What a day at Xplor park is like

Zip lines, cave swiming and more!

Xplor playa del Carmen

Xplor Playa Del Carmen is just 6 KM south of Playa Del Carmen on the highway. This is one of the more popular day activities especially among the adventurous type. Here is our guide n how you can maximize your time there and even get a discount for entry!

Xplor Playa Del Carmen

This is an all-day adventure park that will add to your enjoyment of your vacation in Playa Del Carmen. The park is very well laid out and the series of tunnels, caves, paths, water features and vegetation that take you to a separate world of excitement and adventure in the Riviera Maya. Xplor is part of the same family of parks as Xcaret, Xel-ha, Xenses, Xenotes, and Xoximilco.

Our video of Xplor Park

Like everything on our website, we visit it, experience it and let you know what it is like. Here is our video of what a day at Xplor is like.

 

Arriving at Xplor Playa Del Carmen

When you first arrive, you will check in and pay if you have not bought a ticket already.

Tip: Get to the Xplor early. The park has enough activities to keep you busy all day and you want to have time to enjoy all the park and relax as well.  It opens at 9:00am. Most people arrive early, so lines will be longer. You can always get a jump on them by arriving first thing.

You will sign a safety waiver. Don’t worry, the park takes safety very seriously and is a top-notch park in this regard. You will also be given a safety helmet that you are to wear everywhere in the park except while eating. The cool thing is that there is a chip in the helmet. In various parts of the park there are cameras that capture your photo. In other parts of the park there are TV screens you can stand in front of, and it reads your helmet’s chip and shows just your photos. At the end of the day, you can buy these photos. It is not cheap but if you did not bring a water camera and want the memories, then it is priceless, right?

First thing to do at Xplor are the lockers

The first stop is probably the lockers. You can store your stuff and prepare for your day. You can go barefoot but it is recommended you wear some shoes. Flip flops or loose sandals are not recommended since they can fall off while you are doing activities like the zip lines. You will get wet on most activities, so bring a towel to dry off at the end of the day. No towels are provided. Lockers are free.

Tip: Aqua socks are the best footwear for this park in our opinion. You can get wet and also have some protection for walking around. If you do have sandals with an ankle strap these can work well also. You can go barefoot as most paths are smooth, but you do need shoes for the driving activity.

For more about what is best to wear to Xplor, see our article here

Getting around Xplor Park

The park is fairly easy to navigate. There is a giant heart sculpture in the center that makes a beating sound. You will crisscross this area during the day en route to other parts of the park. If you get lost the staff is easy to find and very helpful for getting you to where you want to go. Part of the adventure is finding the small paths and taking the tunnels, following the signs to the activity you want to do.

Tip: Most people go to do the zip lines first. The line is longer, and it takes a while to get the flow going of people going from tower to tower. Instead of going with the herd, try one of the other activities first. In the afternoon the lines are always shorter.

What activities are there in Xplor Playa Del Carmen?

The activities include:

  • Zip lines (two different routes).
  • Driving on a trail in the woods that includes tunnels and fun features.
  • Swimming in a cave on a lighted circular trail.
  • Paddling a raft in the caves.

You can do all the activities once and if there is availability you can do them again. Usually is not a problem to repeat an activity.

Xplor Playa Del Carmen

Restaurants and food and Xplor

With all the activity you will work up an appetite and there is a buffet open from 11am-5pm. The food is good and highlights some local Mexican cuisine as well and international favorites. You can eat lunch and stop back for a snack if you like. There is a smoothie bar in the park as well where you can get great shakes and fruit juices.

Tip: Bring a waterproof camera and wear biodegradable sunscreen. This is good for all water activities in the Yucatan and especially cenotes and eco parks. They are a delicate eco system and we can all help protect them by using biodegradable sunscreen and bug spray if you use it.

Tip: If you come by bus tour or group you will probably leave earlier then you would if you drive yourself or take a colectivo or taxi. So, you can maximize your time if you provide your own transportation. See our info on how to take colectivos information here.

Photos at Xplor Playa Del Carmen

At the end of the day, you can shop at the gift shop or look over your photos that were taken in the park of you. This park is a guaranteed good time for all. (Note that if you have smaller children there may be limitations on some activities. Older visitors can engage in any activity they feel up to. There is plenty of overlooks, hammocks and chairs to relax in).

