Discover the remote UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka'an on a full-day trip from Tulum. Your guide points out the protected area’s immense biodiversity, including coastal and mangrove habitat teeming with marine life. Search for elusive manatees at Boca Paila Lagoon, snorkel on the Mesoamerican reef (weather-permitting) and find nesting birds at Ascension Bay. Boat ride with lunch and free time in Punta Allen is included.

Sian Ka'an day trip from Tulum
Enjoy a Caribbean lunch in Punta Allen
Hotel pickup and drop-off included
Small-group tour ensures personalized attention

What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Tulum (revise confirmation email for pick up time)
Local guide
Boat with snorkeling equipment
Fruits, water and snacks
Lunch
The use of life vest is mandatory in all boat tours (provided by Mexico Kan Tours)

Extra Transportation Fees (North of Tulum)
+$10USD per person extra for pick-ups between Conrad Tulum by Hilton and Puerto Aventuras.
+$20USD per person extra for pick-ups between Puerto Aventuras and Paradisus Playa del Carmen.
+$30USD per person extra for pick-ups between Sandos Caracol PDC and Iberostar Gran Paraíso.
+$40USD per person extra for pick-ups between Playa Maroma (Vidanta) and Cancun Airport Area.
+$45USD per person extra for pick-ups between Cancun Airport Area and Cancun Downtown.
Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Tulum Tours - Mexico Kan Tours - Eco Tours Riviera Maya
Avenida Tulum S/N. Entre Orion y, C. Centauro Sur, Tulum Centro, Centro, 77760 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

07:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

If you do not find your hotel/apartment in the list, please enter your own pick up location. The exact pick up time will be confirmed to you once you have provided us with the pick up location. Please revise confirmation email from Mexico Kan Tours to know your exact Pick Up Time and not the automatic confirmation as it will depend on your accommodation’s localization. Pick up and Drop off within the immediate Tulum area is included in the price, additional price applies for areas outside of Tulum. Ask us a quote for extra Transportation Fees (North of Tulum).

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Don't Forget to Bring:
Towel.
Bathing Suit.
Comfortable Shoes.
Extra T-Shirt.
Hat.
Sun glasses.
Camera.
Cash (Most of the local vendors only accept cash).
Only if necessary: Bio degradable Sun Screen & Bio Degradable Mosquito Repellent.

A maximum of 6 people per booking.
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide.
Not recommended for pregnant women.
Snorkeling is subject to weather conditions.
Minimum age is 5 years.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Not wheelchair accessible
Necessary COVID-19 prevention measures are implemented during the tour (50% capacity, Antibactial gel available and facemasks complusory, sanitization of vehicles and equipment, safe distance between all participants, groups from 2 to 6 people maximum, private tour possible)
If you present any of the following symptoms (fever, dry cough, tiredness, headaches, aches and pains), please refrain from joining the tour, contact us as soon as possible and look for medical assistance
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Eleonora_B

Absolutely loved it, an highly recommend for wildlife watching (turtles, sharks, crocodiles, and many more!) and chilling and snorkeling in pristine waters on your own. Our guide Luigi was very informative and helpful, giving us even recommendations for the rest of our holiday in Mexico!

Reviews

5.0

659 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 659 reviews

Highly recommended!

Eleonora_B, May 2023

Would definitely recommend!

