XCARET CANCUN

[givemecakee]

We're heading to Cancun for family holiday. Our kids ages are 11, 6, 1.

We are looking at heading to xcaret when we're there, does anyone know if we will be able to hold baby round the underground river?

no you won't. I swam it last year and its quite hard work

Thanks for responding.

I have now spoken with few people who have took younger and all went well. We will book anyway for other kids and if my youngest can't do it, I'll sit it out.

The one year old will be difficult to hold safely just because it’s deeper in places.
The river is long as well. We got quite tired but you can exit a couple of times along the route.
It’s a fab park and the food was fantastic for a theme park.

I'm really looking forward to it. I'm quite nervous in the water so might just sit it out then.

I saw there was a kids area so will maybe head there.

Do you recommend anywhere to visit or see?

When are you going? I went at easter in 2017 and it was very hot. The sea can be a little rough but its lovely and warm in there.
We didn't do much. Our hotel had wild howler monkeys in it which was very entertaining.
We went to Playa Del carmen one evening (good Friday) so there was a procession carrying Mary through the street.
I would love to go back, the people were so lovely.

We don't go until August next year, I believe end of August/September is most rain fall?

I'm not too fussed as it's still a destination I have got to visit. 😁

Ps, what hotel? It will make my day to see any animal lol, I saw someone post video of raccoons, I will be in my glory to see any animal haha.

we stayed at the Riu Yucatan in Playacar. I don't think other hotels have the howler monkeys on site. You will see some great wildlife roaming around. I even saw a wild turtle whilst I was snorkelling.
Where are you staying?

We are staying at the grand moon palace? I saw a video on Facebook of raccoons on site. I think I'm more excited to see the animals than the holiday haha.

Just realised I posted that last night, brains like mush!!

Moon palace is supposed to be lovely.
They are not raccoons but have another name. There will also be Coates there. They are quite tame and just sit around eating grass with people waking by.

Xcarat will be very very hot when you go.. My DD had awful mozzie bites that had swollen up. the staff at Xcarat were so helpful trying to do something to ease her discomfort.

You can buy bands that look like curly hairbands that work very well repelling the mozzies. my dd forgot to put hers on one night and got eaten.

Some photos for you op.
A pelican whilst we were snorkelling,
My lunch at xcarat and a wild baby howler monkey.

I agree with ihatethecold that the the rivers are long, deep and hard work so I wouldn't recommend taking a one year old in. We have been to Xcaret twice and I do not remember seeing any non-swimmers in so I am not sure you would be allowed anyway. They are also very dark in places and can be a bit scary for little ones.

I absolutely love Mexico, we have been twice and I cannot wait until we go again. We stayed in Playacar so Xcaret is quite close by, it will be an approximately 1 hour journey from Cancun.

Aw that looks amazing.

Thanks @Flapdoodles, I'll just leave it. Do you think it will be ok for 10 & 6 year olds to go with their dad or maybe best just leaving it altogether?

Is your dh a good swimmer?
You can get out but the exits are not close together.

Yes he is. Both kids been at swimming lessons for years aswell?

I hope you have a lovely time givemecakee. I went 14 years ago in December, we only took youngest son aged about 14 who went on an organised snorkelling session around the coral reef. Sorry no advice on taking very young children. We stayed in a Riu hotel in Playa del Carmen and visited X Caret and another eco park Xel Ha really enjoyed both of them. We also visited some of the Mayan sites such an Chichen Itza and Tulum, but probably they wouldn't appeal to very young children and we were a long time on a coach. Wonderful wildlife enjoyed seeing iguanas come out and warm up during the day, beautiful bird life and Howler Monkeys.. I loved the whole experience hope you do too.

We loved Xcaret. We took our 18month on that river ride and I think she was okay but it was long and slow and lots of crowds when we were there which made me a little claustrophobic!

Tulum was great but very exposed for small children so go early or late to avoid the sun.

You all have to wear a life jacket so it keeps you afloat but there is a current which is strong in places, particularly where two routes meet and you are swimming against the current. The first time we went my children were 7 and 9 and we had to have them hold onto mine and DHs life jacket to drag them along when they got tired - which made DH and I very tired. I would suggest maybe your DH could take them one at a time to see how they cope. I would not take my 2 children on my own.

Having said all that, it is an absolutely amazing experience on the rivers and at Xcaret. I would recommend you buy the wrist bands for photographs - there are lots of amazing photo opportunities which we would never have captured without them. Oh and the show in the evening is a must!

Didn't see any raccoons have only seen those in America but there were little families of rodents in the hotel grounds called pachas, everyone we spoke to mentioned having spotted these creatures thinking they were the first to discover them, but in fact they are in fact quite prolific in the Yucatan.

This was the post put up few weeks back at hotel, someone else posted crocodile on the golf course 😁

We have a holiday in 6 weeks and keep forgetting about that as all I can think of is Mexico.

Placemarking:-D going next April, staying at Occidental Xcaret and for £132per adult have purchased unlimited xcaret access, means for our 2 weeks we can come and go as we please as the hotel is next to Xcaret

Sounds fab @ineedwine99,will be great.

Daughter will be 2 so i think we might be taking it in turns for some things.
I’m like you OP have holiday before Mexico but its all i can think of 😄

We had a great day out at Xel-ha, was such a fab place. Make sure you visit one of the many cenotes to swim in, they are beautiful crystal clear waters and there are lots of quieter ones if you ask hotel staff where to go. Tulum beach is gorgeous!