Guide to Xel-Ha Park

Published: July 18, 2024
guide to xel-ha park

Unleash your inner adventurer at Xel-Ha Park! One of Cancun's most popular destinations, Xel-Ha Park is part-water park, part-sandy island getaway. So, if you're heading to this Mexican paradise, it should be top of your itinerary!

Relax on sandy beaches, take a dip in the clear blue waters, or participate in some adrenaline-filled activities! Fun for the whole family, Xel-Ha Park really has it all.

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How to get Xel-Ha Park tickets?

We've got you covered – Xel-Ha Park tickets are available with our All-Inclusive Pass. Simply pick the length of your pass, and see everything that Cancun has to offer! Best of all, it includes admission to over 40 attractions.

Tips for visiting Xel-Ha Park

  • Children whose height ranges from 3.2 ft (1 m) to 4.5 ft (1.40 m), and children over 4.5 ft (1.40 m) but under 12 years of age, must present an ID to verify their age.
  • Children must always be accompanied by an adult.
  • Carry a swimsuit, water shoes, and comfortable clothing. Bring an extra change of clothes.
  • Only sunblock and sunscreen containing titanium oxide and zinc oxide are allowed in the park. Otherwise, at the entrance, you will find an Information Booth where you can exchange your sunscreen for a free sample of a biodegradable product. Your sunscreen will be returned to you upon departure.
  • Remember to bring cash or a credit card to purchase souvenirs, get photographs of your visit, or enjoy an optional activity.
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When is the best time to visit Xel-Ha Park?

Cancun is sunny all year round, so go whenever you have the time to plan a vacation! Even over the winter months, expect highs of around 84°F and lows of 70°F.

However, Cancun's busiest period is generally between December and April because it's the perfect winter getaway! So, while you may be missing the cold, you'll likely find Xel-Ha Park all the busier for it.

What is there to see and do at Xel-Ha Park?

Slide down underwater rivers, go for a snorkel in the crystal clear waters, explore the jungle, jump off a cliff, or simply relax on the beach and soak up some rays. No matter your mood, Xel-Ha Park has something for you.

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Image courtesy of Raul Hernaiz Cao/Shutterstock

Xel-Ha Park highlights

  • River Tour Xel-Há – relax and explore a network of underground rivers in a tube slide, or hop out and snorkel in the waters.
  • Scenic Lighthouse Tower – climb to the top of the park's newest attraction and enjoy amazing views of the sparkling water, beaches, and beyond. Then, ride a waterslide down into the waters below.
  • Xel-Há Inlet – lounge on the beach or snorkel in the shallow waters if you're after a relaxing time out.
  • "Salpichanga" Zip-lines – zoom across the water on this seemingly never-ending zip-line and then enter the water with a big splash.
  • Jungle Trails – take a break from the water and explore a maze of jungle trails full of native wildlife and plants.
  • Cliff of Courage – if you love a thrilling experience, don't miss this five-meter high cliff. Take a daring leap from the top and splash into the cool water below.

Need to know

To get in, show your pass at the Xel Ha ticket office. For more information about the park, check out the official website.

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Image courtesy of Giongi63/Shutterstock

Directions and Address

Xel-Ha Park

Carretera Chetumal Puerto Juárez Km 240

Locales 1 & 2, módulo B

77780 Cancun, Q.R.

Mexico

Save on Tickets with Go City

Remember, Go City is the best choice for maximum savings and flexibility, which can include Xel-Ha Park tickets, plus admission to your choice of other top attractions. You'll make great savings on entry to top museums, tours, and activities vs. paying at the gate. Visit multiple attractions for one low price.

