A lush green jungle and grandiose ruins perched on top of cliffs, with a beautiful beach at their base. This is the image that comes to mind when I think of Tulum!
Welcome to one of the ancient Mayan cities, which is exceptionally well-preserved to this day and attracts tourists from all over the world! I won’t hide how excited I was when I visited this incredible place, where, in addition to the ancient ruins, you are greeted by quite large lizards. But don’t worry – they are harmless 🙂
Tulum is located about 60 kilometers from the famous resort Riviera Maya, in the state of Quintana Roo. It is relatively easy to reach by car, public transport, or an organized tour. Personally, I would recommend booking an organized visit here, which will be a great value. You’ll not only receive excellent tour guide service, but also enjoy cold drinks on the bus, breakfast and lunch, and umbrellas to protect you from the sun.
Here you can check the options for an organized visit:
But, let’s not waste time and dive into this exciting journey!
A bit of history – after all, I’m saying this is an ancient city, and it might be useful for you to share a few facts.
The Maya settled in this area around the 5th century AD, reaching their peak several centuries later.
In translation, Tulum means “wall” or “fence”. There was a huge wall around the city, the remains of which you can still see today. It is believed that the city was named this way by the archaeologists who carried out the first excavations here, precisely because of this wall.
Originally, this city was called Zama (pronounced zam-MAH), which translates to “City of the Rising Sun“. The ruins are located atop cliffs, and when the sun rises, its rays illuminate the buildings where the Maya lived thousands of years ago.
People from different ethnic groups and cultures have lived here, which is reflected in the architecture. Over time, urban development has changed, with the city’s inhabitants building upon and adding new elements and decorations to existing buildings. Thus, the modern appearance of Tulum has formed from a blend of many cultures and histories, which you will surely want to hear about.
Shortly after reaching its peak around the 15th century AD, Tulum was abandoned and destroyed, and the Mayan population gradually disappeared. It is believed that when the Spanish conquered these lands, they brought many diseases from the Old World. The local population struggled to cope with them, as they were unfamiliar, and the Mayan population gradually vanished.
It’s worth noting that they are among the best-preserved ruins in all of Mexico.
El Castillo, or The Castle, is the tallest building in the ruins, as well as the most remarkable. Located near the sea, it offers an incredible view of the coastline. It is believed that the Maya used El Castillo as a lighthouse to guide captains of trading ships as they sailed through the bay at twilight. It was thought that if the captains could see daylight through the two windows of the building, they would avoid hitting the underwater reef.
The Temple of the Descending God – This intricately designed structure is one of the most beautiful buildings in Tulum, located on the eastern side of the city, to the left of El Castillo. It is believed to have been built in honor of a peculiar Venus deity, known as the Mayan bee god Ah Macehcabob or Xuk Ek. Inside the temple, there is a sculpture of a figure falling from the sky with raised legs and downward-pointing hands.
Directly in front of El Castillo, the Temple of the Paintings is one of the best-preserved and most grandiose buildings in the Tulum ruins. It is a two-story structure that the Mayans used to track the movements of the sun. What you may find interesting here are the remnants of plaster, still in their original colors. You can see stones in black, green, yellow, and red on the back of the first floor.
The Kukulcan Group consists of several small buildings located to the north of El Castillo. The most remarkable building in this group is the Templo del Dios del Viento, a temple with a circular base, traditionally dedicated to Quetzalcoatl or Ehecatl – the God of Winds.
The House of the Columns consists of 6 columns in the shape of an L-shaped building, and they will make it very easy for you to understand where the name comes from. It is also called El Palacio (The Palace) because it is believed to have sheltered the Mayan leaders. Although time has significantly affected this building, the ruins are still very impressive and imposing today.
This is the only one of the ancient Maya cities built by the sea, and perhaps that’s what makes it so unique and exceptional. There is no other place like this, offering both an incredible journey back in time amidst these majestic ruins and, at the same time, a unique beach with pure white sand and crystal-clear blue water!
The view of the water from the fortress ignites the imagination of what the city of Zama might have looked like 1,000 years ago, and anyone can let their imagination run wild.
A tip from me – pack a swimsuit so you can enjoy the incredible beach, which is accessible via a wooden staircase. Luckily, it was closed at the time I visited, so I couldn’t step on the sand or swim in the crystal-clear blue water! Maybe I’ll have to come back here.
Another interesting thing I mentioned earlier is that here you can see some pretty large lizards, which seemed a bit scary at first. They were quite big and intimidated some tourists, but it turns out they are harmless. But that’s just part of the colorful palette of sights you can experience in Mexico!
