📌Country
Mexico (Riviera Maya, municipality of Solidaridad, Quintana Roo). The park's official address is Carretera Chetumal-Puerto Juárez km 282, Int. B, Colonia Rancho Xcaret, Playa del Carmen, C.P. 77580.
📌Getting there
It's about 6 km south of Playa del Carmen and about 70 km from Cancún along federal highway 307. You can get there by car (there's parking), on the park's own transport booked with your ticket, by colectivo along the 307, or on the ADO bus to Playa del Carmen and then a short taxi ride.
📌How much time to spend
A full day, and even that falls short. The park is open from 8:30 to 22:30, and the Xcaret México Espectacular show is at night: if you leave at five in the afternoon you miss half of what you paid for.
📌Best time
December to April, the dry season. Avoid Easter week, the Mexican summer holidays in July-August and the end-of-year holidays if you don't want to queue at every attraction. Hurricane season runs from June to November.
📌Currency and prices
Mexican peso (MXN), although the park quotes a lot in dollars. The price changes with the date and the type of admission, and there are discounts for booking in advance: check the price for your day on the official website before buying.
📌Language
Spanish and English throughout the park; many of the staff also speak Portuguese and French.
📌The biggest surprise
The underground rivers. You swim through freshwater channels carved into the limestone, with open-air stretches and cave stretches, wearing a life jacket and without a guide breathing down your neck: it's the attraction everyone remembers.
📌Watch out for this
Only biodegradable sunscreen is allowed, and the park checks. If you bring a regular one, they'll make you leave it at the cloakroom or buy one inside, which costs quite a bit more.
💱 MXN exchange rate
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🌤️ Weather in Xcaret Park
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Xcaret is the park that invented a genre of its own on the Riviera Maya: it's not a water park, a zoo or an open-air museum, but all three packed into an ancient Mayan cove, across some eighty hectares on the edge of the Caribbean. You go in in the morning and come out at night, with your skin wrinkled from so many hours in the water and your head full of things that have nothing to do with each other: an underground river, an aviary, a jaguar island, a three-level stage-set cemetery and a show with three hundred performers on stage.
That last point is the one most people underestimate. Xcaret México Espectacular, the show that closes the day, is a staged journey through Mexican history with a Mayan ball game, charros, regional dances and a live orchestra: many people rate it above everything else. It's also the reason the park stays open until 22:30, and why leaving early is throwing money away.
This guide gives you what you need to decide before buying: the difference between the basic, Plus and Total admissions, why food completely changes the final bill, how the advance-purchase discounts work, how to get there without paying for the park's transport, and what to wear so you don't overspend inside. Exact prices change with the date, so we explain where to check them.
📖 History of Xcaret Park
Xcaret isn't a name dreamed up by marketing. INAH explains that the origin of the word 'Xcaret' is unknown, but that in pre-Hispanic and colonial times the place was called P'olé, from the Mayan root p'ol, which refers to merchandise, dealing and trading with merchants. P'olé was an important trading port and the departure and arrival point for pilgrimages to Cozumel, the sacred island of Ixchel. There is evidence of settlement from the first three centuries AD, population growth between 600 and 900 AD, and its peak development over the following five centuries. The archaeological zone still exists and is run by INAH, with its own opening hours and its own ticket. The park, on the other hand, is a recent project: architect Miguel Quintana Pali bought five hectares in 1984 and, while clearing the land, came across the cenotes and underground rivers that changed his plans; together with a group of Mexican businesspeople he ended up opening, in December 1990, an eco-archaeological park that today covers some 81 hectares. From there the model was replicated: Xel-Há, Xplor, Xenses, Xoxi, the group's tours and hotels. Xcaret became the most visited paid attraction on the Riviera Maya.
🗺️ What to see
Tours nearby, in Playa Del Carmen
If you only have one day, take a guided tour on the first one: it sets up the rest of your trip and saves you a lot of walking. We look ours up on Civitatis: guided in Spanish and booked online with no fuss. They have over 30 activities in Playa Del Carmen. And there are free tours here: you book without paying and tip the guide whatever you think at the end, so trying one costs you nothing. Three are below so you get the idea: tap any of them and they all open.
They depart from Playa Del Carmen, 7 km away. If you book from this link we earn a commission and you pay no more.
1
The underground rivers
The flagship attraction: swimming in a life jacket through freshwater channels carved into the rock, with cave stretches and open-air stretches.