Xplore Playa Del Carmen

How much are tickets to Xplor?

We are an official affiliate of Xplor and offer a button below to buy tickets. This link will take you to the official site of Xplor and parent company Xcaret. You will get the best possible prices here and save more if you buy in advance. Prices for adults are normally $139 USD but if you click the Book Now button you can save 15%! Xplor park

If you want a more adventurous time at Xplor, try going at night! Check it out in the link below!

Did you know Xplor is open at night for a separate experience? It is called Xplor Fuego. There are some differences between the daytime and nighttime, so we wrote this article to tell you about them.

Xplor Fuego takes you to the adventure at night. Zip-lines, ATV’s, underground rivers and unlimited buffet under the stars make a whole new experience you must live. Buy on-line now and get up to 15% off.

Xplor Fuego Park at night everything gets better enjoy zip lines, amphibious, rafts & underwater rivers, buffet meal included. Cancun, Playa del Carmen.

Have you been to Xplor Playa Del Carmen? What did you like about it? Do you have some tips for fellow readers? We would love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Xplor Playa Del Carmen
Imagine splashing down here after a zip line run!

 

About The Author

91 Comments

  1. I think you guys have been to Xplor a lot! Haha You seem to know the park very well. Thanks for the tips. We are going to Xplor this next when in Playa Del Carmen.

    • Hello Sandra. Yes we have been to Xplor many time! And we enjoy it each time to! We hope you have a great time on the zip lines, swimming and driving around in the woods!

  2. Xplor is a blast as you zip through waterfalls and swim in ancient caves. The food is good for lunch and the park is a maze. Loved it and will go back next year to Xplor.

  3. Xplor is a great park for the family. I like taking my boys there and letting them wear themselves out on the zip lines. We always have a good time as a family there. it is a lot of climbing and walking but the park is beautiful. I don’t think there is much more that they can do to make this park better. The one tip I would give is not to go on a cold day because the water sports are not as refreshing.

  4. Xplor is so amazing! We love the zip lines and are always having such a good time there. The park is designed so well it is guaranteed to give you a good experience. Xplor is something we look forward to going to each year and the kids just love it.

  5. I loved the two lines of zip lines here at Xplor. We spent the day there and loved it. Thanks for your review here. I will definitely be back.

  6. Great article. We liked the food at xplor. We went to Xplor on the colectivo and saved money by reading your article. Thanks

  7. We have been to both Aventuras Maya zip lines and Xplor zip lines and Xplor is way better! The people selling the tours said you got the same thing for cheaper at Aventuras Maya but that is not true. The Xplor park is laid out much better, has higher lines, zip line through waterfalls and much more! Xplor park is great. I cannot wait to go back there.

  8. Thanks for the write up here about Xplor. We have been looking to maybe go there and not sure if it was good.

  9. I remember the food and eating in the restaurant at Xplor. I loved the music and the buffet was really good. I know that is a weird thing to remember but the fresh juices and things were perfect for being in the jungle and active.

  10. We love starting with the zip lines on the left and then coming back to the second one right afterward so you do not have to take off your harness. The lines are a little long but it moves fast. Xplor is a maze with tunnels and caves. It is super fun to explore. Make sure you get there early since it can take all day just to get around and do all the activities. We will definitely be going back to Xplor this year!

    • Hello Tracy

      Thanks for your comments and tips. We are glad you had a good time at Xplor and going back this year. We will be bringing you more stories from Xplor this year, so stay tuned! There is always something new being added there.

  11. Amazing park. We did this one this year and Aventuras Maya last year. Xplor blow the other park away. It is more expensive but totally worth the money. All of the park is done well and designed nicely.

  12. We love taking our grandkids to this park. Usually we can watch our kids do the sip lines from several places and it is great we can all eat a nice lunch together. The paddling in the underground river is something we all do together and jungle drive is fun for four people. Xplor is a nice family park.

  13. So there are free shuttles from Hwy 307 where the colectivo will drop you off to go into the park?

    Are there taxis when you exit the park that can take you to PDC?

    • Hello Ray. If you take the colectivos from Playa Del Carmen they will drop you off at the side of the highway. The Xplor entrance is just across the road. There are only free shuttles to Xcaret because it is further from the highway. Going back to Playa Del Carmen after a day at Xplor you will find taxis in the parking lot and you can also go to the highway and flag down a colectivo. Although when the park closes this is usually a bit of rush hour as people get off work. You will have to wait about 1-14 minutes for a colectivo.

