13 Tips for Tulum, Mexico

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History of Tulum

Today, Tulum is a popular travel and resort destination in Mexico, and it is also home to one of the most popular sites of ancient Mayan ruins known also as Tulum. This seaside city was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and was an important city for trade. The city was a place of worship to the Great Descending God, and because of it’s prime location on the coast, it is said that the wall around the city was built to protect it from pirates and other traders.

There are many remaining structures and ruins to visit in present day. And this archaeological site is kept well manicured and preserved, despite having thousands of visitors each year.

Location of the Tulum Ruins

The Tulum ruins are located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula. They are approximately 2 hours south west of Cancun and about an hour south west of Playa del Carmen – two popular resort areas.

Check out my full video with SEVEN EXTRA TIPS for your Tulum visit!

13 Tips for Visiting Tulum, Mexico

1. Visit Tulum on your own or as part of a guided tour

If you prefer to explore on your own, go at your own pace, and do your own research about the area I’d suggest going on your own. But you’ll need to figure out how to get to Tulum – and if you’re in the Playa Del Carmen area like we were, it’s quite the distance. So you’d either need to take a taxi, rent a car, or figure out the public transportation.

We decided to go as part of a tour because I like to learn about the places we visit from a guide, instead of trying to figure out what I’m looking at on my own. I also had no interest in renting a car, potentially getting scammed by a taxi, and the tour picked us up right at our hotel lobby. The downside to going on an organized tour is that you usually have a few other hotel pick-ups and drop offs. We were first to be picked up and last to be dropped off. But for the convenience we didn’t mind it.

Bonus tip: Know the pricing! General admission is ~80 pesos which is about 4 dollars US or 5 dollars Canadian. But, when you go as part of a tour, it increases the price significantly for transportation and your guide.

2. There is lots of parking, but arrive early to secure a spot

If you do decide to drive yourself to Tulum, there is plenty of parking. However, by early afternoon this lot was pretty packed. So I’d suggest planning an early visit. There is a fee for parking in the official lot which is around $120 pesos according to our tour guide. It actually costs more to park than a ticket to enter the ruins!

3. Only buy tickets for Tulum from a reputable source

There are numerous “booths” that look official while you’re driving in and walking through the shop area. But if you can walk past without issue, it’s not the official booth. When you arrive there are designated ticket booths to purchase tickets right near the entrance of the ruins, or your guide will have yours if you’re part of a tour.

Bonus Tip: You can use a single ticket at multiple ecological sites on the same day if you’re planning to visit more than one.

4. Special Filming Tickets Needed

You need a special filming ticket if you have a GoPro or any sort of professional looking personal use “filming or photography camera”. This was around 45 pesos or approximately 3 USD but they only accept Pesos. I had to purchase mine before I went through the main entrance gate – there was a little ticket building off to the side.

5. Avoid going to the Tulum Ruins on a Sunday

Our tour guide actually mentioned this because on Sundays Mexican citizens can enter the ecological sites for free, which means they can get extra busy. And as you can see, since it’s a popular tourist spot, it’s already pretty busy – but if Sunday is the only day you can visit – then I’d still say it’s worth it to experience the ruins.

6. There is limited accessibility

While we were there I noticed only a few accessibility ramps to get up and into the ruins. However, there were a few areas where we needed to walk through a small opening in the wall of the ruins, and I didn’t notice another way in. There could be a better more accessible entrance to the ruins, but we didn’t see it on our visit. Plus there were many stairs and uneven ground as you’d expect at a site like this. So if you have any issues with mobility, or use a mobility device, I would look into this before you plan your visit.

7. Arrive early

The ruins are open Monday to Sunday from 8 am to 5pm. Not only does it get busy later in the day, but it gets much hotter in the sun. So I recommend getting there as close to opening as possible – if not right at the opening time. This is for a few reasons – 1 it generally won’t be as busy. 2. It won’t be as hot. And 3, you can beat the crowds to get your photos, video, and time at the beach.

8. Wear comfortable shoes

You will be doing a lot of walking. And a lot of walking through uneven terrain, rocky paths, and even through wet and muddy sections if it’s recently rained. Even on a half day tour my Fitbit tracked us at over 10000 steps – just for the tour! I’d recommend comfortable running shoes, or supportive sandals. I wore my Birkenstocks and was perfectly comfortable.

9. Wear breathable clothing.

It’s probably going to be hot if not scorching hot while you’re there. So make sure to wear breathable clothes so that you can keep cool! And even a change of clothes might be a good idea because we were rained on, and covered in sweat on our visit.

10. Bring a hat or sun shade

There is little to no shade around the ruins, and it gets very hot even early in the morning. Definitely bring a hat or an umbrella for some shade and to keep the sun off your head. Heat stroke is a real thing, and we saw a few people who were unwell due to the heat.

11. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Bring plenty of water with you. Once you enter the ruin area, there is nowhere to purchase water or get a drink. It’s quite the walk from the shopping area, so definitely go prepared with your own water.

12. Swimming at the Ruins is Permited

You are permitted to go swimming at the beach by the ruins, however at times the water can be too high, too rough, or the steps are being repaired (like when we went) and you can’t go down to swim. If you want to swim there, bring your beach gear just in case. Note, there are no facilities by the beach so you won’t have any washrooms or change rooms available.

13. Don’t go past the barriers

We saw so many people crossing the ropes and barriers into areas that they shouldn’t be in just to take photos. The barriers are up for a reason! People have vandalized the ruins, and even accidentally caused damage while trying to take their “Instagram” shots. Respect the rules so that other can enjoy the ruins too.

Tips for Visiting Tulum Summary

I hope these tips can be helpful if you’re planning your own visit to Tulum. As mentioned, if you have a larger group and are comfortable driving, it might be more cost effective to rent a car as the tours can get pricey. But if you want to learn more about the ruins and the history – I personally suggest having a guide.