Top Riviera Maya & the Yucatan Food & Drink

Don’t leave your experience of Playa del Carmen’s food scene to chance; let a guide reveal some of the city's best food spots on a culinary walking tour that provides a comprehensive introduction to first-time visitors. Stray from the beaten path and discover lesser-known Mexican specialties that you may otherwise have missed.

Use traditional techniques to prepare a 4-course Mexican menu at a cooking class in Cancun that begins in a local market and ends with a feast. You’ll learn the building blocks of Mexican cooking as you browse fresh ingredients at the market, then find out how to use a stone mortar, griddle, and clay pots to cook four flavorful dishes.

Go beyond the tourist attractions and experience everyday local life on this half-day tour of Cancun. See a different side of the city when you visit markets, street food stalls, and hidden lanes with vibrant street art. Foodies will love sampling a range of local specialties, including barbacoa, tacos, and Yucatecan food. Come hungry and leave satisfied.

Taste your way through Cancun’s best tacos with this guided culinary adventure. After convenient hotel pickup, enjoy skip-the-line access with a local insider and savor a variety of delicious tacos—Mexico City and Yucatecan style, “al pastor” and “surtido.” Sip a cold one with your meal—four are included in the tour price—gobble up a complimentary churro, and take in the lovely sounds of an authentic Mariachi band.

Take a half-day food tour in Cancun to discover authentic local eateries and regional fare from across Mexico. Find out where the locals go as your guide takes you to four favorite eateries where you sample items such as tacos, street food, and gourmet dishes with origins in the Yucutan, Caribbean, and Central Mexico. You’ll also sample three Mexican spirits: tequila, mezcal, and xtabentun.

Explore the authentic tastes of Tulum with this walking tour led by a local guide. You and your small group of fellow foodies will get away from the touristy part of town, where you'll get the chance to try all sorts of traditional dishes and popular snacks, from tacos to tamales to traditional desserts.

Feel the warm Caribbean night breeze on your face as you fall in love all over again on this romantic dinner cruise. Glide across the Nichupte Lagoon on a Spanish-style galleon accompanied by the timeless rhythms of live sax as you enjoy your choice of beef, vegetarian, lobster or surf ‘n’ turf against the setting sun. Upgrade to add transfers from Cancun and Puerto Morelos hotels. Package excludes dock fees.

Awaken your senses on a tour of street food stalls and shopping spots in picturesque Playa del Carmen. Escape the tourist crowds of the beach to immerse yourself in the traditional culture of Mexico with a knowledgeable guide. Visit popular local haunts to savor local delicacies like grasshopper stuffed tacos (if available and in season) and rich tamales, washing your samples down with fiery shots of tequila. Explore bespoke boutiques for unique souvenirs as you discover some of the city’s prime shopping venues.

Bring your appetite on this foodie tour in Playa del Carmen. By taxi and on foot, an in-the-know guide whisks you to five of the best restaurants and street stalls not frequented by tourists, where you will sample authentic Mexican cuisine, made up of Maya and Spanish influences. At an open-air farmer’s market, learn how fresh ingredients are used in dishes. Discover places and foods that you never would have found on your own!

Get beyond the tourist restaurants on a 3-hour culinary walking tour of Playa del Carmen, as you discover the city’s locally-owned cafes and street food stalls. Come hungry for tastings and drinks at five locations, and get an insider introduction to the Playa del Carmen food scene.

Celebrate your love and fall in love again on a romantic dinner cruise aboard a classic wooden galleon. Choose between lobster, beef and surf 'n' turf, washed down with fine wines and other drinks. Whether you set sail early evening to capture the sunset or after dark to feel the night breeze, the romance of live sax will fuel your evening with passion. Please note: package excludes dock fees.

Chefs, home cooks, and foodies who appreciate a good meal will enjoy this hands-on cooking class led by a local. Meet up with your host and the rest of your small class at a local spot, then hit the shops and spice markets to gather ingredients for the meal. You’ll be cooking at your hosts’s home, and the best part is that you get to eat the dishes you prepare. 

Learn about the flavors and ingredients of Aztec, Mayan and Mexican cuisine on this intimate tour in a local’s home. Under the tutelage of your host, prepare a 3-course meal—soup, main, and dessert—along with homemade salsa and tortillas. You’ll also sample and learn the proper way to taste mezcal. Afterward, share the meal you’ve prepared with your hosts and new amigos.

