UPDATE 04/08/2025: The road has been worked on with machinery and is currently in fairly good condition!

    The road into the nature reserve is about 32 km long and consists of an unpaved track, which can be washed out by rainfall and, in places, has many potholes. We drive very slowly and carefully to reach our boat and do our best to make the ride as comfortable as possible for you. However, the road is bumpy and not suitable for all guests.

     

    The driving time within the nature reserve is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, plus the regular transfer time from your hotel to the park entrance.

     

    This tour is not suitable if:

     

    • You suffer from severe back problems or have recently had back surgery

    • You are pregnant

    • You are prone to severe nausea or vomiting on bus rides

     

    BUT: The journey is the reward – and it’s definitely worth it! You will experience a unique natural setting that more than makes up for the ride.

    • Child from 12 years & adult            195 USD
    • Child up to 3 years                            55 USD
    • Child 4 to 11 years            170 USD
    • Day trip according to program
    • Personal assistance by SANTI TOUR
    • Pick-up from your hotel or designated meeting point
    • Transportation with a certified driver in a comfortable, fully insured, air-conditioned minivan
    • Guiding in German language
    • Fresh wholegrain sandwich “Santini” on the bus (coffee or tea not included)
    • Chilled drinks during the ride and on the boat (soft drinks, water, premium beer, tequila shot)
    • Approx. 3-hour boat tour (searching for various bird species – depending on the season – dolphins and sea turtles) Snorkeling at the coral reef (weather permitting)
    • Swimming and relaxing in a stunning Caribbean bay (“natural swimming pool”)
    • Small SANTI photo shoots in the water and, if possible, on the beach (time permitting)
    • Traditional lunch including drinks (local soft drinks, water, cola)
    • Fresh coconut at the beach
    • Walk through the village of Punta Allen
    • Return transfer to your hotel or designated meeting point

    • All photos/videos of this tour are our free gift to you! In return, we would appreciate a donation to support our animal rescue centers.

    • Minimum participants: 8 people
    • Maximum participants: 12 people
    • Duration: approx. 10 hours
    • Difficulty level: moderate
    • Recommended age: 5 to 75 years
    • Information about the country and its people
    • Nature & wildlife
    • Mexican food
    • Swimming & relaxing
    • Snorkeling

     

    • Sian Ka’an is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, and in the Mayan language, its name means “Where the sky was born” or “Gift from the sky.” And that’s exactly what this little tropical paradise looks like. The area covers 5,280 km² and is home to a wide variety of mammals. There are hundreds of bird species, some of them endangered, and over 850 plant species. Sian Ka’an is home to four different species of sea turtles, two species of dolphins, pumas, spider monkeys, jaguars, and the largest population of saltwater crocodiles in Mexico.
    • On our tour, we can see many bird species and, with a bit of luck, rays, tropical fish, as well as dolphins and sea turtles in their natural habitat.
    • We first drive south to Tulum and from there continue along a coastal road about 42 km further south to Sian Ka’an, where our boat will be waiting for us. Our approximately 3-hour boat trip takes us through mangroves to Bird Island. Here, you will learn many details about frigatebirds, pelicans, cormorants, and herons. We keep an eye out for wild dolphins and sea turtles, stopping the boat as soon as we spot them — so keep your cameras ready!
    • Afterwards, we head to the coral reef for snorkeling. Endless corals and many tropical and exotic fish — and sometimes starfish, lobsters, and rays — await us. We then continue to a stunning Caribbean bay for a swim, where we will have time to take wonderful photos and enjoy the sea.
    • Back in the fishing village of Punta Allen, we enjoy a shared lunch right on the dreamy beach, with our feet in the sand under palm trees. Nobody will want to get up too quickly from here! You will then have a bit of free time to take more photos before we take a short walk together through the village back to our boat, which will bring us — full of impressions — back to our bus.

    • In the swimming bay or (if possible) on the beach, we’ll do a small photo shoot with you, creating unforgettable memories that you can take home for free after the tour!

