Mexico · NATIONAL PARKS
Good national park trips fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 10 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Reef snorkeling near Puerto Morelos from Cancun with hotel pickup, brand new gear, beachside lunch, and optional tequila tasting.
“So fun! Great crew. The National park reef was wonderful. Lots of fish and coral. Water was a little rough but had a great time”
All-inclusive Marietas Islands boat tour with open bar, snorkeling and water toys, whale sightings, and optional Hidden Beach permit.
“This tour was wonderful. The staff were kind and attentive. We got to see birds, whales, and dolphins which were all very exciting. The food was amazing and the vibes were excellent. We also opted for the Hidden Beach addition and that was beautiful and well worth it. I would absolutely book this tour again if I’m ever back in PV!”
Bike Coba ruins, canoe and zipline at Punta Laguna, Mayan family lunch, then a cenote swim on a small-group Tulum tour, about 8 hours.
“This was an excellent excursion! Our tour guide Alonso was very personable, knowledgeable and overall an awesome guide. Our driver, I believe his name was Juan, was great as well. He took us to each location safely and in a timely manner. The food they gave us was delicious. I throughly enjoyed this excursion and highly recommended you book and request Alonso and Juan!”
Explore Río Secreto’s underground river and cenotes with provided gear, a Mayan-style lunch, and optional add-ons like Tulum or Puerto Morelos.
“The experience was way better than I thought it would be. We had Pepe as our tour guide and he was a lot of fun. They didn’t try and upsell you when you got there. Take everything they offer you: walking stick, water shoes and wet suit. You need it all. The tour itself was amazing. The cave, the water, the history was all phenomenal. If you’re not into walking, don’t book.”
Small-group Cabo Pulmo snorkel trip from Cabo San Lucas with up to four reef sites, lunch, gear, and a big day out on the water.
“Great experience from beginning to end! Our driver, the boat captain and our guide were the best. Cabo Pulmo Marine Park is a must see if you enjoy diving and snorkeling…the reef is THRIVING!”
2-hour small-group snorkeling in Puerto Morelos from Cancun. Gear and fees included, see turtles and rays by the barrier reef.
“Really worth it. Greg was so nice and helpful. Snorkeling was really entertaining. Even with our 7 years old twins. They really enjoyed their 1st snorkeling adventure. I really recommend it.”
Full-day Sumidero Canyon tour from San Cristobal with a river boat cruise, Chiapa de Corzo sights, and canyon lookouts.
“We made this tour as 4 people with Gonzalo on March 24, 2025. I travel a lot and this tour was the worst experience I ever had. The tour supposed to start at 9 am, but nobody showed up. After trying to contact them and GYG for 45 minutes, tour provider and GYG solved the issue and agreed to take us at 10 am, 1 hour later than usual. Our “tour guide” was not an actual guide but a person who knew the area. He didn’t speak English, although we HAVE paid for an English tour. We arrived to the port for the boats for Sumidero Canyon. A group left…”
Boat snorkeling in Puerto Morelos National Reef Park with gear, breakfast and tacos, plus hotel pickup from Cancun.
“Snorkeling was good. Guides were helpful and friendly. Lunch afterwards was good. The only complaint we had was the extra time for hotel pickup/drop off and getting ready for the snorkeling. We were picked up at 8:10am from our hotel. We got in the water around 10am for about an hour and a half. Finished lunch around 12:30pm and was told our shuttle back to the hotel wouldn't pick us up until 2:30pm (which meant with all of the other guest drop offs we wouldn't get back until 4pm). We took an Uber back to the hotel to save a couple of hours of our day.”
Walk Rio Secreto’s caves by an underground river, bike the jungle, rappel to Xibalbá, then zipline between trees, with buffet included.
“De grotten zelf waren wel het leukste. Je moest echter wel in een rij lopen wat het exploreren element er wel uithaalde. Het voelde gehaast. Zipline en rapel zijn niet benoemd waard als je al eerder ergens iets in die richting heb gedaan of nog extremer. Fietsen was ook niet bijzonder.”
Full-day small-group trip from Tuxtla to Sumidero Canyon, a 2-hour river boat ride, plus Chiapa de Corzo fountains, gourds, and Parachico in January.
“El trayecto en barca es precioso y hemos podido ver muchos animales y vegetación. Quizás con un mirador ya habría bastante porque se pierde mucho tiempo. Encima nos tocó nublado y no se veía muy bien. La recogida por los diferentes hoteles es demasiado larga, sería mejor fijar un punto de recogida y de finalización para todos igual.”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