Leer más ↓
These are several water routes that cross the park below ground level, through the limestone that makes up the whole peninsula. You go in down a staircase, they give you a life jacket and a waterproof bag for your clothes, and you swim or float downstream to the exit, which is on the other side of the park.
The mix of dark stretches under a rock vault and open stretches with light filtering through the roots is what makes the experience. You don't need to be a strong swimmer: the life jacket keeps you up. The water is genuinely cool, more than you'd expect in the Caribbean.
Getting there: inside the park, signposted. Best time: as soon as it opens, at 8:30, before the queues build. Tips: leave your clothes in the bag they give you and wear sandals that can get wet; the route drops you far from where you started.
ℹ️ Distance: Inside the park · Best time: First thing in the morning · Admission: Included in all admissions
2
Xcaret México Espectacular
The closing show: more than 300 performers on stage taking you through Mexico's history and folklore. For many people, the best part of the day.
Leer más ↓
It's a large-scale theatre and music production staged at the Gran Tlachco, the park's theatre, and it closes the day. According to the park itself, more than 300 performers take part. The first part covers pre-Hispanic Mexico, ball game included; the second is a tour through the regions, with live music and dancing.
It's the reason the park stays open until 22:30, and why it's worth planning your day with the show at the centre, not as an extra. Get in early, because seating is first come, first served depending on your type of admission.
Getting there: Gran Tlachco, inside the park. Best time: all year round. Tips: bring a light layer, the theatre is open-air and it gets cooler at night; check the exact showtime for the day at the entrance.
ℹ️ Distance: Inside the park, Gran Tlachco · Best time: At the end of the day · Admission: Included in all admissions
3
The cove, the beach and the reefs
The natural cove that was the Mayan landing of Polé, now with a sandy beach, snorkelling and seawater mixing with fresh water.
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The cove is the geographical heart of the park and the reason for its name. It's a natural inlet where salt water mixes with the fresh water flowing down from the cenotes, something you can see and feel on your skin: layers of different temperatures and that visual blur typical of a halocline.
There's a sandy beach, a snorkelling area with gear included, hammocks and sun loungers. It's where people end up in mid-afternoon, once they've seen the rest.
Getting there: inside the park. Best time: mid-afternoon, when the sun is lower. Tips: biodegradable sunscreen only; regular sunscreen is banned to protect the reef, and they check.
ℹ️ Distance: Inside the park · Best time: Mid-afternoon · Admission: Included, with snorkelling gear
4
The aviary, Jaguar Island and the conservation programmes
Macaws, toucans, flamingos, jaguars and sea turtles, with captive breeding programmes the park has run for decades.
Leer más ↓
The aviary is one of the largest in Mexico and you walk through it on raised walkways, with the vegetation closing in overhead. Next to it are Jaguar Island, the sea turtle nursery and the butterfly pavilion.
The Xcaret group runs conservation and breeding programmes, including one for the scarlet macaw, a species that came close to disappearing in south-east Mexico. The signs explain each programme, and it's one of the most informative parts of the park.
Getting there: inside the park, along the walking route. Best time: early or at dusk, when the animals are most active. Tips: it's the shadiest area in the park; good for the hottest hours.
ℹ️ Distance: Inside the park · Best time: Early morning or dusk · Admission: Included
5
The Mayan Cemetery and the Village
A three-level set with Mexican-style graves and a village with crafts, a chapel and haciendas. It's pure Day of the Dead, all year round.
Leer más ↓
The cemetery is a spiralling, multi-level stage set with graves inspired by Mexican funeral traditions: colourful crosses, marigold flowers, epitaphs in verse. It's not a real cemetery, it's a piece of folk art on an architectural scale, and it works.
Around it is the Village, with craft workshops, the chapel, the folk art museum and the haciendas. It's the 'dry' part of the park, and the one you'll enjoy most once you've had enough of the water.
Getting there: inside the park. Best time: late afternoon, before the show. Tips: this is where you buy crafts; prices are park prices, not market prices.
