Costa Maya ATV Tours: What to Expect, Routes & Booking Guide

If you've seen the ATV keyword searches for Costa Maya and wondered whether there's a real product behind them, there is. The ATV Adventure and Beach Club is a 7-hour combo tour that splits the day into two: an hour of ATV riding through coastal jungle trails, followed by several hours at El Faro Beach Club with open bar, lunch, and beach access.

It's the only ATV excursion operating from this port, and it's a genuine alternative for cruisers who want something more active than a straight beach day but don't want to commit to a full-day ruins or lagoon trip.

The ATV ride

The ride lasts about an hour and covers coastal paths and jungle terrain near Mahahual, near El Faro Beach Club. 

The route takes you through coastal brush, sandy trails, and mangrove areas near Mahahual, including narrow paths and waterfront sections you wouldn’t see from the road or inside the port.

The vehicles are described as easy to drive, and the tour is explicitly beginner-friendly. You get a safety briefing before you start, and a private guide accompanies the group throughout. If you've ridden an ATV before, don't expect technical terrain or high-speed sections. This is a scenic coastal ride, not a dirt track experience. The appeal is the setting and the access, not the difficulty.

The beach club component

After the ride, you transition to El Faro Beach Club for the remainder of the day, roughly four hours. This is the same El Faro that's available as a standalone booking: welcome drink on arrival, open bar (tropical cocktails, beer, soft drinks), lunch from the menu, lounge chairs, umbrellas, snorkel gear, and direct beach access.

The combination works well as a structure. The ATV ride burns off the morning energy, and the beach club is the natural wind-down. You're not rushing from one thing to another; the ATV drops off at the beach club, so there's no extra transit between the two parts.

Pricing and what's included

ATV Adventure and Beach Club: $219/adult (ages 18+), $215/child (ages 1-17). 7 hours total.

What's included:

• Transportation from the port to the beach club/ATV starting point
• Private guide for the full day
• Full ATV experience (equipment, safety briefing, guided ride)
• Full El Faro Beach Club access
• Open bar and lunch (one selection from the menu)

What's not included:

• Return transportation to the port (available for $5/person each way, arrange with your guide)
• Guide gratuities

The return transport situation is worth noting before you book. The tour includes a ride out to the beach club, but not the ride back. The $5 return fee is straightforward; just confirm it with your guide at the start of the day so there's no confusion when it's time to head back to the ship.

Is this tour right for you?

The ATV and beach club combo makes sense if:

• You want more activity than a straight beach day, but less distance and time than Bacalar or Chacchoben
• You're traveling with someone who wants beach time while you ride (they can go straight to the beach club and skip the ATV portion)
• You've done beach clubs before and want something different for this port
• Your ship has at least 8 hours in port, the 7-hour tour plus transit back leaves little margin with shorter port calls

It's probably not the right call if:

• You want a high-intensity or technical ATV experience; this is a scenic ride, not a circuit
• You have under 7 hours in port
• You're primarily interested in the history or underwater aspects of Costa Maya

For comparison: the snorkeling tour runs 90 minutes and costs $49. The Chacchoben ruins excursion is 3.5 hours long and costs $75. The ATV combo is the highest-priced and longest option from the port, but it's also the only one that packages an active land experience with a full beach club day.

Logistics

Your guide meets you just outside the Costa Maya port gates, not inside the terminal.

It works like most independent Costa Maya excursions: you head outside the port gates, find your guide’s sign, and join the group there.

From there, you're transported out to the beach club, which is where the ATVs are based.

A few things to sort out before the day:

• Cancellation policy: 48-hour cancellation window (stricter than most Costa Maya tours, which are 24 hours). If your plans might change, keep this in mind.
• Return transport: Confirm the $5/person return ride with your guide at the start. It's straightforward, but you don't want to sort it out at the end of a long day.
• Age: Adults 18+ for the ATV. Children ages 1-17 can join at $215; they'd participate in the beach club portion. Check with the operator about ATV access for younger riders.
• What to bring: Closed-toe shoes are strongly recommended for the ATV ride. Bring a change of clothes if you're going from the ride straight into the water at the beach club.

For a full picture of what else is available from this port, see our Costa Maya things to do guide.