Tulum

Tulum is on the Yucatán Peninsula, in Mexico. It is one of the earliest resorts in Mexico, offering a place of worship and solitude for the Mayan kings, clergy and gods in early times. The tropical beach backdrop is the main attraction of this picturesque, much-visited small ruin on the shore of the Caribbean Sea. Shortly after your arrival, you will understand why early Mayans picked this beautiful place to relax.

Be prepared for lots of people and tour groups at the archaeological site. To avoid the crowds, it is best to stay overnight and visit the ruins early in the morning before the buses arrive, or later in the afternoon. Morning is recommended since you can catch spectacular vistas when the sun is rising over the Caribbean.

The Tulum town and beaches are heavily featured on social media by travel influencers, providing a certain crowd and catered experience in Tulum. In between Mexican taquerias and local-focused appliance stores, you'll find holistic attractions and vegan food options. This comes from Tulum's original identity as the "off the beaten path" destination on the Riviera Maya. That said, the secret is out and Tulum has experienced massive growth in the past decade, resulting in increased traffic, a growing tourist presence, and price increases.

The hotel zone in particular has been incredibly built up with luxury shops and feels more like Los Angeles than Mexico City, providing comfort to those looking for a beach destination without losing access to high end shopping and dining.

Understand
There are really three different areas referred to as Tulum. There are only minutes away from each other, not close enough though to walk to and from.

Tulum Pueblo sits split by highway 307 running south-north. "El Pueblo", as referred to by locals, is home to most workers of the tourist industry and where many of the stores, supermarkets, two bus stations, budget inns, hostels and small hotels are found. Although the digs are cheap, you are around 3 km from the beach (which is why you came here isn't it?) This section of town has a definite feel of existing mostly to cater to the Tulum ruins. Tulum pueblo is indeed a destination for shopping, great restaurants, a modest night life, studying the language at Instituto Chac-Mool Spanish School, booking tours, banking, shopping for food, local vegetables, fruits, cafes, and local flavor. Do not miss it.

Tulum Playa nests along the coastline that leads into the Sian Ka'an Biosphere [Ecological Reserve], the Caribbean white sandy beaches to the east, an impressive mangrove & wetland reserve to the south. Tulum Playa embraces many of the fancier, ecological, boutique and spa hotels, and it has a decent to excellent selection of restaurants and world-famous nightlife spots. The northern part of Tulum Playa is quieter and more low-key. The southern part of Tulum Playa has a lot more of the restaurants and nightlife action Tulum has become known for. Most restaurants, bars, and stores in this area are closed well into the afternoon, but the area becomes extremely busy and crowded at night with party-going tourists from all over the world.

There are also a number of affordable beach front cabana-type lodging locations. Walk the beach and step in and inquire about accommodations and rates. You will be surprised and delighted. Most of these establishments are eco-friendly and do not provide electricity past midnight. Toilet paper can not be flushed and it is asked that water and other resources be used sparingly. The hotels in Tulum aim to keep Tulum as it is and stop the ecological problems that have already taken hold in Cancun and Playa Del Carmen.

If you are staying on the beach and trying to save money, it is wise to stock up on food and drinks in the pueblo. There are not too many restaurant options on the beach, and the ones that are operational are comparatively quite expensive.

Taxis have a near monopoly on transport to and from the playa. Buses come from time to time, but hitchhiking can also get you where you need to go.

Tulum Ruinas is the archaeological site where the Maya ruins of Tulum stand. It is conformed by a-mile-long road leading into the ruins from highway 307. The road is flanked by several restaurants, a commercial area geared to one-day visitors, a huge parking lot, a small bus station that operates part-time and a handful of middle range hotels.

Archaeology


Tulum is mostly known for its ruins, which strike an impressive image next to the sea. They were mainly constructed during the waning period of Maya culture, with the site occupied until the Spanish arrived. The site is notable for a small cenote, beautiful beaches below the ruin laden cliffs and some well preserved stellae in one of structure. After visiting other ruins in the area such as Coba, Chichen Itza and Ek Balam, Tulum's main claim is the sea-side setting. Some of the ruins used to be in poor condition and littered, but they are now well maintained (Dec 2018). Unlike many Mayan sites it is not possible to enter or walk on the structures. It is the third most popular archeological site in Mexico, so expect it to be extremely busy. Most of the tour groups from Cancun and Playa del Carmen arrive around 10:00 so the site is best visited after it opens at 08:00 or late afternoon.

