The Tulum Ruins are a must-see if you find yourself in the Yucatán Peninsula. In fact, they are actually the third most visited archaeological site in Mexico. The Mayan Ruins in Tulum are one of the last built and inhabited by the Mayan people, and the views are magical. So, let’s talk about the history of the ruins, how to get there, what you need to know and some insider tips!
Tulum literally means wall in Mayan. Tulum was built with walls on three sides and the Caribbean Sea on the other. There was only ever a maximum of 1600 residents, so it was not very big. It served as a gateway for trade into the Yucatán from Central and South America. Ultimately, the Spaniards killed off the population of Tulum by bringing in Old World diseases. The area was inhabited for about 70 years after and then it was abandoned. I’ll leave the rest of the details for you to discover when you visit the ruins.
The Tulum ruins are only about 4 kilometers from the city center, so you can get there by bus, car, ATV, moped, or bicycle. The ADO bus station is in the center of town, and for 82 pesos (~$5 USD) you can take the bus to the Tulum Ruins station. It is about a 10 minute ride and the ADO buses were always very clean in my experience. This option is cheap and convenient. If you’re not a bus person, you have a few other choices.
Renting a car, moped or ATV is very easy in Tulum. You’ll find rental shops in every zone of Tulum, so it is very convenient. Driving to the ruins takes about 10 minutes from the center of town, so it’s a quick trip. Renting both a car or a quad starts at ~$45 USD and mopeds tend to be cheaper at ~$20 USD. Often they require a significant cash deposit, so I personally recommend a bicycle.
Tulum is not huge, so you are able to bike essentially anywhere you want to go and explore Tulum easily. Bicycles start at ~$10 USD per day, and they only require an ID as a deposit. I lived in La Veleta, and I was able to bike to the ruins in about 25 minutes. From the center of town it would take about 15 minutes, so it’s a super easy ride. There is a sidewalk the whole way so you don’t have to ride on the road. You also won’t have to pay for parking with a bicycle, so that’s an added bonus.
The ruins are a straight shot from the center. Take the highway 307 going towards Playa Del Carmen, and you will see a large blue sign that reads “Ruinas Tulum”. You will take a right here and arrive in the parking area.
If you are staying in Playa Del Carmen or Cancun, you have the option of driving yourself or doing a tour. The ruins aren’t too far, but not quite as convenient for those not staying in Tulum Town.
There will be people yelling at you when you drive in about “tickets”, ignore them. They will try to get you to stop to purchase stuff from them, just keep going and don’t stop to talk to them. You will purchase the tickets inside.
This was a bit confusing when I went the first time, as I knew we needed to pay for both but we didn’t know exactly where. The first thing you will pay for is entrance to the National Park (this includes access to the public beach) which costs 48 pesos (~$3 USD). There are multiple places to purchase these tickets, depending on whether you need to park or not. As a general rule just keep walking straight towards the ruins and you will run into the payment booth. You will receive a brown wristband for National Park access. After this you need to walk about 5 – 10 minutes to the ruins. Once you reach the ruins, you will need to pay 90 pesos (~$5 USD) for the ticket to the ruins. For both of these tickets, they accept card.
You can of course purchase a tour as well if you want to, but we didn’t. I’m personally not a big tours person, so we decided to do the ruins on our own. There is information posted throughout the ruins so you can still get an idea of the history even if you don’t want to do a tour. If you are interested in a tour, they start around 700 pesos (~$40 USD).
The ruins are open every day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and I would either recommend going first thing or later in the afternoon. More info on that below!
I personally hate when things are super crowded and all you’re doing is dodging people. Tour groups tend to arrive around 10:00 am, and there are a lot of groups that come to the ruins. They all have their own guide who does a tour, so it ends up being huge groups of people blocking the path everywhere. The ruins open at 8:00 am, and this is the best time in my opinion as it is quieter. Don’t forget Mexico is hot, so going a bit earlier also means the temperature is more comfortable. You can also go in the late afternoon to beat the crowds, but this tends to be a hot time of the day so I would suggest early morning instead. Speaking of heat, don’t forget to bring water with you! You can purchase it there, but it is more expensive than bringing your own, of course.
Sundays aren’t the best day either, as it is free for locals so it tends to be pretty busy. Again, I hate dodging crowds so this is just my personal opinion.
That brown wristband you got earlier includes access to the beach in front of the ruins, and it’s a great place to cool down after being in the sun all morning. The public beach stretches all the way down to the start of the hotel zone, so there’s lots of beaches, hotels, beach clubs and restaurants to choose from. We personally went to the closest beach which had an area without any restaurants or hotels to relax for a bit.
Be aware that if you decide to head to one of the beach clubs, they normally have a minimum consumption. This means there is a certain amount of money you have to spend in order to use their chairs or tables. Something to be aware of before you sit down if you aren’t planning on staying long!
Aside from the ruins and the beach, there isn’t much else to see in this area so I would head back to town when you’re done. I would 100% recommend going to the Tulum ruins if you get a chance. Since they are on top of a cliff in front of the ocean the views are incredible. This is one of the best Tulum photo spots. They are also full of so much interesting history and show us how different Tulum once was.
If you’re interested in learning more about my experience of living in Tulum and Tulum travel advice, check out this article where I give my honest opinion on Tulum. My Instagram also has some Tulum travel tips you might want to check out!
Speaking of Instagram, make sure you follow my socials (@travellingaly) to keep updated on all of my travel shenanigans and stories. There is lots of information and advice in my posts as well, so you don’t want to miss out. Have you been to the Tulum Ruins yet? Let me know in the comments!
I've always had a love for travel, but I also knew that full-time travel is often considered unrealistic. I went to university, worked "typical" jobs and realized I had never been happier than when I was travelling. Living outside of my comfort zone and being spontaneous is where I thrive. I decided to pack up my life and move across the world alone. Two weeks later I left, and I have never looked back since. Now, nearly three years later, my goal is to share my love of travel with others. I want to show people that full-time travel is accessible for anyone. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely not always sunshine and rainbows, but neither is anything in life. So welcome to my adventure, where I'm getting REAL with you guys. How I got started, what it takes to travel full-time, how to sustain yourself, the lessons I've learned, the mistakes I've made and everything else along the way.
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