Mayan Ruins In Tulum

Part of what makes Tulum so famous is the Mayan Ruins off the coast. Easy to get to, easy to get around, and just absolutely breath-taking. Word of advice: Go first thing in the morning!! Right when they open at 8am!

I cannot stress this enough. It gets SO freaking crowded by 9:30am, oh boy, the Man and I were glad to be outta there! Not to mention, HOT HOT HOT!!! I don't mean just a little sweat, I mean blasting hot & humid winds and unforgiving sunshine. It is smoldering!!

Other than the heat, it is a gorgeous place. It's one of the famous landmarks that Tulum is known for so it gets crowded quickly. There is only 1 big ruin, that is the "castle" back in the Mayan days. You cannot go anywhere near it because they are restoring it currently (bummer), but it is quite beautiful. The ruins are pretty small, so you can probably walk around the whole park in a good hour or so. It kind of reminded me of being in Rome, seeing the Coliseum in all its glory and beauty today. But smaller scale, of course. I love ancient architecture like this.

We opt to do a self-guide. Which was fine, because we just read all the captions and walked around at our own pace. The most stunning thing about the ruins is the coastline. If you're not into architecture and archaeology, go for the views. They are amazing. Words cannot describe the colors of blues you see from the cliff. The ocean is just magnificent.

The beach is just right there, and you can take the stairway down to go for a swim. It was high tide when we went so we didn't go down, but I've heard people do. The ocean just looks amazing, it's one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen.

We were done at about 10am (we got there at 8:30am) and there were herds of people coming in via bus. All the tour groups must get there around that time. Thank goodness we missed that!

(coastline of Tulum from the Ruinas, stairway down to the beach)

(coastline of Tulum from the Ruinas, steps down to the playa)

(The Ruinas)

(The Ruinas)

Architecturally amazed,
The Lady

The Caliente Pit Called Tulum

Tulum is deceiving beautiful and pristine but my goodness, it was a fire pit. Hot, muggy, humid, stiffiling and many more words for miserable hotness are probably the best words to describe Tulum. Don't get me wrong, I think it's one of the most beautiful places in the world. White sand beaches, quiet and not too touristy, hip boutique hotels, turquoise waters. It's amazing. But boy did we suffer.

(Beach right in front of our hotel at sunset)

(Beach and palapas in front of our hotel)

We would definitely check out Tulum again but do note folks, it's much more expensive than the Playa or Cozumel. In fact, around the hotel strip, food and taxis are overpriced and frankly a rip off. We split a cab ride with a fellow couple from our hotel one day because they thought the taxi ride was mucho dinero too. For a 10 minute ride from the intersection of Hwy 370 (where the corner 7-Eleven is) to the hotel row, it cost over 100 pesos! Yikes! 

(Our hotel Playa Kin Ha's outdoor sitting area)

However, it is hard to argue, this place is expensive but gorgeous. How can you be upset when you have a view like this at breakfast?! The waters of Tulum were a bit rough, but still warm and nice enough for a cooling dip. We swam in the ocean a bit, relaxed on a hammock and just took it easy.

(Playa Kin Ha's dining area. Gorgeous views!!)

Tulum is known for it's Cenotes and archaeological ruins from the Mayan culture. I'm glad the Man and I got a chance to see and enjoy Tulum, even for a short time. The rest of our trip did not have views as stunning as these and it was not as relaxing either.

(Our hotel Playa Kin Ha's outdoor sitting area)

Daydreaming,

The Lady