About Tulum, Mexico

Tulum is about 100 miles south of Cancun in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. It is a small, well-groomed village flanked with exquisite white, powder sand beaches and the emerald green Caribbean Sea. The ruin is one of the most picturesque of all the Mayan ruins and stands on a cliff 15 feet above a small, private beach and is an important spiritual and cultural Mayan center. The actual town of Tulum is growing rapidly and has a new campus of the Universidad de Quintana Roo. 

Tulum's greatest attraction is its location. It stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking out on views of the Caribbean that are nothing less than spectacular. In Mayan, Tulum means "wall", and the city was christened thus because it is a walled city; one of the very few the ancients ever built. Research suggests it was formerly called Zama or "to dawn" in its day, which is appropriate given the location. It seems "Tulum" is the name given the site following a visit by the explorers Stephens and Catherwood in 1841, just before the beginning of the Caste War in 1847, long after the city was abandoned and fell to ruins. They ordered trees cleared and Catherwood made illustrations of temples, later to be published in the famous book "Incidents of Travel in Yucatan" by Juan José Gálvez.

Being Quintana Roo's most known and advertised site, Tulum ruin is a must when visiting the area. The access fee is $35 pesos (video cameras extra $30 pesos) and the visit timetable is from 8:00AM to 7:00 PM during the Summer; and from 7:00AM to 6:00PM during the Winter - Monday thru Sunday. The ruins are free on Sunday. It is important to mention that it is necessary to park your car at the shopping center's parking lot (an extra $30 peso fee). This is not controlled by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). The 1 mile journey between the parking lot and the site's entrance can be made by walking or in a small train (it's not related with the INAH either), which access fee is +/-$10 pesos. The site has a parking lot, refreshments and restrooms located at the shopping center. Tickets are sold at the entrance to the ruins.