Sian Ka'an bioreserve ancient Mayan canal float (was used as a trade route over 1000 years ago)

Community Tours Sian Ka’an: approx. 6 hr. tour
siankaantours....
$154.00 Plus 5% international debit card fee
Tour provides:
Snacks -- each person gets a brown paper lunch bag with a few snacks (our group had a banana, mango and granola bar)
Bottled water (as many as you need)
Rain poncho (should you need it)
Lunch (on the way back they stop at a little roadside restaurant where they provide 3 or 4 of the Mexican style tacos with all kinds of sauces with vegetarian choices available)
What to bring:
hat
Sunglasses
towel (although my wrap was enough for me)
Long sleeve water shirt 50 spf proof
Women -- Bathing suit wrap to cover your legs to keep from getting sunburned while sitting in boat
All natural mosquito repellent WRIST BANDS (I put one on each of my ankles too)
bag for your garbage that is created from your snacks such as your banana peels, mango skin, granola wrapper, etc. (they did not provide one on our tour)
Although banana peels and mango skins are biodegradable they are still not allowed to be left at reserve.
What NOT to bring:
Mosquito repellant (even all natural) not allowed on reserve
Sunscreen (even reef safe) not allowed on reserve (put all natural reef safe on before you leave and/or wear spf 50 clothing and hat and something to cover your legs while sitting in boat)
Lots of water (not only do they provide it, it will just mean you will need to pee a lot and there are no pee stops on the 4 hr boat part of the tour). However, some people may consider canal float, beach time and quick dip at canal take out on the way back -- all pee breaks.
You will be spending at least 4 hours in the sun while on the boat/float. Plan accordingly but don’t bring sunscreen or mosquito repellant because they do not allow them in the reserve. I put all natural reef safe sunscreen on before I left. I recommend using 50 or higher SPF because my 30 spf wasn’t enough to keep me from getting sunburned. Just in case, have aloe vera gel for after tour sunburn should you need it (I am thankful I did).
As of April 2021, a mask was still required. Unless you are reading this years later, I would bring one. You will need it at the community center, entering bio reserve and leaving bio reserve. They didn't require it for the drive except entering and leaving, for short increments. As soon as you are in the boat and after leaving the first Lagoon, you can take your mask off for the rest of the tour (except, as mentioned, at the very end of the boat part of the tour).
The entrance to the bio reserve by boat is located in Muyil and is about 30 minutes from Telum
Itinerary:
--The driver picks you up from your hotel or AirBnb and takes you to the nearby office to pay if you haven’t already.
--First stop in Muyil is the community center where they encourage you to use the restroom.
--Then about 5 minutes away you will enter the bioreserve and board the boat.
--Motor through the first lagoon
--Motor through first ancient Mayan canal that was made by the Mayans to compliment the natural one to be used as a trade route
--Motor through second lagoon
--enter second naturally made ancient Mayan canal to the boat dock where the float is started
--float 40 minutes (plus or minus) down the ancient Mayan canal
--you finish the canal by boat and enter another lagoon as you continue with the eco tour and head towards the ocean
--in the lagoon just before the ocean you stop to look for manatees, and then later crocodiles
--then over to the beach for a swim
---then head back to where the ancient canal float begins where you have the option to take a quick dip to cool off
--then back to the bioreserve entrance in Muyil
--then ride in van to eat at a nearby restaurant
--then back to your hotel/AirBnB
Don't forget to tip at the end. I tipped the boat captain, the driver and of course the guide all individually. But of course, tip as you see fit.
Wikipedia:
Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (Reserva de la Biósfera de Sian Ka'an) is a biosphere reserve in the municipality of Tulum in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It was established in 1986 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. “Sian Ka’an” means “gate of heaven” or “a place where heaven begins”. Part of the reserve is on land and part is in the Caribbean Sea, including a section of coral reef. The reserve has an area of 5,280 km. The reserve also includes some 23 known archaeological sites of the Maya civilization, including Muyil.