Tulum Ruins Guide: How to Visit This Coastal Mayan Wonder
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Perched on a cliffside overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea, the Tulum Ruins are a sight to behold and a must-see on any visit to the Riviera Maya.
Located inside the Tulum National Park, these ruins are the third most visited Mayan archaeological site after Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan, which are located just outside Mexico City.
What’s incredible about visiting the Tulum Ruins is that you can vividly imagine what it was like to stand at the edge of the bluffs and see the Spanish ships arriving on the horizon.
I’ve visited the Tulum ruins site twice; each visit has always been as memorable and unique as the last!
The Tulum ruins are incredibly well-preserved, which makes them a popular site to visit and also what makes them so spectacular.
There are many ruined buildings, including the famous El Castillo (castle), watchtowers, residential homes, ancient temples, and restored murals.
No trip to Tulum would be complete without exploring these coastal ruins, which are so unique.
Before you go, learn the essentials of the Tulum Ruins including how much entry costs, what to pack/wear, how best to visit, and more.
The Ultimate Tulum Ruins Visitor’s Guide
Tulum Ruins Entry Fee & Visiting Hours
Cost: How much does it cost to visit the Tulum ruins?
The entry fee to Tulum ruins costs $95 MXN (about $5.60 USD) per person. On Sundays, Mexican nationals can enter the ruins for free with the presentation of an INE.
Hours: The Tulum ruins are open between 8 AM and 3 PM, with the last entry around 3:30 PM.
Parking: At the time of writing (May 2024), parking costs are currently $160 MXN for the day.
You should also know that it’s a 5-7 minute walk from the parking lot to the Tulum Ruins Visitor’s Center (i.e., ticket booth and official entrance to the Tulum Ruins).
People will try to get you to book a tour and persuade you to park in various parking lots (depending on which “side” of the road you park on) before the official one. Instead of going by car, I’d recommend renting a bike to avoid the hassle.
Tip: I recommend going to the Tulum ruins early rather than later to beat the crowds that typically arrive from 11 AM to noon. There are bathrooms at the entrance, and it’s wise to go before you start since it takes around 2-3 hours to walk around the site fully.
Colectivo: You can take a colectivo (shared minivan) from Tulum pueblo to the Tulum ruins for about $70-90 MXN pesos per person.
You will see them picking up passengers on Avenida Tulum frequently. “Tulum Ruins” may be displayed on the windshield to indicate it’s on their service route. If not, ask! Taking a taxi to the Tulum ruins is another option, but expect to pay much more for a one-way ride.
By bike:
Biking to the Tulum ruins is the most fun and eco-friendly way to reach the archaeological site from Tulum Town or the Hotel Zone.
Bike rentals in Tulum are only $150-200 MXN (or $9-12 USD) per day.
This is the best way to navigate between the beach, cenotes in Tulum, ruins, hotel zone, and Pueblo. That way, you avoid traffic and parking and can beat the crowd by bike to the Tulum ruins earlier in the morning.
Rental car:
Are you based in Cancun or Playa del Carmen? Another option is to rent a car for as little as $15/day and explore Tulum.
There is ample parking (at an additional cost) inside Tulum National Park or beach, but I’d still advise you to go early and beat the rush hour as traffic can get backed up on that road.
Also Read: 9 Best Eco Boutique Hotels in Tulum
Best Time to Visit the Tulum Ruins
Regarding the best time of day to visit the Tulum ruins, you’ll want to try to get there first thing in the morning.
The site opens to visitors at 8 am and arriving right at this time is a good idea.
You’ll have the archaeological site primarily to yourself for the first hour before tours and other visitors arrive.
If you’re wondering when the best time of year to visit the Tulum Ruins is, this coincides with the best time to visit Tulum in general!
November to April is the dry season, while December to April is the peak tourist season.
There are a few sweet spots, like November and May, when crowds are low and the sun is (usually) shining!
Stepping Back in Time: A Quick History of the Tulum Archeological Ruins
The archaeological site of Tulum, which once thrived under the name of Zamá (meaning sunrise or dawn), is one of the best-preserved Mayan cities in the Yucatan Peninsula.
That’s because the city was one of the last that the Maya built!
Zamá was also one of the most well-defended Mayan cities, with a thick stone wall perimeter and two watchtowers on the northwest and southwest of the Tulum ruins.
The Tulum ruins you see today are the only Mayan archaeological site known to have such a unique location. They were designed to watch over the coast, which was of extreme importance during the height of the Mayan civilization in the 13th century.
During this period, the Tulum ruins served as a thriving port for the inland Mayan city of Coba (another Mayan archaeological site you should visit on a day trip from Tulum).
The ancient Mayan city was known for its wealth of astronomical knowledge and tools. The Zapotecas, also known as the Aztec nobles, visited it.
Since Tulum had access to sea and land trading routes, Jade, obsidian, copper, salt, and textiles were commonly traded goods.
Can you imagine being among the first Spanish expeditions and seeing the bustling city of Zamá from the ship deck? 🏴☠️
European explorers first mentioned Tulum (or Zamá) in 1518, but the first in-depth description and drawings of the Tulum Ruins were published in an 1843 book titled Incidents of Travel in Yucatan by John Lloyd Stephens.
