Xcaret photo pass.

When purchasing your photo pass, you must include everyone in your family to ensure you can all participate in the group photos. Most photo opportunities are self-serve, where you scan your band and look toward a mounted camera. However, they also have photographers walking around taking pictures!

Xcaret Park Map

As I mentioned above, Xcaret is a huge park. To make it easier to navigate, six different lines or paths are color-coded by both an actual line on the ground and signs. You can see these on the Xcaret map below.

Click here to view the Xcaret park map!

Our Xcaret Park Review

We loved this year’s visit to Xcaret even more than our visit when the kids were younger. It’s a beautiful and safe place to give older kids some independence. Yes, it’s an investment, but you can get an entire day of fun out of it. I 100% think that Xcaret is “worth it.”

As I shared above, we didn’t buy the Plus ticket on either trip or add on extra activities. That said, I think the various tickets and add-ons are fairly priced. So, if you want to do any of that, do it!

In the following sections, I will share some of the included Xcaret activities and add-ons and my first-hand tips so that you can make the most of your family visit to Xcaret. I wish I had someone to tell me these things before our visit, especially regarding locker locations!

Top Xcaret Activities

The activities at Xcaret can be divided into two sections: included activities and add-ons. First, I will list the free things you can do at Xcaret, which are included with your regular admission ticket.

As I mentioned earlier, Xcaret has over 50 natural and cultural attractions, so these lists by no means include them all. They are just highlights!

FREE Things To Do

Here are some “free” or included things to do when visiting Xcaret Park near Playa del Carmen. The park itself is an attraction, as most of the trails are tropical jungle trails, with Mayan ruins surprising you around the corner!

3 rivers (partially underground)
beach, lagoon, and natural pools
lounge chairs and tables throughout
Xcaret México Espectacular show
Children’s World for little kids
Aviary, Butterfly Pavillion
the Mayan Village
horse exhibition

There are also many opportunities to view animals, including monkeys, deer, sea turtles, dolphins, manatees, sharks, and more!

Popular Add-Ons

There are also many different add-on activities at Xcaret, and honestly, there is something for everyone! Here is a list of some of the most popular add-ons.

Swimming with Dolphins
Dolphin Rides
Hands-on Shark Encounter
Stingray Encounter
Paraxute Parasailing
Snorkeling
Snuba Reef
Sea Trek
Temazcul
Adventures Kids
Adrenalina Speed Boat
Spa Treatments
Wine Pairings

What Should You Bring to Xcaret?

You don’t want to overpack, but you will spend the entire day at the park and want some essential items. You can access lockers whether they are included in your Xcaret Plus ticket or you purchase one ala carte. They are large enough for a backpack and a day bag.

I recommend bringing:

eco-friendly sunscreen
lightweight, quick-dry towels
a waterproof phone case
sunglasses with straps
swimwear
regular clothes
water bottle
a wet bag

Many of these items are available in gift shops, but they will cost much more! So, I recommend bringing everything in a lightweight bag (this is my favorite) or a backpack.

We wore our swimwear under our clothes and then just put our clothes back on top later in the day. But, many people bring underwear to get out of those wet suits for dinner and then the evening show.

I highly recommend Dock and Bay towels. We use them on all of our travels. The large size is plenty big. They fold up very small and can fit in the palm of your hand and dry quickly, making them the perfect towel for travel!

Please note that outside food and drink are not permitted at Xcaret Park.

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Xcaret Tips:

This is the most important section of this Xcaret blog post! These are my first-hand tips and recommendations. I hope they help you make the most out of your stay.

#1 Lockers

We did the ala carte lockers; however, we regret choosing the first ones we saw because it was a long walk back to them when we needed something. I recommend getting the lockers along the red line as that is nearest to the beach and water activities.

#2 Lazy River

These take quite a while to traverse. I would budget 45 minutes to an hour, so make sure you don’t get hangry or close to another pre-scheduled activity. Also, they have large waterproof bags at the start of the river for you to put your clothes, bags, etc. (for free). They then bring them via truck to the end of the river, where you pick them up. So, you don’t need to stop by lockers beforehand.

#3 Food

We opted not to do the Xcaret Plus ticket because we prefer to graze all day vs have one large meal. Keep an eye out for the bakery items and sandwiches by the coffee shop, which were filling and at a great price. Also, most food stands offer combo meals such as hot dogs, chips, and a drink. We did that twice!

#4 Show

I hate to say this, but we didn’t stay for the show on either trip. By 7:00 p.m., we were wiped out and ready to go. So, judge your own situation and know that it’s okay to skip that! On the plus side, traffic leaving the park was basically nonexistent when we left at 7:00 pm!

#5 Bring ID

As mentioned earlier, you need your ID at the ticket counter and to buy drinks. I always recommend taking a photo of your ID and passport anytime you travel!

#6 Clothes

Arrive in your swimsuit with clothes over the top. Bring a wet bag and fresh undergarments to change into later. I recommend you bring a plastic bag or wet bag for your wet swimsuits.

#7 Buy Ahead

Your kids (and you) will really want a waterproof phone holder from the park. Save yourself some money and buy that in advance. The same goes for towels. If you don’t bring your own, they will be much more expensive at the park.

#8 Get AirTags For Young Kids

I highly recommend putting an Apple AirTag bracelet on your kids while at places like this! It gives you an extra piece of mind and as easy way to keep tabs on them! Click here to learn about innovative ways to use AirTags for family travel.

Plan Your Visit to Xcaret in Mexico

I hope that you get the chance to visit Xcaret on your trip to Mexico. There truly is something for everyone and we would go back again tomorrow in a heartbeat! The 4.8/5 star rating on Get Your Guide speaks for itself!

Click here to purchase Xcaret tickets from Xcaret Park.

Click here to purchase Xcaret tickets from Get Your Guide.

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Our Visit To Xcaret Park: Tickets, Tips, Photos and More