Xplor: A Guide to this Xcaret Adventure Park
Xplor is one of the parks of Grupo Xcaret. Xplor park is a park full of adventure, so if you like fun and exciting activities, this is the park for you. Read on to find out all of the information about Xplor, and plan your day before you go.
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Location
Xplor Park is located in Playa del Carmen near the Xcaret Hotel properties. If staying at on of the Xcaret resorts, transportation is included and leaves consistently from La Xentral.
When staying at another resort, transportation can be included for an additional cost. If using Xcaret transportation, you must remain at the park until closing. They do not have options to leave earlier. If not wanting to stay all day, you would have to book private transportation or use a taxi.
It takes about an hour or so to arrive at Xplor from Cancun, and about 20-30 minutes from Playa del Carmen depending on which part you are staying in.
What to Bring
When visiting Xplor Park, you want to make sure you are prepared for what the day brings. Water shoes are a must because you will be walking around a lot, getting in water, and also participating in activities where you will want/need shoes on.
For sun protection you will need reef-safe sunscreen. All Xcaret parks require sunscreen to be reef-safe, and Xplor is no different. Xcaret does all they can to protect nature, and they need you to do your part as well. I also recommend a rash guard. Not only will it protect you from the sun, it will help with the cold water, and is great for the activities you will be doing.
While a lot of women walk around in bikinis and bathing suits, I always wear longer shorts with my suit. These really help with the zip lines where you will be wearing a harness, and they also prevent any wardrobe malfunctions while participating in the adventurous activities. They also help prevent thigh chafing while walking around wet all day. This is a major plus for me.
Activities
Please note, children must be 5 years old to participate in all activities.
Your day will begin in the Corazón, the Heart of Xplor. Here you will see a board that lists all of the activities at Xplor, and colored lights letting you know how full the activity is at that time.
Green means the activity is free, go for it! Yellow means the activity is starting to get full, and you will have to wait in line. Red means the activity is full, find something else to do until it frees up.
These boards are nice because they let you know where to go in the park for the least amount of wait time. You can avoid showing up for an activity and wasting time by being turned away because it is full. Pay attention to these as you walk around the park.
Zip Lines
The most popular activity at Xplor, the lip lines, offers 2 circuits to choose from. Both offer 7 connected zip lines through the jungle. One circuit offers the highest zip line in the RIviera Maya area. Choose this circuit for some great sights.
The second circuit offers a little less high zip lines. Choose this circuit if you are nervous about zip lining, or if you have children who are nervous about going on the zip lines.
Both circuits will offer you fun and excitement, so either will be a good choice. There are also some zip lines that end in the water, so be prepared to get wet.
Riders must be 43 inches tall to ride the zip lines, and must weigh between 88 and 300 pounds. Depending on height/weight, children may be required to ride tandem with an adult.
Toboganxote
The Toboganxote is a rather new attraction at Xplor, and therefore is also extremely popular. This is the world’s only 5-in-1 waterslide. You and 3 other people will ride on a raft, and experience 4 different types of descents on this slide. Finally, you will end your ride in the Xplor wave pool.
This slide is perfect for adrenaline junkies, with a height of 135 feet! Riders must be 51 inches tall, 300 pounds or less, and the total weight for the raft is 705 pounds.
Hammock Splash
The hammock splash is a fun activity that combines hammocks, zip lines, and a cenote. In this activity you will sit in a small hammock, and then zip line into a cool cenote. This combines the best activities in the Riviera Maya.
For this activity you must have on closed toe shoes. The max weight is 300 pounds, and you must be 40 inches tall to ride. Only 1 person can ride in the hammock, so children will not be able to ride with parents.
Amphibious Vehicles
The amphibious vehicles at Xplor are a fun adventure through the jungle. There are 2 different 3 miles courses that take you across hanging bridges, flooded caverns, and bumpy, narrow roads.
This is an exciting ride, and is very bumpy at times, so be warned. If you enjoy this ride, you may ride as many times as you would like. Don’t forget to smile for the cameras!
Drivers must be 18 years of age. Riders must be 43 inches tall, and must wear a seat belt. You also must be wearing closed toe shoes while riding. There are 4 seats per vehicle, and vehicles are equipped with roll bars.
Underground Rivers
The underground rivers are one of the unique activities of the Riviera Maya. At Xplor, you can swim and float through the caves, viewing rock formations, stalactites, and stalagmites as you swim. Please note these are natural formations, so please be careful to not touch or kick them.
The temperature of the river is 75° F, and the river is 437 yards long. If you get tired along the way, there are ropes that you can pull yourself along. Also, every 109 yards is an exit if you would like to exit the river completely.
Underground Rafts
The underground rafts are similar to the underground rivers, except instead of swimming, you will paddle a raft through the river. You can choose a single raft, or a raft for 2 people. Just remember, if you paddle with a partner, you need to get into sync to make paddling easier.
As you paddle through the river on your raft, you will wear special hand paddles that look similar to the bottom part of an oar. You will again pass by stalactites and stalagmites on your journey through the caves. The interesting part? These caves were created by the meteorite that struck the area and caused dinosaurs to go extinct.
Underground Expedition
The underground expedition at Xplor is an adventure through various underground sceneries. You will be walking, swimming, climbing, and sliding your way through this adventure.
There are 2 different paths to choose from. A more calm, contemplative path, or an adventurous one with challenging passageways and fun obstacles. The expedition is 800 yards and takes about 30-45 minutes to complete. Again if you get tired, there are 3 exits along the way where you can leave the expedition.
Life jackets are available, but not mandatory. You must be 43 inches tall to participate in the underground expedition.
Where to Eat
Food is included with your ticket to Xplor. There is one buffet restaurant, Troglodita, that offers many different options for every taste. We really enjoyed this restaurant, and everyone left happy.
The restaurant had traditional Mexican foods, along with burgers, fries, different meats, etc. When we were there they had a guacamole bar where you could add your own toppings to the guac, which I loved. It was delicious.
There are also 2 smoothie bars in the park, Oasis and Manantial. These are great for a quick little pick me up between activities. After swimming, zip lining, and exploring all day, you will get hungry, so these smoothie bars are great to get some energy nad be back on your way exploring.
Xelfie Photo Package
I highly recommend purchasing the photo package. If visiting more than one park, you can get a discount by purchasing for multiple parks.
As you walk through the park and participate in activities, you will see circles where you scan your bracelet. There will be a camera to take your picture, which makes it nice for group photos as no one gets let out because they were the one taking the picture.
The photo package is also nice because you get pictures that you would not be able to get with your phone. Your photo will be taken on the zip lines, the amphibious vehicles, the hammock splash, etc. These photos would be impossible without the photo package. For these photos, the camera reads the numbers on your helmet and takes your picture this way.
I personally love the Xelfie photo package and recommend it to everyone who goes. You get some unique, fun photos, and these are often some of my favorite photos from my vacation. Get the photo package and have great photos to share when you return home.
Recap
Xplor is an adventure park where you will find many heart pumping activities. CLosed toe shoes are a must, whether they are sneakers or water shoes. Be prepared to have a day of fun, and get that photo pass! You do not want to miss those unique photo opportunities.
Wanting to visit Xcaret or Xenses? Read our guides before you go to plan the perfect day. Wanting to stay at Hotel Xcaret Mexico or Hotel Xcaret Arte? Get all the info here.
