Day Trips to Tulum Ruins from Cancun

The walled city of Tulum is the most advanced of the Maya constructions. Based on the concept of the four corners, which refer to the cardinal points, the cosmic pattern of the city as a quadrilateral referred to an ordered, rational and dual world, because it was offered equally to men and gods.

All these characteristics make the Tulum Ruins an impressive site, intimately related to the cosmology and customs of the Mayan culture, and also an essential attraction among the activities to see and do in Cancun.

These excursions with bus transportation from Cancun offer you the possibility to visit the Tulum Ruins in only six hours.

With them, you will be able to visit the walled city with the assistance of an expert local guide who will tell you the history of the buildings, especially the main palace known as El Castillo and the Temple of the Descending God, which, in addition to having a very particular aesthetic, gives the city the quality of a funerary site.

This type of excursion also includes a descent to the beach of Tulum, which is located below the cliff crowned by El Castillo.

Playa Ruinas and Playa Tortuga, located right next to the Temple of the God of the Wind, are two of the most beautiful beaches in the Mexican Caribbean, with nothing to envy to the best beaches of Cancun.

This is an ideal tour if you are looking for a quick tour or if you have a short stay in the city. In that case, here is a list of what you can see and do in Cancun in three days

The price of the tour usually includes round trip transfer with hotel pick up, entrance fees to the walled city and the permanent assistance of an expert local guide.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts from €59 per person, including round-trip transfers, entrance fees to the ruins and the assistance of the local expert guide.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 6 hours.
• Advantages of this tour... You will get to know the walled city quickly and efficiently at a good price.

The ruins of Tulum and Chichen Itza are the two most famous Mayan archaeological sites in the world. Both have a particular beauty and also features that allow you to know what life was like in the Mayan culture.

Although you can visit them separately, as there are several excursions to Chichen Itza from Cancun, with this two-day tour you will save money and get to know both sites in more depth.

The first day is dedicated to visit Chichén Itzá and its treasures, which include El Castillo, the most famous Mayan temple, the Great Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors and the Sacred Cenote, which is 60 meters in diameter and has vertical walls of more than fifteen meters.

Chichen Itza, considered one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, will leave you open-mouthed with its pyramids and temples.

The second day you will visit the Tulum Ruins, its main buildings and temples, as well as the beaches below the cliff of El Castillo.

This way you will have been able to get the most out of your visit to Cancun knowing the two maximum architectural references of the Mayan culture.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 136 euros per person, including round trip transfers, entrance fees to Chichen Itza and Tulum Ruins and lunch on the first day.
• Duration of the excursion... The tour is a two-day tour, with twelve hours of excursion in each day.
• Advantages of this excursion... It is the most complete tour to visit the two most important archaeological sites of the Mayan culture.

This kind of day tour is one of the most complete, as it offers you the opportunity to visit with the assistance of an expert local guide the archaeological site of Tulum, with its buildings and temples, as well as the site of Coba, one of the Mayan cities of the classic period that stands out for the Pyramid of Nohoch Mul, a main construction of 120 steps that is the only one of the Mayan relics in which you will be allowed to climb.

In Coba you will also be able to access the Choo Ha Cenote and have a typical Mexican lunch before heading to the last destination, Playa del Carmen, another of the wonders of the Riviera Maya.

In this last place, you will be able to visit the silver of the Caribbean coast and walk through its pedestrian streets and designer stores.

These excursions usually last twelve hours and are ideal for the summer months when the heat is more intense. If you travel to Cancun in April, keep in mind that there may be more crowds than usual at the cenotes and Playa del Carmen.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 56 euros per person, including round trip transfers, entrance fees to the attractions and lunch.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately twelve hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will be able to visit several places in the same excursion, saving time and money.
• Disadvantages of this excursion... As it includes many destinations in a short period of time, you may feel that you don't get to see any of them. You will have to be particularly fast to visit the Tulum Ruins in an hour and a half as these excursions propose.

This is an ideal excursion for those who want to combine a historical tour experience with a fun visit to a natural park.

First you will tour the Tulum Ruins with the assistance of an expert local guide who will take you around the main buildings and invite you to visit two of the most beautiful beaches in the Mexican Caribbean.

Although excursions to Xel-Ha Park from Cancun are a classic, with this tour you won't have to spend another day doing it. After leaving the site you will be able to enjoy five hours in the park to get lost in the nature and jungle of the Riviera Maya.

You will be able to snorkel, walk along the winding jungle paths, access an open bar of drinks and food, and relax in hammocks and comfortable lounge chairs.

These tours usually include round trip transfers from Cancun Hotel Zone with hotel pick up, entrance fees to the walled city of Tulum and entrance fees to Xel Ha Park. It is an ideal tour if you are visiting Cancun with children.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts from 144 euros per person, including round trip transfers, entrance fees to the attractions and the open bar of drinks and food at Xel Ha.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately eight hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will be able to combine the experience of visiting a historic archaeological site and then relax in a natural park.
• Disadvantages of this excursion... Since this excursion includes many hours of visiting the natural park of Xel Ha, the tour of the Tulum Ruins may seem short.

This option is interesting because it offers a variety of activities. Mainly you will visit the walled city of Tulum Ruins, with its historic buildings and access to the beaches below the cliff of El Castillo, bathed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea.

