If you’re visiting the region of The Riviera Maya, you’ll likely want to include one of the world-famous Xcaret Parks on your itinerary. The thing is, which one do choose? Do you go with the pinnacle park, Xcaret, or the one with the slides, all-you-can-eat-buffet and endless water activities?
If the second park sounds like the spot for you, then you’ve come to the right place. In this post, you’ll get expert insights and learn 7 essential tips for visiting Xel ha Mexico.
What is Xel ha park?
Xel ha park is one of 7 Xcaret parks in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Each of the Xcaret Parks has its unique theme and attractions.
Xel ha Mexico can best be described as a natural water park, but it’s a bit different to the water parks you may have visited before.
The main attraction to Xel ha is the park’s unique design, which has meshed natural and manmade attractions into something incredibly beautiful.
You’ll spend the day enjoying endless water attractions, with some of them being completely natural and others, manmade. Aside from all that fun in the sun, you’ve also got access to buffet-styled meals all day long.
Does Xel ha Have Cenotes?
Before we talk about the cenotes located at Xel ha Mexico, you may be wondering what the heck a cenote (seh-no-tay) even is?
A Cenote is a natural sinkhole formed when the ceiling of an underground chamber or cave collapses, creating a permanent water pool. Cenotes vary in shape and size, with Cave, Semi-Open, and Open Cenotes being the most common types.
So to answer your question, yes there are two cenotes at Xel ha Mexico; Adventure & Paradise. However, you are not allowed to swim in them, for conservation reasons.
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Is Xel ha worth it?
Considering that your entry ticket to Xel ha Mexico is by no means a budget activity, it’s good to know what you’re getting in exchange.
For just over $100, you’re getting a full day’s access to some of the most beautiful, natural water bodies that this region of Mexico has to offer. You’ll have access to snorkelling gear, water slides, a lazy river and an over-water obstacle course.
In addition, you won’t have to pay a penny for your food and beverages (alcohol included) for the entire day, as it’s already included in your ticket.
We think that Xel ha is worth it, for the simple fact that you have so many fun things to see and do in one park.
If you were to try to visit multiple cenotes and inlets in one day, you’d have to; pre-plan your itinerary, rent a car, pay entrance at each cenote and inlet you visit, find a place to get breakfast, lunch and snacks, and you’d spend a fair bit of time driving from one spot to the next.
So if an easy, fun-packed day is what you’re looking for, we can highly recommend visiting Xel ha Park.
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Is Xel ha Park all-inclusive?
Yes, your Xel ha entry ticket includes almost everything you need for a full day of fun! In fact, one of the main reasons people choose to visit Xel ha over Xcaret Park, is because Xel ha includes all-you-can-consume food and drink for the entire day.
To be specific, this is what your Xel ha all-inclusive ticket includes:
~ Access to most attractions (*see Xel ha total for additional options)
~ Continental breakfast is available from 9:30 am to 11:30 am.
~ Snacks and buffet options from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
~ Unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and access to the domestic open bar.
~ Safety gear, including life jackets, floating tires, and bicycles.
~ Access to lockers, toilets, showers, dressing rooms, and towels.
~ Additional services such as WiFi, ATMs, and shops are available at extra cost.
What's the difference between Xel ha all-inclusive and Xel ha Total?
As mentioned above, your Xel ha all-inclusive ticket includes everything needed for a full day of fun, but if you’re looking for a little extra thrill, the Xel ha Total ticket may be the best option for you.
Xel Ha All-inclusive Admission
✔︎ Access to the full-day park
✔︎ Changerooms, towels & private lockers
✔︎ Continental breakfast
✔︎ World-class buffet lunch
✔︎ Unlimited beverages (incl. domestic bar)
✔︎ Safety gear (life jackets, floating tyres, bicycles)
Xel Ha Total Admission
✔︎ Access to the full-day park
✔︎ 1 Additional activity (speed boat, sea trek, snuba)
✔︎ Changerooms, towels & private lockers
✔︎ Continental breakfast
✔︎ World-class buffet lunch
✔︎ Unlimited beverages (incl. domestic bar)
✔︎ Safety gear (life jackets, floating tyres, bicycles)
Should you get the Xel ha transportation?
