In this article, we’re sharing our experience at the Xoximilco Cancun Floating Fiesta and deciding once and for all: is it just another tourist trap, or a must-do Mexican fiesta?
Most people visit Cancun for the stunning beaches and endless summer vibes. Let’s be honest—authentic Mexican culture isn’t usually high on the list for visitors, and that’s partly because Cancun was designed with all-inclusive resorts in mind, not tradition.
But if you’re one of those travelers looking for more than just sun and sand—someone craving a real taste of Mexican culture—Xoximilco Cancun might just be for you.
What is Xoximilco Known For?
Xoximilco is one of many experiences offered by Xcaret Parks—often described as the “Disney World” of the Riviera Maya.
Xoximilco Cancun was designed to recreate the more traditional and authentic experience of Xochimilco in Mexico City. There, it’s a popular local and tourist activity where you float along colorful trajineras (gondola-style boats) through ancient Aztec canals, which were once vital trade routes.
Xoximilco Cancun Mexico
Xochimilco Mexico City
Of course, there are no ancient canals in the Riviera Maya, so the Xcaret group built their own version to give visitors in Cancun a taste of this uniquely Mexican tradition.
While the Mexico City version is the real deal—complete with a more rustic and historic vibe—Xoximilco Cancun offers a polished, glammed-up version that still captures the spirit of the original. Xoximilco Cancun was created to give tourists a lively Mexican fiesta experience, complete with traditional music, food, and party games.
That’s why it’s called the “Mexican Floating Fiesta”—because that’s exactly what it is.
How Do You Pronounce Xoximilco?
Before we dive into what it’s like, let’s clear up the pronunciation.
- Xoximilco Cancun is pronounced so-she-milk-o.
- Xochimilco Mexico City is pronounced so-chi-milk-o.
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Where Does Everyone Party in Cancun?
Beyond the beautiful beaches and luxury all-inclusive resorts, many travelers come to Cancun for one thing—partying.
Cancun is actually one of the top spring break destinations in the world, partly because the legal drinking age in Mexico is just 18. What makes partying in Cancun so convenient is that everything’s centered in one area—the Party Zone. Here, you’ll find giant clubs like Coco Bongo, Mandala, and Abolengo, along with wild restaurant chains like Señor Frogs, Hard Rock Cafe, and even Hooters.
But as you read through that list, you might be thinking, “Wait… that doesn’t sound very Mexican.” And you’d be right. Cancun and much of the Riviera Maya don’t offer many truly Mexican cultural experiences.
That’s exactly why the Xoximilco Floating Fiesta is such a fun and unique idea—it gives travelers the chance to party, but this time, Mexican-style.
What’s Included with Your Xoximilco Ticket
One of the things we love most about Xoximilco is that it’s an all-inclusive experience. That means your ticket covers dinner and drinks—yes, alcoholic ones too!
You’ll be treated to a Mexican-inspired meal, complete with shared appetizers, a tasting-style dinner, dessert, and unlimited beverages throughout the night.
A 3-Course Mexican-Inspired Tasting Meal
Appetizers
As soon as you step onto your trajinera (gondola), the appetizers are ready and waiting for you. You can start snacking right away on Oaxaca cheese balls, chapulines (crunchy crickets), fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, and more. Everyone also gets their own small bag of tortilla chips and chicharrones (crispy pork skins) to enjoy with the dips.
Entree
About 30 minutes into the boat ride, we reached the dinner station. The appetizer plates were cleared, and we were served dinner: a tasting plate with six different protein options, a portion of rice, and a big basket of fresh tortillas for sharing.
At first glance, it didn’t look like much—but by the end, we were stuffed. Each protein is prepared in a different regional style, highlighting the diverse flavors of Mexico.
Our favorites were the cochinita pibil (slow-cooked pork), camarón al tamarindo (shrimp in sweet tamarind sauce), and pollo en mole (chicken in a rich chocolate chili sauce). This variety of traditional dishes from across the country is part of what makes Xoximilco such a special and flavorful experience.
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Dessert
If you’ve got a sweet tooth like me, dessert might be your favorite part. First, they served hot café de olla, a traditional sweet spiced coffee often enjoyed in the colder regions of Mexico.
Then came a platter of nine different Mexican sweets—most were unique wrapped candies, plus a creamy flan de elote (corn custard dessert). Our top picks were the dulce de leche (caramel candy), jamoncillo de piñón (a soft candy made with ground pine nuts), and of course, the flan.
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Unlimited Drinks At Xoximilco Cancun
If you love to party, you’ll be happy to know that drinks are unlimited. You’ll have access to local beers, hard seltzers, tequila, vodka, and rum.
Each boat has built-in coolers along the center table where you can help yourself to cold drinks like beer, soda, and seltzers. As for the spirits, bottles of tequila, vodka, and rum are passed around throughout the night—mostly for party games and to help break the ice.
I don’t drink, so I really appreciated that there were plenty of non-alcoholic options too, like sparkling water, soft drinks, and refreshing agua de jamaica (hibiscus tea). And don’t forget that tasty café de olla at the end of the night!
