Honest Xichen Deluxe Tour Review: Why I Don’t Recommend It

Are you interested in the Xichen Xcaret tour and wondering if it’s worth it? You’re in the right place!

I’ve visited all of the Grupo Xcaret parks and tours, and Xichen is one of their most popular day trips.

This guided excursion takes you to Chichen Itza along with a visit to a cenote and the colonial town of Valladolid.

In this honest Xichen Deluxe Tour review, I’ll share exactly what the tour is like, what’s included, the pros and cons, and why I personally wouldn’t recommend it.

Let me start by saying that I’m a huge fan of the Xcaret parks and tours. I’ve been to all of the Xcaret parks and have always had a great time.

So naturally, I was excited to try the Xichen Deluxe tour and get to experience the Xcaret quality and service at the world-famous Chichen Itza archaeological site.

But unfortunately, my experience with the Xichen tour was not as great as I had hoped.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a terrible tour by any means, but there is one major downside that makes it hard for me to recommend.

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The reason I can’t recommend the Xichen tour is that the transportation situation is kind of a nightmare.

If you’re coming from Playa del Carmen, it will take you about 4.5 hours each way to get to Chichen Itza, and they shuffle you around to different buses and stops before you finally get on the bus that takes you to Chichen Itza.

Considering the direct distance from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza is only about 2 hours, this is a huge waste of time.

Now, once you actually get to Chichen Itza, the tour itself is great. You get to explore the ruins and learn about the UNESCO World Heritage Site from a knowledgeable guide.

Then you visit an incredible cenote, have a fantastic lunch, and get to explore the quaint colonial town of Valladolid.

Other than the transportation, it was very well-organized, the quality and service was top-notch, and I enjoyed every aspect of the tour once we got to Chichen Itza.

Honestly, I don’t think the Xichen tour is worth it if you’re staying in Playa del Carmen or Riviera Maya just because the transportation time is extremely excessive.

Instead, I would recommend booking another group Chichen Itza tour like this one that leaves directly from Playa del Carmen.

That tour has a similar itinerary and while it’s still a long day, you won’t have the added inconvenience of excessive transportation time. And it’s a lot cheaper too!

However, if you’re not bothered by long bus rides or are staying at a hotel closer to the pickup point, then the tour itself was really good and worth considering.

Prefer video? Check out my Xichen video review!

I was picked up in downtown Playa del Carmen at 6:45am.

From there, we went to another meeting point in Playa del Carmen and waited for about 30 minutes to pick more people up.

Now most of these people weren’t even going on the Xichen tour, they were going to other Xcaret parks.

From there, they transferred us all to a transportation center at Xel-Ha Park, which is about 40 minutes south of Playa del Carmen.

From there, we had to get off the bus and re-group to get on another bus for Xichen.

This added another 50 minutes and we had to wait around at the transportation center before we could even board the bus.

Once we finally got on the Xichen bus, we didn’t leave the transportation center for Chichen Itza until around 8:45am.

So why did I get picked up so early again??

By this point I was starving when they finally handed out the breakfast at 9:15am, and settled into the 2 hour ride to Chichen Itza.

Despite my not-so-great experience with the transportation, I do think that the Xichen tour could be a good fit for some people.

If you’re staying in Tulum or at a hotel that’s closer to Xel-Ha, then the transportation time won’t be as extensive, making this tour more manageable.

Also, if you’re staying at one of the Xcaret hotels like Hotel Xcaret Mexico, Hotel Xcaret Arte, or La Casa de la Playa, I believe the tour is highly discounted for hotel guests, so in that case, it would be worth it.

But if you’re staying in Playa del Carmen or Riviera Maya, I would recommend exploring other tour options like this one to visit Chichen Itza.

Here’s a breakdown of the itinerary for the Xichen tour:

• 6:45am – Pick up in downtown Playa del Carmen
• 7:15am – Transfer to another meeting point in Playa del Carmen
• 8:00am – Arrive at Xel-Ha transportation center
• 8:45am – Board bus to Chichen Itza
• 9:15am – Breakfast on board the bus
• 10:20am (time change) – Arrival at Chichen Itza
• 10:45am – Begin Chichen Itza guided tour
• 12:30pm – Leave Chichen Itza
• 1:00pm – Cenote swim
• 3:20pm – Lunch at La Casona de Valladolid restaurant
• 4:00pm – Explore Valladolid
• 4:30pm – Depart for return journey
• 7:45pm (time change) – Arrive at Xel-Ha transportation center and change bus
• 8:30pm – Arrival back in Playa del Carmen

🕘 Note: There’s a time change from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza, so your clock will set back 1 hour when you arrive at Chichen Itza.

As I mentioned earlier, the Xichen tour is not all bad.

