While the Royal Caribbean onboard experience is enough in itself, one of the things I most loved about my Liberty of the Seas cruise was the shore excursion I took in Cozumel, Mexico. At first it was a difficult decision to choose a shore excursion in Cozumel. There were so many fun and exciting things to do like swimming with the dolphins and snorkeling. After much debate, I settled on the Mayan Ruins, Island Tour, and Beach excursion. It seemed to offer a little of everything and left enough time for me to do a some shopping in the afternoon.
This excursion was a great way to discover the past and present of the beautiful Island, Cozumel, explore the Mayan Ruins and enjoy a wonderful time at the Beach.
After being greeted by my guide, Cesar, I boarded an air-conditioned motor coach for a short drive to the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio, the sanctuary of the goddess Ixchel the main Mayan entity in the island.
Our tour guide, Cesar, had a wonderful sense of humor and was very educated on the Mayan culture as well as the ruins. He walked my group through the ruins and explained all details about the millenary Mayan culture and the vestiges left for us all to admire.
San Gervasio is the largest Mayan Ruins site on Cozumel, and also the most significant. It was a holy site, dedicated to Ixchel, the goddess of love and fertility. Mayan women would pilgrimage there from all over the country to pray at the temples of San Gervasio. The settlement dates back as far as 100 B.C., and was continually settled starting in 200 A.D.
It was interesting to learn how Mayan women paid several visits to San Gervasio throughout their lifetime such as when puberty was met, when the married, and again to give birth to their children.
I felt this was a very worthwhile tour and highly recommend it. There are a couple of things to keep in mind, if you are planning to do this excursion.
The path you walk is very rocky and uneven at times, making it difficult for strollers, wheelchairs and unbalanced people like myself. Luckily, I didn’t encounter any spills along the way.
Expect it to be very hot and dress appropriately. If you get tired, no worries because there are plenty of good flat rocks you can sit on to rest.
The journey continued after the Mayan ruins tour, to the wilder side of the island. A scenic drive around the island took us to the stunning Chen Rio beach. The untamed beach and the blue crystal waters of the Caribbean were a sight unmatched. We had plenty of time to enjoy lunch at a beachside restaurant, and play in the waves.
I’ll be following up with another blog post soon, sharing more on Chen Rio beach. Also, be sure to have plenty of cash with you for shopping at the ruins on-site gift shop. I purchased my Mom a beautiful fresh water pearl and black coral necklace for a steal.
You never know who you might run into at the ruins.
The Mayan Ruins, Island Tour and Beach shore excursion currently costs $59, plus guide tip. I felt it was worth every penny. Many thanks to Royal Carribbean, Brandflential, and Brandcation for making my amazing time aboard Liberty of the Seas possible!
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Gorgeous! How did I miss this tour while at Cozumel last?! Added to my must-do list for next time!!
What a great experience! I would love to visit there one day, that would be amazing!
We went on an RC cruise over Christmas and enjoyed every minute of it. Didn’t do excursions, just enjoyed the boat and the beaches at the destinations. Next time it will be scuba!
So can I tell you how jealous I am… I know you had a blast.
wow what an amazing experience!
looks like an amazing time, rich in history. What a nice trip!
Talk about history coming alive. We’ve all studied that area in school, but to get to see the ruins and learn more about the people, what an opportunity. I have always wanted to go on a cruise.
What a beautiful experience! I love to explore new and old places. And I love cruises too!
How fun! I would love to go check these out. So interesting and pretty!
I think it is very cool to see these artifacts, and structures. I never realized how intact that actually were!