Live Mexican Music and Entertainment
Since Xoximilco is all about the fiesta, you can expect lots of live entertainment. Throughout the night, your boat will stop at several docks where different bands play traditional Mexican music.
From mariachi and banda, to son veracruzano and norteño, each performance was vibrant, authentic, and incredibly fun. At each stop, guests are encouraged to get up, dance, and enjoy the music up close.
Our boat host, Arturo, was a highlight of the night. He kept the energy high with fun ice-breakers, party games, and plenty of laughs. His enthusiasm really helped bring everyone together and made the whole experience feel like one big floating family party.
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What’s Not included in your Xoximilco Ticket
As mentioned about, your basic Xoximilco ticket includes everything you need to have a wonderful and memorable night, however there are a few add-ons available.
Including two we added to our tickets and would highly recommend – the transportation, and the photopass:
Xoximilco Cancun transportation
Of all the additionals you can add to your Xoximilco ticket, the round-trip transportation is the most important.
If you’re visiting this region of Mexico and renting a car, you definitely can get to and from Xoximilco easily, but if you’re planning on drinking, we definitely wouldn’t recommend trying to drive back to your accommodation.
As Xoximilco is located on the main highway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, you may easily get a taxi to Xoximilco, but it will be a lot more tricky to get a taxi from Xoximilco back to your accommodation.
You might get picked up with a big bus
Or with a Sprinter van
With the transportation add-on, you’ll get picked-up in a comfortable, safe, air-conditioned bus at a predetermined pick-up point. Most guests are picked-up right at their hotel, but as we’re locals of Playa del Carmen, we were picked-up at one of the main meeting-points in the city.
Our bus was clean, comfortable, punctual and took the stress of moving around at night off of us, so we could just enjoy our experience of Xoximilco.
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Xoximilco Cancun Photopass
If you’ve ever tried taking good photos on your phone at night, you know it’s tough—they usually come out dark or blurry. And getting a decent group photo? Someone always ends up left out.
That’s why we decided to try the Xoximilco PhotoPass this time, and honestly, we’d 100% recommend it!
From the moment we arrived at the docks, there were tons of photo spots, with professional photographers guiding us on how to pose for the best shots.
There were even more photo opportunities at the midway stop, where they had extra backdrops and setups. As you can see, we ended up with some beautiful couple photos from the night—memories we’ll always treasure.
Is The Xoximilco Photo Package Worth It?
The price of the PhotoPass depends on how many people are in your group. We saw everything from big bridal parties and families to couples like us, all getting great quality shots to share with friends and loved ones.
Here are some examples of the pictures, click on one to see the quality
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Premium Drinks
As we mentioned earlier, your entrance ticket includes local beers, hard seltzers, and spirits on board the boat.
But if you have a specific drink you prefer or want something a little fancier, you can buy premium bottles of alcohol before you head out on your trajinera ride. At the dock, you’ll see carts stocked with a wide variety of premium bottles, so you can pick your favorite before the party starts.
Souvenirs
One thing I absolutely love about the Xcaret parks is their souvenir shops—they honestly sell some of the most unique and beautiful souvenirs we’ve come across during all our travels in Mexico.
When you arrive at La Isla, the main square of Xoximilco, you’ll walk into a courtyard filled with little stores selling everything from traditional Mexican dolls and embroidered linen shirts to colorful flower crowns.
You’ll have time to browse before heading down to the docks to start the party, and you’ll also get a few minutes to look around again when you return at the end of the night.
If you forget to grab something, don’t worry—most Xcaret parks have the same selection of souvenirs. Just keep in mind that some items, like the Xoximilco-branded hoodies, are only sold at this specific location.
Is Xoximilco Cancun Family-Friendly
When it comes to partying in Cancun, the main strip in the Hotel Zone definitely isn’t family-friendly. But Xoximilco offers a totally different vibe—it’s much more suitable for families.
Even though Xoximilco is a party and drinking-focused activity, it takes place in a safe, controlled setting. The crowd is usually a nice mix of families, couples, and groups of friends. Kids aged 5 and up are allowed to join, and adults 18 and over can enjoy alcoholic drinks, following Mexican law.
What to Wear to Xoximilco Cancun
When choosing your outfit for Xoximilco, remember that you’ll be sitting for most of the evening on the trajinera (gondola), but you’ll also be encouraged to get up, dance, and move around a bit.
What you wear might also depend on the time of year you visit.
If you’re visiting during the cooler months (November to May), I recommend bringing a light jacket or cardigan—it can get a little chilly at night, especially out on the water.
I wore a knitted tank top with long linen pants and felt perfectly comfortable all night. Geovanny wore smart shorts and a linen button-down shirt, which worked great for him.
Since it’s a special night out, most people dress up a little, but nothing too fancy. I did see a few women wearing super high heels, which didn’t look very practical—especially with the narrow space on the gondolas. Most women wore flats or low wedges, which are a much better choice for walking, dancing, and getting on and off the boat comfortably.
📸 Watch Our Experience at Xoximilco in This YouTube Video 👇
What to Expect at Xoximilco Cancun
Since we booked the add-on transportation with our Xoximilco tickets, here’s a full breakdown of our night—starting right from our hometown of Playa del Carmen.
