Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an: An Affordable Jungle Escape in Mexico

If you’re looking for an affordable all inclusive resort in Mexico, then Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an is your perfect jungle escape!

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an is an adults only all inclusive located within a complex of three other Bahia Principe resorts: Bahia Principe Tulum, Bahia Principe Coba, Bahia Principe Tequila, and Bahia Principe Akumal.

Whether you are specifically looking for an affordable all inclusive resort in Mexico, or are considering staying at one of the Bahia Principe resorts, keep reading for a full review of Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an.

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an: What You Need to Know

Of the five Bahia Principe resorts in Mexico, Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an is one of only two adults only resorts. Guests of Sian Ka’an do have full access to the resorts and their facilities, with the exception of the other resorts’ buffets.

It is important to note that Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an is a jungle resort, and not located on the beach. You will have to take 10-15 minute ride on one of the resort’s golf cart trams to the beach at sister resorts Bahia Principe Grand Akumal or Grand Tulum.

I highly recommend booking your stay direct with Bahia Principe. They guarantee the best rate and offer a number of additional perks through their free loyalty program as well.

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an: Location & How to Get There

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an is located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, about an hour south of Cancun. You’ll find the resort along the Riviera Maya coast near the town of Akumal, about halfway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

To get to the resort, you will need to fly into the Cancun International Airport (Airport Code: CUN). Cancun is a major international destination, so usually can find affordable flights from the US on major airlines like Southwest, Delta, American, and JetBlue.

The resort is located approximately 1 hr 15 minutes from the airport. You will need to prearrange ground transportation from the airport to the resort in advance. We booked our transportation directly through the resort during the booking process. While shared transfers were available for $99, we opted for a private roundtrip transfer at $150

All Inclusive at Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an is an all-inclusive resort, so all of your food, drinks, and alcohol is completely included in your room rate. You’ll have access to the buffet and a la carte restaurants at Sian Ka’an, as well as the other a la carte restaurants and bars at the other resorts in the Bahia complex. Plus, room service is included!

Your all-inclusive stay at Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an includes perks such as:

• Access to all resorts within the Bahia Principe complex
• All food, beverage, alcohol, and snacks
• Room service and in-room minibar
• Lounge chairs, umbrellas, and towel service
• Entertainment and activities
• Complimentary WiFi

Besides your airfare, the only other costs you will need to be prepared for is airport transportation, extra experiences or services, and tips.

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an: Lobby and Check In

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an features an open air lobby, where you will be welcomed by friendly staff and a tropical cocktail upon arrival. The check in process was quick and easy, as we had preselected our room in advance through the resort’s loyalty program.

The Yal-Ku buffet restaurant, Maiko Japanese restaurant, Tikal Lobby Bar, Uxmal Terraza Bar, and the Lobby Shop are centrally located in the lobby. The resort has a smaller footprint, so the other bars, restaurants, and pools are a quick and easy walk from the lobby.

The pick up location for the golf cart service is located just outside of the front lobby and main drive. The golf cart trains run on a schedule, arriving every ten minutes or so. The golf cart trains will take you to the other Bahia Principe resorts to enjoy their restaurants, pools, and beach areas.

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an: Rooms & Suites

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an features 420 rooms and suites across 36 buildings. The Junior Suite is the entry level room type, but interestingly, all of the other room types are variations of that Junior Suite layout.

The Junior Suite Superior Garden rooms are located on the ground level and feature an outdoor hot tub. These are really cool jungle rooms, however, the hot tub has little to no privacy from the resort’s walking paths. Plus, there will be tons of mosquitos.

We stayed in the Junior Suite Superior Penthouse, which is a two story suite with a rooftop jacuzzi. Keep reading for a tour of this room type.

Staying in a Junior Suite Superior Penthouse

Since Bahia Principe Sian Kaan is such an affordable resort, we decided to book their top-tier room. Normally, we book entry level rooms to save money. However, the rates at Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an were so affordable, we had room to upgrade.

The Bahia Principe Junior Suite Superior Penthouse is a massive suite with two levels of living space. On the first floor, you have a dining and living room with minibar, open concept bedroom area, and the restroom. The second floor is connected by an indoor staircase, and consists of a rooftop deck with a jacuzzi.

While there is no balcony on the main level of the room, it does feature massive windows along its length. These windows open so you can get an amazing breeze through the room.

The rooftop area features a small table and chair set, which is a great place to eat room service. There are also two lawn chairs for laying out. And of course, the best part, was the Jacuzzi tub!

I will note that because our room was located in a building by the lobby, we heard the nighttime entertainment and music loud and clear in the room. It didn’t last too late into the night, but if you like to go to bed early, you may want to select a room further away.

