With your select group of family and friends, get to know Cozumel on a private shore excursion. In addition to learning about the island’s history, see how people and local industries there operate today. Visit the San Gervasio Mayan ruins as well as a chocolate factory, and enjoy a tequila tasting. Snorkel and relax at Palancar beach. Experience some of the best of what Cozumel has to offer, without having to follow a rigid schedule. Port/ferry pier pickup and drop-off included.

Private shore excursion of Cozumel
See Cozumel’s landmarks and learn their history on a city tour
Visit a chocolate factory, a tequila bar, and a local beach for swimming and snorkeling
Check out the San Gervasio Mayan ruins
Tour accommodates up to nine people
Round-trip transport by air-conditioned van from the cruise-ship or ferry pier included

What's Included

Driver/guide
Private tour
Transport by air-conditioned minivan

Lunch
Drinks
San Gervasio Mayan Ruins fee ($10.50 USD per person),
Guide inside San Gervasio ($20USD)
Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

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Pickup points

Select a pickup point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

IMPORTANT: IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS WE'LL SEND YOU THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MEETING POINT WITH YOUR DRIVER. IF YOU ARE STAYING IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN OR CANCUN, THE PICK-UP WILL BE AT THE COZUMEL FERRY PIER.

What To Expect

Enjoy a broad and pleasant overview of Cozumel island on this private shore excursion. After pickup from the cruise-ship or ferry pier at a time of your choosing, your personalized guide takes your group (up to nine people) by air-conditioned van to a variety of sights on Cozumel, which translates in Mayan as the ‘Island of Swallows.’

Hear the history behind the landmarks downtown on a city tour. Then, stop at a chocolate factory to learn about how the Maya people made and used chocolate. Follow your chocolate lesson with a tasty tequila tasting and a visit to Pueblo del Maiz to learn how to make corn tortillas.

Next, opt to explore the San Gervasio Maya (entry at your own expense) ruins. Continue along the coastal highway, stopping for photo ops as you like. This stretch of the tour is a good time to purchase lunch at one of the beachfront restaurants, and your guide has recommendations on hand.

Finish your outing at the beach of Palancar, where you can swim, snorkel, or just relax in a hammock under the coconut palm trees. Your shore excursion ends with return transport to the pier.

Fuerza Aérea

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Chocolates Kaokao

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Mi Mexico Lindo Tequila Tour

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

San Gervasio Mayan Archaeological Site

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

El Mirador

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Playa Palancar Cozumel Beach Club

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Important: At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
Important: Departures are available every 30 minutes from 8am to 5pm. Please contact the local tour operator to advise of your chosen time.
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travellers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

Traveller Tips

Insist they meet you at your cruise pier (there are many) so you do not have to walk or take a taxi to meet your driver

I highly recommend this tour versus the larger group tours offered off the cruise ships!

We then visited the San Gervasio Mayan ruins, based on Leo's recommendation we purchase a tour guide for the ruins, this was well worth the extra money.

Reviews

5.0

280 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 280 reviews

Best day ever

Leslie_M, May 2023

Gerry was spectacular!! He was texting in the morning telling me where to meet him. We arrived and he had some great ideas for us. He was very understanding and patient with us as we decided. We followed his suggestions and had the Best Day Ever!!!!!! I am glad we had him as a guide and would definitely have anyone do the tour with him!! Kudos to Gerry!!!!!

Don t hesitate

Dona_R, Apr 2023

I was somewhat reluctant spending money on a guided tour on such a small island easy to get around end. Gerry met every expectation and more. He had drinks for us and immediately asked us what we wanted to see and offered us plenty of options. He called ahead of time to get us the best guide ever at the ruins who was very accommodating with our elderly group member. He also let us stay as little or as long as we wanted at each place. He called ahead everywhere we went to make sure staff was waiting to accommodate us waisting no time at all. The church he brought us to was breathtaking and at no point and time did he rush us. We actually arrived a half an hour early and he was waiting there already for us and didn't make us wait. If we ever return to Cozumel I will definitely try to line up Gerry again. He took such good care of us.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Hola Thank you very much for your comments, Gerry will be very happy to know you had a great time! Hope to see you again on the island

A Worthwhile Experience.

Ogy_E, Mar 2023

The drivers were friendly and respectful. I wish the bus could accommodate more than nine people at a time. I had to reserve two buses for eleven people.

Fun beach time with grandkids.

Sheila_R, Mar 2023

Our tour guide was local and very informative about Cozumel history. We went to the ruins and he arranged for us to enjoy time at a private beach with changing facilities, chairs & umbrellas! Fun family day!

Amazing day!

Debbie_K, Mar 2023

Great day with our guide Gerardo (Gerry). Having a private tour guide was a treat as we could stop for pics when we wanted and skip others as desired. Gerardo was so knowledgeable about the island and beyond. The tour stops included were fun and informative. It was a great day and we would recommend it to all! D&D March 9/23

Wonderful enjoy our visit 😊

Karen_J, Feb 2023

The tour guide was awesome. We had wonderful time. The fooh and chocolate shop was just what we needed.

