The last 45 minutes do suck, warning. Eventually, youll reach a small Mayan ruin that was used for commerce centuries ago. Detailed directions are in the following section. But it was fine because this is not the mama. We eventually got to Punta Allen where we had a lovely lunch. There are some essential items that youll need throughout your journey into Sian Kaan. I believe it must be new, and possibly seasonal. The price was 600 pesos, but they did not charge us for the 2 year old. Cheers, Take more water than you think youll need. Required fields are marked *. The Hostel travel guy did say it was impossible and no bus goes to Muyil! Thank you for the tips on getting there, it was super useful. Should I not bother and take a tour instead? We knew that there must be some way to easily get to Sian Kaan on your own. There are a few stores and such across from the ruins too. Its funny to think of the Yucatan as chilly but I know the temps do drop every once in a while. The tour was really awful. There is a colectivo that departs daily from Tulum town and goes to a pier just beyond the Sian Kaan visitor center, where it meets with a boat. Perhaps its all of this reflective water for which the Mayans called this area Sian Kaan, meaning Origin of the Sky.. Check recent reviews and availability. The canal float is a must-do! , Did it allfollowed guide to a T. So you must come prepared with your own gear. Bring sunglasses and a hat. The walk throughout the forest is easy accesible and Nice to do for 50 peso p.p. I plan to try this in 2+ weeks. natural insect repellent like this plant-based Repel, 75+ Best Mexico Travel Tips to Know Before Your Trip in 2022, more blogs and detailed travel guides about Mexico here, How To Visit the Ruta Puuc: Yucatans Road Trip Across the Ancient Mayan World, Top Things to Do in Mrida, Mexico: Travel Guide, Sian Kaan Boardwalk entrance fee: $50 pesos. We didnt go for the tour as we think it was overpriced for what it really is but thought this info would be helpful. I saw all of the expected mammals and enjoyed beautiful snorkelling alongside the Mesoamerica Reef. Can only imagine how refreshing it must have been after waiting for the boat in the hot sun. Thanks again for the guide! Without an underwater camera, be sure that youll be comfortable leaving yourcamera with the boatman while youre floating. It is an easy drive from Tulum to the Muyil entrance. So we hitched a ride with some people exiting the ruins into the parking lot. My husband and I were trying to decide what to do for the afternoon. To get from Tulum to Punta Allen, simply head south on the dirt road past all the beachfront hotels and cabanas. Have you received any updates on this experience since? Thanks! Once at the dock, our guide, Carlos, collected our shoes and put it in a dry bag and floated with us (quite patiently) as we spotted fish. Being so big, there are multiple access points into Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve. Its easy to identify El Castillo (the Castle) in Muyil since it is the largest pyramid structure of the site. It puts a smile on our faces to know this info was valuable! We had read a lot online about the road being impassable in a non-44 hire car however, whilst it was fairly slow going with bumps and potholes, we didnt find it prohibitive (although we can only speak for this day in early April, we could imagine how rains and bad weather might make it too hard). It would be a shame to come out this way and miss it. the 50 pesos park fee. Thanks for the detailed and informative instructions! Though The Ride Was ABit Much On Way Back. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); While traveling the world non-stop for 6 years to 100 countries, we have been on a search for adventure, fun, and value! My friend and I are after a month traveling Mexico, and decided to base in Tulum for the last bit of this trip. There is not much to the Muyil ruins, so dont go thinking youll spend an hour or more there. Ill report back any interesting findings. Arrived at Muyil ruins around 10:15am and the boat operators were at the ruins inviting people to go ahead and reserve their boat tour. This took about 30 minutes, and, while it was very interesting to learn more about the indigenous plants, I was slightly nervous that our belongings, having been left untended for at least half an hour, might not be intact when we got back to the boat! Im debating if I should see the ruins or skip it since Ill have a 3-year-old and an 8mo old with me thanks in advance! That was why we paid for using the premises because otherwise this individual did all the work of getting us connected with an operator for free. We came back at noon, Great half day trip. Btw do you happen to know if snorkeling can somehow be included in your DIY visit to Sian Kaan? Youll be taken into the heart of the Biosphere Reserve and youll get to explore the Mayan ruins of Muyil, meet the local wildlife and learn about the history and culture of the Mayan people. As Jasmine said its still 600$, plus 50$ for the observation tower and 40$ for the ruins. adventures. We look forward to seeing you again soon. And what a great adventure to take kids on! Punta Allen is the end of the line. Were really happy to know this helped. Were desperately looking for some natural treks and non-tourist traps around the riviera (all over Yucatan really, but doesnt seem to have many) and the biosphere seems to have both, so this post and the comments are greatly