Finally, your chilled agua fresca is in hand as you gaze at the crystalline waters of the Caribbean Sea. The toasty sun's rays mix with cooling winds to create the perfect temperature, as the soft sand beneath your feet keeps your footsteps light. You're in Cancun, and the last thing you want to do is worry about the logistics of exploring as much of this magnificent city with the time you have.
Getting a Cancun tour guide is a great way to cushion your already relaxing adventure, but is a solo tour a better option? Don’t let deciding whether a guide is right for you burst your Cancun bubble. Let us do the hard part, with the good and bad of getting a guide or going it alone, all in one place. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to enjoy your future trips to the Mayan Museum of Cancun or Isla Mujeres confidently.
To Get A Guide: The Pros
Is it worth it to get a tour guide? Yes. If you're looking for schedule flexibility, convenience, time management, safety, and special needs care, private guides are the way to go.
1. Free & Flexible- From the foamy, clear blue waters of Playa Delfines to the dark caves in El Bakam, Cancun is a wonderland and wonderlands create a sense of freedom when you explore them. Instead of a pre-set schedule that doesn't speak to your preferences, private guided experiences revolve around what excites you. No having to adjust your daily schedule to visit a place you don't want to go to.
2. Comfortable Convenience- Cancun's laid-back style becomes a luxury experience with a guide that takes care of the little and big things. Guides create a sense of comfort and convenience by...
- Acting as a translator whenever you're out and about. English is common in major resort spots around the city, but as you move around, buy souvenirs, or have questions about venues, your guide will make the translation process smoother.
- Being knowledgeable about local life, customs, and history. There's a rich Mayan heritage and historical significance centered in Cancun and its surroundings. With a local guide, you'll learn from an endless pool of information as you go.
3. Saving Time- Figuring out where to go in the visual buffet that is Cancun can feel like scrolling through your favorite streaming site. There’s too much to choose from! How does one stuff Chichen Itza, El Rey Maya, the Cancun Underwater Museum, and Xcaret in one trip? Then there's transport, ticket booking, and reservations you'll have to organize, adding a few hours, or maybe days, to your travel prep. If you'd rather spend your time lounging, guides save the day by;
- Calling Ahead to book tickets, make reservations and organize reliable, safe transport around the city.
- Transforming your interests, curiosities, and travel goals into a customized tour schedule with venue stops organized according to distance and travel time.
- Making sure you don't get lost along the way.
4. Staying Safe - Are private tours safe? Yes! They're much safer than group or solo touring, especially when you're in a new country or city. Cancun is a major tourist hub, so it's well-protected from violent crimes. With that said, it is a target for petty crimes like pick-pocketing and scams if you wander into sketchy neighborhoods and streets. A local private guide will keep you from the unsafe side of the city.
5. Special Attention - Traveling when you have special needs and medical requests can be complicated. With a private guide, you’re able to make your needs known ahead of time, from dietary restrictions to physical ailments and needs. The guide fashions your itinerary with those needs in mind, taking out the mental gymnastics.
To Not Get A Guide: The Cons
What are the disadvantages of having a tour guide? Stiff schedules, limited interaction with locals, large groups, and over-visited tourist attractions are some of the reasons people stay away from guided tours. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. For every con, there’s a way to make guided tours work for you.
Dos & Don'ts When Touring With A Private Guide
If it’s your first time considering a private guide, these handy tips will keep your experience positive and relaxing.
Travel Tip: How To Hire A Private Guide In Cancun.
Not sure how to go about booking a guided tour? These tips should point you in the right direction.
- Head to our Cancun Local Guides Page and select a guide.
- Click the "Message Guide" button on the right-hand side of the screen.
- Give as much information and detail about the type of tour you'd like to have. When would you like to go, what time of day do you like the most, and what hot spots do you want to hit? Anything to help our guides create a custom experience.
- Let your guide know about any special requests (slow walking tours, private car tours, any handicaps or physical limitations)
- Are there any festivals or special events you plan to attend?
- Are you a fan of shopping, history, water activities, parks, wildlife, and nature? Let your guide know so they can start the booking and scheduling process.
- Talk to your guide as often as you need before the tour day.
- Get excited about your tour!
Discovering Cancun: Let's See Some Tours
What are some Cancun tour packages you can try? These should help you get started. Pick and choose, mix and match, it’s up to you!
Ask your guide about these great destinations:
- From Cancun to Tulum & Coba-The Ultimate Day Trip: You don’t have to choose between Tulum or Cancun. You can have both with a day trip to the Mayan hieroglyphs and ruins of Tulum and Coba. With a private vehicle, walking between sites won’t be an issue, and you’ll enjoy a scenic lunch followed by some cave swimming to top the day off.
- From Cancun to Ek Balam- The Ultimate Day Trip: Take on Ek Balam with the luxury of a licensed tour driver and local licensed guide with a passion for the history surrounding Ek Balam. Explore the ruins, stucco facades, and nearby Cenote Xcanché before lunch and a small visit to the colonial town of Valladolid.
- Cancun Water Fest Day Tour: Get wet and wild with all things sun, sea, and sand. From the Cancun Underwater Museum to the Interactive Aquarium and the Cenotes of Xcaret Park, there’s so much to see. Cap off your nature immersion with a journey through the mangrove jungle of the Nichupte Lagoon.
- Discover Downtown Cancun Day Tour: From novelty souvenir shops from local artisans and food carts at the Parque Las Palapas, there's a lot to love about downtown Cancun. Get away from the large tourist crowds and discover a side of the city most don't see.
Ready to get your guided tour started? Contact a Cancun tour guide and start building your itinerary together.