(About 117 km/72 mi or 1 hr 30 minutes south of the Cancun International Airport)
The Mayan archaeological site of Tulum has graced many a Mexico advertisement and for good reason: it really is that breathtaking and its one of the loveliest sites in the entire Republic. This is the focus of the southern end of the Riviera Maya and comes complete with a low-impact, boho-style seaside hotel zone and the funky fun inland city of Tulum.
But fi rst, a little history: Back in the 16th century when the Spaniards fi rst arrived, the seaside Mayan city of Tulum—one of only a handful of Mayan port cities— was actually still in use. Today, visitors can roam its small temples and buildings, including the Temple of the
Frescoes, with its faded interior wall murals still visible, and the Temple of the Descending God, which shows a god tumbling from the heavens. There are over 60 wellpreserved structures within the three massive walls that surround the site. It’s open from 8:00 to 17:00 hrs. but we recommend coming in early in the morning or late in the afternoon to miss the mass of visitors that descend from
the huge tour buses. There’s an admission fee to get in, and there are several English-speaking guides available to take
you through and give you some insight into this marvelous place. At the entrance to the parking lot there’s a busy outdoor souvenir market, so you might want to bring some
pesos with you. From there you can walk to the site or take a tram. Depending on the time, you’re going to want to take a swim in the small beach beside the site, so you can look up at the ruins and marvel at the Mayas’ ingenuity.