appreciated. We did eventually get a boat, but had to get their attention which took a little time and Spanish skills. We took an extra 50 pesos to tip our boat guide though there was no pressure to do this. We hope that all three generations of your family really enjoy their trip to Muyil & Sian Kaan and we look forward to hearing how it all went! (Theyre usually negotiable) Either way, glad to hear you got the price down a but, and happy to hear you enjoyed the Sian Kaan and the recommendations proved helpful. I recommend a snorkel mask. Fortunately we brought our own puddle jumper life jacket from home which worked great. Yes, they absolutely will. These ruins are unbelievable. We hope that you are able to make it back there some day when its not so windy to experience the boat ride. During the canal-floating portion of the boat tour you can snorkel there. Honestly, he loved Muyil as well (climbing and exploring where he could). Question for anyone. We think to write an article in french about this experience, to help french travelers ! Plenty of time to grab lunch and hit a Cenote afterwards. The ADO buses worked well when we were last there. I took screen shots of the important pages and it came in handy. Hey Gina, sorry for the confusion. We had a great time and would highly recommend this trip to anyone visiting Tulum. . Today Dec 23rd 2017: boat trip was 700 pesos. If the conditions allow us, we will encounter local marine life, we can observe manatees, crocodiles, observe from the surface the remains of a mysterious Mayan ruin. Having your feedback about your 70-minute trip, this is good to let others know so that they can get a time estimate and try to hold the boat drivers accountable to that. Can I join an other group on the boat? First, it should be understood that Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve is a massive area, sprawling across 5,280 km2 (2,039 sq mi). Just an idea. Step into the beauty of the natural world with us. They shared about their native Maya language and culture, and knew so much about that ecology of the place. 30 minutes would be ample time to see the ruins and another 30 minutes or so for the boardwalk and tower. I went August 18. We were so grateful to find this post before our recent visit to Tulum. The repellent will wash off when you do your canal float, harming the fish in the biosphere reserve. Our Sian Kaan tours are the perfect way to introduce your children to wildlife. Thanks a lot for your recommendation ! Good luck. A couple next to us were told MXN1100 for two. I randomly asked the shop owner where the road to the boats was, and he turned to the guy having breakfast who was one of the guides) Return was 80 for 4 people in a taxi heading back to tulum (bargain). Have a great trip to Mexico! Punta Allen ran to a different vibe of life, something I cannot accurately put into words, but we left there a changed people. We were the first folks at Muyil at 9:00 (all the regional sites open now at 9, due to COVID, I was told). Ill plan it, and research if there are any centoes near by as a backup plan :-). I plan to do this same excursion on my own in 2 weeks. We have a rented car so we didnt use the bus. Back through the lagoons and he dropped us back at the boat dock. However my fears were groundless and when we reached the boat again everything was exactly as we had left it. Awesome tour,mother floating is really great Where you able to contact him in advance? Were so happy that youve found our guide to Sian Kaan helpful! As chance would have it, the tour group came and I tagged along with them. This is such generous and useful information, and 100% accurate at the time of writing this. Youll walk through the jungle with a knowledgeable Mayan guide that will point the birds you encounter along the way. The place is beautiful, a really long boat ride and the lunch is ok, but no information about the national park :(. As we are stopping by there on the way down to bacalar it would be great to have ablocket there for our backpacks. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, added info, and tips! Thanks for this 5 stars review! Good luck! Nearby cenotes are beginning to crack down on harmful sunscreens too. I highly recommend! It was a popular place for Mexicans to stop and have a snack. There were several boats and guided around, with one seemingly acting as the organizer. Thank you. Helllo Be sure to factor in lodging costs too. Very easy to do, not a long walk at all, this was with a 7 and 11 year old. I almost dont want to say how good this is as it seems to be so understated and consequently under commercialised. They encouraged us to do the boat tour first and then come back to the ruins to beat the heat (as much as you can do in Mexico in August!). We are in Tulum now, and planning to do Sian Ka-an one day, via Muyil. I think we paid 38 pesos each to enter the park and 50 pesos each to walk on the boardwalk. We went today (16th of september), and didnt have any problems getting a boat at 9.30 a.m. (Actually we found the boat guys at the bus stop! So. There are many other. There are many other activities to do in Sian Kaan. A final consideration is taking one of the small-group Sian Kaan tours that journey by land and sea all throughout this coastal portion of Sian Kaan, all in a single day. He was able to speak in detail extemporaneously about various species as they randomly appeared in the areas we explored. Great article, thanks for writing all this