TULUM, Mayan Temples at the Sea !! Pack your cameras, film and bathing suits too!
Written: Jul 30 '03 (Updated Aug 04 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fantastic old ruins overlooking the turquoise waters of Mexico.
Cons: Can get crowded in the afternoon.
The Bottom Line: This is an ancient site right on the water. Plenty of picture opportunities here.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Tulum |
Having visited Chichen-Itza with it's grandeur and rebuilt ruins a few days before and then having hiked through Coba's ruins that are still virtually buried by rain forests and jungle earlier this same day, I was moved by Tulum's simplicity and beauty.
GEOGRAPHY
Tulum is about a two hour car or bus ride from Cancun. We were staying in Playa del Carmen. Coba is about a forty five minute ride from Tulum but to its west. We decided to take in the fascinating ruins of Coba and Tulum in one day. It was a perfect day for us.
As I mentioned Coba is still, for the most part, buried in the jungle. We did a lot of hiking and adventuring. This is your "Indiana Jones" type of touring.
By the time we were finished the afternoon sun was hot and we were getting a bit worn down. The wonderful sea breezes and the refreshing waters of Tulum beckoned. Tulum's structures overlook the gorgeous greens and blues of the Gulf of Mexico.
OUR ARRIVAL
Getting there later in the day, about 3:00PM the buses were starting to clear out. We pulled into the parking lot. There was a slight charge.
The visitors center was a large light coloured building. It wasn't crowded at all. It houses a couple of restaurants, restrooms, a gift shop and guide books. You can also get a tour guide for a reasonable price. They are available speaking different languages and can take you out for an hour or so.
We paid our 25 pesos each for admittance. That was almost three years ago. It could be a few more pesos now. Even if it is, it's well worth the little bit of admission price. Remember Sundays are free!!
We were surprised to see some Mexican men up on a high pole getting ready to give us a show. The Voladores, if I remember four of them, could have been five, were all swinging gently from ropes harnessed on their ankles to the top of the pole that I believe was about one hundred feet high. What ever the exact height it was still mesmerizing. I'll have to check our pictures to see how many there were. This happened just outside the visitors center.
From there you can walk or take provided transportation to the ruins themselves. They are a bit less than a mile away. You go through a gate and then notice a stone wall around all the grounds. The name of the ruins, Tulum, means wall. This was the only ruins I noticed with a wall. There is some debate as to whether the wall was for protection or to designate the areas of the higher casts and more important people, those inside the wall, from the lowly, less important outside the wall. Hey, I think it could have been for both!
A LITTLE HISTORY
These structures were built in the 1200's. The Spanish thought they "struck gold" when they saw this city on the sea. They didn't. What they found was a thriving city based on trade from throughout the Yucatan Peninsula and points further south. Tulum was active still even while the Spanish were there.
Recently, in the late 1800's, 1890 till 1910 to be exact, some Mayans had retaken the site of Tulum and under the influence and leadership of a priestess continued some of the ancient rites and ceremonies. The Mexican governments museum caretakers now oversee these sites.
THE TEMPLES
After walking over some barren flat areas you are drawn to El Castillo. This is the grandest of the building here. None of these buildings have the size nor architectural significance as Coba or Chichen-Itza but the turquoise background of the sea is stunning!!
El Castillo is the highest and most eye catching of the temples. You can climb a bit of it but most is now off limits. The same is true with the other buildings. Some parts you can explore and others you can't. This goes the same for roofed sites. Some places you can go inside of and some you can't
Be careful near some of the cliff areas. You will be looking almost straight down from the top of the bluffs.
Though you can't get every angle for pictures possible, you will find this place full of photo opportunities. The picture perfect old ruins and fantastic colours of the sea are a wonderful match!!
There are a few other temples too. The Temple of the Descending God and The Temple of wind are two of them. You can probably spend hours on end in these ruins. The fact is we only had a few hours and we were very hot and weary after some hiking in the jungle earlier in the day at Coba.
What we found very inviting to us at this time was the beach.
THE BEACH
Just to the north east of El Castillo is the beach. Just walk down from the temples. It was perfect. The sand is pure white, and the water was comfortable and calm. You can't come to this beach with lots of gear. We had our bathing suits on under shorts etc. There were no changing rooms or facilities down there.
Because it was later in the day it was fairly quiet. During the mid-day this area can be packed with tour busses from Cancun and passengers off cruises. The grounds were open from 8am till 6PM when we were there. Times vary slightly depending on season. The water was relaxing and refreshing.
Then it happened. A huge thunderstorm came in, chased everyone out of the water, cooled the temperatures, and left within a few minutes. It was a fun and exciting time. Our video tapes are fun to watch. We and everybody else were soaked. There are no places to duck in from the rain once on the site itself. Late afternoon, fast moving thunderstorms are the norm on this coast of Mexico.
Nearby
This coast line area and continuing a bit more going north toward Cancun is chock full of great places to see and things to do. It's known as the Riviera Maya.
As noted earlier Coba is just 45 minutes west of Tulum. Playa del Carman is a fun little town with great restaurants and little shops about an hour north. We stayed at the, nearby to Playa,Alegro Resort Playacar. Town was a quick cab ride away from our resort. If coming to or from Cancun you might consider a stop in this town.
Between Tulum and Playa del Carman was X-caret. This was an excellent water and environment park. This place though, needs a full day unto itself. We loved it!!
ENDING THE DAY
Once getting into the grounds of Tulum just about everyone makes a bee-line for the temples. Most of the rest of the grounds are barren and nondescript except for the wall all the way around. Be sure to have a guide map. As you leave the temple and beach area, "discover" what all these other smaller buildings are. Be sure to have some extra water to drink while exploring. Take your time and study. There is so much to learn at Tulum.
A bit more in Mexico
Discovering the Yucatan Peninsula Ancient Ruins, Culture, and Relaxation
CHICHEN-ITZA, the Grand Ancient Site of the Yucatan
Coba, the ancient city A site that is just being excavated.
Tulum, Mayan Temples on the Sea
Xcaret, an Amazing Park dedicated to Nature and Culture
Hotel MayaLand A wonderful, highly recommended, place to stay near Chichen-Itza
Allegro Resort, Playacar A halfway decent all-inclusive in Playa del Carmen. Just six miles from Xcaret.
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Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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