Headed to Cancun for a resort vacation, but looking to spice things up with some adventurous excursions? Traveling with less thrill-seeking family members but desperate to convince them to venture out to explore Cancun outside the hotel zone? Traveling solo and looking to pack your itinerary with nonstop adventure? I’ve been there.
My name is Oliver, and I’m a seasoned traveler who has been to Cancun with my family (who are reluctant to go anywhere outside of the resort) and with friends (more adventure-travel lovers like me!) From my experiences, I have compiled this list of must-try Cancun excursions best for the adventurous traveler.
Cancun Excursions Best for Adventurous Travelers
Cancun Cenotes Tour
Cenotes are deep, groundwater filled sinkholes that formed in the limestone and are part of a system of caves and subterranean rivers that exist throughout the Yucatan peninsula.
There are 2 types of cenotes – open air and underground. The underground ones honestly are a little freaky – stalactites, water that disappears into darkness beneath you, echoing mossy cave walls… don’t say I didn’t warn you, but it’s also pretty cool. These are more cave-like, with just a bit of the roof of the cave that has collapsed, revealing the cenote to the outside world and creating an opening for light to filter through. At these type of cenotes, there are often opportunities to snorkel or take pictures in the dappled lighting that the collapsed roof creates.
The second type of cenotes are open air cenotes, which are more like lakes. The ceilings of these cenotes have long-since collapsed and eroded away. At these type of cenotes, there are often zip lines, and platforms to leap off of. You can visit cenotes through a tour of different cenotes, a visit to an adventure park that has a cenote on site, or an adventure excursion that combines multiple activities into one tour (more on that below).
On my trip I didn’t visit Suytun Cenote because it’s almost 3 hours away from Playa Mujeres, but it’s incredibly popular and if you’re staying farther south, (such as in Playa del Carmen) you might consider it!
Zip Line Adventure
Is there anything more thrilling than flying through the jungle hanging upside down? Honestly I love a good zipline and there are plenty of zip lining Cancun excursions to choose from. Zip lining usually involves putting on a harness and a helmet, a bit of a walk into the forest, climbing up to platforms in the trees, and guides that will carabiner clip you in, encourage you to let go (or hang upside down), and make sure you land on the platform at the other end on your feet!
This is one activity where closed-toed shoes are sometimes required, so make sure you check the requirements before getting ready to leave your resort.
If you’re more of a DIY type, you can find excursions through Airbnb experiences (just keep in mind if you’re staying outside the hotel zone, you may have to get a taxi to meet the hosts at the pickup point). If you’d like something more end-to-end, your resort concierge almost certainly has connections to a tour company that can hook you up. If you go this route, I suggest booking a combo-excursion that also has cenotes and ATV’ing, so you can pack more adventure into one day or satisfy everyone in your group.
Scuba Dive in Cancun (and see an underwater art museum!)
Photo by Malek Bee on Unsplash
Scuba diving in Cancun is wonderful thanks to the warm, crystal turquoise waters, but the most unique don’t-miss reason to scuba in Cancun is for the underwater art museum! Called MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte), this scattering of sculptures underwater serves a dual purpose – to entertain scuba divers and to create an artificial reef to stimulate coral growth.
There are plenty of scuba schools in Cancun that offer dives to MUSA, and if you aren’t scuba certified, there are “discovery dive” options that will start with a training session in a pool to get you dive-safe before you head out to the open water, no certification required. I had my very first dive experience in Cancun on a discovery dive, and despite my nervousness beforehand, I felt so safe throughout the entire process and had an incredible time. Honestly, my only regret is that I didn’t get scuba certified years ago, when I was doing field work in Hawaii, and au pairing in Guam. Oh well.
Catamaran Sailing Cruise
Sailing on a catamaran is a wonderful way to spend a day in Cancun and is less energy intensive than the other excursions in this list, so this is a good excursion best to sprinkle between two activity-heavy days. Catamaran sailing is also an activity that I’ve found to be an easier sell for less-adventurous travel mates – as long as they aren’t prone to seasickness. Do NOT forget the sunscreen and sunglasses/hats, however, because the sun is no joke. For other Cancun packing list essentials, check out this post.
Many catamaran excursion options are available, from sailing + snorkeling to a sunset booze cruise. Pick your ideal combination and enjoy a day on the water! For what might be the best Cancun excursion for couples, I suggest taking a day trip to Isla Mujeres, renting a scooter to drive around the island, and sailing back on a sunset cruise.
You can’t go wrong with any of these excursions, and I hope this post has helped you decide the best Cancun excursion for you!
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