Spend a day in Tulum

Spend a day in Tulum  

Any trip to Cancun should include a day in Tulum. And not just at the archaeological site. The beaches in Cancun and Playa del Carmen are lovely, but Tulum’s are even more beautiful!

Unless you’ve rented a car, you’ll begin the journey in a small Mexican bus called a colectivo. In less than an hour, you’ll be in paradise. The colectivo station in Tulum is close to many stores, restaurants, and hotels. The best way to get to the beach is to take a cab from the station for about 25 pesos.

Once you get there, you’ll be amazed by the unrivaled beauty of Tulum’s beaches. It’s hard to believe that the white sand and turquoise water are even real. This is the perfect spot to spend the afternoon sunbathing, swimming, and drinking 1-dollar piña coladas (but be careful not to overindulge!).

If you’re lucky enough to visit Tulum, we recommend Zazil Kin beach, just next to Playa Paraiso. You can relax free of charge on deck chairs beside a bar. Playa Paraiso is nice, too, but sometimes you have to pay for a deck chair.

Of course, you'll want to combine this relaxing beach time with a visit to the Maya ruins. Although Tulum is not as large as Chichen Itza or Palenque, its unusual geographical location by the sea makes it interesting nonetheless. Unlike other Maya cities, which were already deserted when the conquistadors arrived, Tulum was still an administrative, commercial, and religious center of the region. One temple was dedicated to the Descending God, an unusual figure from Mesoamerican mythology. However, Tulum’s most impressive structures are the two surrounding walls and the Castillo.