up! This is the HIGHLIGHT of our day, get ready to be mesmerized and amazed! During our trip, we went slowly through some canals and sped through other open areas. He met us at the other end with our shoes so that we could make the mile long trek back down the boardwalk to the boat. Sian Kaan was on the top of our gotta do list. They do close the gate to the boardwalk. It really makes it so much more special being able to tour these ruin sites without the tourist hoards. I dont know if its gone up due to it being close to high season or because there are more people visiting it. Sounds like a great way to go and Ill try to update the body of the post soon to include this. Other than that the visit went off without a hitch and it was a highlight of our trip to the Yucatan. Thanks for the added tip about the gate closing at 4:30. We just came across your blogpost as we are heading to Mexico in a couple of days! Thank you so much for your 5 star review! Our guide told us that the tour is now longer (3h). Punta Allen sounds amazing though that road is intimidating. Let us know if any other questions (or if I missed a miscalculation) and please stop back by this page to let us know how it went or any updates (as things do change). thanks. It seems quite odd that they have seemed to suddenly greatly restrict the boat trips, and in the low season nonetheless. And please stop back by this post to drop a comment to let us know about this recent change. Well be back in Mexico ourselves soon and were looking forward to checking this out ourselves. The ruins were interesting and had good tree coverage to keep cool. Thanks to you we knew what to expect about the price. Your email address will not be published. There is now someone who works for the park who will put you on a wait list and set you up with a guide whose boat can accomodate your party or add you to other parties on his boat. Once again, thank you for the comprehensive guide, and also for the other posts in Mexico (I used them quite a bit to plan our trip!). Such a more tranquil experience than the hoards at Tulum and Chichen Itza. And its still quite impressive! Glad you found our site and this guide has proved helpful! Gracias! Since we were not able to find any detailed info on how to get to Sian Kaan on your own, we decided to put together this travel guide on our blog, in an effort to give back to the travel community. You two are great! I hope you enjoyed the Sian Kaan as much as we did! Check current pricing, latest reviews, and availability for this tour on our GetYourGuide affiliate. . Same with where to stay. Bring it with you or purchase at the convenience store across the highway from Muyil. You can go the reverse direction that you came through the boardwalk. I personally use and trust Viator to book tours all over the world. But again, rather unclear. I highly reccomend going early because the lakes are gorgeous that early in the am, and smooth as glass. Were hoping you find no restrictions and you have an awesome excursion into Muyil and Sian Kaan. Thanks so much for stopping back by our site and for confirming the prices you paid. So when someone has plans to go, in my experience it is worth the trip and money when you go floating the canal. Please note that this verification and confirmation process may take up to, and never more than 36 hours. Hi Cathy, We all had a good time and a good experience although it was quite a lot of people today. Ive actually been meaning to update this article, so your most recent information just inspired me to finally do it. Wow what a great report. It was still 45 pesos to enter, 50 pesos once we got to the path, and 1000 pesos per person for the boat ride. Thank you Steven for sharing your experience and providing an updated pricing on what you paid. This tour experience is interesting for those who enjoy a boat ride, nature, bird watching and might want to get surprised by manatee and crocodile sightings. Hi Vera, Thank you again! We completely agree that the canal float is a highlight. The return collectivo was 40 pesos per person. Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know! We tried to take the Muyil-boattrip on July 29. Once located, as mentioned it is a short drive/walk until you meet a little hut and a cordon stopping you driving any further, with the car park on the right. Therefore, it seems these once widely available boat trips may now be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Thank you for the comment and sharing your experience. Charlotte. In Muyil you can visit the ancient archaeological site, watch birds, and float down the turquoise lagoon channels. Hi Lynne, Our tour guides were Abner and Jaime. I used to only DIY travel, but because of personal constraints last few years, Ive had to rely more & more on guided tours. If you are six people, you pay more or less 720$ per person. Hey! We did the Muyil boat with self drive from Tulum. We did this today (Dec 30) following your advice thank you so much! Same problem with taxis. so i would say if people are on a shoestring the diy might be nice. Thanks for taking the time to drop us a note and let us know. When I went in, I notice the bus was coming in the back Oh well, I stayed in the collectivo anyhow. Were hoping to see plenty of animals, if so, Im sure it will end up being the highlight of my sons trip! Inclusions like the seafood lunch, hotel pick-up, and snorkel equipment help to justify the spend. I visited Sian Kaan this morning via Muyil. My