Sian Kaan Muyil Floating Canals

Explore Sian Kaan’s hidden Muyil ruins and float through crystal-clear mangrove canals in Mexico’s second-largest biosphere.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Your adventure begins at your doorstep. A guide will meet you at your hotel promptly to take you on a short ride to the archaeological site of Muyil, a lesser-known Mayan site with significant importance in the region’s trade history.

A certified guide will lead you through the history of this site, nestled in a pristine jungle, offering an authentic experience without the crowds. After exploring the ruins, you’ll take a brief ride down a dirt road to the lagoon. Don’t miss the few limestone carvings along the way.

Upon reaching the lagoons, you’ll have the opportunity to use the restroom, change clothes, and prepare for a boat ride. Fast boats will take you through the lagoons and navigate the canal built by the Mayans to connect two lagoons.

You’ll arrive at the archaeological site of Xlapak, the first toll booth of the pre-Hispanic world. Your guide will offer you a cold beverage and demonstrate how to use the life vest. Your floating adventure will begin in crystal-clear waters surrounded by mangroves.

After 40 minutes of floating, you’ll reach the exit point, where your captain will be waiting with your shoes and towels. You’ll then walk back to Xlapak along a wooden trail built by locals, allowing you to admire the savanna and take a moment to relax and meditate. Drinks and chips will be available on the boat for your return trip, a 25-minute drive back to Tulum.

Points of Interest

  • Zona Arqueologica de Muyil

  • Tulum Diving & Travel

What's Included
  • Hotel pickup
  • Driver/guide
  • Bottled water
  • Beverages
  • National Park fees
  • Environmental Management Charge (Reef Tax)
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
What's Not Included
  • Tips to guides and drivers
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

In the Mayan language, Sian Kaan means place where the sky is born. It is the second biggest biosphere in Mexico and also a UNESCO heritage site. You will visit the small, off the beaten path, archaeological site of Muyil, a 30-minute walk into pristine nature. Afterward, you will go on a short ride to the gorgeous lagoons, a floating experience in crystal clear water between mangroves awaits for you.

  • A maximum of 6 people per booking
  • A moderate amount of walking is involved please wear comfortable shoes
  • This tour requires a 2 person minimum to book
  • Due to the nature of this tour and the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund.
Location
Súper Akí Tulum
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(28 Ratings)
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Elizabethcg5283sf
May 30, 2024
Yes to this Beautiful Tour!! - What a beautiful and unique experience! Our guide, Alvaro, was knowledgeable and kind. He shared a lot of information with us and didn’t rush the tour in any way. Not to mention he had cold water and beer to share with us! I definitely recommend this tour if you’re in Tulum. So glad we made time to see this beautiful place - the Muyli ruins and the Sian Ka’an Reserve are memorable. It was so relaxing and refreshing to float down the lagoon after being in the hot weather. It was wonderful for my teenagers and I heard lots of laughter as they floated together…my husband enjoyed himself too! We are a family of four and this was a great experience for all of us!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bolvic
Apr 5, 2024
Good experience - It is one of the most fun things to do on a trip to Yucatan. You don't have to do anything, the water takes you, there is no danger in many places you play standing, but since it is a novelty you enjoy it much more.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vytorus_w
Feb 20, 2020
Beautiful tour - We had a wonderful tour of the ruins and then floated down a beautiful canal. Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable.
Review provided by Viator
Kate_law
Feb 5, 2020
A magical experience! - This is an amazing experience. Eduardo was an excellent guide-friendly and knowledgeable. The ruins at Muyil are impressive and benefit from being slightly off the tourist track. Eduardo provided us with an interesting background on the Mayan culture and the purpose of the ruins. The boat trip and float on the canal are truly special-a world away from the bustle of Tulum. We saw a great egret and and eagle as well as a pretty flycatcher. A wonderful way to spend an afternoon!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karajane91
Sep 4, 2019
Amazing Trip! Must Try! - I loved everything about this trip! It was amazing from the start. I stayed in Playa del Carmen and the ride was awesome to Tulum and beyond and into the forest to the area where you get to the canals. So much nature and history just on the way there. Having an amazing guide , Alvaro, definitely helped. Learning all about the area, the Mayans and the histoey. The trees, flowers and birds too. Once to the area where you begin you board a boat and take it to the canals where you float. Talk about the most AMAZING blue colored water. The views are some that you only see in specific places in the world and this is one of them. Once to the dock you get a life jacket and are sent to float. Its the most refreshing cool but not too cold water and at first your in a tunnel of mangrove trees and in the shade. Once again you will come to open areas and it will be so sunny. Knowing the Mayans carved these in B.C. is just amazing to know Ive floated through them! . If your in the area staying at any of the resorts MAKE THIS TRIP A PRIORITY! Totally worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Baileymcelreath
Jun 6, 2019
Honeymoon Vacation - This was such a relaxing and beautiful experience I would definitely recommend going if you have the opportunity! Our guide Eduardo helped us have the best time, he found available restrooms and brought beer, tequila, water, and coke for our trip, he was so accommodating!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ljasdlfjsl
May 5, 2019
Fabulous tour of Muyil ruins and biosphere float - My husband and I were guided for an afternoon by Alvaro through the Muyil ruins in the biosphere and later, an easy hour long float down the immaculate Mayan canals in the reserve after a boat ride through the cenote-dotted lagoons (completed with a walk down a bubblegum tree boardwalk). Alvaro was super engaged and thoughtful throughout the afternoon, sharing history, nature (even finding monkeys overhead) and culture, cold water and excellent driving (and english!) skills. Thanks for a fantastic afternoon! Highly recommend this outfit and Alvaro.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariakozio
Apr 20, 2019
Beautiful and educational family trip - Antonio was an amazing guide! He kept our children interested in the history and the nature around Muyil and even found howler monkeys in some trees! The canals were breathtaking, fun and relaxing. I would take this tour again and again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wengod
Feb 23, 2019
Great - This is great trip and our guide was great. Floating down the canal was great Muyil ruins where wonderful a having a great guide made it even better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marcy_h
Jul 6, 2024
No follow through makes for VERY expensive day - Warning to all who book for Sian Kaan - there are multiple sites that sound almost exactly the same and we inadvertently booked for this one and another one. There was no follow up from this operator for two weeks and we thought we were going with the other one. Needless to say, we went with the other one and got charged the FULL price for this one (and the operator was quite detailed to make sure that the we were not at the hotel for him to pick us up). Our bad yes, but follow through on their part or at LEAST a discount for SIX people that they didn't have to do an afternoon for would have helped.
Review provided by Viator
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September 2024
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