Katie_V, May 2023

I have already recommended this to my friends also staying in Mexico. Amazing day out- well worth the money. It was a 13 hour day including transfers (from Playacar with some traffic) but we had nowhere else to be so was no biggie. Transfers were great. Our tour guide Maca was very knowledgeable and funny, she also spoke and sang in very good English. Very entertaining and enthusiastic. We loved that the tour only held 6 people, it meant that it was very personalised. They provided us with bananas and locally made seeded bars. This was a very nice touch. We took our own biscuits just incase but didn’t need them! We could keep our bag with us the whole time so we could have access to all of our things all day. It’s a great day out if you just want to chill and do nothing. Spending a day in a speedboat was a brilliant way to see the wildlife in Mexico. There are no toilets on the speed boat but there are facilities before and after the boat trip, and before and after transfers. We saw a croc, manatees, dolphins, blue crab and a turtle. The food on the island was amazing. We were given half an hour to see the island after lunch but we chose not to go for a walk around because it was too hot. There is minimal walking involved in this trip, which is ideal if you just want a chill day out. We snorkelled the reef and was given the opportunity to have a swim which was a nice way to cool down. We didn’t feel reassured that the snorkel mouth pieces were cleaned between use- So I’d recommend taking your own if you have one. The boat is cool when it is moving, however you can really feel the sun when it is stationary. This isn’t often, but I would definitely recommend wearing long sleeved UV protection for the boat. Although there is shade on the boat, it depended on the angle of the sun. I wouldn’t recommend sitting in the front seats of the boat as they were in the sun most! We used towels to cover up to avoid getting burnt. It seemed almost pointless wearing nature friendly sun cream when the amount of litter across Mexico was devastating to see. Unfortunately we also seen a baby dolphin on the tour with a rope around its neck. Mexico is beautiful but I have never known a place so dirty. Maca reported the baby dolphin in the hope the locals could do something about this. I’d also say I’m not sure why the tour mentions a ride down a bumpy track.. it’s just a track which is part of the transfer.. the main event really is the afternoon out on the boat sightseeing and dinner. The bumpy track is just like any country road in England- really not worth mentioning. But overall, we loved this day trip. big shout out to our captain Hymen, tour guide Maca, and our transfers. Well worth the Money and the full day out was so worth it.

Amazing adventure!

Sai_K, May 2023

Just absolutely amazing. It was the best thing I did in Tulum and I’d do it again in a heart beat. The guides are awesome and very informative.

Response from Host, May 2023

We will be really happy to welcome again in Tulum for a next adventure! Thanks for your contagious energy the whole day! See you.

Unforgettable Sian Ka’an adventure!

Wiktoria_B, May 2023

Thomas was an excellent guide, able to speak fluently in english, spanish and french therefore being able to communicate effectively with our multi-national group. We learnt a lot about the biosphere from him. He clearly cares deeply for the environment and the animals that live there. Our captain Casper was also fantastic, able to manoeuvre the boat with ease as well as spot manatees, dolphins and turtles from a distance. Unfortunately we weren’t able to go snorkelling by the reef as it was too rough but Thomas had a contingency plan to go to a beautiful cenote after the tour that was quiet and had crystal clear waters. Lunch at Punta Allen was also a major highlight of ours. It is a small, authentic fishing village that sits between the sea and the lagoon. We had lunch by the seafront, and got the fish fillet with garlic, which might have been the best seafood we have ever had. We cannot recommend this tour enough!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for joining us in the beautiful adventure in Sian Ka'an. We are happy to see that your guide was taking care about you and gave his best to give you a wonderful experience even it wasn't posible to reach the snorkeling spot due to the bad weathers conditions. It will be a pleasure to host you again.

Niko, Nikita, Gaspard and Dolphins!

Jun_O, May 2023

I took this wonderful tour of Sian Ka’ an and it was an excellent experience of Tulum’s natural beauty. In addition to animals and plants, we also got to swim in the ocean and visit a beautiful cenote which is a water hole. What made it great I think were the guides: Niko, Nikita, and boat captain Gaspard. They were professional but fun and knowledgeable. Niko and Nikita are quintessential Tulum people with their laid back fun loving personalities. Highly recommend this team!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for letting us a nice comment! We are glad that you had a wonderful experience in Sian Ka'an spotting animals and learning about the ecology of the protect area. Take care.

Amazing

fabien_t, Apr 2023

Amazing tour with Nikita as our guide. The reserve is magical. We saw birds, dolphins, crocodiles, turtles, many fishes. We cruised through the mangrove, went to the open Caribbean sea. Amazing!

