Tulum Ruins

TULUM RUINS

Tulum ruins is a must see attraction in Yucatan. It is the only Mayan city built by the seaside and gives a great insight to the interesting Mayan history of Mexico. We made our own Tulum Ruins tour in May 2021 and got fascinated by the ancient Mayan pyramids standing tall on the coast amidst a setting like Game of Thrones. The plants and the landscape were more impressive than the ruins themselves in our opinion. Tulum Archaelogical Site opening hours are Monday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. There is parking available and you can buy the Tulum Ruins tickets from the entrance. Its old name, Zama, means the city of the dawning sun and we can image Tulum Ruins sunrise can be quite a sight in person. However, the site is not open at the time of dawn and we are not early risers anyways. We are solid travelers, though and we will try to answer most questions you may have about this amazing place in this post!

You can also watch our Tulum Ruins vlog on Youtube below:

ARE THE TULUM RUINS WORTH SEEING?

We can't say Tulum Mayan Ruins is the best ruins in Mexico but they are certainly unique and cool. Visiting Yucatan area wouldn't be complete without a Tulum Ruins trip. They are the remains of the only Coastal Mayan city. It is estimated that Tulum, originally named Zama, had only 1600 inhabitants, meaning it was more of a ritual site used for religious purposes. So, you can understand it is an inspiring place and yes it is totally worth seeing the Tulum Ruins! If you are ever in Yucatan region, make sure to include this place in your Mexico itinerary and walk through tropic plants to the ancient structures on the cliff side to get the feeling of how it was like to live in this iconic city by the turquoise Caribbean waters. We promise you'll be awed by the sight!

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO TO TULUM RUINS?

Tulum Ruins entrance fee is 80 Pesos for foreign visitors. It is free for Mexican citizens and foreign residents on Sundays. However, ticket price is not the only thing you need to pay for. Tulum Ruins parking costs 100 pesos and frankly you can choose any parking there if you take your own car. Just be aware that the people in the parking lot will try to sell you Tulum Ruins tours with a guide and you don't have to buy it, you can just walk to the entrance gate and buy your own ticket. This is of course if you are planning to visit the ruins on your own. If you need a tour with a guide, you can of course negotiate. We heard a Tulum Ruins tour with a guide costs around 600 pesos but we didn't hire one and preferred to wander on our own as we usually do. An additional cost is the 20 pesos tourist bus from the Tulum Ruins parking lot to the entrance gate. If you prefer to walk, it is 10-15 minutes and mind you, it is hot. Nevertheless, we preferred to walk and enjoyed the way under the shades of the trees but we are very accustomed to tropic climate.
You can check out many Tulum Ruins Tours from here if you want to experience the place with the help of a professional guide or if you want to combine your sightseeing with other attractions in Tulum. Make sure to do a little research about Tulum cenotes nearby as they are some of the best in Yucatan.

TULUM RUINS HISTORY

Tulum was actually built before Mayans. It was inhabited since 564 AD according to the records. It was an important trading center between 11th and 16th centuries but it went through decay because of the old world diseases that the Spanish brought with them. Tulum was actually built as a fortress because it has a wall surrounding the three sides of the city. In fact, Tulum means "The Wall" in Mayan language. The most iconic structure in this complex is the famous Mayan pyramid El Castillo and it was used as a lighthouse back in the day. The town was a major port connecting the Gulf of Mexico and Yucatan Peninsula.

TULUM RUINS VS CHICHEN ITZA

If we had to compare Chichen Itza with Tulum Ruins, Chichen Itza is more majestic with bigger pyramids. However, Tulum Ruins is a really beautiful place by the seaside. It is the only seaside ancient city in Mexico and you will see its pictures in every Mexico travel guide. In our experience it was a unique place to visit in Mexico and we say see both Chichen Itza and Tulum Mayan Ruins if you can. 2 hours is enough to see Tulum Ruins on your own after all.

WHERE ARE THE TULUM RUINS?

Tulum Ruins are located 5 km to Tulum center, 62 km from Playa del Carmen and 128 km from Cancun. They are situated right by the seaside facing the Carribbean.

HOW TO GET TO THE TULUM RUINS

There is public transportation from Playa del Carmen to Tulum Ruins. You can take a colectivo from Playa del Carmen to Tulum for 50 pesos per person and they will stop at the Tulum Archaeological Site before arriving to Tulum center. Just tell the dirver "Tulum Zona Arqueologica" when you get on the colectivo. The colectivos leave from the Federal Highway and Calle 2. If you want to go to Tulum Ruins from Cancun by public transportation, you will need to change colectivos in Playa del Carmen. There is also the option of driving to Tulum Ruins. We preferred to rent a car from Playa del Carmen because we were 5 people. Also if you are planning to continue your day trip in Tulum, renting a car is essential because visiting Tulum can be a little hectic since Tulum center and Tulum beaches are 10 km away from each other.

CAN YOU WALK ON TULUM RUINS?

Unfortunately, no you can't walk on Tulum Ruins. As we understand, you could walk on them in the past but it's not allowed anymore.

CAN YOU SWIM IN TULUM RUINS?

Tulum Ruins Beach is really picturesque but we don't think you can swim here. We read some people went to the beach below the Tulum Ruins after their visit but it was closed when we went to visit the place. Besides, it is dangerous and forbidden to swim in Tulum Ruins beach. The beach in Tulum Ruins is very wild and the waves are high there but we saw some boats watching the ruins from the sea, that should be cool.

WHAT TO WEAR TO TULUM RUINS?

It's smart to wear light and breezy things to Tulum Ruins. Weather is generally hot and the sun is gonna be on top of you. So make sure to bring your hat and put on sunscreen. Remember to bring enough water as well because we didn't see any shops inside. There are souvenir shops near the Tulum Ruins parking lots and they sell water, too.

IS TULUM MAYAN RUINS OPEN?

We visited Tulum Archaelogical Site on 7 May 2021 and had a great day. Then we learned that Tulum Ruins closed on 9 May 2021 due to a staff member testing positive for Covid. Man, we were lucky to have seen the magnificent Mayan Pyramids by the seaside. Recently we confirmed that Tulum ruins open once again at the end of May 2021 and you can visit during regular opening hours!
You can always check the official website of Tulum Ruins for the updates.

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