Like all the other Mayan ruins across Mexico and Mesoamerica, the history of the Tulum ruins is fascinating!
I highly recommend brushing up on its history more in-depth, even if you hire a guide to accompany you on your visit or book a guided tour of the Tulum ruins.
⬇️ Best guided walking tour of Tulum Ruins ⬇️
Do You Need to Book a Tulum Ruins Tour?
Many people visit the Tulum ruins as part of an inclusive tour.
Tours are great if you have little time and don’t want to manage your transportation. You’ll also have access to a knowledgeable guide.
The best Tulum Ruins tours will usually combine a visit to the archaeological site and a swim in one or two cenotes, with extra time to visit the town.
If you’re visiting Tulum from Cancun or Playa del Carmen and want to be intentional with your time, a tour is often the best option because it saves you from organizing your day and transportation by yourself.
Here’s a comparison of a few great Tulum Ruins tours to help you choose!
🌟 Option 1: Tulum Ruins, Reef Snorkeling, Cenote and Caves
- Starting at $119 per person
- Hotel pick up and drop off included
- A traditional lunch buffet included
- Snorkeling equipment, water, and a bilingual guide
- Book here
This 8-hour tour takes visitors to the incredible Tulum Ruins and some of the Riviera Maya’s other best sights!
You’ll explore the archaeological site with a knowledgeable guide before snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea and jumping into two cenotes.
All entrance fees (except the $15 Natural Marine Reserve fee), a delicious buffet lunch, and both pick-up and drop-off are included.
What sets this tour apart is that they pick up from many locations in the Riviera Maya! From Cancun to Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen, you’re covered in pick-up options.
Option 2: Riviera Maya: Tulum Ruins and 2 Cenotes Half-Day Tour
- Starting at $37 per person (extra $20 USD for entrance fees)
- Hotel pick up and drop off included
- Bottled water and a bilingual guide
- Book here
Head out on this 6-hour tour to see the Tulum Ruins with a guide and visit two separate cenotes!
With a knowledgeable guide, tour the amazing temples and other archaeological remains before swimming in Cenote Mariposa and Cenote Chen-Ha.
This GetYourGuide excursion is a bit shorter than most, so it’s easy to fit into your busy vacation schedule.
Pickup is accepted from most areas in the Riviera Maya, including Playa del Carmen. Although this tour option is fairly inexpensive at around $37 USD per person, this does not include the $350 MXN entrance fee to the ruins (around $20 USD).
That said, can you visit the Tulum ruins on your own? Absolutely.
That’s what we have done on multiple occasions.
The signage around the Tulum Ruins site gives you a basic understanding of what you’re looking at.
I enjoy visiting places on my own to create my own experience, but admittedly, I miss out on some cool stories.
So, while you can visit the Tulum Ruins on your own, remember you won’t benefit from the live storytelling and historical explanations as you would if you were to hire a guide.
What to Bring & Wear to Tulum Ruins
The complex inside the Tulum ruins site is not well-shaded.
Plan to pack reef-friendly sunscreen for nearby swims at Tulum Ruins Beach, as well as a hat and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun.
Other than the above, you should also consider wearing or bringing:
- Comfortable walking shoes (the Tulum ruins area is pretty big and takes 2-3 hours to visit)
- Biodegradable mosquito balm
- Camera or phone for pictures
- GoPro or Osmo Action for snorkeling/underwater shots
- Sand/waterproof phone pouch
- Eco-friendly reusable water bottle
- Day bag
- Cash (to tip your guide if you have one)
- Your swimsuit and a quick dry towel if you plan on visiting the beach
Historic Buildings Inside the Tulum Ruins Site
El Castillo (The Castle)
El Castillo is the largest structure inside the Tulum ruins complex and exemplifies Mayan architecture.
Seeing such a well-preserved architectural masterpiece standing in the central precinct after hundreds of centuries is striking.
It is said that snake (serpent) motifs are carved into the inside roof of the building and that the backside wall (pointing towards the sea) has a symbolic shrine that matches a break in the Mesoamerican Reef.
This would have acted as a beacon for incoming trading canoes from other Mayan cities.
Temple of the Descending God
The Temple of the Descending God can be seen just before El Castillo to its left (if you’re facing it).
This temple is dedicated to the main god honored by the Mayas who lived in Tulum.
The Descending God (or Diving God) is carved into the rock just above the temple’s entrance.
The god is facing downwards (as if descending) with its palms together stretched overhead and its feet pointing toward the sky.
Old depictions of the temple’s facades show it adorned in colorful and contrasting red and blue paint.
Temple of the Frescoes
Believe it or not, the temples of the Mayas used to be decorated in color.
If the public were still permitted to enter the Temple of the Frescoes, you’d see painted murals, stuccos of the Diving God, and other figurines of the Venus deity.
The Temple of the Frescoes has two floors and was primarily used to track the sun’s movements and position. Again, this demonstrates astronomy’s importance in ancient Mayan culture.
