I think the biggest mistake that you can make at an all-inclusive resort is to miss out on exploring. Don’t get me wrong…I love the pools, food, and great beaches at the resort, but make sure you save at least one afternoon for an adventure. Take a peek at the photos of my Best 3 Action Packed Riviera Maya Excursions. On my first trip to Riviera Maya, I stayed at Generations by Karisma and made sure to experience some action-packed memories right outside the resort.
Best 3 Action Packed Riviera Maya Excursions
Here’s a few of my top favorite adventures that you don’t want to miss:
Catamaran ride and snorkeling
At Maroma Adventures, you can hop on a boat for fishing, snorkeling, or scuba diving. Pick your adventure of choice and enjoy the beautiful Caribbean in style. Featuring one of the largest reefs in the world, you may want to add this stop to your bucket list.
The staff at Maroma Adventures was very welcoming and made the entire experience memorable. They would crack jokes and went out of their way to make sure every guest was having a great time.
This picture below captivates one of my favorite moments of my trip. Having all of your friends together to enjoy this catamaran ride was amazing. The staff served beer to all of us and let us play music of our choice…a critical component to any car/boat/plane ride. Good music makes the trip! So make sure you volunteer first to play DJ.
Oh my…to go back again…The trip out to the reef for snorkeling was probably about 30 minutes, and we spent about 30-45 minutes snorkeling. It was the perfect amount of time before we headed back. As our guide said, “If you can swim like Nemo, you don’t need a life vest.” Of course, I wanted to prove that I could do it without any help, and I was exhausted! The guide took us on a large circle around the entire reef. Be ready for a workout!
Horseback riding and cenote
I was super excited to experience the horse trails at Bonanza Ranch. I have very little experience with horses and was really looking forward to this stop on my list of adventures. Things I wish I had brought but didn’t:
– Sunglasses.
– Pocket to put my phone (Luckily, my sports bra was a good backup).
– Bug spray.
– Extra change of clothes.
The guide will ask your experience level before choosing your horse. He’ll spend about 15 minutes in the training circle with the group as people get settled into their saddles. If you want a lot of time to practice before heading onto the trail, make sure you are first in line for a horse!
Time flew during the ride, but it felt like a 30- minute ride to our destination. Staff was there to help us off our horses and hand out waters. The lead guide took us down a short path to tell us about some of the interesting plant life along the trail.
To top off our adventure, the guide gave us this special gum made in the area. It was fun to celebrate the ride with a gum fest. Somehow, it was humorously fitting for this perfect day. Great gum too!
Once we finished our gum, we got back in our saddles and went back to the ranch for a dip in the cenote. The best way I can describe a cenote is a tropic swimming hole. Drinks are provided, and we take some time relaxing in this perfect moment.
Speed boats
At Maroma Beach, I hopped off the catamaran from snorkeling and was dying to get an adrenaline rush. So I grabbed one of the speed boats. Our guide encouraged us to not be afraid to accelerate all the way. He said it is impossible to flip the boats, so go all out!
Sorry I didn’t have the guts to bring my camera on the boat, but luckily, Hollie from BabyGizmo rocked the footage during her ride.
As I look back on my adventures, I really can’t decide which one was my favorite. Each one was incredible in different ways. My suggestions…Definitely take a catamaran ride with a large group if you want to enjoy spending time together. Horseback riding is fun for those who enjoy hiking and checking out the cool trails, and speed boats are just plain fun. So maybe you just have to do all three!
Karisma paid for my travel and accommodations. As always, all opinions are my own.
Looks like you had an all-around amazing trip! I’d love to visit one day. Coastal Mexico is gorgeous!