Whether or not you believe yourself to be a fan of water parks, you must pay a visit to the Xel Ha Action Park in the Maya Riviera if you are in the region. Why? It is more than your average water park or theme park, and is in fact an eco-park. After all, you are not going to spend your day waiting in line to take a two minute run down a water slide when you pay a visit.
No, you will be able to explore an authentic cenote, hike actual jungle trails and swim in real grottoes. You can float lazily in a lagoon or you can attempt a few daring feats in the more adventurous area of the park. Let’s take a few moments to see what you can do when visiting Xel Ha Action Park in the Maya Riviera and then consider a few reasons why you absolutely must pay a visit.
What You Can Do at Xel Ha Action Park in the Maya Riviera
We understand that the phrase “something for everyone” is terribly overused, and particularly when describing travel destinations. Yet, these words are completely accurate when describing the many activities available at the Xel Ha Action Park in the Maya Riviera. A short list includes:
Scaling the light house (standing 30 meters above the sea) – From here you can see the jungles, the sea and then descend using one of the four water slides.
Snorkeling – Though many head to Mexico to enjoy snorkeling, here you can encounter more than 90 different species of marine life in this park’s waters. There are educational tours that teach visitors about the halocline and thermocline effects of the waters, and more
River excursions – Would you enjoy floating out of an underground cave and into a gently flowing river lined by mangroves and slowly turning into a blend of natural sea and fresh waters? If so, this is likely to be something you’ll enjoy doing at the Xel Ha Action Park in the Maya Riviera
Mayan Cave – This is the authentic cenote within the park and features snorkeling opportunities in addition to guided tours
Chuc Kay’s Flight – This is a unique experience above another cenote in the park. Using a large rope swing, you can swing out over the natural cave and then let yourself drop into its lovely, cool waters below
Cliff climbing – This is a manmade cliff that allows you to use ropes and crevices to scale to the top. Once there, you can make the daring leap into the waters below
Trepachanga – This is a two-rope bridge – you hold a single rope above and walk a single rope below in order to cross the river beneath you. There are also some other rope courses to enjoy at each end of the challenge.
Zip lines – Six different zip lines are found here and you can cross gardens, jungles, rivers and more.
The Cove – The Xel Ha Action Park in the Maya Riviera is home to a stunning natural inlet where fresh water and sea waters meet. It is part of the longest system of underground rivers in the world and is the perfect place to spend time snorkeling in the calm waters and encountering the natural marine life around you.
There is also the Bay of Caprices, the Home River, Children’s World, two separate grottoes, and so much more to explore. You can easily spend several days here, and if you have kids, you may want to do just that!