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Xel-ha questions-help please


jana616

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After reading about this spot, we are interested in going here in a few weeks. We are wondering how far it is from Cozumel and how you get there (ferry, bus, etc?) Also, the RCCL book lists Xel-Ha National Aquarium as an excursion, is this the same place with the same activities? It sounds like a place where DH can snorkel while I sit in the sand, but we could both tube, etc. Is this about right? And the snorkeling is great?(important to DH, not me!) Someone said you should do this through cruise line right now due to tendering-why is that? Are there other options/operators instead of cruise line?

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I stayed in an all-inclusive at the Mayan Riviera last year and can help

 

1. Take the ferry ($10 per person) from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen which is about a 30-40 minute ride - Playa is about 60 miles south of Cancun.

2. From the ferry you will go about four blocks to a stand where 15 passenger vans are waiting to take tourists back to their all inclusives which are located along a highway that runs north/south along the coast. You can ask a shop keeper where to get the vans.

3. The van/taxis which cost $1.50US per person will take you right to the Xel-Ha service road about a 30-40 minute drive - it's about a 1/2 mile walk into the entrance.

4. The admission when we were there a couple of years ago was about $25 - $30.

 

The whole thing will cost you less than $50 each. By the way there's shopping in Playa del Carmen similar to the shopping at Cozumel.

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Thank you so much for your help! Especially the estimates on travel times. We are trying to decide if it's worth the 1- 1 1/2 hours each way to go there, and if it would be better just to do it through the ship. I think their excursion was $78 or something. In your opinion, having been there, was it worth the time and extra money, or would we be better off just sticking to snorkeling in Cozumel through Blue Angel operator? Any other advice still very much appreciated!

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In my opinion, if you're cruising into Cozumel, you'll enjoy your stay more if you stay on Cozumel. It's more like 45 - 50 minutes by ferry, and after the storm, the ferry is not running on its full hourly schedule. You have to pay a hefty admission fee to get into the park and for the amount of travel time involved, and with ship schedules to meet, you'll be better to do a shore excursion right there in Cozumel.

 

That being said, Xel-Ha is a great place. Next time you're staying in Cancun or the Riviera Maya, definitely check it out. You'll love it - everyone does. Then you can take the time to do the Dolphin Swim there as well.

 

A snorkeling trip in Cozumel is always good - book online outside the ship for the best prices. You have to travel a little further out than you used to in order to find undamaged reefs because of Wilma, but they still exist.

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I agree that if you're in Cozumel, your time is better spent there. I've been there half a dozen times on cruises and I wouldn't spend half of my day waiting for ferrys, cabs etc. There's plenty to do at Cozumel. The shopping is great. You couldn't cover all the shops if you went from the time the ship dock til it left.

 

If you like snorkelling, I would recommend the Palancar reef which is advertized as the second largest reef in the world after the great barrier Reef in Australia. It is a "drift dive" which means you get out of the boat and drift with the current along the reef and the boat picks you up at the other end in about 1 1/2 hours. A speed boat takes about 45 minutes each way so the trip is about 3 hours plus leaving time to shop too.

 

Also the state park is a good destination and you can snorkel from shore if you like.

 

I agree that you should leave Xel-Ha, Xcaret, Tulum etc (all close together) til you do an all inclusive on the Mayan Riviera then you can do them right - you need a full day at Xel-Ha and XCaret anyway.

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We have been to Cozumel 3 times, and can't wait to go back. We did the Tulum/Xel-Ha excursion through RCCI once. The trip was great. Xel-Ha was very nice and we wished we had more time there. The snorkeling was good, not great but good. We would definitely go back again. If you book through RCCI they can not leave without you, so you don't have to worry about missing the ferry.

 

Cozumel is one of our favorite ports. There is so much to do, even if you decide to stay on the island. We haven't left it in our last two stops. We were there in August, just before the hurricane.

 

If there is anything else I can help with just let me know.

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My husband and I went to Xel-Ha on our honeymoon trip and I cannot tell you how wonderful and well worth the money it is.

 

The reason you should book the excursion through the cruise line is because (at least with RCI) with the tendering situation in Cozumel right now the ferry for the excursion will take you directly to Playa Del Carmen to get on the bus. AND the ship will not leave without you should you run behind for any reason! If you did this on your own you would have to take the tender to Cozumel and THEN get on another ferry to Playa Del Carmen and catch a taxi or bus to Xel-Ha! Lots of wasted time and a big risk of missing your ship!

 

Hope this helps!! Please feel free to send me a private message if you want more details about the park itself.

 

P.S. The Xel-Ha national aquarium excursion IS the same place that you are talking about!!:)

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Thank you everyone for all of your help! We still aren't sure what to do...we had been planning to go to Chankanaab Park, and now we are kind of thrown for a loop. We've been thinking about doing a dive/snorkel trip with Blue Angel (DH dives, I don't) in Cozumel, but DH thinks that Xel-ha is going to be the epitome of tropical paradise. Is he right?

SMOADO-I can't figure out how to PM you, but could you please give me some more details about the park. Did you do the ship's excursion when you went? I totally understand about doing it through the ship, and honestly, I don't think it will cost more than $25 or so more per person, minus a lot of headaches! How long total do you think it would take to get from the ship to the park?

Thanks again!!!

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Xcaret is wonderful too, even more so in my opinion. Do yourself a favor, though, and save it for when you're staying in Cancun or the Riviera Maya. You'll need all day and all night to enjoy the park.

 

Jana, your DH is right - it is tropical paradise. It's very lovely, and a great place to relax for the day. You can also Swim with Dolphins there if you want to, but you'll have to book in advance (or at least you always did have to before Wilma).

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Ditto J & S, Xel-Ha and Xcaret are wonderful places which deserve a full day, best visited from a shore trip to Mexican Riviera.

 

If you want a relaxed, inexpensive stay in paradise, just take a taxi to Dzul Ha Beach Club (or one of the other similar). They have reopened, reportedly with more sand than they had before. DH can swim out to the reef while you sit on the beach and enjoy drinks or food sevice from the club. No admission charge, good friendly service, not crowded. You will probably see snorkel tour boats stopping offshore to the place you can easily swim to from this club. WHen DH is tired of snorkeling, and you are bored with the tropical relaxation, you can take a taxi back to the shopping areas in San Miguel or the docks.

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