By plane
Tulum International Airport is a major new airport (new in December 2023) in the Puerto Felipe Carillo area just outside Tulum. The airport is served by Aeromexico, Mexicana and Viva Aerobus. Aeromexico has twice daily service to/from Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport (AICM). Mexicana offers flights from Mexico City's Felipe Angeles Airport (AIFA), and Viva Aerobus has flights to Monterrey , Guadalajara , Tijuana , and Mexico City AIFA.

TAG offers flights between Tulum and Guatemala and Aeromexico offers international service between Tulum and Toronto, San Francisco, and Chicago. Air Canada offers direct flights from Montreal and Toronto; tickets can be booked on the Air Canada web site.

From the United States, Delta offers direct flights to Tulum from its hub in Atlanta. United Airlines offers 22 weekly non-stop flights between Tulum and Newark/New York, Houston, and Chicago with seasonal service to Los Angeles. American Airlines offers four daily flights to Tulum including two from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), one daily service from Miami (MIA), and one from Charlotte (CLT). Spirit Airlines has announced direct daily flights from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Orlando (MCO) to Tulum.

Tulum International Airport has a station on the new Tren Maya high-speed intercity rail line with departures every 2 hours to Cancun, Chichen Itza, Merida, Campeche, Palenque and Chetumal (among other destinations).

Other international airports in the region are Cozumel or Cancún International Airport. A taxi from Cancun to Tulum costs about M$2500- M$3000 and takes 1h30 - 1h45 minutes straight down Federal Highway 307 depending on traffic. ADO operates buses from Cancun (both downtown and the airport) to Tulum. Ticket prices are M$330 (Jan 2022). The ride will take about 2 hours.

By bus
The is in the city center. Both first and second class buses serve the terminal. Inside the Terminal is a Santander ATM.

Buses from Cancun and Playa del Carmen run quite regularly. Buses from Playa del Carmen to Tulum depart from the Terminal Alterna and the Terminal Touristica. The ADO Bus stops at Xcaret and Xel-ha en route to Tulum. Mayab and Oriente buses stop more frequently en route to Tulum from Playa Del Carmen.

An alternative to the buses from Playa del Carmen is to catch a "collectivo" van which runs frequently (every fifteen minutes or so). In Playa Del Carmen you can find these on Calle 2 towards Avenida 20. One-way trip (as of Feb 2022) costs M$50 (pesos).

To visit the ruins, get off the bus or collectivo at the first Tulum stop, designated something like , at the intersection with the access road to the ruins. It's an easy one mile or so flat walk to the ruins from the intersection.

By car
If you drive yourself to the ruins before opening time, it may be a bit confusing as to where to go and what to do. As soon as you park, a man on a bicycle should find you and charge you for parking (M$50). You must go through a sort of half open-air mall (which is empty before 08:00). From there you can either sign up with a tour guide (US$20 per person?), pay for a shuttle ride to the ruins (M$20), or walk a mile along a road to the ruins. The guides are reported to be better story tellers than actual experts on Mayan culture. The walk is on level ground and passes quickly as you admire the jungle and abandoned shops along the way. If you can walk it, do it and save a few bucks! As you approach a stone wall, to the left will be a brown wooden building where you can purchase your ticket into the ruins (M$51, an additional M$35 if they see that you have a video camera). From there, head along a stone path through the jungle and into the ruins.

If you drive to the ruins after opening time, it's a bit of a zoo so be ready to stop for salespeople as soon as you pull into the road where there's private parking lots, past the open-air mall. Be quick on your brakes, as they literally jump in front of your car, and flash serious-looking "badges" to get you to stop and listen to their scammy sales spiels. However, don't get scammed: entry to the ruins is no more than USD$5/person (Sept 2021) and you don't need to purchase overpriced the half-mile shuttles to get there, or anything else. Just pay for parking, and walk the half-mile to the ruin's admissions box where you can purchase your entry.

The local police patrol the side road to the Carretera Tulum-Cancun highway and ticket drivers who don't use the paid private parking lot. Although the road is not signed as a no-parking zone, they will issue a parking infraction for M$821 (Dec 2019), and remove your rear number plate (which is a standard procedure, you get it back after paying fine). Attempting to overturn a ticket by legal means is unlikely to succeed.

By shared shuttle
Shared shuttle is also a popular way to get to Tulum. Shuttle companies, such as Daytrip or SuperShuttle, offer shuttle buses to Tulum from Cancun several times a day. They do pick ups from Cancun downtown, hotel zone, and Cancun International Airport, or custom pickup locations starting from 7 AM in the morning to 6 PM, last shuttle leaving Cancun for Tulum is 6:20 PM. Prices start at $16, and tickets can be booked in advance to guarantee a seat. There are additional drop-off locations along the coast in popular destinations such as Playa del Carmen, Xcaret, Akumal.