Temple of the Wind God
Though not mentioned on many maps, the Temple of the Wind God (Kulkulkan in Maya) is one of the most memorable temples.
Its unique position, perched atop a rocky cliff, overlooks the vivid blue Caribbean Sea and gives it a prime vantage point to the horizon.
For that reason, this temple is often the subject or backdrop in vacationers’ photos of the Tulum ruins.
Historically, the Temple of the Wind God was used for religious and ceremonial purposes.
Still, this article in The Yucatan Times indicates it was also built to warn the Mayans of incoming hurricanes since its construction was full of minuscule holes that whistled when strong winds would blow in from the sea.
Tulum Ruins Beach
Tulum Ruins Beach, or Playa Ruinas, is a beautiful stretch of powdered sugar sand.
Located just below the cliff where the ruins are perched, this beach is easily reached using the wooden stairs near the main pyramid at the archaeological site.
As if the views of the ruins from the beach strip weren’t incredible enough, the water at Playa Ruinas is also a shock of turquoise blue.
The beach opens at 10 am and is the perfect place to cool off after wandering around the Tulum Ruins in the hot sun.
Remember that this is a primitive beach area with no bathrooms or facilities!
Depending on the season, you might run into the infamous sargassum seaweed that has plagued Tulum’s beaches in recent years.
Handy Map of the Tulum Ruins
The drone above photo shows how the Tulum Ruins site is set up and how you can visit it via the designated walking paths.
Also, on my last visit to the Tulum ruins, I remember seeing a sign displaying a “No Drone” regulation. Drones are illegal to fly over the ruins!
The second simple map above helps to visualize the temples with their names.
You can see El Castillo jutting out from the ground, standing tall in the ancient city of Zamá. The square strip of land in front of it is where you’ll find the Temple of the Frescoes.
On the back left of El Castillo sits a tinier structure near the shore; that’s the Temple of the Wind God.
Further left is Casa Cenote (no, not this Casa Cenote), a temple housing an underground cenote that once served as the city’s primary water source and was probably used for religious sacrifices!
Tips for Visiting the Archaeological Site of Tulum Responsibly
LNT: Leave No Trace, stay on marked trails, and pack out all trash that you pack in.
There are several trash receptacles around the Tulum ruins site, but they always overflow and spill into the ground. Instead, keep your trash with you and dispose of it properly when you return to town or your hotel.
Respect the wildlife:
Coatis, iguanas, native birds, and turtles live on the Tulum ruins grounds.
Several turtle nesting locations are located just beside the walking paths on sandy inlets. If you see a turtle, refrain from approaching it and give it plenty of distance.
By overstepping the barrier, you could trample on and hurt the nests and eggs.
No vandalizing:
The Tulum ruins are an ancient archaeological wonder; interfering with them can cause irreversible damage.
Refrain from engraving your name, scratching at, sitting/standing, or touching the buildings and stones.
Take pictures (no flash) and leave with nothing but memories!
👉 Get my top 10 travel tips for Tulum here!
Other Maya Archaeological Sites to Visit Outside of Tulum
Archaeological sites and other fascinating remnants of the Mayas are scattered across the Yucatan Peninsula.
If you’re excited about visiting the Tulum Ruins and interested in exploring more ancient wonders, here are some of the other Maya archaeological sites in Mexico.
Coba Ruins
The Coba Ruins is one of the best day trips from Tulum!
As the closest Maya archaeological site to Tulum (other than the Tulum Ruins), you can easily reach the Coba Ruins by public transportation or rental car.
While you used to be able to climb the central pyramid for views out over the jungle, these ruins are still worth visiting to see a Maya site almost engulfed in vegetation.
Swim in the underground Coba Cenotes after exploring the ruins to cool off!
Ek Balam
Translating directly to “Black Jaguar,” Ek Balam is delightfully off the beaten path regarding Mexico’s Maya archaeological sites.
What sets these ruins apart is that you can still climb to the top of most of the pyramids! This is one of the last remaining Maya sites where you can do this, and the views out over the surrounding jungle are stunning.
Visiting the Ek Balam ruins is one of the best things to do near Valladolid, and they are worth a stop in their own right.
Chichen Itza
As one of the seven wonders of the world, Chichen Itza is a must-visit if you’re in the Yucatan!
It was both a Maya and Toltec civilization, and you can see remnants of both architectural styles.
Stand in the shadow of the towering Pyramid of Kukulcan, see the 17 ball courts, and visit El Caracol, one of the observatories.
While you’ll be fighting the crowds here (it’s one of the most visited sites in Mexico, after all!), you won’t regret visiting this immense, ancient Maya city.
Taking a day trip to Chichen Itza from Tulum is relatively easy at just two hours away by car.
Uxmal
One of the furthest archaeological sites from Tulum that’s still worth considering paying a visit is Uxmal.
Most visitors stop by Uxmal while doing the Ruta Puuc, a popular road trip around the Yucatan Peninsula.
Located near Merida, the Yucatan capital, these ruins are best known for their intricate carvings and late Maya architectural style.