Can anyone suggest any decent horseback tours? We're staying at the Golden, July 15-20 for 18th anniversary. Googled a few of them, but was hoping someone here has some actual experiences and recommendations (or warnings) before I commit.
Click on the Entertainment Plus liink at the bottom of this page. Go to Public Tours, drop to Adventure and they offer a horseback riding tour combined with a zip line. E+ is a first class company. Rancho Loma Bonita is another option. It is south of the airport on the left. You can ride on the beach. I don't think they have a website. You will find more info if you Google it. It is very pretty from the road. I grew up on a cattle ranch and rode horses as work so doing it for fun never crosses my mind. LOL
Thanx for the info. We decided to book with Rancho Baaxal. They are even providing transportation to and from our hotel.
My brother went horseback riding a few years ago.....he had a very bad experience. The horses were not in the best shape, would not listen....went into the ocean whenever they wanted (because they were so hot) and did not enjoy the whole thing because he knew that the horses were not taken care of. That was just HIS experience. There may be plenty of reputable places, but he definately did not get one. We wanted to do this too, but decided against it because we didnt want to take the chance.
@TFordy.... Yes, I read many bad reviews on Trip Advisor on some of the ranches in the area, however, Baaxal was the only one with consistent positive reviews. It is owned by a Swedish girl named Lisa. I will post our experience both on Trip Advisor and this forum. The website for Baaxal is ranchobaxaal.com. My wife and I did a horseback ride in St. Maarten and loved it there. That ranch was owned by a Dutch girl, so maybe those Northern Europeans are on to something. . I have already had excellent email communication with Lisa, and she was the one who offered to set up our transportation to and from the ranch, as well as suggested we do the 9:30AM tour because they try to avoid the mid-day and mid-afternoon tours in July/August due to the heat and humidity which can stress out the horses.
Just a quick follow-up on our horseback experience.. it was great. The horses were all very well behaved and appeared to be well taken care of. Lisa was a wonderful host, as was her to assistants. The entire ride took about an hour, winding thru some jungle and then out onto the beach where we had an opportunity to gallop. Rancho Baxaal is located near Playa del Carmen. The transportation to and from the hotel was a snap, and recommended. http://www.ranchobaaxal.com/
