Sian Kaan, Quintana Roo, is just south of Tulum. Do you know if the colectivo is still currently running? There isnt a lot of options, but there three places are where I would recommend staying are: Okay so now Ive told you all the reasons why I decided to book a Sian Kaan tour, and why I think you should too. For the boat ride, there is a fixed fee of $700 (US$36) per person. At 34 I sold all my worldly possessions that wouldnt fit into 3 boxes or my backpack and hit the road. But know this, its the best place in the Riviera Maya to see wildlife where it should be, in the wild. On this ocean-side boat tour youll have the opportunity to spot dolphins and sea turtles in the wild. The boatman was expecting us, looking not so happy, since weve spent too much time on the canal. They are the only company I personally recommend doing this tour with. There are a handful of accommodation options on the coastal side of the reserve ranging from tents on the beach for around $20 USD/night to luxury eco-villas. Problem solved! The range of biodiversity in the reserve is seriously impressive and we would never pass up a chance to surround ourselves in nature. Heres everything you need to know on how to visit Sian Kaan without a tour. A boardwalk, about 500 meters long, led us to an observation deck. Its recommended to get there early in the day and spend about half an hour or so exploring the ruins. There are also a few moderately-priced hotels in Punta Allen starting from $70 USD/night. Any guidance on this would be helpful! Its this canal that I was talking about at the beginning of this story. We wanted to book tickets online, on the ADO website, but we couldnt find the destination: Muyil. Save this PIN for later. Logistically speaking, it is much easier to reach Muyil on your own. Sian Kaan entrance fee of 50-pesos (2.50US$, 2.30) per person. Each of these access points will provide entirely different experiences. After some research, we realized it was easy to organize a self-guided day trip to Sian Kaan and Muyil, not to mention affordable. I recommend you should use World Nomads for your trip. Our self-guided day trip to Sian Kaan and Muyil Ruins: transport to/from Playa del Carmen, entry tickets, boat ride: $1.265 pesos (65US$, 59) per person. Our recommendation: Hotel Cielo y Selva is a highly-rated property in Punta Allen offering beach-front villas and beach camping. The water moves relatively fast and I dont need to do too much to keep moving down the canal. I was invited on this tour by Living Dreams Mexico along with two of my good friends Viva La Travelista and Tofu Traveler. It was hot and we were happy! We walked around a little bit and found the first lagoon. Cultural Wonders of Mexico National Geographic. However, if you really want to go to Punta Allen and are on a backpackers budget then this might be your only option. If you do decide to visit Sian Kaan without a tour then you will need to get yourself to Punta Allen. This is due to the poor quality of the single access road. Community tours Sian Kaan have fixed prices for renting a boat for the tour, there is no negotiation, and the price is per boat, not per person. About halfway through youll find an observation tower with a sign that says climb at your own risk. Travel insurance has always been high on the list of things to get before you travel but now more than ever it should be at the top of your list! Weve waited for this adventure for so long and we couldnt believe we actually reached this place so easily, with no group and time pressure. This label is important as it helps to protect the site and its fragile ecosystem from things that could damage it, like fishing, pollution, over-tourism, etc. There are lakes that have formed inland and rivers that lead to the coast, with long beaches and sandy dunes. The protected area is vast and the different types of animals and landscapes are quite spread out. CELESTUN, SELF-GUIDED DAY TRIP FROM MERIDA, A Complete Guide To Visiting Petra On Your Own, Useful Things To Know Before Traveling To Jordan, The Best Self-Drive Safari At Addo Elephant Park, South Africa, Your email address will not be published. Sadly my research hit a wall as it just seemed way too complicated to get there solo, and at the time I wasnt sure if it was really worth the money for a guided tour. By Colectivo & Boat: There is another option to get from Tulum to Punta Allen on public transportation (and avoid the treacherous road). This coastal heritage site combines history with stunning views, Escape the resorts of Tulum and visit this stunning natural reserve, This is why the small colourful town of Campeche is a World Heritage Site, Ride up the a river alongside Guatemala to see these Mayan ruins. The chemicals in average sunscreen that are designed to protect your skin can actually poison fish, coral and other delicate marine life over time. Tip: Whether you are going in a tour shuttle, rental car or collective, youll want to bring medication if you are prone to getting car sick! Follow State Highway 15 past Tulum. The price is fixed ie non-negotiable. Dont wait for a year like I did. With no one around, we had this place only to ourselves. Visiting Sian Kaan was one of the highlights of our time spent in the Riviera Maya. I opt for the second option, to Muyil, which is also much easier and possible as a day (or even half day) trip from Tulum. Most of Sian Kaan is protected land and not inhabited, so if you want to stay there you will need to visit Punta Allen which is a small town within the Biosphere. In that way, they have created something that fits their desired legacy even if they could never have pictured this! By Rental Car: This is the only way to visit Sian Kaan on your own for a single-day trip. Now here is the sticking point, and why I realized booking a tour was actually the best option. There are a few different options I would recommend here: But doing a trip from Tulum to Muyil at Sian Kaan is also relatively easy to do by yourself and youll save a fair amount of money. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world. The water in the lagoon is so clean and clear. For people wanting to visit Sian Kaan from Tulum, there are only really two options. But finding the best connection is not always easy. There really isnt a lot to do there, but it would be a cool experience to spend a night there for sure. Then spend the afternoon and evening chilling in Punta Alen. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, the return ride from Punta Allen back to Tulum Pueblo is at 5 a.m. daily, so youll have to stay at least 2 nights in Punta Allen to make the colectivo option work. Sharing travel tips, road trip itineraries, kayaking & ski destinations. In short, a biosphere reserve is a label given to an ecosystem of unusual scientific and natural interest by UNESCO. Dont rent a car until you have read this post, some of the biggest scammers in Playa del Carmen are the car rental companies! And, with such a diverse environment, youll find a lot of different plants and animals. I assume not. Remember: Prices for a half-day organized trip to Sian Kaan and Muyil start from 130$, 110. A must-d, Welcome to Taboga Island, PANAMA In the forests, there are jaguars, pumas, ocelots and tapirs. And secondly, do not tell the rental car company where you are going. Turn around, take it in, and realise how large the protected biosphere here is. Thats how the idea of putting all the information together came out and I hope it will help you better organize your trip to the Sian Kaan Biosphere. Why? And your final, and most sensible option is to do a Sian Kaan excursion with a reputable tour company like Living Dreams Mexico. The Palenque ruins in the jungle are not to be missed! By Rental Car: Take Highway 307 through Tulum and continue south towards the Muyil ruins. The name Sian Kaan comes from the indigenous Maya people, meaning origin of the sky or the gate of heaven. It is surmised that the name is a reference to the incredible beauty that can be found there. On the backside of this ruin is where youll find the path leading to the boardwalk into the Bio Reserve. UNESCO World Heritage Sites Ive visited here. My final thought is if you are thinking about visiting Sian Kaan, do it, visit Sian Kaan. Its not just for a bit of a lark although I admit it is the most enjoyable part but its also so we can get up close to the nature. We couldnt miss this place so we climbed up to see the views. The service is 5* and the guides are extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife you will see there. Best Things to Do in Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula, Fun Things to Do in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. You catch it close to the ADO station in Tulum and unless you are planning on staying over in Punta Allen for a night or two I really wouldnt recommend this option. Road Nr. There arent really walking tracks, for instance. And on that note, bring medication if you are prone to getting car sick! More info in our. Watching the dolphins swimming in the wild like that was just incredible. If you dont do the Sian Kaan boat tour, there really isnt much point in visiting. We waited no more than 5 minutes until a Colectivo approached the bus station. But there is a good chance they knew that Sian Kaan was a special spot. He kindly asked us to leave our belongings inside the boat and invited us to float down the canal. Sian Kaan boat tours only go from Punta Allen, so you must go here and speak to the boat captains directly to organize your boat tour. We knew he was in a big dilemma as we were the only tourists on this bus and we asked him if this was his problem. For me, it's becaus, Take a walk with me through one of Romania's mo, Nature is my happy place! I realise that this is one of the reasons that the boat tours at Sian Kaan include this floating experience. Once again, no one around, and we felt a little bit lost. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Two Wandering Soles are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Tickets to Muyil are 28 pesos one way. I just wanted to go on my own, mostly to save money. The information found on the internet was quite elusive, and we asked around how to get on a self-guided day trip to Sian Kaan. The colectivo picks up in Tulum Pueblo on the corner of Centauro Norte and Avenida Tulum everyday at 2 p.m. and arrives in Punta Allen around 6 p.m. They presumably dug this canal for practical reasons. The diverse jungle ecosystem reserve offers one of the most unique experiences in the region. Sian Kaan Bio Reserve: How to Visit Without a Tour. Off the coast, theres a large marine section that is also part of Sian Kaan, including a barrier reef. Blessed with Mayan ruins, freshwater lagoons, dense jungle, mangroves forests, and many Mayan canals reaching the Caribbean Sea, this place is a must for every traveler to this part of the world. Why I think Uxmal is actually a better alternative to Chichen Itza. Above me is the wide Mexican sky, which today is warmly beaming down but scattered with clouds. Now I have this as an option, as I know some crazy people might think it is a good idea to rent a car and drive to Sian Kaan. If youre ready to get right into the action, make your way to the docks where you can find a driver to take you on a boat tour. But that didnt bother us too much. This page may contain affiliate links. We cross another lagoon and, at the other side, reach the canal where we all get out of the boat and begin to float down ourselves. Dont worry, you wont have to wait long for a Colectivo to show up. The town is just a few blocks by a few blocks, so there isnt much to see there. Incredible Things to Do in Mexico That Arent Beaches! Driving to Sian Kaan is considered going off-road, so you will be breaking your contract going there. After snorkeling, we were taken by boat to Punta Allen for lunch before returning to our transport. The original Lazy River! Your email address will not be published. This colectivo will bring you to the pier, just beyond the Sian Kaan entrance and visitors center. Catch the daily colectivo from the iTour Mexico travel agency in Tulum Pueblo at 2 p.m. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. Thanks to the preservation it is still home to dolphins, manatees, turtles, and a lot of birds. Many sites said it was worth booking a tour and quite hard to do on your own. But, even though it was probably not intentional, I would like to give thanks to the Ancient Mayans for what they have left us at Sian Kaan near Tulum here in Mexico. Important Note:Due to the incredibly delicate ecosystem in the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve, it is asked that you not wear sunscreen when swimming in the lagoons there. We left the second lagoon behind and our boatmen stopped the boat at a narrow canal. The next morning, we were sitting on a bus leaving to Chetumal, eager to start the self-guided day trip but we soon realized our driver had no idea where the Chunyaxch station was. The driver stopped and asked if we needed a ride, as he had two more places so in no more than 20 minutes we were already in Tulum. It makes a trip to Sian Kaan pretty special if you are an animal lover. The tour takes about 2 hours in total, with much of that time spent swimming/snorkeling in the ocean. Once youve visited the ruins, a boardwalk will take you to the Sian Kaan entrance. The Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve is the biggest protected area in the Caribbean and a unique place to visit! Tip: If you prefer to skip the boardwalk, you can also reach this area near the lagoon by car. If 2020 taught us anything, its that you need to be prepared for anything! Continue on the boardwalk past the observation tower and eventually pop out at the Sian Kaan Lagoon. (We like this one from Raw Elements.). In the water, there are manatees, turtles, and fish. Parking here is free and entrance to the ruins is 45 pesos per person. Important Note: Youll want to rent a car with 4-wheel-drive and good suspension as the roads through this part of the reserve are littered with potholes so much so that you will not be able to drive much faster than a crawl. Its relaxing and its fun. Usually, the float takes about 20 minutes, for the 1-kilometer ride. Please share it with others and help spread the word about this hidden gem in the Riviera Maya! My favourite tour to see the Mayan sites of Mexico. Heres why. The tour companies are the only ones who can get a special rate with the captains so actually most of the time it is cheaper to just book a spot on a tour than take the public bus and organize the tour yourself. Seriously. Glad i enjoyed your post So many great things. Complete the form below and someone will get back to you with the tour details within 24 hours. Before traveling to the Yucatan Peninsula, we knew we had to visit this unique place. So what is there to do in Punta Allen? Our SELF-GUIDED Day Trip To SIAN KAAN & MUYIL was a great and funny experience, once in a lifetime, easier to do than expected so I strongly recommend doing one when in Mexico! Then go snorkeling over the protected coral reef. I started Claires Itchy Feet to inspire women to pack their bags and travel more. Renting a car is a pretty common way to discover the Yucatan Peninsula. The Colectivo will leave you just in front of the Muyil Archaeological Site. Punta Allen is the small fishing village on the coastal side at the south end of the biosphere reserve. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This article may contain affiliate / compensated links. Required fields are marked *. By Bus: The buses run between Tulum and Muyil about every 20-30 minutes daily, and there is no need to book a ticket ahead of time. A boat tour of the lagoons and channels is the highlight of this trip and comes at a fixed price of 1000 pesos per person. We had to walk on a beautiful boardwalk for a while until we reached the boat. Once you arrive in Punta Allen, you will see a few hotels and restaurants on the main road. At the top, we were over the jungle canopy, and weve been rewarded with gorgeous views of the jungle and the lagoons in the distance. What this means is that as a solo traveler in Mexico I would need to pay $300 to do the tour, unless I can find some friends to go with me. Its also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo. Are you on Pinterest? By the end of our floating trip, suddenly, it began to rain. Carved out by the Ancient Mayans more than a thousand years ago, it was used by them to transport goods and move around the area. If you are traveling from Playa del Carmen or Tulum, embark on a bus with the final destination Chetumal. Its a great place for spotting dolphins and sea turtles in their natural habitat. So I did what any good adventure travel blogger would do, I did a lot of research on Sian Kaan biosphere tours, but mostly so I could figure out how to get there without doing an organized tour of Sian Kaan. Make sure you know the Colectivo stations in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum. The Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve is teeming with wildlife, and makes for an unforgettable day trip adventure. Ive been making an effort to visit all of the World Heritage Sites in the Mexican Riviera as I travel through this region. The area became a Biosphere Reserve in 1986, and one year later, Sian Kaan was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The maximum number of people you can have on the boat is 6, So unless you have 5 friends with whom you can split the cost, by the time you add it all up its cheaper to just book an organized tour. Its not worth the risk, in case theres a medical emergency or another serious incident. There are two main areas of the massive reserve that are best for exploring: Muyil and Punta Allen. LIZYTRAVELSTHEWORLD | PRIVACY POLICY | THEME BYLOVELY CONFETTI. Now for the tricky part, how to get to Sian Kaan. The first is to go to Punta Allen, which is on the coast and offers the opportunity to see the marine elements of the biosphere. He admitted yes, but luckily, we could follow the track on google. By Colectivo: If you are up for spending a few nights in Sian Kaan, there is an option to take a colectivo (shared minibus taxi) from Tulum down to Punta Allen. Categories Cancun, Destinations, Mexico, North America, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Can I travel To Guatemala Right Now 2022 Guatemala Travel Update, 12 Travel apps to download before taking your trip [2022]. The hotel features a pool, free Wifi and an onsite restaurant and bar. Although Muyil is one of the best (and only) places from which to explore Sian Kaan, theres only so much you can do on your own. The lady at the counter whom we asked seemed helpless. We even asked ourselves if were going to find o boat to take us to the Mayan canals. Once again, we were the only one in the area, and it felt good to have the entire place to ourselves. But I can also see a lot more birds now, circling overhead or resting in the flora on either side of the canal. At the docks, we could change into dry clothes and left the Sian Kaan Biosphere. The drive to Muyil will take about 20 minutes from central Tulum, or 1.5 hours from Playa del Carmen, and wont be nearly as rough as the coastal road to Punta Allen (its actually on a perfectly paved stretch of highway). They were swimming so close! Sian Kaan translates as: Gate of Heaven or Origin of the Sun or A Place where Heaven begins. And whats great about these canals, you can actually float them. You need 3-4 hours max for this. We were met by our boat captain and taken straight out of the tour, which was magical. Playa del Carmen to Muyil/Chunyaxch with ADO bus: 95-pesos (4.86US$, 4.31) per person. Drive slow, take your time, and make sure you have a spare tire and know how to change it! But you do need to pass through Tulum to get there. Soon after the entrance, we realized that everything changed, and we found ourselves in the middle of the jungle. I really hope this post has been useful to you. Driving in Yucatan Peninsula is safe and easy. Well there are only 4 restaurants and they have no electricity from 2 pm until 7 pm each day, then again from 2 am until 7 am, so you will need to bring a book! 307 is a frequented road and Colectivos are running quite oft here. So you need to find an insurer that covers travel disruption due to COVID-19, World Nomads, Safety Wing, or Travel Insurance Master are the ones to go for. It really was a magical day and as far as Im concerned its worth every dime! The most common way of transport in Mexico is the Colectivo. But it also puts me at a good position to look more closely at the scenery. Just drive or bus to the ruins, walk through the jungle and you will see the boats. The bus will stop in Muyil about a 2 minute walk past the entrance to the Muyil ruins. The best thing to do is take a boat ride. Behind the ruins of the Castle (El Castillo), after only 4 minutes walk, we came across a gate, which is the entrance gate into Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve. Be