Tulum ruins, Snorkeling in Cenote and Coral Reef Private Tour
The private Tulum Snorkeling Tour will not disappoint you, it is one of the top of the line excursion. This tour combines one of the best ruin sites on the Caribbean Coast and two different snorkeling experiences. Our guides absolutely love taking patrons on this tour because the smiles on customers’ faces never stop growing.
You’ll begin with private transportation from your hotel at 7:00AM. Trust us, you’ll want to beat the crowds and the heat to Tulum. Because we provide private transportation, you will not be bothered by picking up other guests along the way. This allows you to make the most of your Tulum experience, complete with a private archaeological guide showing you the ins and outs of the site. Our staff has mapped out the perfect hours of the day in which to visit Tulum to maximize your time there.
After Tulum, you’ll hop on a boat for a one-hour tour complete with snorkeling on the 2nd biggest reef in the world. There’s a chance you may see sea turtles, but we can’t guarantee this as sometimes they are shy to the crowd. Also, you’ll be able to get another great view of the ruins and two additional hidden temples. You will be engaged in the same views the original Mayan settlers had when they colonized the area. Can’t get more historical that than!
We’ll stop for an authentic lunch in the jungle and then head to the cenote where you will be able to calmly snorkel with your guide. Your guide will be there every flip of the fin to point out unique sights underwater. The cenote houses amazing rock formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, but also wildlife (bats, small fishes, MotMot bird…)!
Finally, we’ll have you back to your hotel by 4:00PM. Just like that, you would have experienced one of the best excursions this area has to offer.
Itinerary
Our tours are scheduled at the best hours to avoid high traffic and heat on the sites.
07:00am: Private transportation from your hotel to Tulum
08:00am – 10:00am: Visit of Tulum ruins
10:00am – 10:15am: Transportation
10:15am – 11:30am: Reef Snorkeling in Tulum
11:30am – 12:00pm: Transportation
12:00pm – 01:00pm: Lunch in a restaurant
01:00pm – 02:00pm: Snorkeling in cenote
02:00pm – 03:00pm: Transportation to your hotel
Itinerary is based on a departure from Playa del Carmen.
Pick up time is recommended time to avoid the crowds. We can leave later if you want to.
This tour doesn’t include Tulum centro/Tulum beach-hotel areas. Only Tulum Mayan ruins.
What to bring
- Beach Towels
- Swimsuit (We recommend wearing it in the morning and feel free to change after snorkeling activities)
- Comfortable shoes for the ruins (We recommend tennis shoes)
- Flip flops or sandals for water activities (Water shoes are optional but can be worn for added comfort)
- Hat and sunglasses
- Sunscreen and we recommend wearing a rash-guard/UV-Shirt for water activities*
- Mosquito repellent*
- Cash (for tour payment, tips, souvenirs…)
- Camera/Underwater camera/Waterproof case for your phone
- Ruins: In case you bring a go pro camera, a video camera or a phone with a selfie stick, there is a 50 pesos (less than 3USD) per device charged at the entrance of each archeological site, to be paid in pesos (INAH tax) – Drones and Tripods for video/cameras are forbidden.
* It is forbidden to apply sunblock and repellent before swimming or snorkeling activities to prevent water pollution in the cenotes and preserve the reefs, even if they are biodegradable products. Compliance with this rule is essential for the protection of the environment.
You can bring personal belongings you require during the tour (phone, camera, extra set of clothes…). While you are visiting or snorkeling you can leave the things you don’t need in the van. Our driver will always be in the van, so keeping your things safe!
Jon –
We spent two amazing days with Dulce from Absolute Adventure. She led our tours to the Tulum ruins followed by reef snorkeling and a cenote visit, as well as to the Coba ruins and two cenotes. Dulce shared her wealth of knowledge of the Mayan history and traditions at the ruins, and joined as we snorkeled with turtles and rays on the reef and ziplined and jumped from various platforms at the cenotes. We always had the cenotes to ourselves and beat the crowds at the ruins. I’m not sure who enjoyed the tours more – my wife and I or our 13 and 9 year old sons! Our drivers Carlos and Omar were always there with water, snorkel gear, and welcoming smiles. We enjoyed the tours so much we are heading out on a third one with Absolute Adventure on the same trip. Claire and the entire team have been so helpful and amazing to work with and immediately responsive. If you are planning a tour around Tulum, you don’t need to look any further. This is a wonderful team.
