Day Trips from Cancún to Islands and Ruins

Cancún is a good base for day trips: an island by ferry, three major Maya sites by road or train, and a car-free island that works best overnight. Fees below are the 2026 figures and they have moved more than once this year, so check before you go.

Isla Mujeres

Ultramar ferries leave from the Puerto Juárez terminal, north of downtown. A foreign adult round trip costs about 580 MXN, including a small sanitation fee, and the crossing takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Arrive 30 minutes early, because tickets are non-refundable. See Ultramar for current fares. A golf cart for the daytime costs about 1,300 MXN, with a range of 1,200 to 1,600. Playa Norte is usually among the cleanest beaches in the area, though sargassum can reach any shore in 2026. Punta Sur, at the southern tip, has a sculpture park and an Ixchel shrine.

Chichén Itzá

Chichén Itzá is about 200 km away, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours by road, or about 2 hours 15 minutes by Tren Maya from the Cancún Airport station (about 620 MXN for foreigners; station-to-ruins transfers cost extra). Since 27 March 2026 one ticket covers everything: 697 MXN for a foreign adult. Hours are 08:00 to 16:00 daily. The site closed for about 13 days to 1 June 2026 after a dispute with craft vendors, so confirm it is open before you leave. Cenote Ik Kil costs about 150 MXN.

Tulum and Cobá

The Tulum fee changed twice in 2026. Expect roughly 200 to 300 MXN for a foreign adult, and note that the structure changed in July 2026. Parque del Jaguar is 100 MXN and the electric cart is 20 MXN for adults and 10 for children. Cenote Dos Ojos costs about 400 to 500 MXN. Cobá (Nohoch Mul) was about 209 MXN in 2026 and its pyramid is 42 m high. Sunday free entry applies to Mexican nationals and foreign residents, not visitors.

Holbox and Cozumel

Isla Holbox needs a long drive to the Chiquilá ferry dock, and the crossing itself is short. It works best as an overnight stay, and whale sharks appear only from 15 May to 17 September.

Cozumel is not a ferry ride from Cancún. The Ultramar ferry leaves from Playa del Carmen, about an hour south, and crosses in 40 to 45 minutes. Treat it as a two-leg trip.

Tips

  • Leave early for Chichén Itzá and Tulum, and take pesos for ticket booths.
  • Confirm each site’s opening before a long drive.
  • Check the National Hurricane Center and Mexico’s SMN weather service during hurricane season, 1 June to 30 November.

Read more: multi-day trips , sightseeing in Cancún and the 3-day itinerary . Day tours can be compared on GetYourGuide .