ℹ️ Distance: Inside the park · Best time: Afternoon, before the show · Admission: Included
💵 Prices
Tickets
| Type | Price |
|---|
| Cómo funciona el precio (leer esto primero) | Xcaret doesn't publish a fixed price list: the rate changes with your visit date, the type of admission and how far in advance you buy, and it's only shown once you choose a day on the official website. That's why you won't find a set figure here: check the price for your day at xcaret.com (verified on 22/09/2026) |
| Admisión Xcaret Básica | Access to the more than 50 included attractions, the underground rivers, the cove, the aviary and the Xcaret México Espectacular show. Does NOT include food or the optional activities. As a 2026 market reference, the basic admission is usually around US$ 120-140 per adult, but it's worth confirming the exact price for your day on the official website |
| Admisión Xcaret Plus | Everything in the basic admission plus, according to the park itself: a buffet lunch with unlimited soft drinks and one beer per adult, and access to the Plus area with lockers, changing rooms and private toilets. As a 2026 market reference it's around US$ 170-200 per adult; confirm the price for your day at xcaret.com (inclusions verified on the official website on 22/09/2026) |
| Admisión Xcaret Total | Everything in the Plus admission plus one optional activity of your choice (swimming with dolphins, diving, Sea Trek and others, subject to availability). It's the most expensive of the three; the price depends on the activity chosen and the date. Check the official website |
| Niños | Children aged 0 to 4 get in free. Children aged 5 to 11 pay 25% less than the adult rate (source: Grupo Xcaret official website, verified on 22/09/2026) |
| Descuento por compra anticipada | The park itself advertises discounts of up to 15% for buying online in advance on the Xcaret page, and mentions ranges of 10% to 25% depending on the case and the combination of parks. Buying weeks ahead is the only reliable way to bring the price down (verified on 22/09/2026) |
| Horario | Monday to Sunday from 8:30 to 22:30 (Eastern time, EST). The long hours are designed so visitors stay into the evening for the show (source: Xcaret official website, verified on 22/09/2026) |
| Lo que NO está incluido en ninguna admisión | The optional activities (swimming with dolphins, diving, Sea Trek, Snuba and the like), round-trip transport from your hotel, the Photo Pass with the park's photos, lockers with the basic admission and anything you buy in the Village. All of that is paid for separately |
| Zona Arqueológica de Xcaret (INAH) — es otra cosa, y se paga aparte | The Xcaret archaeological site, the ancient P'olé, is run by INAH and has its own rates and hours: $ 210,00 MXN general admission and $ 105,00 MXN for Mexican nationals and foreigners resident in Mexico, Monday to Sunday from 9:00 to 16:30 h. Don't confuse it with the park ticket: they're two different tickets (source: INAH, checked on 22/09/2026) |
🔄 updated monthlyOfficial / reference values · double-check when buying
Activities and tours
Underground rivers, cove, aviary, butterfly pavilion and show
Included in any admission
PriceOptional activity at extra cost; the price depends on the programme and the date and can be checked on the official website. It's included as an option in the Xcaret Total admission
Diving, Sea Trek and Snuba
PriceOptional activities at extra cost, subject to availability and time slots. Check current prices at xcaret.com
Round-trip transport from Cancún, Riviera Maya or Playa del Carmen
PriceBooked as an extra with your ticket; the price varies depending on your hotel's area. Check when buying
Photo Pass (all the photos from your day)
PriceSold separately, at the park or in advance. Best to decide beforehand: bought on the spot it usually costs more
Combined with other parks in the group (Xel-Há, Xplor, Xenses)
PriceThe group advertises a discount of up to 20% when you buy two or more parks or tours together. The final price depends on the combination and the date
🔄 updated monthlyOfficial / reference values · double-check when buying
🚌 How to get there and distances
Getting around
Park round-trip transport
PriceExtra on top of the ticket; the price varies depending on your hotel's area (Cancún, Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen)
NotesIt's the most convenient option: they pick you up at your hotel and bring you back after the show, which ends around 22:30. If you don't book it, think about the trip back at night: at that hour the colectivos on the 307 aren't a good idea
PriceRental from US$ 30-55 per day depending on category and insurance (2026, market reference); the park has parking
NotesThe most flexible option, especially if you're staying for the show. You take federal highway 307, and the park entrance is signposted at km 282. Watch out for the speed bumps and speed cameras on the 307
NotesThe combis running Playa del Carmen–Tulum along the 307 will drop you at the park entrance if you ask. It's the cheapest way to get there, but it only works by day: there's no reliable service for getting back after the show
Taxi from Playa del Carmen
NotesIf you're staying in Playa del Carmen, this is the simplest option. Taxis in the Riviera Maya work on fixed zone fares, with no meter: confirm the price before setting off
