{"id":10310,"date":"2016-12-14T12:53:32","date_gmt":"2016-12-14T17:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/?p=10310"},"modified":"2018-06-13T14:05:46","modified_gmt":"2018-06-13T18:05:46","slug":"xoximilco-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/xoximilco-review\/","title":{"rendered":"My Xoximilco Review: A Floating Fiesta with Tequila &#038; Mariachis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><em>The PlayadelCarmen.com travel team recently celebrated an early, tequila-filled Christmas on a floating dinner cruise down jungle-lined channels. The result is this Xoximilco review.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KMHAPBTCCl4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><em>Warning: Some names have been changed to protect the innocent \ud83d\ude09<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The cool December rain had been falling hard off and on throughout the day.<\/p>\n<p>Bouts of tropical rain appeared suddenly, drenching the earth before making way for partly cloudy blue skies and the warm rays of the sun.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chaac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rain god Chac<\/a> either ignored or didn&#8217;t receive our hopes for a star-filled sky with the brilliant moonlight shining down on the Riviera Maya jungle.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But tonight was our night.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re a dispersed bunch and hardly ever get to all be together in one place, much less experience one of our special <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Playa del Carmen tours<\/strong><\/a> as a team.<\/p>\n<p>Finally complete and all together, the PlayaDelCarmen.com travel guru crew made a date to experience the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/xoximilco-dinner-cruise\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Xoximilco Dinner Cruise<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Xoximilco is run by the talented people at Grupo Xcaret, owners and operators of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/xcaret-eco-park\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Xcaret Park<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/xplor-park\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Xplor<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/tulum-xel-ha\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Xel-Ha<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/xenses-park-riviera-maya\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Xenses<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/xenotes\"><strong>Xenotes<\/strong><\/a>. As such, professionalism, attention to detail, and quality are always guaranteed.<\/p>\n<p>So refusing to let a little rain damper our spirits or our adventure, we headed off to Xoximilco Cancun for a journey down jungle-lined channels.<\/p>\n<h2>Xoximilco Review<\/h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10322\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/xoximilco-cancun-54.jpg\" alt=\"Xoximilco wedding chapel at night\" width=\"760\" height=\"570\" data-id=\"10322\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Xoximilco is about a 45-minute drive north of Playa del Carmen, and just 19 minutes south of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/cancun-airport-to-playa-del-carmen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Cancun International Airport<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the rain, however, it took us a little bit longer and we arrived later than we had intended.<\/p>\n<p>As such, we did miss out on some of the welcoming segment at Xoximilco, which includes games, musicians playing old tequila bottles, and lots of decoration to look at or include in a selfie as well as some delicious traditional Mexican snacks.<\/p>\n<p>Upon arrival, Chac had us miss the traditional photo op at the entrance to the park, so we made our way straight to the check-in.<\/p>\n<p>Quick, professional, and hassle-free.<\/p>\n<h2>All Aboard for the Xoximilco Tour!<\/h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10314\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/xoximilco-cancun-11.jpg\" alt=\"Guetss aboard a trajinera at Xoximilco Cancun\" width=\"760\" height=\"570\" data-id=\"10314\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, the bountiful Xoximilco crew begins calling out the trajineras a.k.a. boats, most of which are named after the <a href=\"http:\/\/geography.about.com\/od\/mexicomaps\/a\/Mexico-States.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>32 states of Mexico<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As with everything Xcaret gets its hands on, the park is beautifully decorated, which makes waiting for the bell to ring announcing that your boat is ready to part such a great experience.<\/p>\n<p>The trajineras are similar in concept to the wooden gondolas of Venice and are styled after their counterparts in Mexico City in a place of the same name but with a different spelling: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Xochimilco\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Xochimilco<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Our trajinera? Viva Xcaret.<\/p>\n<p>Once we received the call, we made our way across the rain-soaked wooden pier and got aboard our 20-seater, tequila-laden trajinera.<\/p>\n<h2>May the Fiesta Begin!<\/h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/xoximilco-cancun-41.jpg\" alt=\"Musicians perform norte\u00f1o music on the Xoximilco Dinner Cruise\" width=\"760\" height=\"570\" data-id=\"10320\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Xoximilco Dinner Cruise lasts about three hours and takes you through the winding channels of the park.<\/p>\n<p>During that time, a guide is there the entire time to get you singing and dancing.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ll admit that I like to sing and dance as much as anybody, but I times I found the entertainment to be too over the top <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/coco-bongo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Coco Bongo-esque<\/strong><\/a> on a boat.<\/p>\n<p>At times, I felt like Spider Man would appear from nowhere and start dancing with a drag queen Madonna who rises up from the water.