Let’s name it Zama! someone said when Mayans were debating how to name this place. Since you can see the first rays of the sun from this coast, Zama (“dawn” in Maya) made sense. But when explorers stumbled upon the site in the mid 1800s and saw its surrounding walls they named Tulum (“wall” in Maya).
The Tulum archaeological zone is in a privileged location, high above a cliff overlooking the sea. It may not be the largest or have soaring pyramids, but it’s the one with the best views and it has an interesting history.
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This is how to visit the Tulum Mayan ruins
Table of Contents
What is Special About the Tulum Ruins?
Something unique about Tulum ruins is that it’s the only archaeological site remaining that’s right on the shores of the Caribbean Coast.
If we could go back in time to witness the history of the Tulum ruins we would see long canoes dotting the sea carrying cacao, salt, honey, cotton, fur, feathers, pottery, objects made of jade and obsidian, fancy garments, and many other products.
When ships arrived in the port of Tulum (the main commercial port of the area), the merchandise was distributed across the region to other ports such as Xelhá and Xcaret, and to other main cities connected by roads (sacbeob).
Seamen paddled along the coastline bordering the Yucatan Peninsula and beyond, going as far as the Gulf of Mexico and across what is today Belize, the coast of Guatemala, and Honduras. The goodies reached inland destinations via an extensive road network.
Tulum lived its golden era after the fall of Chichen Itzá and Mayapan, which ended with the arrival of the Spaniards in 1542.
Although we won’t see any canoes loaded with precious goods we can still enjoy the beautiful views from the 12-metre tall (39 feet) cliff.
The Tulum Archaeological Site
The builders of Tulum, who started working on its construction after 400 A.D., carefully planned its layout based on the sun’s path during the summer solstice and the winter equinox, events linked to agricultural practices.
At that time of the year and only on those specific days, the sun strikes straight through the top opening of the temple of the descending god.
They drew inspiration from the architecture of Chichen Itzá and Mayapan with influences from the East Coast architectural style which you can see in other sites such as Cobá.
Tulum was one of the fortified cities along the East Coast where only the high class had the privilege to access the sacred temples and live inside its three walls (the fourth wall is the bluff).
Today, you can go through the north wall, one of its former five points of entry, and be welcomed by cute coatis roaming around.
As you walk the sandy paths and see how many iguanas you can count (they’re the only ones allowed in any of the buildings) you can have a glimpse of the places where life revolved around trading, politics, arts, astronomy, and religion.
These are the main buildings at the Tulum Archaeological Zone:
The House of the Cenote
On the East Coast, wherever there was a water source there was some type of structure next to it. Water was a precious commodity in this area and most times it was stored in underground cisterns called chultunes (if you visit Ek Balam you’ll see a big one from the Acropolis). In this case, they built a house made of limestone with a room placed right on top of the cenote, which archaeologists think may have been also been a crypt after finding some human bones.
Nearby you’ll see several mini temples -built at scale- used as altars, which is also a feature common in the area.
The Temple of the God of Wind
We’re talking about Kukulcan, the god of wind, water, rain and many other things. Like a super god. And rumour has it that he’s the same god that the Aztecs referred to as Quetzacoatl (if you travel around Central Mexico check out the fabulous temple of Quetzacoatl in Teotihuacan).
The temple has a round base, which is a rarity in Mayan architecture, and it’s located at the edge of the cliff. The god of wind deserved nothing less than the best view in town.
The Temple of the Descending God
This one is easy to identify as you can see, centered above the main door, a winged upside down figure with a headdress carrying an object in his hands. On each side of the descending god you can still see friezes with round shapes crowning the slanted walls of the temple, as it was originally built.
500 years ago all this was decorated with exterior and interior murals in vivid reds and blues depicting deities, nature scenes, and common rituals.
By the way, you’ll see the descending god figure printed on all the signs around the site.
The House of the Columns (Palace of the Great Lord or Casa Halach Uinic)
As the name suggests, the Great Lord -a VIP in Tulum- lived here with his family in its large rooms with flat roofs resting on columns. From a distance you can still see the benches along the walls, used for seating and sleeping. The family had its own sanctuary at the back for sacred ceremonies, with many more columns.
The Castle (El Castillo)
“The Castle” is the star of Tulum (other than the site’s location). Its most imposing and important building has a massive central staircase flanked by a pair of small temples at ground level, with altars for receiving offerings.
The stairs lead to an upper temple that was painted in bright colours, with a flat roof and decorated with masks. It was used for religious ceremonies.
On the web I’ve seen some pictures of El Castillo in Chichen Itzá showing on the search results for El Castillo in Tulum. Take a good look at it because they’re not the same!
The Temple of the Paintings
The ornamentation of this building is the best preserved of all the structures in the archaeological site of Tulum. It’s mainly visible on the lintel of the two temples at ground level (there’s one temple inside another).
If you’re wondering where the paintings are, you can’t see them because they’re on the inner temple (although you can see remnants of red paint on the outside). The pigments came from plants (for blues and greens) and minerals (for reds and blacks).
What you can see are the stucco masks and the sculptures adorning the outer temple. The main elements are the masks in the corners, the sculpture of the descending god in the central niche (you can still see the red, yellow, and blue paint), flanked by two sculptures on the adjacent niches.
Can you spot the handprints in red in the upper temple?
