What is better Xplor or Xcaret?
If you have been trying to decide if you should go to Xplor or Xcaret, we are here to help. Both Xcaret and Xplor parks are owed by the same company. So they are similar in the way they are run and quality of entertainment. This is why they are both popular places to go when on vacation in the Riviera Maya. So what is better Xplor or Xcaret? We will break it down for you and what people might find more attractive for what you are looking for. Lets first talk about Xplor park.
What Xplor is like
Xplor is all about action, adrenaline and activities. This park is about going on zip lines, swimming in underground rivers and more! From the moment you get there, you are on your own to explore this park with your family or friends. There are four main activities you can do here and they will keep you busy for most of the day.
- Two routes of zip lines.
- Rafts in the underground river.
- Swimming in the underground river.
- Driving the jungle jeeps through the woods and tunnels.
Our video of what Xplor Park is like
Like everything on our website, we visit it, review it and pass all the detail on to you. Here is our video of the Xplor experience.
Who Xplor is best for
We hate to narrow it down but people generally 13-45 really enjoy this park. If you love adventure, zip lines and staying busy, you can have a great time here. These are the BEST zip lines in the area with no other ones coming close.
Who might not enjoy Xplor as much
If you are pregnant, older, with children under 3.6 ft tall, not into activities, afraid of heights, or don’t like adventure, you might not has as much fun here. There are restrictions for some of the activities, mainly the zip lines. We mention some of the restriction at the end of this article.
How to get the best deals to Xplor
So how do you get the best price for this park? It is best if you book online and ahead of your trip.
You can save even more money by planning ahead. If you buy your tickets 7-20 days in advance you save 10%. If you buy them 21 days or more in advance you save 15%! Don’t worry, if you change your mind about what day you want to go, you can change it up to 24 hours in advance. So if you want to go to Xplor, click the links below and go to the official site to book and save for your adventure!
Going to Playa del Carmen? Visit Xplor Park and ride the highest zip lines, drive amphibious vehicles, rafts and explore underground rivers! Includes buffet meal. Book online and save 15%.
What is Xcaret park like
Who Xcaret is best for
Xcaret is great for mixed age groups because there is something for everyone. Young children can play in special places for them, elderly person will enjoy the ease of mobility in the park. One thing you can check out is the scenic tower. It is the highest point in the Riviera Maya. Plus there are so many hidden parts of Xcaret that many people don’t get to see.
If you want to have fun and take in a little culture, Xcaret can be great for this.
How to get the best deals to Xcaret
So how do you get the best price for Xcaret? It is best if you book online and ahead of your trip. The regular price is $99.99 USD.
You can save even more money by planning ahead. If you buy your tickets 7-20 days in advance you save 10%. If you buy them 21 days or more in advance you save 15%! Don’t worry, if you change your mind about what day you want to go, you can change it up to 24 hours in advance. So if you want to go to Xcaret park, click the Xcaret Admission link below and go to the official site to book and save for your adventure!
What are the big differences between Xplor and Xcaret parks
Length of day
Between Xplor and Xcaret the time you spend there will be different. Most people spend about 7 to 8 hours at Xplor and about 12 hours on average at Xcaret. So you can see Xcaret is a much larger day and the show at the end is a must see.
Xplor hours
Xplor is open from 9:00am-5:00pm Monday-Saturday. Sundays Xplor is not open so if that is your day free, Xcaret is for you.
Xcaret hours
Xcaret is open from 8:30am-10:30pm 365 days a year. This makes for a very full day! Of course you can come later or leave earlier but you don’t really want to miss the big show at the end of the day at Xcaret.
Price between the parks
If price is your main concern, Xplor will be the cheaper park to visit. It is however a shorter day. The food will add to your cost at Xcaret. If you are there for the day you are there for two meals. Xplor has a fixed basic cost of $119.99 compared to a day at Xcaret (lets say you buy two buffet meals and a drink during the day). You can count on about $155 USD per adult at Xcaret. Entrance price is $99.99 USD For Xcaret.
If you want to book transportation with your tickets, it is the same to both parks. Children ages 5-11 are 50% off the cost of an adult ticket to both parks.
Xplor entrance cost
The entrance cost for an adult is $119.99 USD. Keep in mind this includes all food and drinks during your time at the park. There are no additional cost except if you want the photo package or transportation included.
Xcaret entrance cost
The basic entrance cost for an adult is $99.99 USD. There are several package options that include food, transportation and extras. This amount above is just to give you an idea for comparison between parks.
Since you will be at the park for a good portion of the day you will need to buy food. Most of the restaurant options are buffets. The quality is good but does cost around $25 USD. There are snack bars and a la cart restaurant options that will cost around $10 USD per person for a basic meal.
Family vs adventure
If you are traveling with younger children or older adults, both parks can be fun. There are however age, height and health restrictions for some of the activities at Xplor. The zip lines do require you to be 3.6 Ft tall and between 88-300Ibs. So you might be limited to what you can do at Xplor.
Xcaret is more full family friendly. Most of the activities are walking around, seeing shows, and they even have the children’s world just for kids. There are areas for elderly family members to sit and watch kids play and explore at Xcaret. So if you have a multigenerational family outing, Xcaret park might be best.
If you like more adrenaline ad action, Xplor might be best for you. It is all about zip lining, swimming and adventure.
How about visit both parks for a discount?
If you plan to visit multiple parks it is good to buy your tickets online ahead of time and save! Click the book now link below to save on Xplor and Xcaret Parks.
We hope you enjoyed reading our article about what is better Xplor or Xcaret. If you have any other questions or comments, let us know below. We would love to hear from you.
If you have been debating between Xel Ha and Xcaret park, see our article here that might help you decide.
About The Author
Our family has been torn between which park to visit. Our kids are 14 and 15 so we are leaaning toward Xel ha for now. Thanks for the detailed info on both places.
I often visit the Riviera Maya and have wondered which parks are the best. I have thought about going to Xcaret this year. Thanks for all your articles and videos.
I often visit the Riviera Maya and have been to both parks. I would like to reccomend families with kids under 14 go to Xcaret and Xplor is more for older kids or adults. Both parks are great and have different features.
Thanks for your thoughts Troy.
Thank you for your advice. I took my kids to Xplor and they had a blast! It was perfect for them.
We saw that the Xplor ziplines had a weight limit of 130kg but my partner and I were sent together (combined weight ~150kg), we asked if they were sure and apparently they were. I guess we are heavier than we look as we are athletes. We survived and the ziplines were extra thrilling! Tip – wear shorts rather than bikini bottoms because CHAFING.
Glad you had fun at Xplor. In our video we do mention shorts can be good to wear because the harness wraps around your legs. There will be a new park opening next year that will be even more extreme! So you might have to come back for that.
HOW OLD WERE YOUR KIDS AT THE MOMENT GOING TO XPLR?
We took our boys to explor ages 7, 15, 17 and we all had a blast. Our now 9 yr old is begging to go back to explor.
Was the 7 year old able to do most of the activities Jen??