      • thank you!!! so I can just walk across the freeway and there’s not much further to enter Xplor?

        thank god I found you guys, the Xplor’s own customer services won’t answer any of my transportation related questions at all and instead pushes for me to buy transportation.

        Do you know if it might be cheaper for me to buy Xplor tickets from my own resort when I arrive, or is it cheaper to buy online now?

        • Hello Ray. It is cheapest to buy them online. The sooner the better. If you click the link on our website it is the same price for you and will take you to the official site but Xplor will give us a referral.

    • Hello. There is no need to take a shuttle because the entrance is right on the highway. If you take the colectivo to Xplor you will just walk across the highway and enter the parking lot. There is a free shuttle to Xcaret because it is further from the highway. We hope you have an amazing time at Xplor.

    • Hello Allen

      We do have some insight to prices at Xplor as well as other tours and parks. Part of the prices are for advertising and commissions to companies. The commissions from Xplor are not that much but for some tours that are 100-120 USD some booking agents get 30% This is for high volume sales. Most of the time it is about 10-15%. This means that the rest of the ticket price has to include operations wages, training, cleaning and maintenance. At Xplor when you go, you will that it is a huge park with waterfalls, zip lines and tunnels. All of this requires a lot of maintenance and safety inspections. Also the meal that you get there is like a $15-20 dollar value. So the over all value of the day we feel is very good for going to Xplor. We have never really heard anyone complain after going there that it was too much. It really is a well made park.

  14. Pretty interesting place to check out. My kids have been bugging us to take them to Xplor for months. We look forward to getting down in January and see what this park is like.

  15. I like all the activities at Xplor in this order. 1. Zip lines. 2 swimming underwater river. 3. paddling the canoes in the caves. 4. The jeep driving in the woods. I leave the jeeps or go carts to the last because it is nice but not as fun as the other stuff at Xplor.

  16. ONe tip for going is bring a water camera with you to Xplor. They take your photos and they are good but they are expensive! It is like another $60 for a package of photos. Bring your opwn go pro an dhave fun at Xplor.

  17. When we went to Xplor last year we booked the transportation which was a little slow getting there and not that cheap. This year we took your advice and took the colectivos to Xplor. It was super easy and just walked across the highway to the entrance. Thanks for all your tips.
    Kudos!

  18. Xplor was amazing! We took your advice and bought ahead of time and saved money. We love your tips! thanks

  19. It rained the day we went to Xplor but we had an amazing time! You get wet anyways on the zip lines and swimming under the caves. So rain or shine this park is great. Just one note, if you go on the zip lines in the late afternoon it can be more windy and the zip lines can get slower or they put you in pairs to go do so you have more force.

  20. Xplor was so easy to go to from our hotel. We stayed at an all inclusive and booked the transportation from our hotel. We don’t want to be trying to figure everything out so this was an easy day trip tour. Super fun and would recommend it.

  21. Hey there! I wanted to thank you for the tips on transport to Xplor. We made it taking the colectivos to Xplor both getting there and going back to Playa Del Carmen.

  22. I love Xplor, cannot wait to go back next year. It has the best zip lines and the park is laid out good so you don’t have to wait long in the lines.

  23. Great article and review. We are coming to Playa Del Carmen this December. Is the water too cold then or is it better to visit in the summer at Xplor?

    • Hello Hannah

      The weather is warm year round so even if you come in December it will be like a day in June or September where you are from in Europe. The water is still warm and you can have dun year round at Xplor. Locals don’t swim as much in the ocean in the winter but to tourist it seems like a nice summer day.

  24. About how long does it take to drive from Tulum to Xplor? We are staying in the downtown and have a car. Thanks

    • Hello Iva. From Tulum to Xplor driving it will take about 40 minutes. It is straight up the 307 Highway and very easy to find. We hope you have a great time there!

    • Hello Justina

      The only way to get a discount off the entrance is by buying the tickets in advance. We assume you are coming as a tourist and not a local living here. Residents get a discount with ID. TH price is a lot but most people only come on vacation once a year and want to enjoy themselves. The park is designed very well and the zip lines and other activities are some of the best when compared to other parks. So the value is there if you can pay for it.