Great option to see it all

Nicole_C, Feb 2023

This was great and our driver was amazing. I just feel like with super a price for the excursion the we shouldn’t have to pay for all the stops on top of it. Also the ruins prices were raised to $12.50 Per person and the guide is now $30.

Great tour!

Tricia_W, Feb 2023

Roger was great. He knew lots of history of the Mayan culture. Spent time on a beautiful quiet beach. Enjoyed a chocolate tasting tour. We had a fabulous day!

Tequila and Chocolate Tasting in Cozumel

Deborah_S, Feb 2023

Tequila tasting and chocolate tasting. The tour guides at both places were personable, informative and had a very good command of the English language.

What a great day!

Mark_P, Jan 2023

Had a fantastic trip with Jerry as our guide. He offered lots of options for our private excursion. The chocolate factory and the tequila tasting was fantastic. We spent a lot of time on the other side of the island, which is recommended by me if you want seclusion. Had a great day!

Wonderful tour

Arlette_M, Jan 2023

Our tour guide, Gerry was so informative! We enjoyed hearing and seeing all of the history of Cozumel

Response from Host, Jan 2023

We are glad to hear that, hope to see you again in the island!

Gary was perfect

Tovah_L, Jan 2023

We usually book thru viator and have always had a great experience. This tour definitely didn't disappoint. We enjoyed our tour guide Gerry and nice gentleman that was assisting with Spanish. We definitely learned a few additional words along the journey. He took us to a tequila tasting where we learned some new things and also chocolate tasting and followed by Mayan ruins. Definitely an enjoyable time.

Great day in Cozumel with Jerry

Arnold_W, Dec 2022

Jerry is an excellent guide. Very relaxed, easy to talk together, very knowledgeable about Cozumel .!!!!!!!!

Cozumel as you like it

Brian_P, Dec 2022

The instructions to the meeting point were spot on, and waiting, as promised, was our guide Sergio. A more patient, informative and enterprising guide would be hard to find, and with a few twists and turns in the planned itinerary sorted, a unhurried, reassuring, enjoyable and fully informative day was had. This was, by far, the best tour of our cruise ship holiday. Thank you so much Sergio.

The Chester & Linda...

Cathyrn_J, Aug 2022

The Chester & Linda Johnson Crew (estb. 1976) 1st ever family cruise was a success. 1 member overcame fear of water. All enjoyed ship activities and Cozumel. We enjoyed on board Spa, EFFY jewelers, and so much more. We are planning next trip.

Perfect for my family!

Mari_W, June 2022

Jerry was so knowledgeable and so friendly! I was concerned about a 5 hour tour and making it back to the ship on time. No last minute dash to catch the cruise for us! Jerry told each vendor/tour how much time they had with us to ensure that we could do all activities in the time frame allotted. The chocolate tasting and tequila tasting were interesting and informative. Yes, there was a push to buy some tequila but we expected that and were already prepared with our "No thank you". This excursion was well worth it. Everyone in the family enjoyed it. Thank you Jerry!

An Amazing Day with Gerry in Cozumel!

Julie_B, May 2022

We spent the most enjoyable day with Gerry! My mother is older and mobility impaired (wheelchair). Gerry responded immediately to our desires to customize the tour, as getting in and out of the van multiple times was difficult. Oh - not because of the van, it was A/C, clean, he had a cooler with iced water and soft drinks! The driving tour around the city was interesting - he has so much (but not too much!) information, and we ended up skipping the ruins and going to the Chocolate Factory and the Mayan Bee Reserve. Both places he phoned ahead and they were waiting for us when we arrived for a private tour. The Chocolate Factory is small, but quaint, and face it we had a good time trying probably 25 types of chocolate and made a dent in the gift shop - so much fun for less than I spent at McDonalds! The Mayan Bee Reserve was a delightful surprise! Look it up - we learned a lot about the bees, as well as Mayan culture, and enjoyed the honey tasting. Again small, but unique, and off the beaten track. We finished up the day at a beach side restaurant on the east side of the island. Good food and according to my husband - better than average drinks! Everyone was incredibly friendly the entire day, and treated my mother like a queen. With a little manpower, everything was accessible by wheelchair. Gerry was friendly, easy going, I never felt we were pressured into his agenda. Worth every dollar and we would do it again!

Jerry was teriffic

Marylou_M, Feb 2022

Comfortable van beautiful beach great food Very impressed with Cozumel That is all Mary lou Judy Joan

Great tour!

Angela_K, Dec 2021

Great tour! Alex was very friendly and helpful! The tequila tasting was lots of fun and the chocolate tasting was very informative.

The Chocolate factory...

patricia_l, Dec 2021

The Chocolate factory tour and the Ruins tour were our favorite. We also loved the restaurant directly across from the tequila tour.

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