Tulum is a coastal city along the Riviera Maya, a tourism district located in the eastern part of the Yucatán Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. The area is famous for its Maya ruins and is home to one of the greatest beaches in the world.
The closest airport to Tulum is located in Cancun – a city around 130 kilometers north (approx. 2 hour ride). When arriving you have the choice of taking several different transports from the airport directly to Tulum city. One of the cheapest and best shuttles is called Happy Shuttle Cancun. Obviously it is cheaper to go with more people so either book for more in advance or see if you can find more to join you at the airport.
The ride down to Tulum is a long straight road passing by huge resort complexes that stretch out across the entire beach front. It is well constructed and absolutely prepared to handle the loads of tourists visiting all-year around. When reaching Tulum city, the road turns left and goes directly to the beach front after about 10 minutes. Starting here the magic of Tulum begins…
Yet again you reach another smaller road that follows all the way along the beach. Passing by the small resorts, restaurants and boutiques located along the small road we finally arrived at our hotel. We chose to stay at a place called Nueva Vida de Ramiro, a very nicely situated small to mid-sized resort located at the southern part of the beach front.
A very warm welcome and an absolutely lovely place!You have the choice of staying at many different-sized bungalows at the beach or further inside. They are nicely nestled between the trees and are decorated very beautifully. Prices per night range from around $100 to $400 per night, depending on the type of room and the season. Compared to many other resorts in Tulum it is still considered to be moderate.
Unpacking your stuff, putting on your shorts and walking down to the beach you see this: A definite “wow” effect!
The beach is absolutely gorgeous!The sand is perfectly white, the water amazingly clear and its colors truly fascinating!Recommendable is to hang out at the beach, have a rest in one of the hotel-owned beach pillows and enjoy a nice and cold drink!
Apart from having a relaxed time at the beach, Tulum also has more things to offer. One of the most famous attractions is the Tulum archaeological site – a small set of around 60 ruins located directly at the beach front. The buildings date from the 14th and 15th century and are considered to be one of the most well-preserved coastal Maya sites.
When arriving you can park at a large parking lot and walk (or take a small tourist train) to the entrance of the site. It is a very beautiful place and has a stunning location directly at the beach. You can also book a trip on a boat and see the site from the ocean.
After visiting the sites you have the option of walking down or taking a short cab ride to the closest beach called Playa Paraiso. It is a very beautiful beach strip with a great view on the nearby pyramid. It has some nice restaurants located by the beach and is a perfect place to hang out and relax for a while. Definitely one of the nicest beaches in Tulum!
As you can see, Tulum is mostly about beautiful beaches but also has a few more attractions to offer. Check out my other post Tulum – Eco-Chic Mexican Style Part 2 to see what else you can do when staying in Tulum.