  25. Great tips on seeing Xplor. We took the zip lines in the afternoon and no one was in line hardly. We got to do all the activities at Xplor. Good food and fun day. I would recommend it to people coming.
    CÒ»eers!

  26. What’s nice about Xplor is the fact that if it rains you can still have fun. We were there when it rained and we just did the underground river swim and boat. When it was sunny we did the zip lines.

  27. Hi, I just want to leave a trip update after going to Xplor. We got there at 9am and started our day. The zip lines are the most popular but the line moved fast. The staff was very professional and it felt very safe to do all the activities. I would just note that when you swim in the underground caves that you should be careful not to kick too hard so hit your leg on the stones. It was a great day at Xplor!

  28. What a fun place! We have bene to Aventuras Maya tours but Xplor was much better. The zip lines are 50 times better then the ones at the small parks.

  29. I was able to find good info from your article. We are coming to Playa Del Carmen next month and doing research for our trip.

    • Hello
      We have not been to Xplor Fuego at night so we cannot recommend it. The daytime is nice to enjoy the park though.

  30. Hello. We just got back from Playa Del Carmen and enjoyed our time there. We even got to visit Xplor and appreciated your tips on visiting. It was a great park and really liked the zip lines.

  31. Hi, i read your website a lot and love your tips for places. We found the colectivos to Xplor and had a fun day there. It was good to save the money on transportation. Thanks

  32. We are so excited to be in Playa Del Carmen and going to Xplor this week! We looked over your guide for all the tips.

  33. We have been to Xplor for each of the past three years. We would like maybe next year to explore another tour or park. It is fun for about three visits we would say. The first time is the best.

  34. We were leery of the price of Xplor but really enjoyed the park. It is top notch and one of the best places for zip lines that we have been to. I would recommend Xplore to any guest you wants to go, you will have a great time!

  35. Hello we are three people wanting to visit Xplor and the transportation is about 27 USD for each person. We are worried this will be a slow bus and we might miss some of the day while picking up people. Can we easily take the colectivos to Xplor? It is a far walk?
    Please let me know. Thanks

    • Hello

      Thanks so much for your question. It is fairly easy to do and affordable. You can see our guide on colectivos and where to get them in the center of Playa Del Carmen. The colectivo will drop you on the opposite side of the highway and you only need to walk to the other side. The parking lot is there and entrance. The same for going back to Playa, just walk to the Highway and catch it on the opposite side as where you got off.

  36. I wanted to get your opinion. I have been to Xplor last year and had a great time. I have never been to Mayan Adventure park by allTOURnative and wondered how the tour compares. Thanks

    • Hello Will

      The two parks are pretty different and we can best describe the difference between them in this way. Xplor is more high energy and they have great zip lines as well as the under water section of the tours. The park by allTOURnative is more laid back with a set tour of rappel, snorkeling and a few zip lines. You get a traditional meal there and are more in the jungle. Both are good but pretty different experiences. If you love the adrenaline of Xplor then you might want to go there again. If you want to see a more natural side of the Riviera Maya then you can try out the other tour.

    • Hello Grady

      You can bring your own waterproof camera as long as it is attached to you. No selfie sticks are allowed for safety reasons. In between rides or activities you can take photos and then put your camera back in the lockers. This way you can focus on taking photos and then enjoy yourself.

  37. One of our favorite things to do when we were in Playa Del Carmen was to go to Xplor. It was a day I will not forget.

  38. Thank you for all the information on your site. It was our first time to Mexico and we were really impressed with the parks like Xplor. Top notch and super fun. We will be coming back soon for our next vacation

  39. I was hesitant to go to a touristy park and find out it was cheesy. Xplor is well planned and had a full day of fun. I recommend this park to anyone coming to the Riviera Maya.

    • Hello Ryan
      We have not gone on this yet. We are looking to go soon and check it out. We would say that Xplor is so much fun it is good to see in the light for the first time. Maybe on a second trip try the night time. Our opinion might change after we go but at any rate you will enjoy this park.

  40. Hi, when I go to buy the tickets for explore it gives a price of $107 and it says I can save an additional 15% when buying 21 days in advance but when I put in my dates the price jumps to $118.

    • Hello Lila

      We just looked at the links for Xplor. There is the IKE insurance for $4 you can opt out of and also are you adding transportation? Make sure when you get your tickets to look at the final line of the bill because it will day the total, then under that it will say discount and then a final total. We hope you have great time at Xplor, it is a very fun park to visit.

