Tulum Ruins of Mexico

The Tulum Mayan ruins are the second most visited archeological site near Playa Del Carmen. Chichén Itzá is the most visited. See the ETG Chichen Itza: Know before you Go article link below.

Tulum Ruins of Mexico

*Templo del Diós del Viento/The Wind God’s Temple; Photo by Richard Bilow*

Situated on the cliffs above the Caribbean Sea, this cultural wonder can be less than a 1 hour drive from PDC. Many visitors come just for the photo op, as the view is stunning. Others add a swim in the crystal clear water or a cenote visit to their itinerary.

How to Get There

There are multiple ways to travel to the archeological site. There are door-to-door tours with various size groups of people as well as private tours available. You can also rent a car or take public transportation. We chose the latter and were scheduled to meet up with a tour guide at 8am. So, we hopped on a collectivo mini bus. This is how the locals get around. It was inexpensive, easy and it dropped us off right near the ruins. The signs were very clear and led us to the entrance.

Tulum Ruins Mexico — El Templo de los Frescos/The Temple of the Frescoes

Whichever type of transport you choose, arrive at 8am, right when they open if possible. It will be cooler, and there will be less people. Once you are there, you will find the Tulum ruins located inside Parque del Jaguar. During your visit you will want to spend a bit of time in the Museo Regional de la Costa Oriental. It is just a quick tram ride away. The entrance fee is included in the Tulum ticket price, so take advantage of the cool air-conditioned museum during mid-day, after you visit the ruins. The museum opened in late 2024 and features over 300 artifacts.

Here is a list of our must-see structures at the Tulum archeological site. Read my article The Ruins of Tulum Mexico for more in-depth info about the ruins.

ETG’s Top 5 Tulum Ruins Picks

1. El Castillo/The Temple
2. Templo de los Frescos/The Temple of the Frescoes
3. La Casa de las Columnas/The House of the Columns
4. Templo del Dios Descendente/Temple of the Descending God
5. The Casa de Chultun/The House of the Chultun

Also just outside the entrance to Tulum, the Frida Kahlo art exhibition, by Woman Experiences, is part audiovisual projections and part performance art. There is an additional charge for this attraction. However if you are a fan of the artist, it is well worth it.

Frida Kahlo by Woman Experiences; Photo by Richard Bilow

The narrative based show leads you through Frida Kahlo’s life – the bus accident, how she began painting in bed, and more. It also spotlights her family life. Visit the website for more info – https://fridawomanexperience.com/

Tulum, Carretera Federal, Cancun – Chetumal Km 230, 307, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico; https://tulumruins.org/

For a change of scenery, visit Tulum Pueblo, Tulum’s Town center. Often referred to as Tulum Centro, it is just 2.5 miles away from the ruins. Avenida Tulum, considered the main street, features all type of cute shops, art galleries and also eateries. Tulum Centro, 77760 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico; https://visittulum.travel

See my The Ruins of Tulum Mexico article; Or visit the ETG Mexico Page.