• Director Miguel Quintana Pali (in white) with members of FFMC and the National Forest Commission.

    With the idea of a tourism development that would add to the attractions of the region, a group of Mexican entrepreneurs with a very clear vision of the future trajectory of tourism in the State of Quintana Roo purchased the land surrounding Xcaret.

    In 1984, Architect Miguel Quintana Pali, captivated by XCARET’s natural beauty, purchased 5 hectares of this wonderful parcel from the group with the idea of building his dream home. However, when he began to clear the land, he started uncovering cenotes formed by collapsed cave ceilings weakened by 3 million years of erosion. That’s when Quintana began to formulate the idea of a Natural Park open to the public and soon joined forces with Oscar, Marcos and Carlos Constandse to turn this great dream into a reality.

    The park opened in December of 1990. At the same time, they established contact with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in order to restore the Mayan pyramids and buildings found in the site. So, XCARET subsidized all the work and INAH provided a team of experts to supervise restoration. By sponsoring restoration of these pyramids, XCARET is proud to contribute to Mexico and display part of our culture to tourists who come from all over the world to visit the park.



    December 1990




  • Xcaret Plus! Tickets from Cancun, Mexico


  • Picture Top Right
    The endless beauty of Xcaret.
  • Picture Right
    Overview of Xcaret's land.

Xcaret Mexico Eco Park

Nestled amidst the luxuriant rainforests of the Mexican Caribbean and upon the shores of a glittering turquoise sea, lies a place like no other in the world: Xcaret, meaning "small inlet" in Maya, a spectacular eco park in the heart of the Riviera Maya, located 45 minutes from Cancun Mexico and spreading over 200 acres. Discover a new type of endless recreation through its wide range of attractions. The veneration and preservation of the environment, as much as the legacies and cultures of the Maya peoples and Mexico in general, also are of paramount importance to Xcaret. The Eco Park is equally concerned with sensitizing visitors to the imperative need to save the planet, which it does through various interactive activities.

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In addition, Xcaret is supported by Flora, Fauna y Cultura de Mexico, A.C., (FFCM) a non-profit organization that focuses on providing programs for the conservation, protection and rescue of our natural and cultural patrimony. In order to achieve this mission, FFCM is working on a variety of programs, including the protection and conservation of marine turtles, the pink conch, the conservation of community parks programs, and the diffusion of cultural traditions.

The combination of landscape architecture and modern technology is subtly merged into the natural surroundings, offering all the necessary facilities to accommodate the 700,000 people who visit annually while simultaneously protecting the delicate ecosystems.

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Awards:

  • 1997 Municipal Ecology Award (from Solidaridad County)
  • 1998 Winners of the First National Competition on Educational Materials for Environmental Education. Category: Materials for Informal Education, with the project entitled "TORTUGUEANDO" [Turtling].
  • 1998 Winner of the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Reader's Award.
  • 2002 Winner of the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Highly Commended Award in the category of Large Scale Tourism.
  • 2003 Certification as a Socially Responsible Business granted by Mexico's Ministry of the Economics and Finances (CEMEFI.)
  • 2003 Certification as one of the Best Companies to Work in Mexico by Great Place to Work® Institute.

XCaret has continually made an impression on those who visit because of its natural, breathtaking beauty, and its array of activities. This gem of the Caribbean is continuously attracting visitors, especially nature and history lovers whose dream is to explore and revel in the splendor of Mexico.

Traveler Reviews on the Web

"This is a wonderful place to visit -- you don't want to miss X-Caret!

Berky_review "It is an eco-park where you will find a lot of fauna. The nice thing about this place is the many underground rivers, which are totally safe even for little children (with parents). You pay for your ticket and you have access to most of the activities there. They have snorkeling and something called snuba, which is like diving, but you breathe through a hose and you go walking under the sea. They have bat caves and a very brief play at night about Mexican history -- you must watch it! They have little plays and pre-Hispanic dances all around the park, plus a horse show of the charrería mexicana. You will find a tulip park and the beach there is beautiful. The underground rivers are so cool -- they provide you with a life jacket and you swim along the river. They have several entries and exits and it is not deep at all plus there is no way of getting lost in there. Lrico_review2 They have raccoons, birds, a butterfly sanctuary, and a little museum for children about how butterflies live.

"It is a huge park so it would be recommended if you are traveling with your family to bring radios to communicate to each other so everyone can enjoy what they want. A great place to visit!"

by LRico on Reviews of XCaret by IgoUgo.com

 

The Evening Show

"The evening show at Xcaret is not to be missed. It does make for a long day, but since the entertainment is included with the entrance fee, you may as well enjoy it...Lrico_review1

"As we went through the entry gate, we were all given a candle in a paper holder. Shortly before the show was to start, one of the hosts lit the candle of each person closest to the aisle. It was truly an experience of sharing as the flame progressed along each row, and it was also one of wonderment and beauty as the sparks of light pierced the night sky.

"The show began with the demonstration of two games played by the people of the area long ago. Epass_review One was played by hitting a soccer-type ball with one’s hip; the other involved a ball on fire and a lacrosse-type of stick. Following that there was a history of Mexico set to dance and song, and it was absolutely spectacular—not to be missed."

by berky on Reviews of Xcaret by IgoUgo.com

 

Cave Snorkeling

"Well, as if Cancun isn't enough to see, they just have to continue offering amazing things to see. Ever looked at yourself and said, "Why don't I ever get a chance to snorkel/swim through caves?" - Well, that's because you haven't gone here!

Berky_review2"First, I'll admit, I don't swim in open waters as I've already lost two relatives that way, but when I saw a 5-year-old boy jump in the water like it was his bathtub, I said, I'm not going to let this kid punk me! So, with my life vest and my wife we snorkeled/swam for a good distance (about maybe two miles?), through the caves and into the woods (kidding on the 'woods' part). But I had an awesome time. My wife doesn't know how to swim and she was taken away (no pun intended). Amazing to see the fishes just pass below you and brush side you (the daring fishes :-) ) There's so much to write but I don't want to give everything away, so I'll let you be surprised."

by EPass on Reviews of XCaret by IgoUgo.com

 

"I had heard about swimming in the underground river and was very anxious to do so. Lifejackets were arranged by size, and there were plenty of personnel to help you—they were mandatory...

"Because there was a current, you could drift slowly along, but most people chose to swim. At the entryway and at several points along the river, there were markers indicating how far it was until the next debarkation point and how many meters until the end...

by Berky on Reviews of XCaret by IgoUgo.com

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