  41. I am skeptical how some places appear on brochures and in photos but I was very pleased with Xplor! Totally blew my mind going around under the ground in caves and each activity was great! Totally worth the money.

  42. I like how you describe how things are. It gives a real feeling to what places and tours are like. I like reading your website.

  43. We are looking to get tickets to Xplor but also saw there are some parks nearby with zip lines. Are any of the parks as good as Xplor that might be cheaper?

    • Hello

      There are a few places that have zip lines but none are like Xplor. Xplor has a well designed park and two routes to take with many towers. The price it very much worth it. Some other parks are $60 USD but we guarantee you that Xplor is worth the money and much better. Plus all the activities are good at Xplor. Many people even enjoy the food.

  44. Good day! I have a question about Xplor. If it is raining what is it like with the zip lines? Does the park close if it is bad weather?

    • Hello Nate

      Xplor park stays open unless there is lightning or severe weather. We have been there with light rain and it is cool to be in the caves. You don’t really know what the weather is like. You get wet anyways on the zip lines, so being wet will not really be an issue. We hope you have a fun time if you go.

  45. I saw on the website that it says children under 88 pounds cannot go on the zip lines. Do you know if this is true? Both my boys are 82 pounds right now.

    • Hello Michelle

      It does state that on the website but we have not seen them weigh kids at the park. It is more a height restriction for safety. The restriction on weight is because low weight can slow in the middle of the zip lines and they might stop in winds. What they can do is send you and your child together at the same time. They even do this with adults in the afternoon when it tends to be more windy. So if you have two parents and two boys this might not be a problem as long as a parent and child go together. That will make it more of a family trip anyway. The alternative is to fatten up your kids. Just kidding. Hope you have a great time. It is a recommended park to go to.

  46. Xplor was my favorite day of my vacation! Great park. You put a lot of great tips in your video. I hope a lot of other people go and listen to your tips.

  47. Xplor is sooooo worth the time to go and worth the ticket price. They have the best zip lines and is amazing park! We will be going back here next year for sure.

  48. Xplor was our firat park we went to in the Riviera Maya. We remember the amazing zip lines and fun times. We would love to go back again since it has been three years since we visited. Are there new attreactions now there?

    • Hello Sonja

      They are always updating the park but no new attractions. We have been multiple times in one year and had a great time each time. Xplor is one fo the best adventure active parks to visit. We hope you get to go back soon.

  49. We have a group of 10 people that want to go to Xplor. Is this a good place to go as a group or do you get split up for the activities? Thanks

    • Hello Kacey
      When you go with a group it is easy to keep togther. The cars you can drive in three back to back and in the kayaks you can go in one or two people together. The zip lines are easy to keep together since it is a line of people and you all keep in the same order during the route. We hope you ahve a great time there.

  50. My partner and I have been two times to Xplor and e never get tired of it. We love going there because it has the best ziplines in the world!

  51. Hi, I was wondering how big the lockers were? Would it be enough to hold a medium sized suitcase? it is just that we arelaly want to visit but because we are so tight on time, we were thinking of stopping there for the day and continuing our trip from playa del carmen to tulum.

  52. Hello !
    Is it true that Xplor aswell provides special helmets with a mount right for my GoPro ?
    Concerning saving by booking in advance : do I have to prebook for an exact day or does remain a timeframe (since it might rain at this ONE day)?
    Thanx a lot for your time !
    Robert

    • You do not have to worry about pre booking. It does save you money and is the best way to get a discount. You can change your day up to 24 hours before. So if it looks like it will rain, you can change your day. We have been to Xplor when it is raining a little and it was still fun. You can always do the underground when it is raining anc come above ground when it is not.
      The helmets, we are not sure. You might want to bring the special strap for the head just in case so it is attached.

    • Hello Norma

      The zip lines do take the most energy to go on. There are ladders, stairs and rope bridges. If you can climb a 12 foot ladder, you should be able to keep up. There is no rush and you can allow people to pass by you.

  53. We absolutely loved Xplor! It was the best day of our whole vacation and will go back next time we are in Mexico! Best zip lines!

  54. Xplor is an amazing place. We love the underground rivers and the boys love driving the vehicles in the jungle. You could easily get lost in Xplor but it is marked well and part of the fun is exploring the park. If you go, I hope you have a blast.

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