There are still a lot of highlights that I want to share with you so you can decide for yourself if it’s worth it.

Once you arrive to Chichen Itza, you’re given a reusable water bottle with a strap, as well as an umbrella.

This is a nice touch, which I haven’t seen on other tours, because it can get extremely hot and sunny at Chichen Itza.

You’re also given a headset, which is connected to your tour guide’s microphone, so you can hear them clearly throughout the tour.

The guided tour is about 1 hour long and takes you through the main ruins of Chichen Itza, including the main Kukulkan pyramid, the Temple of the Warriors, and the Great Ball Court.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and shared interesting facts and stories about Chichen Itza and the Mayan culture.

Even though I had been to Chichen Itza before, I still learned new things and appreciated having a guide to explain everything.

After the guided part of the tour, you have about 45 minutes of free time to keep exploring the ruins on your own and take pictures.

After touring Chichen Itza, you’ll get back on the bus and make your way to a cenote for a refreshing swim.

On my tour, we visited Tsukan Cenote, but I don’t think that’s always the case.

Once you arrive, you’ll be given a life jacket and are required to shower before entering. There are also lockers available for an extra charge.

Once you’re ready, you’ll head down the stairs to the cenote and can take a dip in the cool, crystal clear water.

It’s a massive cenote that’s incredibly deep with a hole in the ceiling and gorgeous cascading greenery.

There aren’t any jumping platforms or rope swings but you can jump from the floating platform in the middle of the cenote.

After swimming in the cenote, there are changing rooms where you can dry off before getting back on the bus.

From the cenote, you’ll head to La Casona de Valladolid, a beautifully decorated restaurant in downtown Valladolid.

It’s an extensive buffet with a variety of options, including traditional Mexican dishes, salads, soups, and desserts.

There’s also American options available like burgers, hot dogs, and pizza.

I was actually really surprised at how good the food was here.

Most of the Xcaret buffets are just kind of average but this one was delicious!

After lunch, you’ll have about 30 minutes to explore the charming town of Valladolid.

The main square is just a couple of blocks away from the restaurant, where you can see the beautiful cathedral and take pictures.

There are also several stalls around the square where you can buy souvenirs and local street food. Make sure to enjoy them in the traditional “confidant” chairs that are unique to the Yucatan!

Afterwards, you’ll get back on the bus and head back to the Xel-Ha transportation center for the final leg of the journey.

Here are a couple of alternative tours that I would recommend instead of the Xichen tour:

• Group Tour: I’ve personally been on this Chichen Itza tour from Playa del Carmen and had a great experience. Now to be honest, there is a bit of bit of bus shuffling at the start of the tour but you leave directly from Playa del Carmen so it’s less of a hassle. You can read my full Chichen Itza tour review for all the details.

• Private Tour: If you’re looking for a more personalized experience, I would highly recommend booking a private tour to Chichen Itza. You can customize your itinerary, have direct and private transportation, and have your own personal guide who can answer all of your questions. It may be a bit pricier than group tours but it’s definitely worth it for the convenience and flexibility. You can also check out more of my recommendations for private Chichen Itza tours.

I personally went on the Xichen Deluxe tour but there is also a cheaper option called the Xichen Classic tour.

Here’s what’s included in the tours:

• Xichen Classic: Includes Chichen Itza tour, swimming at a cenote, buffet meal at the cenote restaurant, visit to Valladolid

• Xichen Deluxe: Includes breakfast on bus, Chichen Itza tour with audioguide headset, swimming at a cenote, buffet meal at La Casona de Valladolid Restaurant, visit to Valladolid, beers and drinks on bus

The main difference between Xichen Classic and Xichen Deluxe is the food.

The Xichen Deluxe tour includes a more extensive buffet at La Casona de Valladolid, as well as breakfast, beers, and drinks on the bus, while the Xichen Classic tour just includes a buffet meal at the cenote.

If you do decide to go on the Xichen tour, follow these tips to make the most of your experience:

• Be prepared for a a long day: The tour is over 12 hours long from start to finish, so be prepared for long bus rides and multiple transfers.

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Xichen tour:

So is the Xichen tour worth it? I think it really depends on your preferences and location.

If you’re staying closer to Tulum or at an Xcaret hotel, then I would say it’s worth considering.

But if you’re staying in Playa del Carmen or Riviera Maya, there are other tour options like this one that are cheaper and more convenient.

Overall, I did enjoy my day on the Xichen Deluxe tour and thought it was well-organized with knowledgeable guides and beautiful locations.

Just make sure to keep in mind the transportation situation and be prepared for a long day if you do choose to go on the Xichen tour.

It’s not terrible by any means, but just be aware of the potential inconvenience!