Keeping in mind that alcoholic beverages are available all day long at Xel ha, having your transportation sorted is probably the best option. We would never recommend drinking and driving for safety reasons but also keep in mind that there are regular checkpoints on the highway, which means that there’s a high chance of getting pulled over.
There are a few ways you can go about transiting to and from Xel ha park:
Where To Stay Near Xel Ha Park
Stay at a Xcaret hotel: not only does staying at an official Xcaret Hotel include your entrance to the parks, but it also includes your transportation to and from the parks.
The hotels are a bit pricey, but if you’re visiting more than one Xcaret Park, this option may save you money in the long-run.
Xel ha transportation: when booking your ticket online, you can add the official Xcaret transportation for an additional cost. The luxury buses run all day long and do most of their pick-ups and drop-offs at the major hotels in the region.
ADO bus: If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’d recommend booking your round-trip ticket through ADO. There are ADO stations in most of the towns & cities in The Riviera Maya. The buses are big, well-maintained and run on schedule and we always recommend the service to fellow travellers.
Rental Car: Having a rental car means ultimate freedom, but just make sure to have a designated driver if you do choose to travel by car.
Taxi: if you’re in a jam, there are taxi units posted right outside the park, but we’d only use this as a last resort. Depending on your destination, your one-way taxi ride could easily cost you as much as renting a car for a whole day – seriously. If you do decide to use a taxi, first locate the official taxi price boards to get an idea of what your driver should be charging you, and always confirm the price before entering the taxi.
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9 Essential Tips For Visiting Xel Ha Park
Pick the right park: Xcaret Mexico is the crown jewel of the Xcaret umbrella and also the most visited of all their parks. However, perhaps Xcaret isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. So, which is better Xcaret or Xel ha?
If you want a bit more of a cultural experience, Xcaret is the best park for you. However, if you came to Mexico to enjoy the water and love the sound of all you can eat and drink – Xel Ha Park is the spot for you!
Xcaret Park
Xel ha Park
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How to save on your Xel Ha ticket: So, how much is Xel ha Mexico? Well, your all-you-can-eat-and-drink full-day pass, is just over US$100. But there are ways to bring the price down a bit – like using our unique Xel ha discount coupons! Get your discounted xel ha tickets below (*only available on mobile devices):
Have cash with you: Because Xel ha is all-inclusive, you won’t really need to pay for anything additional, but we would recommend tipping. Tipping between 10-20% is typical for this region of Mexico, and even though tips are not mandatory, your tips go a long way in supporting the local workforce of this region.
Pick a nearby hotel: The Riviera Maya is pretty big, so you wouldn’t want to book a hotel that’s over an hour away from Xel Ha Park. This map below pinpoints Xel Ha Park, and you can easily search nearby hotels in various price brackets:
Staying at an Xcaret hotel gets you free park entrance: There is no denying that the Xcaret hotels are not the most budget-friendly, however, the room comes with free park entrance.
If you plan on visiting more than one Xcaret park, then it may be worth booking into one of the Xcaret Hotels.
Most sunscreens & repellants are restricted: To preserve the natural environment of Quintana Roo, restrictions have been placed on the use of certain products. We recommend only using sunscreen containing titanium oxide and zinc oxide. Xcaret Park asks that you only use biodegradable insect repellant.
Aside from only using reef-safe suncreen, we love to wear sun-protective clothing as it’s less harsh on our bodies and the environment.
Know what to bring to Xel ha: There’s no doubt that you’ll find everything you could need at the Xel ha park stores, but you could get more affordable items if you plan ahead. From visiting Xel ha three times already, we have a few non-negotiable items we pack each time; water shoes, UPF50+ shirts and our action camera.
In addition, these are some of our favourite things to pack for a day at xel ha park:
In conclusion, a day spent at Xel ha Mexico is almost guaranteed to be a ton of fun and in our opinion, one of the best ways to enjoy the natural water bodies of The Riviera Maya. We hope this guide helps plan your trip to Xel ha, please let us know if we missed anything in the comments below 👇
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