husband and I want to thank you for the detailed guidance to the diy tour of Sian Kaan!! He comes everyday from tulum to punta at 1pm and leaves back at 3pm. Dont use sunscream or mosquito repelente There is a 4-hour version for $4,500-pesos (~$240), per boat, that the boatsmen at Muyil are currently offering. If going towards Muyil, only a half-day or so in necessary. EXCELLENT!! Now, I need to plan my first Punta Allen Sian Kaan experience! Three months ago a cenote was discovered near Muyil, during a digging that took place while building a new resort. Good advice! And he had to open the gate to the parking lot to let out our car. Hi Jasmine, The drive out was about 1.45 hours from the entrance to the biosphere, as the tropical storm from the week before has done a number on the road with lots of potholes but was quite doable. So worth the Pesos. . The tour lasted about three hours, and when we were heading back around 2 we saw other boats starting their tour. Updated schedule: the Mayab bus leaves every half-hour (8:30, 9:30 and so on). Honestly, we used his lifejacket nearly every day in Mexico. We had assumed that he would be staying in the boat all the time, but in fact he met us at the other end of the float, bringing our shoes, having walked round on the boardwalks which traverse the lagoon creeks. And thank you for adding that about the restrooms those can always be important to know that theyre there however simple they may be . - Laguna boat tour: explore mangrove forests, freshwater springs & the famous Boca Paila where the wetlands meet the sea, - Visit cays with colonies of incredible birds, - Search for dolphins, sea turtles and more, - Snorkel in the worlds second largest coral reef (subject to weather conditions), - Enjoy swimming in the clearest tropical water at Nature's swimming pool, - Delicious Caribbean lunch in Punta Allen pueblo, - Those interested in wildlife observation & photography, exploring the caribbean coast by boat, learning about truly unique ecosystems, - Not suitable for pregnant women or very young children (under 4 years old), - Comfortable clothes and shoes (sandals ok), - Sun block (bio degradable, also consider clothes to aid with sun protection). Indeed as we mention in the description of the tour, the road to Sian Kaan is pretty terrible and Bumpy this is part of the Adventure Its difficult to get from Tulum to Punta Allen on your own. If you love animals then there really is only one way to get up close to them, and that is by observing them in their natural habitat, and not in captivity. Were planning to go in March. Make sure you cover up well, though. So glad to hear you had an amazing experience! Otherwise, well be giving it a try in a few days. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to see the real Quintana Roo! We are thinking he might like the boat ride and we may need to forego the float option, if we go for it. Hey, at least that helps to keep the mosquitos away! We saw many fish and crabs that we would have otherwise missed. On our way down the boardwalk we met up with a group who told us they had already been down at the dock and been told the price was now 900 pesos pp due to it being the holy week. I think we were the only tourists there at our time of visit. Thanks! He has the talent of an educator. My partner was not down with the generally scammy vibe but I convinced him as I really wanted to see the reserve via boat. I think its hit or miss whether the boat captains speak English. We walk back barefoot but would be nice to have our shoes. (But I wouldnt worry about it. It may not be as impressive as the nearby Tulum ruins or even Coba. Your instructions were PERFECT and led my boyfriend and me to one of the most memorable experiences of our Tulum adventure. We had our kids with us, 3 and 5 years. You will be more likely to see manatees in the bays around the ocean side rather than inland around Muyil. Best Tour option for: Active and fun seeking individuals for water activities, Snorkel in Coral Reef, Float in the Mayan Canal. Thanks a lot for your awesome feedback! . That included everything. Hi Letitia, Truly an incredible experience, made better by our tour guides Felipe and Nico. Hi Denise, am so glad you found our site! We never found the way to the boats through the Ruins but managed to find the gravel road. May be operated by a multi-lingual guide. So if there are two people, expect to pay a total of $2,000 pesos and three people will pay $3,000 pesos, etc. Perfecto! Muyil is easy to reach while Punta Allen is a bit more complicated because of the long road. Although the map makes it look like itll be a scenic drive the whole way, almost 100% of the road to that point has the views of the sea / lagoon on either side obscured by thick foliage, with the only passable trail to the lagoon that we found to be near a sign for fishing trips, which lead to a short pier. Were there several or at least 2 boats ready to go when you arrived there? (Note: The Sian Kaan boat guides do tend to be entirely trustworthy, but you still may not feel comfortable leaving any expensive equipment). Seem that 600 pesos still is the going rate and no negotiation. Great post, thank you for taking the time to provide such detailed information. $1,000mx boat tour with float. It is indeed a bumpy ride into the biosphere but we are glad that overall it was a great trip for you and that you saw all the animals you expected.
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