Tulum Ruins Day Trips from Playa del Carmen

Tulum National Park and the town of the same name are one of the major attractions of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The encounter with the mysticism of these lands, framed by the natural beauty that decorates the landscape, are simply something you cannot miss if you are visiting these Caribbean lands.

Visiting Tulum is one of the many activities you can't miss among the best tours from Playa del Carmen. There are many options and all of them promise a splendid day full of adventure and unforgettable experiences, including swimming with the exotic marine fauna or diving in the mysterious cenotes. Here are the most outstanding options for these excursions.

This type of tour is ideal if you are one of those who want to squeeze your trip and drink up as many experiences as possible. It is also perfect if you are only going for a short time, but you can't miss the opportunity to see one of the most incredible Mayan ruins. Tulum is an impressive stop that you should definitely make on your visit to Mexico.

This style of experience includes a guided tour of the ruins of Tulum, an ancient Mayan port whose architecture is simply breathtaking. You will learn some history of this ancestral culture and for two hours you will tour these spaces, enjoying the temples of Tulum. Each of the stops is impressive; the Great Palace, Halach Uinic, the Temple of the Wind, the Temple of the Frescoes and the Temple of the Descending God, which is one of the most impressive, especially for the unveiled mystery of the upside-down figure.

Once the tour ends, you usually have about an hour to explore on your own and take the best pictures. At the foot of Tulum you have a white beach with a beautiful turquoise sea where you can take a quick dip before returning to the hotel.

Information of interest

• Duration: Approximately 6 hours.
• Price: It will cost approximately 59 euros per person (includes entrance to the archaeological site).
• Advantages: Includes transfer to and from the hotel.
• Disadvantages: Does not include lunch, food or drinks.
• If you want professional photos as a souvenir, they must be requested for an extra amount.

This type of tour takes you to visit two of the most interesting cities within the ancestral Mayan culture. First is Tulum, which is the protagonist of this excursion and one of the most interesting destinations for those visiting Mexico. The second is Coba, where you can explore the ancient pyramids in a very original way. The tour closes with a dive in an impressive cenote.

In Tulum you can not miss the tour with guides, to soak up the history of this mystical site, full of charms and mysteries. One of the most impressive destinations to learn first hand about the impressive Mayan architecture. Before saying goodbye and leaving for Coba, known as the city of roads, you can take a dip in the beach and enjoy the warm waters of this sea.

In Cobá you will see the pyramids, which are imposing both for their architecture and their size. You can climb them on foot or by bicycle. After the tour with the guides you can take a walk on your own and take pictures, the tour of both cities is one of the best jungle tours from Playa del Carmen. To end the day, you will visit the Kuxtal cenote of fresh and crystalline waters. You can take a swim and see the stalactites and stalagmites up close.

Information of interest

• Duration: Approximately 7 hours.
• Price: Approximately 69 euros per person (includes entrance to the archaeological site).
• Entrance fees to Coba must be paid at the entrance and have an approximate cost of 6 euros. Not included.
• Advantages: Includes transfer to and from the hotel.
• Disadvantages: Includes lunch.
• Additional drinks and food can be included for an extra cost.

Swimming with turtles is one of the most incredible experiences, and in Akumal you can live it with professional guides who will teach you how to get close to these unique marine animals. Also, in this region you will have the opportunity to snorkel and enjoy the view of one of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world.

Tulum is a place full of history that leaves you truly enchanted. The architecture competes in beauty with the wild nature that surrounds it and the perfection of the white and turquoise beach that stretches at its feet. Once you get to know this National Park, you will never forget it. The tour includes a guided visit and enough time to fall in love with the place, and even take a swim in its waters.

After saying goodbye to the Mayan ruins, you will go to Akumal. This paradisiacal beach is ideal to relax and literally immerse yourself in the seascape of corals, fauna and flora of the most exotic in the world. In addition to the brightly colored fish, you will have the opportunity to get up close and swim with sea turtles. An experience like few others.

Interesting information

• Duration: Approximately 8 hours.
• Price: Approximately 99 euros per person (includes entrance fee to the archaeological site).
• Advantages: Includes transfer to and from the hotel, snacks, hydration, fruits and snorkeling equipment.