From the coast of Tulum you will cruise by boat along the coral reefs and it is very possible to see turtles and rays. Throughout the tour you will be assisted by an expert local guide.

After Tulum, the excursion heads into the Yucatan's subtropical rainforest, one of the wettest in the world, to snorkel again in the crystal clear waters of the cenotes of the Xtun Caverns, which are noted for their stalactites and stalagmites. These stand out for the stalactites and stalagmites that crown the walls and ceilings.

This type of excursion usually includes entrance fees for the attractions, snorkeling equipment and safety elements and lunch, which is usually a typical Mexican dish.

It is a tour that can be done with children and one of the best excursions to cenotes because of the particularity of the Xtun caverns.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 106 euros per person, including round trip transfers, entrance fees to the attractions and lunch.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately eight hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will be able to combine very different experiences, such as the tour of the Tulum Ruins and the visit to the Xtun Caverns, a somewhat complicated destination to visit outside of an excursion.

The best option to book an excursion to the Tulum Ruins is in advance online. In that case you will be able to decide the date, the itinerary and know the details of the service providers and the options included in the excursion you booked.

As with the tours to Chichen Itza, you can book it directly at a tourist office during your stay in Cancun, but you will not have details of the excursion.

You should also keep in mind that if you travel during high season you may have problems booking the excursion to Tulum.

If you visit Cancun in May, for example, it would be best to book in advance so you don't risk having to change your itinerary or miss the chance to see the walled city due to lack of space.

The answer depends on which tour option you choose. Generally they can last between six and twelve hours. The minimum duration corresponds to the express excursion and the maximum duration corresponds to the full day tours that include several destinations.

You should keep in mind that sometimes including many visits in a short period of time can be of little benefit, because it could give you the feeling that you are not getting to know any site in its entirety.

The walled city is very large and has many buildings, and it is also interesting to spend a few minutes on the beaches, which are among the most beautiful in the Caribbean Sea.

Therefore, analyzing well what your itinerary will be and what sites you want to visit at your leisure could help you make the right decision regarding the right excursion.

In principle you will visit the Tulum Ruins, which is one of the most important sites of the Mayan culture, but depending on the excursion you choose, you will also visit other sites and live very different experiences.

Below I will tell you what you can expect from each place:

• Ruins of Tulum: It is one of the most famous archaeological sites of the Mayan civilization and the most visited, only behind Chichen Itza. This walled city has buildings of more complex architecture than its predecessors. Its cliff-top location, which leads to the Caribbean Sea, gives the city two of the most beautiful beaches in the Mexican Caribbean.
• Chichen Itza: It is the most famous archaeological site of the Mayan culture. Considered one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, mystical Chichén Itzá is also the site of historic monuments such as El Castillo, the ball court, temples and magical spaces such as the Sacred Cenote.
• Cobá: It is the largest archaeological city of the classic period of the Mayan culture. It has the Pyramid of Nohoch Mul, a main construction of 120 steps that is the only one of the Mayan relics in which you will be allowed to climb.
• Playa del Carmen: It is the most famous coastal area of the Riviera Maya. There you can enjoy its white sand beaches and crystal clear water, pedestrian streets and souvenir stores.
• Xel Há: In this natural park set in the jungle of the Riviera Maya you can snorkel, walk along the jungle trails and use the common rest areas that have hammocks, chairs and armchairs.
• Xtun Caverns: Located in the subtropical heart of the Yucatan jungle, one of the wettest places on the planet, it stands out for its stalactites and stalagmites in its caverns and huge cenotes.

The walled city is very large, so you will have to do a lot of walking. I advise you to bring comfortable shoes and water for hydration, although most tours will have drinks available for you.

It is also important that you choose correctly the tour you are going to do, which has to be perfectly adapted to your travel plan.

There are many tours and excursions in Cancun and many consist of many visits in a short period of time.

It's not a bad idea, but you should keep in mind that in places like Tulum you may feel that you don't have enough time to see it all.

It will depend on the type of excursion you choose and the services offered. There are inexpensive options, such as the express tour to Tulum, with a very good price/quality ratio and there are also alternatives that include several destinations for a good price. An express tour is around 59 euros.

In any case, it is important that you see which option best suits your trip and your budget, always taking into account that it is the most complete option, as far as possible.

The tour that includes the visit to Chichen Itza and the Tulum Ruins starts at 136 euros with entrance fees included and is a good alternative to save time and, above all, money while you get to know the two most important archaeological sites of the Mayan civilizations.

It is recommended because it is one of the most interesting sites in Quintana Roo and because it is a core construction for the Mayan civilization. Together with Chichen Itza, they are the two most important Mayan archaeological sites and also two of the most spectacular.

If you visit Mexico, there is no doubt that you will find Tulum one of the best activities to do on your trip to Cancun and it can be even more interesting if in addition to the ruins you visit Xel Ha, Playa del Carmen or the eccentric Xtun caverns.

You could visit the Tulum Ruins on your own but without the assistance of an expert local guide you would miss an important part of the archaeological site which are its secrets.

The walled city is beautiful to look at but richer is its history. In addition, guided tour excursions starting in Tulum can continue to other interesting destinations such as snorkeling or visiting cenotes.

In any case, expert assistance, especially within a guided tour, will help you get the most out of one of the most distinctive sites of the Riviera Maya. Are you ready to get to know the wonders built by the Mayas?