Jon –
We spent two amazing days with Dulce from Absolute Adventure. She led our tours to the Tulum ruins followed by reef snorkeling and a cenote visit, as well as to the Coba ruins and two cenotes. Dulce shared her wealth of knowledge of the Mayan history and traditions at the ruins, and joined as we snorkeled with turtles and rays on the reef and ziplined and jumped from various platforms at the cenotes. We always had the cenotes to ourselves and beat the crowds at the ruins. I’m not sure who enjoyed the tours more – my wife and I or our 13 and 9 year old sons! Our drivers Carlos and Omar were always there with water, snorkel gear, and welcoming smiles. We enjoyed the tours so much we are heading out on a third one with Absolute Adventure on the same trip. Claire and the entire team have been so helpful and amazing to work with and immediately responsive. If you are planning a tour around Tulum, you don’t need to look any further. This is a wonderful team.
Amanda –
We had such a great time on our Tulum-Reef-Cenotes tour. As a family of 5 with kids aged 12, 10, & 6, I wasn’t sure everyone would be happy with this one and only excursion I signed up for…turns out we all loved it! Such a gift that each tour is private, so there is flexibility to make sure you do what’s best for your group. Thanks, Dulce!
Michael –
The highlight of my vacation! We had a great time with our tour guide Dulce and our driver Omar. Dulce’s knowledge of the Tulum ruins and Mayan history made for an unforgettable tour. We opted to snorkel at the coral reef, instead of with the turtles, and saw a wide variety of sea life. The cenote we visited was in an underground cavern and, once again, Dulce’s insight into the history and significance of the cenotes in the area really enhanced our experience. I would absolutely recommend using this company to anyone planning a vacation in the area, and I look forward to using them again in the future!
Michelle –
Our guides Dulce and Arturo were fantastic. Great mix of history and local knowledge. Kept us engaged. Cenote was very nice and refreshing. Arturo was awesome! Very courteous and caring. Would totally recommend! Go Cowboys!
Joseph –
Carlos was our driver and Dulce was our guide. They were both excellent. Carlos is an experienced driver and treated us well the whole tour never forgetting to offer us refreshments or helping us with our snorkel gear. Dulce is incredibly knowledgeable about the Mayans, she educated us about the history of Tulum and the Mayan pantheon. After our tour of Tulum, we went snorkeling on the reef just outside the ruins. It was gorgeous and a lot of fun. Then we went to a cenote which was a one of a kind experience followed by lunch and a local Mayan owned restaurant that served us the best meal we’ve had so far on our trip. Would highly recommend this company to friends and family and would definitely book again for myself.
Todd –
the driver Carlos and the guide Dulce was fantastic! She was so informative and pleasant, we are booking another tour next time we come back in 3 months.
Magnet5176 –
Awesome day
Great day with JJ and Rodrigo, super easy with two cranky twelve year olds who loved it! Did a tour of ruins, snorkeling at the coral reef and cenote swimming! Best time ever!
Kathy H –
Just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed our tour Wednesday, and really appreciated Juan and Josue making it a success with their efforts. We learned so much from Juan at Tulum and thoroughly enjoyed our conversations with him. He and Josue helped us feel safe and taken care of throughout. We both especially enjoyed seeing the unique cenote. Thanks again to you and to them. Blessings, Kathy
Liezel and Marco (verified owner) –
Today we had a wonderful tour with Chris (german speaking) it was not just about how the Temple looks like but also the history of it. He explained everything what we need to know like about the cenote and the temples. The van was very spacious and comfy. The food at the local restaurant was very delicious. We will definitely do our Mexico trip with Absolute adventure Mexico again.
Casey –
We had a great time with the Absolute Adventure crew today, between snorkeling at the reef in Tulum and exploring one of the cenotes.
The guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to work with! They were also careful to take all appropriate health and safety precautions. We would definitely recommend them to anybody in the area.
JP –
Our family of 10 spent the day with Chris and his team at Absolute Adventure Mexico today! We had a wonderful time, and our adult children’s are still raving about how much fun they had!
I booked a tour online, and almost immediately Claire started emailing me back and forth to confirm details for our day. We had selected visiting Tulum, reef snorkeling and visiting a cenote. Claire let me know right away that Tulum was closed due to Covid 19 to all visitors, so she adjusted the price.