Pools at Sian Ka’an

There are three main pools at Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an, and each pool has a slightly different vibe.

The first pool is located at the front of the property closest to the lobby, next to the Alux Restaurant. This pool is extremely quiet, and you’ll mostly find vacationers napping or reading a book here. It was honestly so quiet here, we felt like we should whisper!

The next pool is located adjacent to the Pool Restaurant. This is the largest pool, and technically is made up of a bigger pool plus a smaller circular pool. This was our favorite pool because it had a chill vibe and was conveniently and located right next to an outdoor bar.

The last pool, located at the back of the property, is the more active and vibrant pool. The daily entertainment occurs at this pool, and in general, the people at this pool were more social. During our stay, a DJ played music at this pool and there was a foam party here as well. Overall, it was still was fairly tame in the scheme of things, as Sian Ka’an is not a party resort.

Is Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an on the Beach?

Sian Ka’an is not actually located on the beach. Instead, it is a jungle resort located about a 15 minute golf cart ride from the beach. The resorts have an intricate golf cart trolley system in place, so you can easily catch a ride from the station at the front of the property. Just listen for the “La Playa” golf cart.

Sian Ka’an has its own roped area of the beach to enjoy next to the sister resorts. There is a bar area and wait service. You are also right next to the beach areas for the other Bahia resorts, and you have full access.

We found the water wasn’t as great in the adults section because it was quite rocky. We wished we would have packed water shoes! The water just around the corner at the Bahia Principe Akumal’s beach was gorgeous and sandy. This is a family area however, so it may be a bit crowded with children and families.

While Sargassum is hard to predict, during our stay it was Sargassum free at the Akumal and Sian Ka’an beach areas, and the water was clear and blue. It appeared to us that these swimming areas were protected by rock barriers. Bahia Principe Tulum didn’t fare so well though, and it was completely unusable.

Restaurants & Food

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an boasts a total of four restaurants on site. Of these, two do not require reservations: Yalku Restaurant, an international buffet, and the outdoor Cenote Pool Restaurant. In addition, you can also order room service as part of your all inclusive stay.

The Yalku Restaurant buffet was one of the best buffet we’ve eat at. While we did explore the other restaurants at the sister properties, we honestly would have been completely happy eating all of our meals here! We had breakfast here daily as well as a few dinners.

Sian’ Ka’an also offers two a la carte dining restaurants that require advance reservations. The Alux Restaurant offers gourmet cuisine with a lovely view of the pool while the Maiko Restaurant serves elevated Japanese cuisine.

We were able to get a reservation at Alux in advance on the app, though the restaurant was already almost completely booked. Alux was very classy restaurant with excellent service and delicious food.

Unfortunately we did not get to eat at Maiko as a reservation wasn’t available. Definitely take advantage of the advance reservation option!

In addition to the four Sian Ka’an restaurants, guests have full access to thirteen other a la carte restaurants across the Akumal, Coba, Tequila, and Tulum resorts. However, it is important to note you are not able to utilize the other resorts’ buffets.

Bars & Drinks

As Sian Ka’an is all inclusive, all of your wine, beer, and alcohol is included. This includes drinks at the bars, at the restaurants, room service, plus your minibar.

There are several bars at Sian Ka’an: The Tikal Lobby bar, the Uxmal Terraza Bar, and the Xpu-Ha Pool Bar. Xpu-Ha is an outdoor bar located between the pools. Both Uxmal and Tikal are located in the lobby area.

I will note that the restaurants offered a wine list at dinner that had upgraded bottles not included in your all-inclusive rate. While the servers definitely tried to upsell, you can still order house wine by the glass at no charge.

Vibe & Demographics

Sian Ka’an definitely offers relaxation with a hint of fun in an adults only atmosphere. The guest demographic appeared to be working class people, and the general age range we saw were from the 30s to 50s.

It is evident from a Sian Ka’an guest Facebook group that this resort attracts a cult following. Diehard guests visit the resort year after year again and it looks like many have made friends during their visits.

Even though the resort offers entertainment like foam pool parties and live music in the evening, it is generally tame.

Cost of a Trip to Bahia Principe

Wondering what a stay at Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an costs?

Our stay for two at Sian Ka’an in the Junior Suite Superior Penthouse for 4 nights was $1210.16, or $302.54/night. This was during a sale, so I received 40% off standard rates. We also received an additional 10% off discount for joining the free loyalty program.

Additionally, we booked the private transfer for the total cost of $147.36. I originally was going to opt for the $99 shared transfer, but since we received the surprise loyalty discount, I went ahead and upgraded the transportation.

Keep in mind this is for the most upgraded room at Sian Ka’an. If you opt for a standard Junior Suite, the rate can be even more affordable!

Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an Video

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