Tulum offers history, beaches & fun not far from bustle of Cancun
Less than a two-hour drive south from Cancún Airport, the eco-friendly city of Tulum is a secluded oasis from the more heavily populated tourist spots along Mexico’s east coast.
With its recent spike in tourism, it’s hard to imagine that Tulum was a rather desolate village only 10 years ago. It’s only within recent years that certain areas of Tulum got electricity, and plumbing here is still somewhat subpar.
Tulum is rapidly changing as the number of visitors flocking to the remote location jump each year. But if you’re looking for a relaxing seaside vacation off the beaten path, Tulum is still filled with plenty of lesser known wonders to explore. (tulumruins.net)
One of the main attractions, aside from the endless span of white sand beaches, is its own mark on ancient Mayan history.
Once a pre-Colombian port city, Tulum served as a main point of entry for both land and sea trade routes. Situated between ocean and dense jungle brush, Tulum, which translates to “wall” or “fence” sits nestled between these two natural barriers. With this added security, the Mayans could rest assure that their city would be safe from unexpected invasion and remained without struggle of intruders for the majority of its existence. It was eventually disease that drove its occupants out.
As you crouch through the narrow man-made stone entryway into the walled ancient city, it’s easy to get lost in imagining what a day might have been like for the Mayans. While the ruin buildings are inaccessible to the public, you can still get close enough to inspect the masonry and detail of the structures as well as peer inside windows and doorways. Possibly the most magnificent structure of all is Pyramid El Castillo. Standing tall before the ocean, this structure served as a lighthouse of sorts to guide incoming ships safely to shore through the jagged reefs.
Other highlights include Temple of the God of Wind, and the House of the Columns.
As you begin to wind your way through the stone dust paths around the ruins, you’ll be greeted by some of the local inhabitants. The ruins are overrun with iguanas sunbathing on the stone remains and munching on the lush seagrasses around the base of the structures. You might also spot some wild coati, a raccoon-like mammal.
The ruin grounds open around 8 a.m. each day and close at 5 p.m., and you should get there early. I arrived at around 9 a.m. and the grounds were already swarming with visitors by 10:30 a.m. There’s a designated area for swimming in front of the ruins but again, be sure to go early. The beaches are usually packed by 11 a.m.