Costa Maya Cruise Port — Mahahual

Private Shore Excursions
to Chacchoben Ruins

Skip the crowded ship tours. Your group, your van, your pace — with a bilingual expert guide.

100% Private Group A/C Transportation 3–16 Guests Instant Confirmation UNESCO Heritage Site
View Tour Options
Private Groups OnlyNo strangers on your tour
Back Before All AboardWe track your ship schedule
100% Paid OnlineNo surprises, no cash required
Secure Stripe PaymentEncrypted · No card stored

Our Tour Options

Choose Your Chacchoben Experience

Both tours depart from the Costa Maya cruise pier in Mahahual. All transportation, entrance fees, and guide included.

Chacchoben Mayan ruins guided tour from Costa Maya CLASSIC ~3 h 40 min

Chacchoben Private
Mayan Experience

Walk through 2,000-year-old Mayan temples with a private bilingual guide. Round-trip AC van, entrance fee, and refreshments included. Perfect for families and first-time visitors.

🚐 AC Van RT 🏛️ Entry Fee 🎙️ Guide 🥤 Beverages 🍿 Snacks
From $109 /person (10–16 guests)
3 guests$159/pp · $477 total
4–5 guests$139/pp
6–9 guests$119/pp
10–16 guests$109/pp
Book This Tour → Full Itinerary
Chacchoben Ultimate tour with ATV and Mayan ruins ULTIMATE ~6 h 30 min

Chacchoben Ultimate
Private Adventure

The full experience: Chacchoben ruins with private guide, an ATV ride through jungle trails, and a sit-down restaurant lunch — all in one full-day private excursion.

🚐 AC Van RT 🏛️ Entry Fee 🎙️ Guide 🏍️ ATV Ride 🍽️ Lunch 🥤 Beverages
From $239 /person (10–16 guests)
3 guests$299/pp · $897 total
4–5 guests$279/pp
6–9 guests$259/pp
10–16 guests$239/pp
Book This Tour → Full Itinerary

Ancient Maya · 2,000 Years of History

Chacchoben: One of the Best-Preserved Mayan Archaeological Sites in the Mexican Caribbean

Hidden deep in the jungle of Quintana Roo, the Chacchoben archaeological site is one of the most significant — and least crowded — ancient Maya cities accessible from a Caribbean cruise port. When you visit with a private guide, you step into a living history lesson most passengers never experience.

The City That Traded Across Mesoamerica

Chacchoben — whose name means "Place of Red Corn" in the Yucatec Maya language — was first occupied around 200 BCE and reached its peak during the Classic Maya period (250–900 CE). At its height, it was a major regional hub with temples, plazas, and residences covering more than 2 square kilometers of jungle.

The city's strategic location allowed it to control trade routes connecting the Caribbean coast with the interior of the Yucatan Peninsula. Merchants passed through Chacchoben carrying jade, obsidian, cacao, and salt — the most valuable commodities of the ancient world.

Temples Frozen in Time

The site features three main ceremonial groups: Gran Basamento, Las Vasijas, and Los Arboles. The Gran Basamento pyramid rises nearly 23 meters above the jungle floor — and unlike more commercial sites, you can still feel the silence around it.

Excavations led by INAH (Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History) beginning in the late 1990s revealed remarkably preserved stucco masks, painted murals, and carved stone reliefs — some still showing traces of their original vivid red pigment that gave the city its name.

Aerial view of Chacchoben Mayan ruins archaeological site Quintana Roo Ancient Mayan stucco mask Chacchoben ruins detail Private bilingual guide explaining Chacchoben Mayan history to tour group
🏛️
Founded
~200 BCE
Occupied for over 1,000 years through the Classic Maya period
📐
Site Area
2+ km²
Three ceremonial groups — Gran Basamento, Las Vasijas, Los Arboles
🔺
Main Pyramid
23 Meters
The Gran Basamento — tallest structure in the site, still partially unexcavated
🚐
From Pier
~60 km
About 50 minutes in a private air-conditioned van from the Costa Maya cruise port
🌿
Setting
Jungle Reserve
Surrounded by protected rainforest — howler monkeys and toucans visit the site

📋 Cancellation Policy

Cancel at least 144 hours (6 full days) before your tour date for a full refund — processed automatically to your card. Cancellations received less than 144 hours before the tour are non-refundable. Manage or cancel your booking anytime at the link in your confirmation email.

Simple Process

How It Works

From booking to boarding — four easy steps.

1
Choose Your TourSelect dates, guests, and tour type above
2
Book & Pay Online100% upfront via Stripe — secure checkout
3
Get ConfirmationBooking reference emailed instantly
4
Meet at the PortWe pick you up outside the Costa Maya pier