Dom Bewley
Go City Travel Expert

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Discover Cancun in August

August is the last opportunity you have to experience Cancun’s big three animal encounters – nesting turtles, hatching turtles and whale sharks. A variety of cultural events bring even more color and frivolity to its streets than normal, and balmy evenings mean ‘pack light’ can become your new vacation mantra. So although August in Cancun is considered part of the destination’s low season, with some chance of rain and growing levels of humidity, you can still enjoy the long list of things to do in Cancun in August. Don’t miss any of them with our guide to the best of the summer. Cancun weather in August August is the school vacation period, and yet Cancun’s Caribbean shores, beachside lagoon and cooling jungle cenotes (sinkholes) are generally much less busy than at other times of year. US and Canadian citizens tend to enjoy the August weather back home. Others can be put off by August’s ‘wet season’ tag. Don’t be. Cancun in August is dominated by hot and humid weather, with average daily temperatures of 29°C. But nestled on the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, this should hardly come as a surprise. The ‘wet’ is also quite misleading, with just six days seeing any rain at all, divided relatively evenly across the month’s 30 days, though heightening in the latter half of the month. Grab your swimwear... The rest of the time visits to Cancun in August will be a mix of sun and cloud. The long ribbons of white sand see enough of the sun to make renting a lounger and parasol a must. There’s even a festival of the beaches – Fiesta de la Playa en Cancún. At the same time, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to discover the secrets and solitude of the region’s cenotes. These naturally-occurring phenomena are found nowhere else in the world and provide a very different swimming and bathing spot to the Caribbean Sea. Several degrees below the Caribbean’s 30°C, many have intriguing histories dating back to Mayan times, such as Tankach Ha close to Coba pyramid. Even more have dramatic stalactite and stalagmite formations. And don’t forget your snorkel Whilst some cenotes are home to fish, the undisputed giants of the deep – whale sharks – couldn’t even fit in many at up to 18 meters long. They can however be admired from both above and below the water on dedicated swimming and snorkeling tours. They continue into August from Cancun as the whale sharks gather to feed for the summer in large numbers. Other species of shark, most notably bull sharks, can be found swimming amongst the corals and tropical fish of the region’s Grand Mayan Reef at any time of year. Its 14 species of hard coral provide innumerable habitats for around 500 different types of fish, including eagle rays and barracudas. Despite their fearful reputation, they’re generally very welcoming of both scuba divers and snorkelers keen to explore the reef. Greet turtles on the beaches The Grand Mayan Reef drifts for almost 1200 kilometers from Isla Contoy down to Honduras. Set sail for Contoy island in August and you’ll come ashore as mature turtles from several endangered species drag their heavy shells up the beaches to lay their soft-shelled eggs, an event which can be witnessed most nights. Eggs laid in the sands earlier in the season are also hatching, making August one of just a couple of months when it’s possible to encounter two generations in the same place. Turtles nest and hatch on Isla Mujeres too. It can be reached by both ferry, and more romantically, by private catamaran charter. Only seven kilometers long, the island celebrates its founding in 1850 with special celebrations around August 17, encompassing exhibitions, music and culinary demonstrations. Admire incredible views Another feast to look out for is August 15’s Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Although primarily a religious festival, mariachi bands and festive food and drink all make an appearance. The warm evenings – temperatures rarely drop below 24°C – make it a great time of year for dining out. Given Mexico’s culinary brilliance, there’s plenty of options whatever your budget, with a multi-course dinner on board ship as the sun sets surely high on the list. You could instead settle for the romance of a gondola rising above the main strip on the Gran Rueda Cancun Ferris wheel. Over 50 m high – equivalent to a 16 story building – air-conditioning ensures you’ll never feel the heat as you check out 360° views that stretch as far as Isla Mujeres. Stop by the museums August humidity levels means it’s not the best time to leave the coast for day trips to colonial Valladolid and the Mayan masterpiece of Chichen Itza. However, Cancun’s museums are another option. Occupying a modern state-of-the-art building, the Museo Maya takes visitors on a whistle-stop tour of Mayan art and culture through a dazzling array of sacred and everyday objects. Just a few steps away you’ll also find the remains of San Miguelito, complete with temples, pyramids and an inquisitive population of semi-wild iguanas. Sticking with the sea theme, Interactive Aquarium Cancun allows the whole family to explore the Yucatan’s underwater worlds without getting their feet wet. Its impressive tanks and displays contain somewhere in the region of 2000 individual species, of which around a quarter are reef favorites. You’ll also come face to face with reptiles including crocodiles, as well as sea lions and dolphins. How to budget for Cancun in August It might not be the usual month to head to the Yucatan Peninsula but Cancun in August has a lot to recommend it. The sea is as warm as a bath, the beaches less crowded than at other times of year, plus there’s the chance for turtle and whale shark encounters. Forget any worries about August being hurricane season – it’s highly unlikely you’ll be negatively affected – and explore with Go City. We give you incredible discounts on admission to a huge array of attractions in Cancun whilst giving you the flexibility to pick and choose what you want to do each day of your vacation.
Ian Packham
Friends check out the sights at Chichen Itza
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Why visit Cancun in December?

