Top 13 Sian Ka’an Reserve Trips in the Riviera Maya

1.Sian Ka’an Adventure Full Day Trip to Punta Allen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,179 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $254Our pick

Spend about 10 hours exploring Sian Ka'an with guides such as Miguel, Kenya, Lea, or Niko. Ride through mangroves and lagoons, watch for manatees, dolphins, turtles, crocodiles, and birds, snorkel if conditions allow, swim at a sandbank, and eat lunch in Punta Allen.

“This full day adventure was incredible. Our guides, Chris & Lea were warm, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the Sian Ka'an area. They worked hard to ensure we had a fabulous time and learned about the area. We saw incredible wildlife from a manatee, sea turtle, dolphins, and a wide variety of birds and flora in the area. The snacks and lunch were delicious, eco-friendly (no plastic water bottles and home-made incredible bars), Punta Allen was such a lovely and quaint little village. Overall would highly recommend this tour and these fabulous guides. Our van driver and boat driver were also great and got us to all our…”

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2.Tulum Archaeological Site & Sian Ka’an Muyil Tour from Tulum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 824 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $169

Travel by air-conditioned minivan from Tulum to the cliffside ruins, hear Maya history from guides such as Iber, Lea, Alonso, or Paloma, stop for tacos, then boat across Muyil Lagoon and float through shallow mangrove canals in a life vest. Small groups max out at 12.

“Excellent! Iver was one of the best tour guides I have ever had! The lazy river was astonishing and relaxing.”

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3.Rio Secreto Underground River Tour with Crystal Caves

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 798 reviews · 3 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $89Best value

At Rio Secreto near Playa del Carmen, you walk, wade, and swim about one kilometer through a cool underground river beneath stalactites and stalagmites. Guides such as Raul, Miguel, and Diego lead small groups with care. Lunch is included, while transfers, Tulum, Coba, and the Plus activities cost extra.

“An amazing experience! Recommend that you contact them and ensure that pick up locations exact. Overall 5/5 - Drop off was a little slow but we had a great time at the actual excursion. Hindsight, we could have just taken a taxi”

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4.Cancun/Playa del Carmen: Tickets to Rio Secreto and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 521 reviews · 3.5 - 6.5 hours · from $89

At Rio Secreto, a bilingual guide such as Mauricio, Diego, or Omar leads you through 600 meters of underground rivers and caves. You walk and swim in clear water, wear supplied safety gear, and finish with regional Mexican food. Personal cameras are not allowed, so photos cost extra.

“Amazing experience - the cave is magical. Transportation wasn’t great - not proper air con and if you want photos it’s very expensive - $30 each or $135 for all. But I would still recommend it as an experience.”

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5.Sian Ka’an Reserve Ancient Maya Canals Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 453 reviews · 8 hours · from $173

Travel from Riviera Maya hotels to Muyil with a small group of up to 12. Guides such as Manuel, Jenny, Gilberto, and Javi lead boat rides through four lagoons, a 950-meter canal float, wildlife watching, a Pez Maya beach stop, and traditional Maya meals.

“Amazing experience! Our boat driver was awesome too! Big note - bring loads of sun cream for after the floatation as you are our in the sun all day!”

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6.Rio Secreto and Tulum Tour from Cancun or Riviera Maya Hotels

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 429 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Visit Tulum’s cliff-top Mayan ruins, then walk and swim through Rio Secreto’s crystal-clear underground galleries. Hotel pickup, lunch, wetsuits, helmets, towels, lockers, and water are included. Guides such as Diego, Tatiana, Fernando, and Melissa have earned especially warm praise.

“The river caves are a must see! The nonstop picture that they want to sell you afterwards became a bit annoying. But all said and done we really enjoyed ourselves!”

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7.Mayan Ruins & Sian Kaan Tour with Boat Ride and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 423 reviews · 3 - 6 hours · from $169

Visit the Tulum area’s Mayan ruins with guides such as Alondra, Niko, or Lea, eat a Mexican lunch, then cruise between Sian Kaan lagoons and float through clear mangrove canals. Choose the full tour with transfers or the shorter lazy-river option from central Tulum.

