By air
Tulum (TQO) or Cancún (CUN), Cancún ~2 h by road
North America · Mexico
Tulum, Mexico
Ruins on a cliff above a white beach
Getting there
Best time to visit
December to April — dry season
Don't miss
The Tulum ruins
The Gran Cenote
Sian Ka'an
Playa Paraíso
Things to do
The clifftop ruins
Cenote diving
The Sian Ka'an biosphere
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Gennaro Conte · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Swimwear, insect repellent
A quieter corner
Cenote Calavera
Questions travellers ask
When is the dry season in Tulum?
December to April. Pack swimwear and insect repellent.
Does Tulum have its own airport?
Yes — Tulum (TQO). You can also fly into Cancún (CUN), about 2 h away by road.
What's worth seeing around Tulum?
The clifftop Tulum ruins, Playa Paraíso, the Gran Cenote and the Sian Ka'an biosphere. Try cenote diving, and look for Cenote Calavera, the hidden gem.
What food should I look out for in Tulum?
Yucatecan dishes and fresh ceviche.
About Tulum
- Coastal
Where it is
Tulum is on the Caribbean coast of the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo, Mexico, south of Cancún. Its Maya ruins stand on a limestone cliff above the sea, with the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve just to the south.
History
Tulum, possibly once called Zama, city of dawn, was one of the last cities built by the Maya and was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries, a walled port for Cobá on sea and land trade routes. Juan de Grijalva's Spanish expedition sighted it in 1518, it was abandoned by the end of the 16th century, and the modern town grew rapidly with tourism.
People
Many of Tulum's longer-established families are Yucatec Maya, and Maya is spoken in the town and its surrounding villages alongside Spanish. Tourism has drawn newcomers from across Mexico and abroad, and cenote diving guides, beach restaurants and yoga retreats are part of local life.
Known for
- The clifftop Maya ruins
- Cenotes such as the Gran Cenote and Dos Ojos
- The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
- White beaches and eco-hotels
- Diving in flooded cave systems
Did you know?
Two of the longest known underwater cave systems in the world, Ox Bel Ha and Sac Actun, run beneath the jungle around Tulum, with hundreds of kilometres of explored flooded passages.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.