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Hello Fabien, Amazing that the boat trip expected your expectations and you could seen a large diversity of animals and ecosystems in one place. Come back to see us!

Once in a lifetime experience

Anshana_S, Mar 2023

What a great experience! Martín and Nikita were wonderful guides who made sure that we have a great time exploring the Sian Ka‘an Reserve. We saw many animals: crocodiles, manatees, dolphins, turtles and many different birds. Unfortunately the weather didn’t allow snorkeling at the reef, so we went to a cenote instead. Whoever is in the Tulum area, should definitely do this tour.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you for trusting us to explore the biosphere of Sian Ka'an looking for animals as crocodiles, manatees, dolphins, turtles and birds. We are happy that despite of the weather conditions you could swim in a cenote instead of snorkeling. Have a safe trip.

A Must Do for Nature Lovers

Mark_S, Mar 2023

If you enjoy nature, this adventure is for you! My daughter and I had an amazing day out on the boat touring Sian Ka'an. We saw way more animals from the boat than we expected, including multiple manatees, many dolphins, countless birds and a few crocodiles. I recommend a pair of polarized sun glasses to view under the surface of the water. The snorkeling at the off shore reef was beautiful. We were the only group there and saw many turtles, sharks, rays and a ton of beautiful fish. Our guide Nikita was a fountain of knowledge about the wildlife and Sian Ka'an. I highly recommend this tour operator Mexico Kan Tours. We took 2 of tours with them and they were much better than other operators we used. Their guides were much more knowledgeable and tour groups smaller than others.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Hello Mark, Thank you for this great feedback! Amazing that you've seen a lot of wildlife and you could spot them in their natural habitat without disturbing them. Don't forget to keep traveling with intention!

Great tour of coastal beauty!

Alyssa_L, Feb 2023

This trip was incredible! Our guide, Thomas, was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wildlife and the area. We saw several types of birds, dolphins, crocodiles, and sea turtles. The weather was favorable, so we were able to snorkel on the reef and swim in a natural pool by the shoreline. This adventure is a must!

Response from Host, Feb 2023

Hello Alyssa, Thank you for choosing us to explore the beautiful coast of the Caribbean Sea and you could be able to swim in observing sea turtles, corals... Join us fr a next trip.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Cool trip; highly recommend

Jen_S, Feb 2023

Marco and Nikita were amazing guides who were very knowledgable about Sian Ka’an and the various wildlife within. Top priority was given to respecting the animals. Sea Lion, our boat captain, was top notch and safely took us to all the places in order to view the manatees, dolphins, turtles, crocodiles, and various birds.

Response from Host, Feb 2023

Hello Jen, It's great that with the help of your captain you could see manatees, dolphins, turtles, crocodiles and birds in their natural habitat just observing them to respect them carefully.

Wonderful experience

Kimberly_O, Jan 2023

Nico was a great guide. He was very knowledgeable and I felt very safe on the tour. It was a highlight of our vacation.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Hi Kimberly, Nice to hear you felt very confortable during the tour and your guide made his possible to enjoy the experience at 100%. Thank you for your comment, and we will be happy to host you again.

Incredible Tour

Daniel_B, Jan 2023

A full day of beautiful weather and amazing experiences. There is never a dull moment on this tour. The guides are a well spring of knowledge and they truly care about preserving the biosphere.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Hello Daniel, Thank you for leaving us a review! We are so happy that you didn't feel any dull moment in the Sian Ka'an adventure and you share our insight for the preservation of the nature learning about the reserve. See you!