The Tulum Ruins Beach
Take the stairs at the edge of the cliff and dip your toes in Playa Ruinas. I don’t think there’s a better way to wrap up your visit to the ruins than laying down on the beach.
However, you may find an unwanted visitor: the smelly sargassum that every year is showing up sooner than usual and in massive quantities. At times it’s so bad that the beach is closed. Peak season is between March and August but it can start in February and last until October, so don’t hold your hopes too high in you visit during this time.
Best Tours to Visit the Tulum Archaeological Site
If you want to have all arranged for you or you want to combine your visit to Tulum with other activities check out these highly-rated tours:
-Tulum ruins, cenotes, snorkeling a lagoon, and lunch at the beach: this tour picks you up from major spots along the Mayan Riviera, combining a guided visit to the ruins with outdoor fun activities. You’ll visit two cenotes, snorkel in the Yal Ku Lagoon, and have lunch (included) at a white sand beach. 16 people max.
Book this tour, with a rating of 4.9/5 based on more than 1,830 reviews.
-Small group to Tulum ruins, swim in three cenotes, and tequila tasting: guided walk of the Tulum ruins or view of Tulum from a boat that includes a snorkeling stop. After a tequila tasting you’ll swim in three cenotes and have a traditional Mexican lunch. This tour picks you up from any accommodation in Tulum (additional fee for pickups elsewhere). 10 people max.
Book this tour, with a rating of 4.9/5 based on more than 185 reviews.
-Private half-day morning tour of Tulum ruins: this is your best option if you only want to see the ruins and nothing else, with your own group and no one else. Pick up is available from the Akumal, Tulum, or Playa del Carmen area.
Book this tour, with a rating of 4.9/5 based on more than 200 reviews.
Tulum Ruins vs. Chichen Itza
If you’re after the Wow factor in the form of tall pyramids and big structures, go to Chichen Itzá.
As you can see from the pictures, on this small archaeological site you won’t find any of that. The buildings are on the low side and rather simple. If you visit Tulum after visiting sites like Chichen Itzá or the spectacular Uxmal (my favourite) you may feel underwhelmed.
So, is it worth seeing the Tulum ruins?
In my opinion, the recent added fee has put this site in the overpriced category. The ruins are worth seeing as Tulum was the main trading port in the Yucatan Peninsula and it’s all about location, location, location. Seeing the main buildings as you walk along the bluff with the sea in the background is something you won’t experience at any other site.
However, what they’re charging now feels like a rip-off. If you’re really into archaeology and history and culture, I think it’s worth seeing. Otherwise, skip it.
Tips for Visiting the Tulum Ruins
-Buy your ticket at the official site entrance: which isn’t the parking lot or anywhere before the official reception area. There’ s a lot of scammers who will try to convince you that you can only enter with their tour (which is a lie), that you have to hire a guide (another lie), or who will sell you an incredibly overpriced entry ticket + crappy snorkeling tour (which most times they don’t honour). Ignore them.
If you prefer to visit Tulum with a tour, check out the highly-rated options I suggested above, operated by reputable companies.
-Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat: there’s no shade.
-Bring water: even though this is a small site that can be easily viewed in about an hour or less, it gets hot as hell in this part of the world. You must bring it in a metal reusable bottle, they will make you discard any plastic bottles (or plastic bags) you may carry.
-Use mosquito spray.
-Bring your swimsuit and a towel: just in case you decide to take the stairs down to the beach (if it’s open).
-Arrive early: less heat and humidity and less crowds. This is a popular site and it gets busier after 10AM.
-Avoid Sundays: entrance is free for Mexican citizens and residents on Sundays: more people.
-Open daily: 8AM-5PM (last entry at 3:30PM)
-Entrance fee: the total cost of the Tulum ruins fee is MXN$515.
This is a recent increase of more than 500%. The government designated the surrounding area a nature reserve (“Parque del Jaguar”). From a preservation point of view that’s great however, they’re now charging MXN$415 for access. You then have to pay an additional MXN$100 to visit the ruins . But you can’t just visit the ruins as they’re inside the reserve. A greedy move.
Parking is an additional MXN$100-$300.
How to Get to Tulum by Bus
If you’re not renting a car to explore other archaeological sites of the Yucatan Peninsula, you can easily get here by bus from Cancun and Playa del Carmen.
You can take the ADO bus from either the Cancun ADO station (an approximately 2.5-hour trip) or from Playa del Carmen Turística -the ADO station that is at the south end of 5th Avenue, at the corner with Benito Juárez Avenue- which is a 1-hour trip. You can download the ADO app to your phone.
When you check the schedule online you must look for Tulum Zona Arqueologica, otherwise it will take you to the town of Tulum instead of Tulum (Ruinas).
The site entrance is a 10-minute walk from where the bus leaves you, which isn’t a terminal at all but sort of a bus stop so buy your return tickets in advance.
Are you lured to the amazing views of the Tulum archaeological site? The unique history and location of these ruins make up for the lack of huge pyramids. If you’re staying in the Tulum area they’re a wonderful option for something to do nearby when you want to take a break from the beach.
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Fantastic post! So so much to see! Beautiful pics!!!! And the history, amazing!
Thanks for such a comprehensive post!
Christine
Yes, so much to see!
Thanks for reading 🙂