ADO from Cancún or the airport
Check the day's fare at ado.com.mx
NotesThe ADO bus doesn't go into the park: it drops you at the Playa del Carmen terminal, and from there you take a taxi or a colectivo. It works well for getting there, less so for the night-time return
Getting around inside the park
Included
NotesThe park is large (about 81 hectares) and you explore it on foot, with trails, stairs and changes in level. There's an internal transport service and accessible areas; if you have reduced mobility, it's best to let them know and check the accessibility map before you go
🔄 updated monthlyOfficial / reference values · double-check when buying
How to get there
| Route | Airlines / operators | Avg. price | Duration |
|---|
| Cancún → Xcaret (km 282 of Highway 307) | Park transport, car, ADO + taxi | Park transport as an add-on to admission; ADO at the day's fare; rental car from US$ 30-55 per day | 1 h to 1 h 30 |
| Playa del Carmen → Xcaret | Taxi, 307 colectivo, car | Taxi at an agreed zone fare; colectivo, low fare in cash | 10 to 15 min |
| Cancún Airport (CUN) → Playa del Carmen | ADO, vans, private transfers | ADO at the day's fare; shared van approximately US$ 15-20; private transfer from US$ 30-50 | 50 min to 1 h 15 |
| Tulum → Xcaret | Car, colectivo, ADO | Colectivo in cash depending on the stretch; ADO at the day's fare | 45 min to 1 h |
| Xel-Há (km 240) → Xcaret (km 282) | Car, group transport | No cost if you use the group's contracted transport on a combined park package | 35 to 45 min |
🔄 updated monthlyOfficial / reference values · double-check when buying
🏨 Where to stay
No exact prices: a scale from $ (budget) to $$$$$ (luxury), with 2-3 options per category.
Hostels and budget hotels in Playa del Carmen
Recommended optionsPlaya del Carmen, 6 km away, is the logical base for visiting Xcaret without paying for long transfers: a dorm bed from approximately $ 400-800 MXN and a simple private room from $ 900-1.800 MXN per night (2026, market reference).
Mid-range hotels in Playa del Carmen
Recommended optionsMid-range hotels near Quinta Avenida: approximately $ 1.800-4.000 MXN per night (2026, market reference). Fifteen minutes by taxi to the park.
All-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya
Recommended optionsThe strip of resorts between Puerto Morelos and Tulum, many offering bookable transfers to the parks: from approximately $ 4.000-9.000 MXN per night (2026, market reference).
Hoteles Xcaret (same group)
Recommended optionsHotel Xcaret México, Hotel Xcaret Arte and La Casa de la Playa belong to the same group and run on the All-Fun Inclusive scheme, which includes access to the group's parks and tours. It's the most expensive option and makes the most sense if you plan to visit several parks: check prices on the official site.
Recommended optionsXcaret is a day visit: there's no accommodation inside the park apart from the group's hotels, which sit on adjoining grounds. If you're staying in Cancún, allow an hour and a half of travel each way.
🍴 Where to eat
Comer con la admisión Plus o Total
Options / signature dishBoth include a buffet lunch with unlimited non-alcoholic drinks and one beer per adult, according to the park's official site. It's the most tangible difference from basic admission and, if you're spending the whole day there, it usually justifies the upgrade.
Restaurantes del parque a la carta
Options / signature dishWith basic admission you pay separately to eat at the park's restaurants, at theme-park prices. This is where the bill gets out of hand: worth bearing in mind before choosing your admission.
Options / signature dishThe park puts a lot of effort into regional Mexican cuisine, with Yucatecan, Oaxacan and central Mexican dishes. It's one of the best things it offers food-wise.
Comer en Playa del Carmen
Options / signature dishIf you want to cut costs, the answer is to eat well and cheaply in Playa del Carmen before or after: taquerías and cocinas económicas away from Quinta Avenida, main dish approximately $ 90-200 MXN (2026, market reference).
Options / signature dishThe park restricts bringing in outside food and drinks. If you're on a special diet or travelling with babies, check the conditions on the official site before you go to avoid surprises at the entrance.
❓ Frequently asked questions
How much does admission to Xcaret cost?+
There's no single price: Xcaret prices by date and type of admission, and the amount only appears once you pick the day on the official site. As a 2026 market reference, basic admission usually runs around US$ 120-140 per adult and Plus between US$ 170 and US$ 200, but those figures aren't published official rates: you need to confirm them at xcaret.com. What the park does publish is that children aged 0 to 4 get in free, kids aged 5 to 11 get a 25% discount, and buying online in advance gets you discounts (verified on 22/09/2026).
What's the difference between basic, Plus and Total admission?+
Basic gets you into the park, the 50+ included attractions and the show, but no food. Plus adds the buffet lunch with unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, one beer per adult and the Plus area with lockers, changing rooms and private bathrooms. Total also adds one optional activity of your choice, such as swimming with dolphins. Optional activities are never included in basic or Plus.