By bus
depart from C. Orión Sur / Venus Ote. The price is M$30 (Jan 2022).

There seems to be a public bus which leaves Tulum Pueblo around 09:00 and 12:00 and goes to the beach and ruins, and returns from there at 12:15 and 17:00.

are half a block away from the ADO Terminal. You can leave them anywhere you like en route on the Highway 307. Depending on the distance it costs M$25-50 (Feb 2022). They depart daily from 4:30am-10:30pm.

Back to Tulum, the last buses from both terminals in Playa del Carmen depart about midnight. From the Terminal Turistica departs a Mayab bus at 23:55 to Tulum.

By car
If cenotes and revival ruins are more your thing renting a car is advisable. There are more cenotes here than anywhere else in the world (4,000 are known to be on the Yucatan!) Renting a car makes life easier. Bike riding is fun, but that beach is far from town and that sun is pounding down. Spring for the car rental. Make sure you watch the pesos you give them, and that the screen is set on $0 before they start to fill.

By taxi
Taxis are an inexpensive way to get around but for the most part, Tulum 'Pueblo' is so small that walking is a simple. Taxis from 'Pueblo' to the coast is M$100-150. It is advisable to either take a taxi or rent a bike when traveling between the 'Pueblo' and the beach, as the walk is rather long. It is highly recommended to have Mexican pesos upon arrival, as taxi drivers may charge you more if you carry dollars only and pay in dollars. You can exchange money in the most banks upon arrival, too.

Taxis from the center of town to Tulum ruins will cost M$100 (Sep 2018).

Taxis from the center of town to the zona hotelera will cost M$200 (May 2023).

By bike
Bikes are available for rent from various shops in Pueblo. Iguana Bikes M$150-250 for 24 hours, Kelly M$100 for 24 hours (July 2017). Bikes are a convenient way to get around town and to/from cenotes and the beach. Please be careful when riding a bike on the highway. Bring a headlamp/flashlight if biking at night

See

 * As of March 2024, walking paths on the site are being repaired. As a result, large areas, including some of the best viewpoints and all beaches below the temples are fenced off. The Mexican authorities do not disclose this until you have spent your money, bought a ticket and entered the site. Consider postponing a visit until the archaeological site is verifiably accessible again in its entirety.

Cenotes

 * See also: Cenotes of the Yucatán

In much of the Yucatan, rainwater collects in a system of underground caves and tunnels. Where these tunnels reach the surface is known as a cenote (pronounced seh-NOH-teh). Cenotes usually allow swimming and diving, and rent related equipment. They are fresh water and are often quite cold (24°C).

Further activities

 * Kayaking
 * Standup paddleboarding
 * Snorkel. Guided snorkel tours from the public beach near the ruins.
 * You can also take your own self-guided tour of the reefs right off the beach from the Hotel Zone. The barrier reef of Tulum is part of the second largest in the world, streching from Isla Contoy on the northern tip of Yucatan to Honduras. Over 30 species of fish and some spectacular coral. If you take a guided tour, the cheapest in the area is located at Zamas Hotel. Zamas is about 10 establishments in from the beginning of the hotel zone.
 * Cenote diving
 * Kitesurfing
 * Extreme Control - the beaches of Tulum in Playa Paraiso, certified instructors, all levels, full facilities and rentals.
 * Ocean Pro Kite - kiteboarding school on Tulum beach. It provides kitesurf lessons following professional method of teaching, known as IKO (International Kitesurfing Organisation). From a one-hour lesson to "ready to go" packages.
 * Extreme Control - the beaches of Tulum in Playa Paraiso, certified instructors, all levels, full facilities and rentals.
 * Ocean Pro Kite - kiteboarding school on Tulum beach. It provides kitesurf lessons following professional method of teaching, known as IKO (International Kitesurfing Organisation). From a one-hour lesson to "ready to go" packages.
 * Ocean Pro Kite - kiteboarding school on Tulum beach. It provides kitesurf lessons following professional method of teaching, known as IKO (International Kitesurfing Organisation). From a one-hour lesson to "ready to go" packages.

Learn
If staying for more than just a couple of days, you may want to experience taking some Spanish lessons at the beach or at the Spanish school.


 * Instituto Chac-Mool Tulum. Also, in Tulum is Instituto Chac-Mool Spanish School offering Spanish immersion classes year round. Classes may be as private lessons or studying with a peer group that the school arranges based on your starting level of Spanish.