“We did the half day tour - choosing to go only to the Sian Ka'an Reserve and float down the canals. Alonzo was our fabulous guide - very friendly, helpful and we heard him speak 4 languages - maybe he knows more. The 'float' was the highlight our our week in Tulum, the water and air temperatures were perfect in the canal. We would highly recommend the tour and ask for Alonzo!”

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8.Rio Secreto Plus: Classic Tour, Bycicle, Rappel & Ziplines

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 365 reviews · 5 hours (approx.)

Spend about five hours at Rio Secreto near Playa del Carmen, combining a guided cave walk and swim with jungle biking, ziplines, and rappelling. Small groups of up to 12 get close guidance from guides such as Gustavo, Alfredo, and Diana. Bring water shoes, a swimsuit, and dry clothes.

“Our guide was amazing. He connected with everyone in our group (there were no more than 10). He was extremely knowledgeable about the caves - both scientific and cultural aspects of the connections to the caves. He focused a lot on the story of the global ecosystem which I appreciated. On the bike ride, our 12 year old took a turn too tight, over corrected and crashed. He got some minor scrapes on hands. Our guide did an excellent job tending to this to ensure it was disinfected. They are great about providing water and safety gear. My only feedback is that I wish there were more places to do…”

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9.Sian Kaan Boat Trip Adventure with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 283 reviews · 10 hours · from $254

Travel from Tulum into Sian Ka’an with guides such as Martin, Miguel, Lea, or Cristina, then explore lagoons, mangroves, reef waters, and Punta Allen by boat. Expect wildlife, a sandbar swim, lunch, and conservation-focused commentary, though wind may cancel snorkeling.

“Well what can I say? the only word is WOW! This trip was the best trip we have done, and we have done so many trips in out time all over the world but this cannot be topped. Our guides were absolutely amazing and full of knowledge. They made our trip feel very safe. We managed to see Crocodiles, Dolphins, Sea Turtle, many species of birds and not forgetting the Manatees. If you skeptical of booking because of the price please don't hesitate as its worth every single penny. Thank you for the most wonderful day.”

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10.Rio Secreto Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 177 reviews · 6.5 - 8 hours · from $119

Travel by air-conditioned van to Rio Secreto, where guides such as José, Melissa, and Memo lead small groups through 600 meters of underground river, rock formations, and clear water. Equipment, towels, showers, lunch, and hotel transport are included. Personal cameras are not allowed.

“Fantastic guide (Mich) and fascinating, unique experience. Well worth it.”

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11.Sian Ka’an Half Day Tour w/ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 54 reviews · 6 hours · from $204

Travel from Tulum in a small group of up to 12 to explore Sian Ka'an by boat. Guides such as Ursula, Marco, Pablo, Macarena, Johnny, Chris, and Martin lead wildlife viewing, reef snorkeling when weather allows, or an open-cenote stop, followed by lunch and hotel drop-off.

“It was a nice Trip. Guide was super. Natur was amazing. Groupsize was perfekt. We saw Manatee and a lot of different Birds. Macarena and Johnny did well.”

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12.Exclusive Rio Secreto and Tulum Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 52 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $179

Spend a full day pairing Tulum’s cliffside ruins with Rio Secreto’s underground river. A Mayan culture and cave specialist leads the group through a 1-kilometer route of walking and swimming, followed by a regional buffet. Groups are limited to 15, with English and Spanish tours available.

“Fernando the guide was amazing, best we have had”

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13.Rio Secreto Nature Reserve: Bicycle, Rappel & Ziplines Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 46 reviews · 5.5 - 9 hours · from $109

Explore Rio Secreto’s underground river in a wetsuit, rappel toward the Mayan underworld, bike through the jungle and ride three ziplines. Guides speak English and Spanish, and staff names may include Mauricio, Diana or Dane. A Mexican buffet follows, but photos cost extra and cameras are banned underground.

“Muy buena la aventura. Recomiendo hacer todas las actividades porque vale la pena. El chofer Manuel, el guía Mauricio y el fotógrafo Patricio fueron muy cálidos en el trato, divertidos y profesionales. Sin ellos la experiencia no hubiera sido la misma. Algo para mejorar es la comida que se ofrece en el lugar ya que tiene poca variedad.”

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