In this style of tour you will depart from your hotel in Playa del Carmen and arrive at Tulum as your first stop. I will never tire of telling you that the imposing architecture is definitely worth visiting at least once in your life, although I know you will want to come back. In this case, from there you will take a tour of one of the most spectacular cenotes and finish with a snorkel at a paradisiacal beach - a perfect day!

The second stop of the tour in this adventure is the Gran Cenote, a favorite among tourists. This cave has open and closed parts where you can explore and delight yourself with a unique landscape. The Maya used these places as sacred sites, and it is easy to imagine why. You can snorkel, swim or just walk along the wooden walkways. However you want to get to know them, you will be fascinated.

The adventure ends with a stop at Playa Paraiso, which is another of the jewels on the shores of the Yucatan Peninsula. Here swimming is a pleasure and that's why it is included among the best snorkeling tours, where you can easily get carried away by the spectacular marine landscape, the best way to close the adventure!

Interesting information

• Duration: Approximately 6 hours.
• Price: Approximately 99 euros per person (includes entrance fee to the archaeological site).
• Advantages: Includes transfer to and from the hotel. Includes hydration and snorkeling equipment.
• Disadvantages: Does not include lunch.

This is a type of tour that is a day of true adventure where you will combine the mysteries of the Mayan past with the magic of a modern theme park. Both places will leave you deeply in love and wanting to return at every opportunity.

The most beautiful landscapes, turquoise waters and white sands are just a part of all its wonders.

Be sure to take the guided tour and learn about the culture and history that surrounds this place. Be sure to visit the Temple of the Frescoes, which is one of the best preserved spots, with beautiful art displays. After soaking in the knowledge and taking a stroll along the beach of these ruins, it will be time to take the road to Xel-Ha.

Xel-Ha is a natural aquatic theme park where there are endless things to enjoy and spend a different kind of day, enjoying nature and the magic that surrounds it.Adventures are around every corner and you decide how you want to experience them. You can snorkel, jump off the giant water slide, take advantage of all the water games, learn about fish and land fauna, ride a bike, jump off a cliff or cross a suspension bridge. And there's even more!

Information of interest

• Duration: Approximately 8 hours.
• Cost: Approximately 150 euros per person (includes entrance to the archaeological site and theme park).
• Includes transfer to and from the hotel.
• Includes meals and drinks at Xel-Ha, lockers, snorkel equipment, bicycle, hammocks and all activities, except those that require an additional cost, informed at the park entrance.

I have spent the whole article telling you about Tulum and its wonders, but what is it all about? Well, to give you a clearer idea of what you will see on these excursions, I dedicate this section to tell you about these magnificent ruins. The first thing I must point out is its location, which is privileged, since it faces the rising sun, which is why it was initially known as Zamá, dawn in the Mayan language. Tulum, which means wall, is the name it was later given and by which it is known today.

Today Tulum is the only ancient Mayan coastal city that is still preserved, despite the great tourist demand. In addition, the whole area has been declared a National Park, which confirms its great value for humanity. In their times, the Mayas performed important religious rituals in this place, as well as maritime commercial exchange. In fact, the enormous monument functioned as a lighthouse to guide sailors through the coral reef.

In this place there was a school of astronomy, which is presumed to have been attended by important personalities, who were also housed in the most monumental buildings. Among the many temples you will find, one of the most striking is that of the Frescoes, where there are important samples of art that transport you to the times when the powerful Mayas ruled the region.

Throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, and close to Tulum, you will find the cenotes. These wells are sheltered by the jungle, preserving mysterious and magical landscapes that are hidden in caverns full of fresh water, product of the rains. For the Maya they were sacred places, where they performed rituals to honor their gods. In some cases, they believed that they were the entrance to the underworld, so they treated them with great respect.

Cenotes can be open, closed or semi-open. In each of these you will find a different landscape that stands out for being small paradises in the middle of the dense jungle. The experience is very different, so to live them to the fullest, I recommend you take one or more of the incredible tours to the cenotes and get to know at least one of each type.

You can swim in them, dive or snorkel, or simply observe them and be intoxicated by their beauty. Tulum is close to some of the most impressive ones, so it is ideal to include a stop at a cenote when you visit the Mayan ruins. Something I have already recommended in one of the tours above.