Tulum is on the Yucatán Peninsula, in Mexico. It is one of the earliest resorts in Mexico, offering a place of worship and solitude for the Mayan kings, clergy and gods in early times. The tropical beach backdrop is the main attraction of this picturesque, much-visited small ruin on the shore of the Caribbean Sea. Shortly after your arrival, you will understand why early Mayans picked this beautiful place to relax. Be prepared for lots of people and tour groups at the archaeological site.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
There are really three different areas referred to as Tulum. There are only minutes away from each other, not close enough though to walk to and from. Tulum Pueblo sits split by highway 307 running south-north. "El Pueblo", as referred to by locals, is home to most workers of the tourist industry and where many of the stores, supermarkets, two bus stations, budget inns, hostels and small hotels are found. Although the digs are cheap, you are around 3 km from the beach (which is why you came here isn't it?) This section of town has a definite feel of existing mostly to cater to the Tulum ruins.
ADO and its local second-class bus line, Mayab, operate buses throughout the region. From the Tulum bus station, you can catch buses to nearby cities or to the Tulum Airport (much cheaper and more comfortable than a taxi). Buses to the airport cost M$276 (2024). Check for the last returning bus when exploring nearby towns. From Playa del Carmen to Tulum, the last buses from both terminals in Playa del Carmen depart about midnight. From the Terminal Turistica (Av 5a) departs a Mayab bus at 23:55 to Tulum. 4 ADO Terminal Tulum (Bus station), MEX-307 y Calle Jupiter.
1 Tulum Archaeological Site (Zona Arqueologíca de Tulum). The main attraction. Mayan ruins by the sea. Access to the beach directly below the main temple via the stairway is restricted. However, for a certain price through vendors at the ruins entrance, you can still take boat tours for views of the ruins from the water. To get to the ruins, take a collectivo at the bus stop across the street from the ADO bus terminal in Tulum. Simply ask the driver for "ruinas". The cost is M$30, payable in cash and small bills only. To get back to Tulum, wait on the other side of the street from where the collectivo dropped you off and flag down one of the passing collectivos.
1 Playa Ruinas. Beach connected right to the ruins at Tulum. (updated Feb 2022) 2 Playa Santa Fe. Less crowded beach with a smaller beach club. (updated Feb 2022) 3 Playa Pescadores. More lively beach with seafood options and options for ocean activities. (updated Feb 2022) 4 Playa Paraiso. Maybe the most popular public beach in Tulum with many beach clubs and a relaxing atmosphere. (updated Feb 2022) 5 Jaguar Park, Calle Yalkuentre Tahmul y Tulum s/n. Daily 07:00 - 17:00. Jaguar Park is a conservation area for the protection of jaguars. The area opened in 2024.
If you are staying on the beach, it is wise to stock up on food and drinks in the pueblo. There are not too many restaurant options on the beach, and the ones that are operational are quite expensive. Most of the restaurants in town are infinitely cheaper than those at the resorts. Most places, with the exception of the Italian and Japanese restaurants feature entrees for well under M$100. There are countless little cafes and establishments to get a great bite to eat for cheap. If you want non-perishable items, grab some snacks to supplement your meals at the Super San Francisco Food Mart. You can buy a cooler here which is great for having cold drinks on the beach each day.
Try some of the cool spots in Tulum that offer fun drink specials with a hip tropical flair: 1 Santino Nightclub, Av. Tulum entre orion sur y beta norte, Tulum Centro. Daily 18:00 - 03:00. Lively nightclub with 3 floors of dancing and music with different DJs on each floor. Drinks are overpriced and scams have been reported, so keep your eyes open. (updated Jun 2026) 2 Teetotum. It's actually a hotel but offers weekend rooftop movies, a cool lounge, and drink specials, try the Razzleberry Daiquiri! (updated Jun 2026) 3 Batey's. Lively open-air bar with the best live music and mojitos and guarapo in town. (updated Jun 2026)
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €85 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Jul, Tulum typically sees ~32°C daytime highs and 19 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-07-22. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy