Xplor Park: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

When most people think about a Cancun vacation, they probably picture beaches, pools, and all-inclusive resorts.

Xplor is the complete opposite.

Instead of spending the day relaxing, we spent it zip-lining through the jungle, driving amphibious vehicles through caves, floating through underground rivers, and getting completely soaked along the way.

If you’re looking to add some adventure to your Riviera Maya vacation, Xplor is definitely worth considering. We recently spent the day exploring the park, and here’s everything we learned before and during our visit.

What Is Xplor Park?

Xplor is an adventure park in Riviera Maya, near Playa del Carmen and Cancun. The park is known for its combination of outdoor and underground activities, including zip lines, amphibious vehicles, caves, and underground rivers.

You’re not coming here for roller coasters or shows. You’re coming here to get wet, get dirty, and have an adventure.

One thing that’s important to know before booking is that this is a full-day experience, especially if you’re staying in Cancun. We left our resort around 6:00 AM and didn’t get back until about 6:30 PM, so be prepared for a long but action-packed day.

What Should You Bring?

You don’t need to bring a ton with you, but there are a few things you’ll definitely want:

• Water shoes. You’ll be walking through wet areas, caves, and around the park throughout the day.
• Swimwear or clothes you’re comfortable getting completely wet in.
• A towel. Xplor doesn’t provide them, and you’ll definitely want one after the water activities.
• A helmet mount if you’re planning to film. Xplor only has a limited number of helmets with camera mounts available.
• Sunscreen.

You’ll have access to a locker for your belongings, so there’s no need to carry everything with you around the park.

The Zip Lines

The zip lines were one of our favorite parts of the park.

There are multiple zip line routes throughout Xplor, offering different heights and views of the surrounding jungle. Some are faster and more intense than others, and several finish with a splash landing.

If you enjoy a little adrenaline, these should be high on your priority list.

The zip lines also ended up being our favorite attraction in the park. Between the jungle views, the speed, and the splash landings, they were the activity we talked about most after the day was over.

Amphibious Vehicles

Another unique attraction at Xplor is the amphibious vehicle course.

You drive your own vehicle through the jungle, over bridges, through caves, tunnels, and water features.

It’s not a traditional off-road experience, but it’s a lot of fun and gives you the chance to see a different side of the park.

If time allows, we’d recommend doing this more than once. There are multiple routes, and a second trip can feel surprisingly different from the first.

Also, watch out for the “puddles.” If you hit them with enough speed, you’ll probably come out much wetter than you expected.

Underground Rivers

One of the coolest things about Xplor is getting underground.

The underground rivers are made up of two separate attractions: the hand-paddle rafts and the river float.

The hand-paddle rafts require you to navigate your own raft through caves and rock formations. This took a little more coordination than we expected. Julia had no trouble steering, while I spent more time spinning in circles than actually moving forward.

The river float is a separate experience where you simply float through the caves while wearing a required life jacket.

The water can feel a little chilly at first, but after spending time in the Riviera Maya heat, it was actually pretty refreshing.

The underground rivers are one of the attractions that really set Xplor apart. Floating through natural caves and rock formations isn’t something you get to do every day.

[Photo suggestion: cave or underground river scene]

Toboganxote Waterslide

Another attraction worth making time for is Toboganxote, the world’s only 5-in-1 waterslide.

Instead of a single slide experience, Toboganxote combines multiple slide elements into one ride, creating a mix of speeds, drops, and sensations along the way.

The wait during our visit was about 20 minutes. Getting there also involves a walk through caves and then a climb to the top of the tower.

Once you’re at the top, though, you’ll get a great view before taking that first drop.

It’s a fun addition to the attraction lineup and worth experiencing at least once during your visit.

Gluten Free at Xplor

If you’re traveling gluten free, Xplor made things pretty easy for us.

The buffet is included with admission, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing a separate meal.

Gluten-free items were clearly marked and separated from gluten-containing foods, making it much easier to identify safe options.

If you have questions, ask your server to speak with the chef. The chef was available to answer questions and help identify safe choices.

Having clearly labeled food and staff who could answer questions made the experience much less stressful for us.

How Much Does a Day at Xplor Cost?

There are several ways to book Xplor, and prices vary depending on whether transportation is included.

We booked through Viator and paid about $180 per person. That included:

• Transportation from our Cancun resort
• Admission to Xplor
• Buffet lunch
• Non-alcoholic drinks
• Locker access

The buffet was a nice bonus because we didn’t have to worry about paying extra for lunch once inside the park.

Since we were staying in the Cancun Hotel Zone, transportation ended up being especially valuable. The drive was roughly 1.5 hours each way, and not having to rent a car or navigate the route ourselves made the day much easier.

For us, having transportation, admission, food, drinks, and lockers included made the cost feel much more reasonable.

Is Xplor Worth It?

For us, absolutely.

If you enjoy adventure, zip lines, water activities, caves, and spending the day outdoors, Xplor is a fantastic addition to a Cancun or Riviera Maya vacation.

It’s also a nice change of pace from spending every day at a resort or on the beach.

That said, this isn’t a relaxing excursion. You’ll spend most of the day walking, climbing stairs, getting wet, and moving between attractions.

The transportation time can also be significant if you’re staying in Cancun. For us, the nearly 12.5-hour day was worth it, but it’s something to keep in mind when planning your vacation.

Watch Our Xplor Adventure

Want to see what Xplor is actually like before you go?

We filmed our full experience, including the zip lines, amphibious vehicles, underground rivers, and more.

Final Thoughts

Xplor ended up being one of the most unique experiences of our Riviera Maya trip.

Between the zip lines, amphibious vehicles, underground rivers, caves, and jungle setting, there was always something to do. The included buffet, drinks, transportation, and locker also helped make the experience feel like a pretty good value.

The zip lines were our personal highlight, but every attraction offered something a little different.

If you’re planning a trip to Cancun or Riviera Maya and want to add some adventure to your vacation, Xplor is definitely worth considering.