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe it was all that tequila I had been drinking.<\/p>\n<p>In any case, trajinera stations are set up at strategic points along the way where a diverse array of highly talented musicians play regional folklore.<\/p>\n<p>To be honest, this is my favorite part of the entire tour.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8uDO4kQPxhk\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>These aren&#8217;t just some random musicians chosen to dress up from a certain region and memorize a few songs.<\/p>\n<p>No, se\u00f1or.<\/p>\n<p>These musicians, like many of the people who call Playa del Carmen and Cancun their home, emigrated here in search of a way to make a decent living while using their honed skills.<\/p>\n<p>They deserve the applause. Especially our hero, <strong>Mr. Moustache Man.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Traditional Mexican Cuisine<\/h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10316\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/xoximilco-cancun-18.jpg\" alt=\"Xoximilco Cancun food\" width=\"760\" height=\"570\" data-id=\"10316\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Have you ever heard of <em>chapulines<\/em>?<\/p>\n<p>I bet most of you would be disgusted by the idea and wouldn&#8217;t even try them.<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;d be missing out.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.foodrepublic.com\/2012\/08\/13\/fried-mexican-grasshoppers-chapulines-will-knock-you-out-of-a-taco-rut\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Chapulines<\/strong> <\/a>are small grasshoppers, slightly roasted and covered in salt, lime, and a touch of chili powder.<\/p>\n<p>And that is just part of the entr\u00e9es. Each course is served up in a sample platter.<\/p>\n<p>The appetizers, which include the <strong>grasshoppers<\/strong> as well as ceviche, guacamole, refried beans, Oaxaca cheese, and huitlacoche (WEE-tlah-koe-che; a delicacy derived from corn fungus), are shared.<\/p>\n<p>Then, everyone gets a plate of typical Mexican desserts which can either then be washed down with even more tequila or some fresh, hot chocolate.<\/p>\n<h2>An Honest Opinion of Xoximilco<\/h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10325\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/xoximilco-cancun-75.jpg\" alt=\"Xoximilco Park Dinner Cruise at night\" width=\"760\" height=\"570\" data-id=\"10325\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Xoximilco is a place you go to have a good time.<\/p>\n<p>The song, dance, music, and friendly people are contagious.<\/p>\n<p>So, too, are tequila and laughing.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D0iN9cYKmlc\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>My Honest Feedback<\/h3>\n<p>The decorations are, as always with Grupo Xcaret, impeccable.<\/p>\n<p>The quality of the food is better than you would expect, however, it&#8217;s not somewhere to go and get full.<\/p>\n<p>The drinks are sub-par, which for the price is something I think could be improved upon. The tequila is a poor quality Jos\u00e9 Cuervo and they only have Corona beer. For us drinkers who appreciate quality tequila and good beer, that disappoints.<\/p>\n<p>Much like the decorations, the <strong>service at Xoximilco is world-class<\/strong>, and the talented crew could staff any park in the world and keep people happy.<\/p>\n<p>My only real complaint was the over-the-top entertainment, perhaps it was just our guide. It is a fine line between animating a crowd to drink, have fun and even dance on a boat.<\/p>\n<p>I know I couldn&#8217;t do it.<\/p>\n<p>But perhaps a little more class would do both the quality of the Xoximilco experience and the rich and wonderful Mexican culture more justice.<\/p>\n<h2>Xoximilco Prices &amp; Details<\/h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/xoximilco-cancun-21.jpg\" alt=\"Xoximilco trajinera boat at night\" width=\"760\" height=\"570\" data-id=\"10318\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Xoximilco Cancun is open from Monday through Saturday from 7:15 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.<\/p>\n<p>However, the parks opens at 7:45 p.m. from September through March.<\/p>\n<p>The dinner cruise lasts approximately three hours and costs $119 USD per adult and $59.50 USD for kids.<\/p>\n<p>Pick-up times vary according to the location of your hotel. For more information, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>contact our Playa del Carmen travel specialists<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Xoximilco is an all-ages excursion, however, please note that it is more of a fiesta-like environment for grown-ups who like tequila.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, and one last piece of advice: bring some biodegradable bug spray. Yes, mosquitos abound.<\/p>\n<p>Apparently, the combination of fresh meat and water is just too much for those bloodsuckers to resist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Ready to book your Xoximilco tour?<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Our travel consultants at PlayaDelCarmen.com have been there and done that.<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Save 10%. Contact us today toll-free at <a href=\"tel:888-537-9797\">888-537-9797<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/activities\/xoximilco-dinner-cruise\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">book Xoximilco online<\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The PlayadelCarmen.com travel team recently celebrated an early, tequila-filled Christmas on a floating dinner cruise down jungle-lined channels. The result is this Xoximilco review. Warning: Some names have been changed to protect the innocent \ud83d\ude09 The cool December rain had [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":10329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[144,142],"tags":[626,627,481,42,13,623,625,624],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10310"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10310"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18446,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10310\/revisions\/18446"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}