What to Bring to Xplor Park — Packing List & Sunscreen Rule
What to bring to Xplor Park: a complete packing list, what's already included, and the strict biodegradable-sunscreen rule that catches first-timers out.
Packing for Xplor is mostly about packing light — because the park already provides almost everything you need, and one common item you might pack will actually be confiscated at the gate. This guide covers exactly what to bring, what to leave behind, and the one rule that trips up more first-time visitors than any other: the biodegradable-sunscreen policy. For the full picture of what your ticket includes, our homepage breaks down the all-inclusive day; this guide is the practical packing companion.
What the park already gives you
Before you pack a single thing, know what is covered. Your Xplor ticket includes all the gear for every activity, so there is no need to bring your own:
- Helmet and harness (for the zip-lines and circuits)
- Life jacket (for the underground rivers)
- Raft and paddling gloves (for the raft river)
- The amphibious vehicle itself
- Free lockers and changing rooms
Food and drink are covered too — an unlimited buffet with snacks and smoothies — so you do not need to carry meals or money for lunch. That leaves a very short list of things you actually have to bring.
The short packing list
| Bring | Why |
|---|---|
| Swimwear (worn or packed) | You will be in the underground rivers and water features |
| A change of dry clothes | You finish the day wet; the changing rooms are free |
| A towel | Not always provided; pack a quick-dry one |
| Comfortable water-friendly shoes | Trails, wet rock and the rivers — sandals with a strap or water shoes |
| Biodegradable sunscreen (see below) | Regular sunscreen is banned and will be taken |
| A little cash | For tips, professional photos or souvenirs (the only extras) |
| A waterproof phone pouch (optional) | If you want photos without renting the park’s |
That is genuinely it. Leave valuables at the hotel — lockers are free and secure, but the less you bring into a high-activity water park, the simpler your day.
The sunscreen rule — read this before you pack
Here is the rule that surprises people: only biodegradable sunscreen is allowed inside Xplor, and ordinary chemical sunscreen is banned. This is not a gentle suggestion. The park’s underground rivers connect to the Yucatán’s vast cenote and cave-water system, a living ecosystem that chemical sunscreens contaminate. Staff check at the entrance and will take any non-approved sunscreen you have brought, holding it until you leave.
What counts as approved? A biodegradable sunscreen whose active ingredients are zinc oxide and/or titanium oxide — mineral sunscreens that break down without harming the water. What to avoid are the chemical filters on the banned list: oxybenzone, octocrylene and benzophenone are the usual culprits, so check your bottle’s label before you travel.
If you forget or your sunscreen does not pass, you can buy a biodegradable product at the park — but it costs more there than at a pharmacy back home or in town, so buying ahead is the cheaper move. The same logic applies to insect repellent: bring a biodegradable one or buy on site.
What to wear
Dress for an active, wet day. Swimwear under light, quick-drying clothes works best, with water-friendly footwear that stays on your feet — strapped sandals or proper water shoes rather than flip-flops, because you will be walking wet trails and rock. Skip anything you would be upset to soak or lose. There is no dress code beyond practicality; comfort and grip are what matter.
What to leave at the hotel
Just as useful as the bring-list is the don’t-bring list. Skip large bags — you will be moving between water activities and the less you carry, the less you have to lock away. Leave jewellery and valuables behind; lockers are free and secure, but a high-activity water park is no place for anything you would hate to lose. You do not need to pack food, drinks or money for lunch, because the buffet, snacks and smoothies are already covered. And there is no need to bring your own zip-line or river gear — every helmet, harness, life jacket, raft and paddling glove is provided and sized for you on site.
A note on photos
One thing reviewers wish they had planned for: professional photos are an extra, not included in the ticket. The park’s photographers shoot you on the zip-lines and rivers, but you pay to keep the images. If you would rather capture your own, a waterproof phone pouch or a small action camera with a secure strap is the budget alternative — just remember that on the fastest zip-lines and the cave rivers you will need both hands, so plan when you actually shoot.
Who should think twice
A quick health note that belongs in any packing guide: Xplor is a physically demanding day, and the park advises it is not suitable for pregnant women or guests with back or heart problems, with limited wheelchair access. Children are welcome on a height-based rate, though the very youngest have limited access to some activities. If everyone in your group is reasonably mobile and comfortable in water, you are set — pack the short list above and the day handles the rest.
Ready to Book?
Once you know what to bring, the only thing left is to lock in your date. Our featured Xplor Park ticket bundles every activity, all the gear and the all-inclusive buffet, includes round-trip transport from Cancún on the transport option, and offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before — rated 4.8/5 by more than 90 verified guests. Check availability and book your day.
Book Your Xplor Park Tickets — One All-Inclusive Day
Top-rated 4.8/5 by 90+ guests. Underground rivers, jungle zip-lines, amphibious vehicles, and an all-inclusive buffet with smoothies — booked via GetYourGuide with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Instant confirmation, mobile voucher, no queues at the gate.
Check Availability & Book