If the cold dark days of December get you down, look no further than the Mexican beach resort of Cancun. Situated in the country’s subtropical south, on the eastern edge of the Yucatan Peninsula, its days hit a heady 28°C just as other destinations in the northern hemisphere are preparing for snow and ice. Even before the arrival of the festive season, Cancun in December has a lot to say for itself. Some of the coolest temperatures and humidity levels of the year make it a great time to explore the treasures of the Maya, whilst the limited rainfall helps ensure great water visibility. But these are just a couple of reasons to book your trip to Cancun in December right now. For the rest, just keep reading! Discover the world of the Maya Although not the first month in Cancun’s peak period, the start of December remains comparatively quiet, with lower visitor numbers than other months in the dry season. If you’re keen to explore the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza without the crowds, now’s the time to do it. Humidity levels are on the lower side too, making it a little easier to discover the wealth of ruins and admire the sheer might of El Castillo pyramid. It’s a structure you’ve probably already seen even if you don’t realize it because it’s such a landmark for the Riviera Maya region. However, to see – and climb – the tallest step pyramid ever constructed by the Maya, you’ll need to head to the abandoned city of Coba. Almost lost to the jungle, its pyramid rises an impressive 42 meters high. Its steps sit at such an angle that many who accept the challenge of climbing to the top do so with the help of a rope before descending again on their backsides. Experience the best of the Caribbean Sea If climbing Coba’s pyramid gets you hot under the collar, the site has another attraction right up your street – a cenote or sinkhole. Just one of tens of thousands that dot the landscape of the Yucatan, and entirely natural in origin, these cave-like chambers are filled with cooling water from underground streams. That at Coba is known as Tankach Ha, or ‘deep water’, and has a depth at some points of 35 meters, although its two wooden platforms welcome swimmers and feet-dippers of all abilities. Snorkel in open water and you’ll lose the freshness Tankach Ha and other cenotes are famous for, but you’ll gain a brightly-colored underwater world teeming with darting tropical fish, anchored by hard and soft corals and visited by sharks, rays and turtles. The location of the largest reef system this side of the international date line, there are plenty of spots to choose between, including Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres. One of the most unusual places to explore with snorkel, scuba gear or glass-bottomed boat is the ‘gallery’ of Cancun’s Underwater Museum at Paraiso Nizuc at the southern end of the hotel zone. Part art installation and part coral conservation effort, the museum’s gallery contains 33 concrete sculptures by Mexican and international artists placed between two and four meters down as a new place for the region’s species to inhabit. Take in the festive vibes On the streets of Cancun the coming of the festive season doesn’t go unnoticed. In this majority catholic nation, it remains a significant religious celebration, with churches richly decorated from the start of December. Festivities heighten further with the multi-day Las Posadas celebration on December 16, commemorating the journey the Holy Family had to make from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. Candlelit processions take to the streets, symbolizing the search for somewhere to stay, whilst nativity scenes and decorations pop up throughout the city. Even before this, there’s the national holiday of the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12, with events including marching band parades. Christmas Day itself is quickly followed by the Day of the Holy Innocents (Dia de los Santos Inocentes) on December 28. A Mexican version of April Fool’s Day, expect plenty of practical jokes! Celebrations come thick and fast, with New Year’s Eve just three days later. As you might expect, fireworks erupt over the hotel zone on the stroke of midnight, whilst elsewhere many of the bars and clubs that have made the main strip famous across the world host special countdowns. Go wild Cancun in December has still more attractions awaiting your attention should you be able to drag yourself away from the gorgeous beaches for a couple of hours. If the sights and sounds of the region’s jungle have intrigued you, there are plenty of ways to explore its canopy cover. One of the most fun has to be at Extreme Adventure Park, where you can take an ATV down jungle tracks before sweeping through the trees attached to a zipline. 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Humidity levels are also low by the standards of the year, making the month a good choice even without taking seasonal celebrations into account. Be sure to make the absolute most of your time by exploring with Go City. We work hard to give you incredible discounts on attraction admission for many of Cancun’s top things to do and see. Plus, with Go City there’s no need to plan your days way ahead of time – so if the weather’s just too good for that museum visit, you won’t find yourself trapped indoors!
Ian Packham

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