The archaeological zone of Tulum was the most important Mayan city in the state of Quintana Roo. It was one of the largest inhabited centers when the Spanish arrived in 1518. It is one of the most essential places if you are going to travel to Quintana Roo.
In this guide I tell you how to visit the Archaeological Zone of Tulum, what to see, how to get there, where to park, prices, tours, guided tours, rabbits... Everything you need to know to not miss anything.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL ZONE OF TULUM
Tulum was one of the most important Mayan cities between the 13th and 14th centuries. It had a fantastic location, on the seashore, which made it one of the regular stops on trade routes.
The Tulum archaeological site includes a total of 70 structures in a very good state of conservation, most of them built between the 12th and 15th centuries. Among the buildings in the area, the Castle, the Temple of the Frescoes, the House of the Cenote and the Temple of the Gods stand out.
How to visit the Archaeological Zone of Tulum
You can visit the site with an organized tour that includes transportation (below the post I tell you about all the options) or on your own, arriving with your own transportation. Outside, there is a parking lot near the ticket offices.
If you are visiting on your own, I recommend that you follow the directions of the proposed route and not go directly to the castle, since, if you do, you will later have to go back to see all those places that you have left behind. I'll tell you about all the essential places to see at the site below.
What to visit in Tulum
These are the most essential buildings to see in the Tulum site:
The walls
In Mayan cities it was not very common to build walls. However, the archaeological site of Tulum has walls that surround the ceremonial site on three sides, the fourth bordering directly against the sea. The wall has 5 entrances with several watchtowers.
The House of the Cenote
It is a building built on the cave that overlooks a cenote. In the Mayan culture, cenotes were very important for their rituals.
The Temple of the Wind God
The Wind God was venerated in many places throughout Mesoamerica. In the Mayan culture it is related to Kukulkan, and this temple is dedicated to him. Its main feature is its circular base, on which this small temple was built. It is located next to the Castle of Tulum.
The House of Columns
It is one of the largest structures in the site, built on an L-shaped base. At its main entrance, the columns that give it its name are still preserved. It was a palace where commercial agreements were signed.
The Palace of the Great Lord
It was the place where the most important inhabitants of the community lived, among them obviously the Great Lord, or "Halach uinik" and his family. Several rooms and columns can be distinguished.
The Temple of the Descending God
This small temple is one of the most beautiful in Tulum. Its name comes from the sculpture of a figure with wings that is descending from heaven. We see the representation of this god with a headdress, legs open up and arms down, holding an object in his hands. The construction of the temple presents an asymmetry and in its time it was completely decorated by wall paintings, which are no longer preserved today.
The castle
The Castle is the most important building in the entire archaeological site of Tulum. It was built on top of a rock from which you could see the entire city and the sea. It has a main central staircase and you can see two small temples on the sides, where all kinds of offerings and ceremonies were carried out. In the highest structure, religious rites were performed. This building had the main function of a lighthouse and watchtower.
The Temple of the Frescoes
On its internal walls there are a series of mural paintings that represent supernatural beings from the Underworld. The external part of the temple is decorated with masks of the god Itzamná.
Visit Tulum on a tour
If you do not have a rental car to get there on your own, one of the best options is to arrive with an organized tour. In this way, you will not only have transportation included, but also the entrance fee, the guide... In addition, many of these tours include a stop at a cenote, some activity...
Visit Tulum for free
A good option to get to know Tulum, the cenotes in the area and some of the hidden places of the Riviera Maya is by renting a car. This way, you can go at your own pace and see places that are outside the tour routes. Outside the premises there is a fairly large parking lot.
Tips to visit Tulum
If you go by yourself, arrive as soon as possible, so you will enjoy a couple of hours until the tour buses start to arrive.
The hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wear light and comfortable clothing, the heat and humidity is quite intense. You can bring your swimsuit and a towel, because there are already several coves where you can bathe. Don't forget the sun cream. He also wears a raincoat. Depending on the time of year it is very common to have tremendous sun and then suddenly 10 or 15 minutes of intense rain (you get drenched) it did not rain for us, but the whole time we were in the venue it was sunny, It clouded us a lot… In Chichén Itzá we were completely soaked, so it is better to be safe.
I recommend that you contrast the visit to the enclosure to learn about its history. Either with an organized tour with transportation included or at the entrance of the enclosure.
POSTS OF TULUM AND SURROUNDINGS THAT MAY INTEREST YOU
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Mexico a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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