Is half a day enough?+
No. The park is open from 8:30 to 22:30 and the day closes with the Xcaret México Espectacular show, which for many visitors is the best part of all. If you leave at five in the afternoon, you've paid for the whole day and seen half of it. The sensible plan is to arrive at opening, do the underground rivers early (when there's no queue) and leave the Village and the cemetery for the afternoon.
Can I bring my own sunscreen?+
Only if it's biodegradable, and they check at the entrance. The park has underground rivers, an inlet and a reef, and common chemical filters damage the coral. If you bring a conventional one, they'll make you leave it at the cloakroom or buy one inside, at a much higher price. Buying it beforehand at a supermarket in Playa del Carmen or Cancún costs far less.
How do I get there without booking the park's transport?+
By car along federal Highway 307 to km 282, which is the park's official address, or from Playa del Carmen (6 km away) by taxi or on the 307 shared combis. The key detail is getting back: the show ends around 22:30 and there are no reliable colectivos at that hour, so either you drive, book the park's transport, or arrange a return taxi in advance.
Xcaret or Xel-Há?+
They're different things. Xcaret is a long day, packed with attractions and culture, with the night show as the finale; it's more intense and more expensive. Xel-Há is an inlet where you get in the water and stay there, with all-inclusive food and drink and hours from 8:30 to 18:00: it's calmer and more about relaxing. If you're going with kids who want action all day, Xcaret; if you want snorkelling, lazing in a hammock and eating without thinking about it, Xel-Há.
Is it worth buying in advance?+
Yes. The park itself publishes discounts for buying online in advance (up to 15% on its Xcaret page, and it mentions ranges of 10% to 25% depending on the case) plus an extra 20% for combining two or more of the group's parks or tours. Buying at the ticket office on the day is the most expensive way in. Verified on the official site on 22/09/2026.
Sources consulted (10)
- Xcaret — official site (open Monday to Sunday 8:30 to 22:30 EST; address Carretera Chetumal-Puerto Juárez km 282 Int. B, Colonia Rancho Xcaret, Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo, C.P. 77580; more than 50 attractions; more than 300 performers in Xcaret México Espectacular; accessed 22/09/2026): https://www.xcaret.com/en/
- Xcaret — Xcaret Plus Admission (inclusions: buffet lunch with unlimited non-alcoholic drinks and one beer per adult, Plus area with lockers, changing rooms and private bathrooms; children 0 to 4 free; 25% discount for ages 5 to 11; discounts for buying online in advance; accessed 22/09/2026): https://www.xcaret.com/en/xcaret-plus-admission/
- Xcaret — Price guide (the park doesn't publish a fixed table: the amount is shown when you choose the date in the purchase flow; accessed 22/09/2026): https://www.xcaret.com/en/price-guide-xcaret/
- Method note: as of 22/09/2026 the official Xcaret site doesn't publish a static price table; the rate is calculated by date during the purchase process. That's why this page gives 2026 market reference ranges and points to the official site for the exact amount. No figure is made up: the ones that are official are marked as such (free entry for ages 0 to 4, 25% discount for ages 5 to 11, advance-purchase discounts).
- ViveUSA — «¿Cuánto cuesta ir a Xcaret en 2026? Precios reales, paquetes y atracciones» (market reference, not an official source): https://www.viveusa.mx/en/destinos/cuanto-cuesta-ir-a-xcaret-en-2026-precios-reales-paquetes-como-pagar-menos-y-atracciones/
- INAH — Zona Arqueológica Xcaret (pre-Hispanic name P'olé, from the Mayan root p'ol; trading port and pilgrimage point towards Cozumel; chronology of the settlement; cost $210,00 and $105,00 pesos; open Monday to Sunday 9:00 to 16:30 h; accessed 22/09/2026): https://www.inah.gob.mx/zonas/zona-arqueologica-xcaret
- Wikipedia (EN) — «Xcaret Park» (initial purchase of five hectares in 1984, discovery of the cenotes, opening in December 1990, area of 81 ha): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xcaret_Park
- OpenStreetMap — park coordinates (20.58139, -87.11904), accessed via Photon on 22/09/2026: https://www.openstreetmap.org
- ADO — buses for Cancún, the airport and Playa del Carmen: https://www.ado.com.mx/
- Accommodation and food ranges outside the park are 2026 market references, not rates verified establishment by establishment.