    • Personal expenses (toilet, coffee/tea/chocolate)
    • Tip for the SANTI guide and driver
    • Tip for the boat guides

    • Photo packages from other providers can be VERY expensive – often €150 or more – and in many cases, you may have only been photographed once or twice.
    • With SANTI, you receive a FREE photo package (and often videos), always depending on the specific tour. For the Holbox and Bacalar tours, small photo shoots are included.
    • Please note that we are NOT professional photographers, but we take all photos to the best of our knowledge and ability. Tour guides usually do not take photos, and all SANTI guides make every effort to capture great memories for you.
    • We usually take photos with mobile phones, as in some cases we are not allowed to use large cameras, and officially we as guides are also not permitted to take photos.
    • We do not edit the images – BUT we straighten backgrounds and crop some photos. Photos may also be deleted (e.g. if they are blurry, don’t turn out well, or have difficult lighting conditions).
    • IMPORTANT: Please also take your own photos, as those will fully match your wishes. We cannot accommodate every individual request or pose.
    • In rare cases, it MAY happen that a phone gets damaged (e.g. due to humidity), is dropped, or photos are lost. Please always keep in mind: all our photos are FREE and a GIFT for you! If damage or loss of photos occurs, there is no entitlement to compensation.
    • Photos are shared after the tour in the WhatsApp group in high-resolution quality. This can take up to 7–14 days, depending on the tour schedule. The group remains active for 4 weeks, and you can download the files from home as well. After that, the group will be deleted. If you leave the group earlier, we cannot provide you with the photos afterwards. You are also welcome to upload your own photos and videos from the tour to the group.
    • There is no guarantee of a specific size, quality, or resolution of the images.
    • It may also be the case that during certain parts of the tour, no photos can be taken or are allowed (e.g. zip lines, canoeing, quad biking, etc.).
    • Cash: The best option for you is payment in USD, EUR and MXN is also possible. MXN and EUR exchange rates fluctuate daily, and we will inform you of the current rate the day before the tour. Please make sure to arrange your tour money a few days in advance.
    • Credit Card: We will send you a payment request to your phone. If you pay by credit card via our CLIP terminal, we charge +5% fees (including card fees and system costs). In addition, your own bank may charge extra fees (e.g., foreign transaction or currency conversion fees). We cannot influence these fees, and for multiple people, the total can become quite high!
    • Often, hotels do not provide cash, or ATMs are far away. Many guests have problems with their credit cards and cannot withdraw money.
    • We kindly ask for your understanding that, due to the tour schedule and waiting participants on the bus, we cannot make stops at banks or ATMs to exchange money.
    • No bank transfers or PayPal
    • From the lobbies of Iberostar Paraíso up to the Hotel Zone in Tulum. Please check the location of your hotel before booking.
    • Hotels in Cancun, Puerto Morelos, and hotels north of Iberostar Paraíso: Pickup at the meeting point in Playa del Carmen.
    • The transfer to Playa del Carmen to the meeting point (using the Colectivo shared taxi) is easy, safe, and very cheap—around 3 to 5 USD per person from any hotel. The white minivans run from 5:00 a.m., approximately every 5 minutes, along the main road, heading to Playa del Carmen.
    • The direct travel time to the entrance of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve from downtown Playa del Carmen is approximately 1¼ hours (depending on traffic and not including hotel pickup).
    • After that, there is additional travel time within the reserve of about 1 hour 20 minutes. Please keep this in mind when planning your tour.
    • This tour is 100% weather-dependent. We check the weather conditions beforehand to the best of our knowledge and judgment and will only start if conditions are good and safe. Please understand that we have no control over sun, cloud cover, water clarity, visibility, tides, or water levels—these are entirely in nature’s hands.
    • We cannot influence the presence of sargassum seaweed or seagrass in the water or on the beach.
    • During the Mexican rainy season (June to November), it is almost impossible to predict how the weather will develop or how much rain will fall. During this period, the entire road to the nature reserve can be flooded and nearly impassable. Last-minute tour cancellations may occur and must be expected by all guests.
    • This tour is not suitable for pregnant women or people with serious back problems due to the condition of the road to Sian Ka’an. It is not a paved road but an unpaved gravel road.
    • Snorkeling takes place from the boat at the reef, with entry and exit possible via a ladder.
    • We visit dolphins, turtles, and crocodiles in the wild and cannot guarantee that the animals will be seen.
    • Life jackets are mandatory on boats and for snorkeling in Mexico.
    • Snorkeling equipment, including fins, will be provided on the boat.
    • For the protection of flora and fauna, we kindly ask you to avoid using sunscreen on all our tours whenever possible. Sunscreen significantly damages corals, cenotes, and wildlife. We recommend wearing UV shirts or light T-shirts instead. If sunscreen is necessary, use biodegradable products and do not apply sunscreen or insect repellent immediately before swimming.
    • This tour is suitable for children. Please bring appropriate swimming aids!
    • The use of drones is only allowed over the boat in the “bathtub” area.
    • This is a full-day tour! The estimated return to Playa del Carmen is around 6:00 p.m. (depending on traffic, weather, and events). However, we cannot guarantee the exact return time.

     

    • Bikini / Swim trunks
    • Flip flops
    • Towel
    • Hat / Head covering
    • Sunscreen – or better, a UV shirt
    • Camera / Phone
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