We were picked up promptly at 8:30 a.m. at our rented home. We drove into Tulum and they took us by boat along the coast so we could see the Tulum ruins from the water side, and they were beautiful! Then off to the reef for snorkeling, which included beautiful fish and a sting ray! From snorkeling we had a wonderful lunch where we could order off the menu and then off to a closed cenote. The water was cool, and the caves amazing!
There are multiple reasons I highly recommend Absolute Adventure Mexico: 1) They were extremely responsive and professional 2) Our group of 10 had a completely private tour from start to finish, including great narratives from our tour guides and drivers 3) We did not feel rushed and we were completely relaxed 4) They adhered to all safely measures during Covid by taking our temperature, wearing masks, using hand sanitizing, etc. 5) The drivers were courteous and the vans clean 6) Cold drinks (soda, water, beer) were provided in the vans.
Don’t book an overcrowded tourist tour. Look no further! Absolute Adventure Mexico’s tour will be the talk of your trip!!
Stephan –
We were picked up on time from our hotel. A great day out! The visit of Tulum was very interesting and the snorkelling sites are lovely with clear water and they provided life jackets. Lunch was great. It was a full-on day but a great way to see lot! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Savannah –
We took a tour of the Tulum Ruins, snorkeled on a reef, and snorkeled in a cenote. Chris was our guide and he was amazing! He was so friendly and gave us such interesting information on the city and the history. We had such a great experience, and they made everything so easy! I 100% recommend booking with them.
Shirley –
Claire and Chris were very easy to work with. We booked the tour to Tulum, snorkeling at reef and snorkeling cenote and our guide took care of everything. Claire was easy to work with. We would go for another tour in a heartbeat.
Mike –
We set out for the private tour to Tulum ruins with the reefs and a cenote. We started visiting Tulum ruins right after the opening. We enjoyed the view for a while and our guide Juan explained us a lot about the ruins. Snorkeling was amazing, we encountered many different fishes and turtles in the reef. The cenote was very peaceful and relaxing. Everything was perfect.
Teresa –
We chose Absolute Adventure to do a private tour of the Tulum ruins with two snorkeling trips, one to the reefs below the Tulum ruins and another to the cenote Tak Be Ha. Our tour guide, Juan, brought us to the Tulum ruins right after it opened, and we had about an hour to ourselves and our own Tulum guide before the tour buses rolled in. Our snorkeling trip to the reef was great — our snorkeling guide and Juan pointed out different types of coral and sea creatures (including a hawksbill turtle and a ray) while making sure we were safe on the reef. The final stop was to cenote Tak Be Ha, where we were the only people snorkeling around the cenote. We appreciated the fact that we were taken to a cenote that was not overcrowded. At the end of our trip, we were taken to a restaurant near Tak Be Ha, where the food was very good, and then we were driven back to our hotel.
Absolute Adventure offers a variety of tours, customizable to your interests. They are a little more pricey compared to package tours, but for the price you get a much better quality experience (and the more people in your group, the more affordable it is). We think they are worth the price and would certainly book with them again.
Tijana –
We did the Tulum / cenote / reed with Juan as our private guide. First, we went to Tulum followed by snorkeling in the reef, and ended with a cenote swim. It was well planned and Juan made everything easy. We had a great day, the experience was personalized.
Jay –
The staff was amazing and the van was confortable and full of drinks. We started with Tulum ruins. Our guide was knwoledgable and we spent lot taking pictures there. Reef and cenote were incredible. Our guide had wetsuits for us in the van and we enjoyed the cenote how much time we wanted!We had a great traditional lunch in a small restaurant in the jungle before driving bakc to the hotel. Would definitly hire AAM again!
Melissa –
We set out for our first Tulum adventure with Juan-Jose as a guide and it was a wonderful experience. We toured the ruins of Tulum to start, followed by snorkeling in the reef, and ended with a swim in a lesser known (and lesser crowded) cenote and lunch. It sounds like a lot packed into one day, but the pace was well-planned and JJ’s knowledge of the landscape made the experience unique. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who is looking for a more bespoke and personalized tour – you will not regret it. I can’t say enough about Juan-Jose; he made an already fabulous tour just amazing.