Best Private Shore Excursions in Mexico — Our Top 10

1.5-Hour Sightseeing Tour with Private Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 325 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) Our pick

Explore Cozumel with a private driver such as Gerry or Sergio, stopping for Maya chocolate, tequila tasting, San Gervasio, east-coast scenery, and Playa Palancar. You choose from several departure times, travel in an air-conditioned minivan, and return to the cruise or ferry pier.

“Sergio was wonderful! Very welcoming and knowledgeable. We highly recommend him and will request him on our next trip! We enjoyed the cigar company, the tequila company, the chocolate company and the great restaurant that he shared with us!”

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2.Playa Uvas Private Beach Pass

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 133 reviews · from $48Best value

Spend up to six hours at Playa Uvas Beach Club, with a Mexican dish, four hours of open-bar service, a 30-minute guided snorkel, and a 30-minute kayak tour. Guides such as Angel and Roberto help point out fish, stingrays, and other sea life. Bring water shoes for the rocky entry.

“The lunch was a generous size, and the staff was very friendly. Angel took us out snorkeling. He pointed out a lot of cool things we would have missed. Our waiter Noah was always coming over with drinks. You definitely need water shoes!!!”

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3.Bacalar Private Charter Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 6 hours (approx.)

Travel by private vehicle from Costa Maya to Bacalar’s Seven Colors lagoon, San Felipe fortress, and Cenote Azul. Your English-speaking guide can adjust the day to your group, while water, soda, snacks, and fresh local fruit keep the long ride comfortable. A boat trip costs extra.

“This was a wonderful tour! It was an hour drive but the tour guides explained the culture and stopped for treats along the way! And the lagoon was amazing! We also stopped at a Cenote to swim and eat!”

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4.4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $60

You’ll explore Acapulco with an English-speaking guide such as José, Poncho, David, or Roger, visiting the Chapel of Peace, Diego Rivera’s Casa de los Vientos mural, and La Quebrada. Port pickup, air-conditioned transport, and ship-safe timing make this a practical first look at the city.

“It was a great trip. Only thing was we did not receive a beverage. The tour guide askesus to sit down and his boss came around and said we would have to pay $10.00. We told her it was included but she got angry with us and told us we needed to pay because we had already seen the cliff divers.and the tour guide said a joke about masterbating, not appropriate at all and the vehicle had no shocks and we were thrown up in our seats and it hurt my back”

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5.Private Chacchoben Mayan Ruins Shore Excursion from Costa Maya

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $119

Travel privately from Mahahual to Chacchoben with a guide such as Jhoana or Charlie, then walk through plazas, temples, jungle paths, and possible monkey habitat. The four-hour outing includes transport, site admission, snacks, beer, soda, and water.

“I cannot begin to thank Charlie and Arturo for their wonderful professionalism and overall care for my family on this Mayan ruins shore excursion. They both are by far the best guides we have ever had on an excursion and would definitely recommend to all of our friends and family when they visit Costa Maya. Thank you again.”

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6.Kohunlich Mayan Ruins Private Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 6 hours (approx.)

Travel from Costa Maya in a private, air-conditioned vehicle to Kohunlich, where a guide leads you through the ancient Maya city. You will also glimpse Bacalar’s Seven Colors Lagoon, enjoy bottled water and snacks, and return to the port after about six hours.

“The guide was very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. The tour was fantastic. We traveled with a group of 12 of us. My mother was in a wheelchair. The driver of the van took my mother on her own private tour.”

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7.Private Jeep Tour Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6 reviews · 5 hours

Take a private five-hour jeep tour around Cozumel with a guide such as Miguel or Ricardo. Visit a tequila distillery, San Martin beaches, El Cedral, Jade Cavern, and a beach club for lunch and snorkeling. The route mixes island sights, rough roads, local food, and reef time.

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8.Chacchoben Mayan Ruins Private Cruise Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $130

Travel 50 minutes from Costa Maya to Chacchoben for a two-hour private tour of Templo 24, Gran Plaza, Gran Basamento, Los Gemelos, Las Vasijas, and Temple One. Guides such as Joseph and Serveljano explain Maya culture in English or Spanish, with drinks, snacks, and roundtrip transport included.

“Our tour started very early in the morning and we were almost alone in Chacchoben. We were very lucky because there were 3 other large cruise ships there. 1.5 hours later the ruins were very crowded and one tour bus after another was arriving. Our guide Serveljano was a local resident who helped build the Mayan ruins himself and lived there with his family as a young boy. He gave a very good tour and we really enjoyed it. On the way back Charly got us lots of fresh fruit on the side of the road. Simply delicious. Great trip and highly recommended. Thanks again.Read more”

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9.Huatulco Shore Excursion: Seven Bays Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $308

You’ll spend about five hours aboard New Adventure, a private 25-foot boat with shaded seats and updated safety gear. Visit seven of Huatulco’s nine bays, swim from quiet beaches, watch for dolphins and sea turtles, and enjoy included beer, soda, and water. Lunch and snorkeling gear cost extra.

“What a great day!!! It was a day of one highlight after another. Dolphins. Snorkeling. Day on the water. Amazing lunch. It could not have been better!!!!”

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10.Private Shore Excursion City & Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $99

Start at Santa Cruz Pier with a private guide such as Fermin or Emanuel, then visit La Bocana, Playa La Entrega, and La Crucecita. You’ll see the Virgin of Guadalupe painting, learn about Huatulco, and finish with a mezcal tasting. The tour runs about three hours and returns to the port.

“Excellent trip. Fermin our guide was superb, very friendly and knowledgeable. Covered all we needed to see .”

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