Get out of Cancun for the day and embark on an adventure that is strikingly different to the usual beach activities. Board a sailboat and head for a reef in the the Caribbean Sea to discover the underwater museum (MUSA). A unique place in the world, the museum is home to submerged statues made by several Mexican artists. Includes lunch and drinks.

Spend the night like a celebrity with a VIP Gold Member admission ticket to Coco Bongo, Cancun’s most famous nightlife venue. Your VIP pass includes both skip-the-line and early entry, which saves you hours of waiting in line and grants you access to the club one hour before it opens to the general public. Take advantage of an open bar featuring premium spirits throughout the evening and guarantee a front-row seat for the show with early entry.

Foodies that want to uncover the unique culinary scene in Playa del Carmen need to get off the beach, and away from the resort, for this off the beaten path food tasting excursion. Meet your group in central Playa del Carmen, and get ready to taste the diverse local cuisine, from ceviche and barbecue, to tacos and tamales. Along the way, sample tropical juices—or aguas frescas to locals—and satisfy your sweet tooth with an authentic chocolate drink.

Reserve a ticket in advance to enjoy VIP access at Coco Bongo, one of Playa del Carmen’s hottest nightclubs. Your admission ticket allows you to breeze past long lines at the entrance and head straight in for a night of dancing and live performances. An open bar and central location make Coco Bongo a popular choice for visitors who want a night out.

Pack in the water adventures on this excursion in the Cancun jungle. Get your adrenaline pumping on a speedboat ride around Nichupte Lagoon, and slow the pace down with peaceful snorkeling over the underwater statues at the Punta Nizuc coral reef. Colorful marine life and sparkling blue waters await you. A guide is present throughout to make sure you enjoy your outing.

Journey to Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula to visit the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza on this full-day tour and experience this incredible archeological site with a local guide. Arrive at first time in the morning to take amazing photos with the archeological site almost for yourself, walk along El Castillo and the Pyramid of Kukulcan and learn how this pre-Columbian city played an important role in the Mayan Civilization. Visit the colonial town of Valladolid, stop at a cenote for a refreshing swim and enjoy a typical buffet lunch with vegetarian options. Hotel pick up available from Cancún, Rivera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras & Tulum Visit to Chichén Itzá, Cenote and Valladolid with free time to enjoy the place, buy souvenirs, take photos, etc. Have a great insight to the Mayan culture with this full day guided tour and choose the option that suits you best.

Discover the best tacos in Cancun on this small-group guided adventure that takes you to places you'd never discover on your own. Try tacos campechanos, taquitos de pastor and much more, try tacos made with beef tongue and guts, and quesadillas made with fish and shrimp, and for dessert, head to a park. The evening includes a stop at a craft market where you can sample tequila and mezcal and have the opportunity to shop.

This small-group tour combines two impressive archeological sites of the Yucatán Peninsula: Coba and Tulum. Let a guide accompany you around the ruins and explain their significance. This day trip from Playa del Carmen includes hotel transport, beverages and a buffet lunch, plus a swim in Cho Ha Cenote.

Travel through the Mayan jungle on this action-packed all-day guided tour. Hop on your own ATV (or ride along with a driver) and head to a cenote, an underwater pool, where you can take a refreshing dip. Then fly above the treetops on a ziplining course. A local Mayan lunch is included. Only those 18 years old and above are permitted to drive their own ATV.

Traditional Mexican cuisine was recognized by UNESCO in 2010 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Learn how to make authentic Mexican dishes during this hands-on cooking lesson at a private cooking school set in the Maya jungle. Prepare a 6-course gourmet meal, and feel like a member of the family during this small-group experience. Once all the food is cooked, celebrate your culinary accomplishment with a traditional Mexican fiesta, complete with drinks, tequila shots and music.

During your time in Mexico, ensure you experience the white sands and turquoise waters of Isla Mujeres. On this full-day tour from Cancun, cruise to the beautiful island on a catamaran and snorkel in the protected waters of a marine park. Spend free time relaxing on the beach and feast on a lunch buffet accompanied by an open bar. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cancun are included.