 Xcaret is a ecological theme park located about 6km South of Playa Del Carmen. It is about an hour drive South of Cancun and offers many activities such as snorkeling, snuba and floating down an underwater river. As well there are many other attractions that fill the park, such as tigers, jaguars, and an aquarium which houses sharks, rays, and many turtles and baby turtles. Several Mayan ruins lie on within the park, and the Mayan meaning of the word means small inlet. Main Activities in Xcaret include:
- Snorkeling
 There are many different types of sea life and large quantities that can be seen while snorkeling on the park. You can snorkel in the lagoon on your own, or perhaps take a guided tour to discover more isolated areas (an additional cost). Entrance to the park includes usage of snorkel gear.
- Snuba
 Snuba is a mixture between scuba diving and snorkeling. It gives you the ability to go deeper under the water without the need for all the equipment and expertise. You basically just snorkel with a hose attached to the end of your snorkel allowing you to go under the surface. You can snuba in the lagoon or out by the reef, and no prior experience is necessary.
- Sea Trek
Sea Trek is similar to Snuba, except, that you wear what looks like an astronaut helmet on your head. No experience is necessary, and once in the water you basically walk along the floor.
- Swim with Dolphins
There is also a dolphin area in where you can go and interact and swim with the dolphins. There are varying costs depending on the activity you wish to partake.
- Other Activities
There are various other activities including exploring underwater rivers, relaxing in the many natural inlets where the waves turn these inlets into personal jacuzzi's, as well as just hanging out at the lagoon on the beach. There is also a nightly Mayan show that is performed.
 There is a wealth of activities and fun to be had at Xcaret, and when visiting tickets can be purchased at the gate, but the best deals can be had by buying in advance from your hotel or other tour agents.From first hand visits, the water activities were found to be somewhat disappointing. The snorkeling and underwater river were just too crowded with people that most of the fish were scared away. As during the underwater river it seemed that at every turn there was a different Xcaret employee trying to take your picture. This caused several ‘log jams’ where people would stop to get into the picture and there would be no way to get around them. However the best parks was the ark itself, as you could get up close and personal with various  wildlife such as Tigers, Jaguars, Bats, Sharks and turtles. The one turtle section was amazing as there was a small lagoon with massive turtles as well as small ponds filled with hundreds of small baby turtles. For snorkeling and water activities it would be more recommended to go to Xel-Ha, however for the outdoor park activities Xcaret is truly a masterful sight. |