sure to make a stop at the Boca Paila Bridge where the lagoon and Caribbean Sea meet to check for wildlife like crocodiles and manatees. Exploring the world as often as possible. Itll take you roughly 15 minutes once youve passed through Tulum town. Two are tricky one is easy I chose the easy option haha. Your email address will not be published. The easiest way to get to Muyil from Tulum is to get the Mayab bus from the main ADO station in Tulum. Note: Typically tours within Sian Kaan have fixed prices so you wont be able to bargain. Located near Tulum, the Biosphere is still far away from the crowds and doesnt attract masses of tourists. Because they know how bad the road is and that its very likely you will either get the car filthy driving through the mud, or you will have a flat tire. The tricky part was that nobody seemed to know how to get there, although we asked some locals and an ADO driver. To get back to Tulum from Muyil, you can wait for the Mayab bus on the opposite side of the road from where you were dropped off. The Muyil archaeological site has not been rebuilt, but it is still well kept. The ride back was funny, since it began to poor. I pretty much do all of my Riviera Maya tours with Living Dreams Mexico, why? Along the way, theres a lookout tower that you can climb to get a 360 degree vista of Sian Kaan. And flying above it are all sorts of resident and migratory bird species. Go on a boat ride, float a Mayan canal and after that, leave the Biosphere. We never had to wait for more than 10 minutes for the Colectivo to leave the station. For 8 months of the year, the road to Sian Kaan is extremely unreliable and you never know what kind of condition it will be in until you get there. You can access the Sian Kaan Biosphere from both Muyil and Punta Allen (the marina part) but the experiences are quite different. So we went once again to the ADO bus station and asked the lady at the front desk for two ticketstoChunyaxch. The Best Airbnbs in Mexico for Every Type of Traveler. Boat ride: 1.000-pesos (51US$, 46) per person, Colectivo from Muyil to Tulum: 35-pesos (1.79US$, 1.63) per person & Colectivo from Tulum to Playa del Carmen: 40-pesos (2US$, 1.86) per person. There will be plenty of pull-offs along the way where you can stop and enjoy a pristine beach all to yourself. Distances to Muyil Ruins from Riviera Maya: Cancun Muyil Ruins:153km, about 2 hours drive, Playa del Carmen Muyil: 83km, about 1h30 drive. A sublime area of unspoiled natural beauty just south of Tulum, the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve is recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 1.3 million acres of land and sea. So I put my tour of Sian Kaan on the back burner. When it comes to Sian Kaan, the focus is not actually on what humans have created, though. We paid another fee and followed the path. But, if you do have a small group and want to stay over in Punta Allen I would recommend getting there in the afternoon, then booking the tour for the next morning because you have a better chance of seeing dolphins and other wildlife in the morning. But surprise: we couldnt buy the tickets online. Getting from Punta Allen to Sian Kaan is the heaviest way. But, with almost no development within the boundaries, theres a good chance of seeing something of interest. If youre planning a self-guided day trip to Sian Kaan from Muyil, read the entire article! If you are traveling from Cancun to Sian Kaan you need to embark on a bus departing to Playa del Carmen or Tulum and from here take another bus with the destination Chetumal. Sian Kaan is a biosphere reserve Mexico, but what exactly is a biosphere reserve anyway? A travel blog with stories beyond the brochure, October 4, 2019 | Michael Turtle | 1 Comment. After that, we just followed the path until we reached the Chuanyxche lagoons. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. It could be a watercolour painting, a perfect composition of colours and lights that is simple in its arrangement but much more compelling than the sum of its parts. We spent 40 minutes into the canal, grabbing the mangroves, taking lots of photos, and enjoying the ride such a fabulous experience. It is safe, quick, and, as mentioned, affordable. Community Tours Sian Kaan (aka Pixan Kaan) is a cooperative of local guides and boat captains who run tours in the biosphere reserve. Then we saw a lot of birds on Bird Island before we were allowed to do some snorkeling on the reef, where we saw a nurse shark, bloody amazing!! The first thing youll notice at Muyil are the Mayan ruins by the roadside. The first way going to Punta Allen is much more difficult. He began to stress out and search for Infos on his display. It takes a lot for UNESCO to add a natural site to the World Heritage List but that just goes to show how special Sian Kaan is. Actually, yes. The boat ride takes just over 2 hours, passes through two lagoons (Muyil and Chunyaxch) and the natural channels as well as the Mayan-built canals between. Head towards Las Boyas on Google Maps to find the docks. All Rights Reserved. After some more research, we realized that our final destination wasnt Muyil butChunyaxch,which is the name of the Lagoon near Muyil. For nature lovers, Sian Kaan is a Riviera Maya excursion you really shouldnt miss.