This is roughly how our evening unfolded:
How long is the Xoximilco Tour?
05:30pm – Pick-up in Playa del Carmen
We were picked up right on time and joined a few other guests heading to Xoximilco. The ride was smooth and air-conditioned, which was really nice.
07:00pm – Arrive at La Isla, Xoximilco
La Isla is the main pavilion you reach before boarding the trajineras (colorful gondolas). We had about 30 minutes of free time to use the bathrooms, browse the souvenir shops, and take some fun photos.
As departure time got closer, performers in beautiful costumes appeared, dancing and playing live Mexican music—setting the mood for the night ahead. From there, we were guided toward the dock lined with brightly painted trajineras.
We had a couple more photo ops before boarding the boat and finding our seats. If you wanted premium alcohol, this was also the last chance to buy it before departure.
08:00pm – Depart From the Dock
Once onboard, everyone picked a seat, which you keep for the rest of the evening.
Appetizers were already laid out, and there were cooler boxes at the table with beers, hard seltzers, and sodas.
Our host, Arturo, got things started with some funny ice-breakers and jokes, which helped everyone loosen up quickly.
Not long after, we stopped at our first music station to enjoy live regional music—and yes, dancing was highly encouraged.
08:30pm – Dinner is Served
After the appetizers, we pulled up to a special dock for dinner. Friendly staff hopped on board to serve us a delicious tasting plate of traditional dishes from all over Mexico.
The food was honestly a highlight—it was filling, flavorful, and a great way to experience different regions through cuisine.
09:15pm – Bathroom and Photo Break
Eventually, after a few drinks and some dancing, a bathroom break is very welcome.
We stopped at a beautifully lit dock with restrooms, live music, and even more photo spots. After a short break, we returned to the trajinera to continue the party.
09:30pm – Dessert
Back on the boat, our dinner plates had been cleared and dessert was ready for us.
We enjoyed café de olla, a sweet spiced Mexican coffee, along with a dessert platter featuring 9 unique treats—including a fresh flan de elote and some of our favorite traditional sweets like dulce de leche and jamoncillo de piñón.
10:30pm – Final Performances
The party didn’t slow down after dessert. We played a few more games, danced even more, and by this point, everyone on the boat was feeling festive (and a bit tipsy).
Our host Arturo kept the good vibes going and made sure everyone was having a blast.
11:00pm – Return to the Dock
Once we got back, there was one last chance to visit the bathroom, grab a final souvenir, or snap a final professional photo.
11:15pm – Departure Back to Playa del Carmen
We hopped back into the van and headed home. We arrived back in Playa del Carmen around 12:15am, though the exact time would depend on your drop-off location.
We mentioned earlier how worth it the transportation add-on is—but it’s worth repeating: not having to worry about late-night driving was a major bonus.
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Tips for visiting Xoximilco Cancun
Before heading off to Xoximilco Cancun, here are a few helpful tips to make sure you’re prepared and get the most out of your night.
1. Plan Ahead to Save Money
If you book your tickets on the official website, you can score a discount—15% off if you book 21 days in advance or 10% off if you book at least 7 days ahead. Totally worth it.
Book your tickets here 👇
2. Choose The Right Trajinera
There are both English and Spanish-speaking boats. We’ve joined the Spanish ones both times because they’re usually more energetic and festive, but if you want to follow along easily and join in on all the jokes and games, be sure to ask for an English-speaking trajinera by speaking to one of the Xocimilco employees when you arrive.
3. Bring Bug Spray
You’ll be surrounded by jungle, so expect plenty of mosquitos. You can buy biodegradable bug spray at the souvenir shops there, or bring your own—just make sure it’s eco-friendly to protect the environment.
4. There Is Only One Bathroom Break
During the event, there is only one bathroom stop, so definitely make use of the stop when you get the chance.
5. Go Easy On The Drinks
It’s totally a party vibe, and it’s all about relaxing and having fun—but don’t go overboard with the alcohol. Too much can take away from the amazing experience instead of adding to it.
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Is Xoximilco Cancun Worth It - Our Honest Thoughts
With so many amazing things to do in the Riviera Maya, you might be wondering if Xoximilco by Xcaret is actually worth your time and money. And if you’ve read this far, you probably already know our answer—absolutely, yes!
The whole experience is super well-organized and feels high-end, especially when you consider that dinner, drinks, and entertainment are all included for the entire night. You’re really getting great value for what you pay.
Like we mentioned earlier, Cancun isn’t the best place if you’re hoping to dive into authentic Mexican food, culture or traditions. But Xoximilco gives you a taste—literally—of different regions of Mexico, with traditional music, food, and fun party games. The hosts are full of energy, and it’s a blast watching everyone dance, laugh, and let loose.
We’ve already been to Xoximilco twice and had a great time both visits. So if you’re asking us—we totally think it deserves a spot on your Riviera Maya itinerary.
Hope this guide helps you plan your night at Xoximilco in Cancun! If you’ve got any questions, feel free to drop them below 👇
