How long are your private excursions?

Your private excursion is as long as you want it to be, it can be a one-activity for only a couple of hours or a full-day adventure with more activities. The guides we choose for you are specialized in personal guided excursions. You can be always assured of personal attention. You will be able to stop and take pictures and have lunch when you want at the many places that your guide will recommend along the way.

Can I customize a private departure?

Yes. You can use the same itinerary as our regular trips, adding special activities & inclusions to the itinerary, and even hand pick your guides. Maybe you're interested to include a special restaurant which was recommended, or you are looking to celebrate your birthday in style with your friends and family or purpose your girlfriend in a romantic setting.

How do private excursions differ from regular excursions?

They do not differ whatsoever – our Private Excursions offer a complete Ocean Tours experience, including all the benefits that Ocean Tours Participants have come to know and appreciate; comprehensive included sightseeing; high quality, outstanding travel value, and as always, a dedicated professional excursion guide who will be devoted to your small group.   You can also customize your Private Excursion by adding or deleting activities or locations. Please contact our customer service if you're looking for something different than the regular itinerary. We will be happy to help you.   And, most importantly, you’ll have the opportunity to travel exclusively with those people with whom you choose to share a wonderful adventure.

Can I book a private excursion with a foreign language guide?

We can book you a private excursion in a foreign language, however, we need to know your preferred language in advance. English and Spanish are the basic languages spoken by all our guides. But we can offer German, French, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Russian and Polish speaking guides.

How many people can sign up for a private excursion?

In our Private Excursion, you decide how many participants you will take. Some private excursions are limited in how many persons we can take for logistic reasons or for allowance passengers per boat for example. If you would like to book a private excursion with more persons than our website allows, please email us at info@oceantoursmexico.com

What are the benefits of a private excursion?

It is just you and your friends or family traveling together. You can be yourselves and be completely at ease, while at the same time setting your own schedule for getting an above-and-beyond experience. 

Of course, having your own dedicated guide and vehicle means traveling in your bubble is made easy. It’s that type of flexibility that becomes the most valued in these private excursions. 

A private excursion is perfect for multi-generational families and to celebrate a special anniversary or milestone birthday!

Private excursions make a great value alternative to creating a customized trip, so we encourage you to browse through the private excursions to find the right one for your group.

What to wear to Tulum ruins?

There is not any protection from sun or rain while walking around. It is usually hot walking around, so comfortable clothes, shoes, sunscreen, hat, glasses, and water are all good things to keep in mind. We offer, free of charge, umbrellas to protect you from the sun and rain in case of. 

How long does it take to see Tulum ruins?

The Tulum ruins are not that big. We take you on a 45-minute guided excursion to go through the Tulum ruins. After that you can use 15-20 minutes to go your own and take your pictures.

What happened to the Mayans in Tulum?

Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya; it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. By the end of the 16th century, the site was abandoned. Tulum was abandoned as European diseases and epidemics decimated the population. Archaeologists have evidence that the population was killed off by the Spaniards when they introduced Old World diseases into the area as a way to destroy the native population.

How did Tulum get its name?

The original name of Tulum was Zamá, which in the ancient Mayan language means "dawn”. Tulum was an important walled city that in ancient times was used as a port for an extensive commercial network since the terrestrial and maritime routes of the ancient Mayan people converged here.

Do you pick me up from my Airbnb or Private residence?

Yes, we will happily schedule your pickup from your Airbnb or Private Excursion. As soon as you arrive at your destination let us know your exact location. For some locations, we have special nearby meeting points.

Can I be dropped off at another hotel or location?

Please ask our Ocean Tours Team before booking if you want to be dropped off at another location. We will try our best to accommodate your request. We cannot take luggage like suitcases and backpacks on our coach excursion. We can accommodate you on our Private Excursion.

How safe are my belongings whilst on the trip?

We take all the precautions we can to make sure your belongings are safe; our guides will recommend the places where you can leave your belongings safely. Please take in mind that we can only take small bags with personal items you need on the excursion. In our coach, we cannot take suitcases or backpacks.  If you need to move from one hotel to the other on the day of your excursion a Private Trip will be perfect for you.

I have special dietary requirements – will they be catered for?

Please let us know at the time of booking of any food requirements or allergies and we’ll pass the information to our provider. We offer vegetarian and gluten-free options without any cost, but please let us know, as we need to know this at least 24 hours before the excursion starts.

Which language does my guide speak?

All our guides speak English and Spanish. 

We also have international staff, and we can offer our excursions on specific days with other languages like German, French, Italian Dutch, Polish, and Russian. If you want another language guide, please contact our customer service.  Spanish and English language is always available.

Can I skip the transportation and take my own car?

Although we recommend our hassle-free transportation from your hotel or Airbnb you can take your car and leave the car at a meeting point. In between the activities, we will take you with our transportation and after the excursion, we bring you back to the car. Please take note that parking fees are not included. Please contact our customer service if you want to bring your own car.

How many people can sign up for an excursion?

In our excursions, we create small groups so that you can enjoy the freedom of movement and be able to interact closely with your surroundings, as well as so that you can receive more personalized attention from our guides. This small size ensures that your group will not encroach on your personal experience. Most of our transportations fits 12 persons but some of our excursions involve boat trips, which may have specific capacity limitations.

May I tip the driver and guide? Is it obligatory?

Although not obligatory, it's standard practice in Mexico, and for many of our visitors is a form of thanks on finishing the excursion, always when the service and attention of these professionals have been as expected or has surpassed your expectations.

But we repeat, this is NOT OBLIGATORY.

Can people with disabilities participate in the excursion?

Our existing itineraries are not specifically designed for travelers with disabilities, but that doesn’t mean you will not be able to enjoy one of our small group excursions – it’s largely dependent on your specific needs and the location you wish to visit.

Some destinations are better suited for travelers with disabilities than others. Many destinations we visit lack accessible public infrastructure or facilities designed to accommodate travelers with disabilities, but we will do our best to arrange suitable alternatives where possible.  

You may also prefer to speak to our Customer Service and arrange a customized itinerary to suit your needs.

Do you offer photos from the snorkeling excursion?

Of course! On most of our tours, professional photographer will do their best to make your day with Ocean Excursions as memorable as possible. They carry top-quality (underwater) cameras and take high-resolution photos of both participants and their surroundings. You can view the pictures after your excursion and decide if you want to purchase them. The images are sold as a package, where you receive access to all the photos taken by your guide and our "Best Ocean Tours Excursions" collection folder, all of which will be made available to you via a link . The price for the photo package depends on the group size of your booking. For 2 persons the package is $66 USD and for 6 persons the package is $106 USD. 

Can I take my (underwater) camera to the excursion?

You are free to take your own photos or video on tour with us, but we ask, while snorkeling, that your equipment is attached to your body in one way or another, for example with a wrist band. We do however not advise that you take your phone in a waterproof case, because it is generally not possible to operate it whilst doing the activities. At all archeological sites non-professional cameras are permitted at no cost. Video cameras GoPro tablets and selfie sticks have a charge which is paid directly at the box office upon entry. The use of professional photography equipment is strictly prohibited - including tripods. 

We do not take any responsibility of lost or damage photography gear that may happen on tour with us.