Buy
ATMs with low withdrawal fees in the center are: • Banco Azteca in the west • banamex in the east inside the Súper Aki • Santander in the east and inside the bus terminal • CI Banco in the middle of the center

For buying groceries, there are Oxxo and minimarkets (tiendas) around. A bigger variety of products you find in Dunosusa, Super Willy's and Waldo's. A large supermarket called is in the east of the center.

Markets catering mainly to the bus loads of tourists are situated on the road leading to the entrance of the archaeological site. There are also markets in town on 307 in the main stretch of town. Many cater to tourists however be sure to give them a look anyway. There are a lot of beautiful hand crafted Mexican pottery and fabrics. If you turn off of 307 and vere into town away from the main strip you can discover tons of tiny establishments and get a feel for the truly sleepy town of Tulum.

Eat
If you are staying on the beach, it is wise to stock up on food and drinks in the pueblo. There are not too many restaurant options on the beach, and the ones that are operational are quite expensive.

Most of the restaurants in town are infinitely cheaper than those at the resorts. Most places, with the exception of the Italian and Japanese restaurants feature entrees for well under M$100. There are countless little cafes and establishments to get a great bite to eat for cheap.

If you want non-perishable items, grab some snacks to supplement your meals at the Super San Francisco Food Mart. You can buy a cooler here which is great for having cold drinks on the beach each day. Just pick up ice in the morning and the cooler will stay cold until night time. This supermarket however is run by locals and hardly anyone speaks English, so if you don't know Spanish, be prepared to shop around to find what you need.

Street food
All these are in the city center:



Drink
Also try a few other cool spots in Tulum that offer fun drink specials with a hip tropical flair:
 * Curandero offers live music and djs in a trendy atmosphere.
 * Teetotum offers weekend rooftop movies, a cool lounge and drink specials, try the Razzleberry Daiquiri!
 * Ak'iin offers weekend parties with live music or DJs, no cover and drink specials on a beautiful stretch of beach.
 * Batey'sbest live music and mojitos in town

Budget
Tip: If you aren't spending the big bucks to stay right at the beach, stay in town to the east of the ADO bus station within 2 blocks north or south of that main street. Another suitable area is anywhere along the main road heading to the beach.

In the zona hotelera (at the beach) are simple cabanas with a shared bath for a relatively low pice.

Mid-range

 * The Diamante K features cabañas ranging in quality from 2 up to 5 stars on a private beach front. An interesting feature of the Diamante K is the hanging beds in the cabañas. A restaurant is on site, and you can relax in a hammock and just soak up the tranquility. Electricity is supplied by a generator and hence is switched off after around midnight. Candles are supplied in the cabañas.
 * BAU Tulum is a boutique hotel located only two blocks from the ADO bus station and offers air-conditioned private rooms with cable TV, capsule dorms, suites, free high speed wifi, free breakfast and a bar. It hosts a beautiful pool with royal palm trees great for pictures.
 * The Diamante K features cabañas ranging in quality from 2 up to 5 stars on a private beach front. An interesting feature of the Diamante K is the hanging beds in the cabañas. A restaurant is on site, and you can relax in a hammock and just soak up the tranquility. Electricity is supplied by a generator and hence is switched off after around midnight. Candles are supplied in the cabañas.
 * BAU Tulum is a boutique hotel located only two blocks from the ADO bus station and offers air-conditioned private rooms with cable TV, capsule dorms, suites, free high speed wifi, free breakfast and a bar. It hosts a beautiful pool with royal palm trees great for pictures.
 * The Diamante K features cabañas ranging in quality from 2 up to 5 stars on a private beach front. An interesting feature of the Diamante K is the hanging beds in the cabañas. A restaurant is on site, and you can relax in a hammock and just soak up the tranquility. Electricity is supplied by a generator and hence is switched off after around midnight. Candles are supplied in the cabañas.
 * BAU Tulum is a boutique hotel located only two blocks from the ADO bus station and offers air-conditioned private rooms with cable TV, capsule dorms, suites, free high speed wifi, free breakfast and a bar. It hosts a beautiful pool with royal palm trees great for pictures.

Go next
When leaving from the ADO bus station: It has only 3 parking lots for the intercity buses. When all are occupied, the buses stop in the backyard. When a bus arrives in the backyard, usually an employee shouts out the destination and the name of the bus company. Don't miss your bus.

Your next destination for staying can be:

To the west:

 * Valladolid – 100 km
 * Chichen Itza – 150 km
 * Merida – 260 km

To the south:

 * Chetumal – 250 km
 * Costa Maya – 230 km
 * Mahahual (Costa Maya) – 230 km
 * Bacalar - 230 km

To the north:

 * Akumal – 30 km
 * Playa del Carmen – 65 km
 * Cozumel – 80 km
 * Cancún – 130 km