Incredible day of wildlife spotting

Madelaine_S, Dec 2022

WHAT a tour this was. Firstly our guide and boat captain were both amazing, incredibly knowledgeable and quite evidently passionate about wildlife and conservation which made the trip even better. The tour itself is incredible. The mangroves were insanely beautiful, and the merge into the Caribbean Sea just breathtaking. We were very very lucky to see everything the biosphere has to offer; manatee, osprey, crocodiles, green turtle, dolphins and a huge suite of water birds. Unfortunately it was far too windy and choppy to snorkel but we didn’t care, as our captain treated us to a fantastic ride alongside a pod of wild dolphins! Lunch was in the beautiful Punta Cana with views of the sea and mangroves, and time to relax with a cold drink. Overall would recommend this to ANYONE, but particularly if you love observing nature respectfully and learning all about Mexican fauna.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Hi Madelaine, We are delighted you had an incredible day of wildlife spotting in Sian Kaan ! Thanks a lot for your awesome review.

A Favorite Tour Location

Wendy_B, Dec 2022

Sian Ka’an was our favorite tour in Tulum. We saw a manatee, crocodiles, and several other animals in our tour. Our guide Lea was knowledgeable and spoke several languages. The snorkeling guide was great at spotting animals and pointing them out as we snorkeled. The spot in Punta Allen was beautiful and it was great learning about the town. We had a great time and we highly recommend this tour!

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Hi Wendy, Such a nice review that you gave us. Thank you. We are delighted to read that Sian Kaan is your favorite place in Tulum and you could seen marine and tropicals animals witht he help of your captain and guide. Thank you for visiting this amazing and natural reserve with respect!

Great Experience

Benjamin_S, Oct 2022

It was a great experience, I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. I had such a great experience. I would recommend everyone to try it.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Hello Benjamin. Thanks for your great review. We are happy you had a great experience and you learned a lot and had fun in the Sian Ka'an Adventure. Hasta luego.

Amazing experience at the Biosphere!

Sofia_P, Aug 2022

This tour was an amazing experience! We were lucky enough to see a lot of wildlife and snorkel at the reef with good weather. Marco and Pablo made the tour interesting, funny and gave us a lot of information about the biosphere. They are great guides and I totally recommend them!

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Hello Sofia, We are happy you got to see a lot of wildlife during the snorkel at the reef and you liked the natural Biosphere explications that your informative and funny guide gave to you. Have a perfect end of trip in this amazing Yucatan.

Amazing sea safari

Michael_P, Apr 2022

Wildlife and the colour of the sea. The trip was a wonderful way of experiencing a small part of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere. I saw all of the expected mammals and enjoyed beautiful snorkelling alongside the Mesoamerica Reef.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Hi Michael, Thanks a lot for your amazing feedback ! We are glad you saw all of the expected mammals and enjoyed beautiful snorkeling alongside the Meso american Reef. See you soon !

Incredible

Letitia_a, Apr 2022

The entire day was incredible, definitely the best day tour I've ever done! Thanks to Pablo for making it an unforgettable day!

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Hi Letitia, Thank you for your Incredible feedback, We are delighted to hear our Sian Kaan Adventure tour is the best day tour you have ever done ! Come back soon for more unforgettable tours !

Must Experience

Edgar_C, Apr 2022

It Was Great To Learn And See EveryThing Sian Ka’an Had To Offer. Though The Ride Was ABit Much On Way Back.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Hi Edgar, Thank you for your 5 stars feedback, We are glad you learned a lot about Sian Kaan and could see everything it can offer. Indeed the ride can be rough, we are glad it was worth it!

Sian Ka'an is Beautiful!

Vera_V, Apr 2022

This was the best part of our trip to Tulum. Sian Ka'an is gorgeous, and the guides were very knowledgeable about where to spot wildlife, snorkel and take a beautiful swim. Punta Allen is an adorable ocean front community to stop for lunch, much quieter than the Tulum area, so it was a welcome reprieve. We hardly saw any other tour groups so it really felt like we had the reserve to ourselves, highly recommend checking it out.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Hi Vera, Thanks a lot for your awesome feedback! We are glad to read you had a beautiful day in Sian Kaan with us and that you could spot all the wildlife you expected to see. It's great that you felt that you had the nature reserve just for you ! Thank you for the recommendation, take care.

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