Tulum’s Ruins and Beaches

The Tulum ruins, perched cliffside above a perfect white-sand beach, must be one of the most widely shown images of the Yucatan Peninsula. I would go as far as to say that it is one of the defining images of Mexico as a whole.

Although the Mayan site is not as grand as Chichen Itza or Uxmal, its picturesque location above bizarrely turquoise waters and the fact that is seems to double as an iguana reserve make it quite an attractive destination. Add to that the fact that Tulum is easily accessible, and you quickly understand why the Tulum ruins are on the itinerary of every cruise ship that passes by (and that’s a lot).

When the waves of cruise passengers and day trippers from Cancun and Playa del Carmen hit around eleven o’clock, the resulting pedestrian jams will suddenly help you understand why those Mayans were so into human sacrifice. 😉 During rush hour, it’s probably best to avoid the Tulum ruins and make a run for the beach instead. And Tulum’s beaches are stunning!

For relatively undeveloped stretches of powdered-sugar sand and iridescent water head south of the archaeological site as you exit. A handful of laid-back beach bars and souvenir stalls are all that distract from near perfection. I was definitely a happy camper as you can see in the photos.