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Welcome to Tulum, where your high expectations of paradise and adventure are quenched. With everything that defines the Mexican vacation dream, Tulum and its surrounding areas really has it all. From ancient Mayan ruins, to turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, spectacular coastlines, cenotes and many adventure activities you are sure to have a truly unforgettable time. Explore the incredible coastal Mayan Tulum Ruins, and the nearby jungle Mayan Ruins of Coba. Visit Tulum´s famous cenotes, limestone sinkholes that make for unique swimming, snorkeling and diving experiences. There is an incredible array of activities and tours to suit any budget and interest. So get ready for the time of your life in Tulum.

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Country: Mexico
State: Quintana Roo
Population (2008): 18,233
Year Settled: Approximately 30 years ago the modern township started
Airport: Cancun International Airport

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Tulum is a very unique and beautiful town full of amazing things to do or see in or nearby. Tulum is spread out from the main town, to the white sand beaches, to the cliffside Mayan Ruins. The local town itself where all the shops, markets, restaurants, food stands, banks and anything else an average Mexican town has is the first and main part you will see. It´s a small town with only two roads leading in and out but has everything you need. Around the town in the nearby jungles are some of the best and biggest cenotes in the world with the clearest water you´ll ever see. Cenotes are an opening in the ground that are filled with crystal clear fresh water that lead to underground rivers which run all throughout the Riviera Maya. Some are formed in such a way you will need to crawl down man made steps to reach the water. With a beam of sunlight coming down into the crystal clear water, words just can´t explain the beauty. Cenote tours are one of the more popular tours people do when in the area.

West of town about 45 minutes away is the Mayan Ruins of Coba which is where the highest Mayan temple resides that you can still climb. While just north of town is the famous Tulum Ruins which is a must see; as it´s the last and only Mayan city built on a coast. About 3 miles east of town is the coastline where, yes the most beautiful pristine beaches in all of Mexico are, but also all the nice hotels, beach clubs with cabañas, beachside bars and restaurants are. Things here in Tulum are kept mostly small and rustic with the traditional Mayan way of building so no real big resorts destroying the tranquility of the beaches which makes this town a perfect getaway from the large all inclusive resorts of Cancun. The beaches are public so feel free to walk all the way down to fully experience all the beautiful beaches in front of each bar or restaurant along the way if you like. Across the paved road that parallels the beach is the jungle which has a beauty of its own; with shops, hostels or campsites around if you look.

If you travel south down this road you will enter into the Sian Kaán biosphere reserve where you´ll be driving down a very narrow peninsula with endless pristine beaches to the east and a beautiful lagoon on the west. The Sian Kaán reserve is a protected area with a very diverse population of animal and plant life. At times the road can be rough but worth the drive and it gets so narrow that it seems as it will disappear into the turquoise waters. This drive is for the adventurous spirited people and an amazing experience we would definitely recommend. You will pay a small entry fee into the reserve at the big arch where this begins your exciting journey south to the small village of Punta Allen which is the southern most point of the peninsula. If you don´t have a vehicle there are tours you can purchase so you don´t miss this experience. With all its beauty, charm, and sites to see, Tulum makes for one of the best places to visit in all of the Yucatan.

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Tulum started out in the 13th century as the location where the Mayans built an important port hub for trade, a point of defense and also an important place of worship. It was called Zama or ¨City of Dawn¨ because it faces the sun rise that comes up from behind the Caribbean Sea making for a majestic morning. The city was built on a sheer cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea and was surrounded by a large protective wall for defense. It had an estimated population between 1000 to 1600 during its reign from approximately early 1300 to early 1500 when they disappeared. No one really knows why or how but there are a few conflicting ideas although none have been proven.

It was first discovered by Juan Diaz in the early 15th century but nobody did anything with it until the early 1900´s when cleaning and restoration started. From that point forward it became a place of interest and very slowly became a place for tourists but mostly not until the 70´s when people started to live near it to enjoy the pristine beaches. It was still not a huge tourist destination until more recent years when tourists starting getting a little more adventurous and began traveling further out away from the place that first got famous in the area, Cancun. Today it´s world renowned for not only holding the last known Mayan city made, which is the only one they built on a coast, but the absolute best beaches in all of Mexico.