ADVENTURES A local s guide to Tulum Ruins Loco Gringo Travel Itineraries S U M M E R 2 0 1 8
Explore Tulum Ruins THE ONLY MAYAN RUINS OVERLOOKING THE SEA Tulum is most famous for its position, on the edge of the Caribbean Sea. The Tulum Ruins offers stellar views of the crystal clear waters. This settlement sits on a small cliff, with visitor access to the beach below making this an interesting and fun half-day. Named Tulu um by Yucatecans, translated to the Walled City, visitors will easily see the wall built around this ceremonial city, an architectural addition found in few Mayan sites.
THE CITY OF THE DAWN Archaeologists refer to the Tulum Ruins as Zama, the original Mayan name which means The City of Dawn due to its positioning towards the morning sunrise. Tulum was a productive port for the Maya, built and occupied during 1200 A.D. to mid-1500 A.D., with most received trade transported to Coba or exported to Guatemala. Tulum never saw more than 1,000 to 1,600 residents, most being religious and political leaders. The site was abandoned in the late 1500s with documentation showing that residents were hit by disease, spread by Spanish conqueror. The most significant buildings are the Temple of the Descending God, the Castillo, and the Temple of the Frescoes. These structures are on a much smaller scale found at other Mayan ruins. The Temple of the Wind and the Temple of the Sun are two small cliff-side structures that played a significant role in the spiritual practices and astrological findings of the Maya. The cliffs to the east coupled with the surrounding walls to the west provide a distinct architectural design to the Maya s list of cities. The salt air has been a catalyst to deterioration of the stone structures. There are paintings in the Temple of the Frescoes and the carvings of the Descending God can be seen in the Temple that bears its name. P A G E 2
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TULUM Most trade was conducted with Coba, but there is evidence that products were transported through Río Motagua and the Río Usumacinta - Pasión system as far as Guatemala. A stele was found within the walls of Tulum dating to 540 A.D. but thought to have been moved to the city for safekeeping. The cliffs facing the sea are 39 feet tall. The west facing wall ranges in height from 10 ft to 16 ft, is 26 ft thick and runs 1300 ft long. This defense wall would have taken years to build, indicating that safety and security was key at this location. A small cenote is located in the far north corner of the sight, this being the only source of fresh water for the residents. The Temple of the Descending God still has the remains of a Mixteca-Puebla style mural on the eastern wall, a style that originated in highland Mexico. This mural can be viewed from the exterior, as visitors are not able to enter this building. The 25 ft Castillo (pyramid) has an observation deck that overlooks the sea, and is thought to have been built in stages. The observation deck is perfectly aligned with a break in the barrier reef, indicating where boats and canoes can safely come into shore. This marine bearing is still used today by local fisherman and dive boats. Copper, salt, and textiles were found to be heavily imported products. P A G E 3
EXPLORE ROAD TRIP This is what these itineraries will do for you: LocoGringo takes the mystery out of local travel with their Loco Adventure travel itineraries for visitors. These itineraries are helpful guides that let you explore and understand the Riviera Maya, Yucatan, and Mexico. We have crafted three options for your adventure, Do It Yourself (DIY), Go with Friends or Take a Tour. 1. Outline why the cultural, sustainable or local adventure should be on your list of road trips. 2. Provide three exploring options DIY Adventure instructions (Do It Yourself), Go with a group or arrange a guided tour with local guides. 3. Offer inside tips for the journey to and from the highlighted area or destination. Part of the fun is the road trip so let our insights and experience guide you. Explore, have fun and learn about the Riviera Maya and Yucatan! You ll fall in love! P A G E 4
"THERE ARE NO FOREIGN LANDS. IT IS THE TRAVELER ONLY WHO IS FOREIGN." Tulum is a fascinating site that can be completed in as little as 2. 5 hours (door to door) or you can spend a full day there. The site is small, but the surroundings can stretch out the visit to include an entire day. Travel time to this INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Historia) site is less, but fun time is way more! Many visitors combine their Tulum ruin visit with a Tulum beach visit, or another attraction along the way. Our suggested itineraries provide you with a few options, so pick the best one for you! P A G E 5
ITINERARY #1 DO IT YOURSELF Make your Tulum ruin tour as long or as short as you like! This Do It Yourself Tulum tour has more travel options, timing options and adventure options than our other DIY Mayan ruin tours. Listen up and figure out how you want to design your day. This tour is an excellent DIY starting point for the less confident explorer, but has a lot of adventure for the inquisitive traveler! Our suggestions are based on departures from the Riviera Maya and creates a fun day on the road in either a rental car or public transportation. If you choose the rental car option for your Tulum Ruin day, you will have more flexibility to explore. If public transportation is something you wish to try, ADO buses or the more fun collectivos both let you off 2500 ft from the entrance. Taxis are readily available in the town of Tulum but can feel a bit expensive due to longer distances traveled in Tulum. The Tulum beach road is 3 miles from the Tulum Ruins and runs south for 7 miles up to the entrance of the Sian Ka an Biosphere. The Tulum pueblo and city center is 4.5 miles from the Ruins. If you want a quick trip with a fast return, take advantage of the public transportation system. If you are hoping to combine your Tulum Ruins visit with other activities, rent a car. ADO buses are found in the center of each coastal city. Collectivos are either waved down on the highway like you would a taxi, or they are found in the center of Playa del Carmen on 2nd street between15th Ave and 20th Ave. The bus charges 65 pesos to Tulum and has set schedules, whereas the collectivos cost 35 pesos and leave every 10 minutes or when they are full. Determine your form of transportation and get ready The night before decide how you want to travel to Tulum. Rental cars should be booked in advance, whereas bus tickets can be purchased at your time of departure and collectivos paid for at your destination. As on all of our DIY tours, we suggest you have pesos on hand, bottled water and a snack. Departure time is really flexible but keep in mind, tour buses arrive at 11 am, so try to avoid a similar arrival time. Our personal preference is either early in the morning to avoid the tropical heat, or later in the afternoon, when the site is cooler. If you are feeling spontaneous, this is a tour that can be decided in the moment..
Driving to Tulum If you have decided to drive to this coastal ruin site, hop on HWY 307, head south and watch for the entrance to the Tulum parking area off the highway. Parking is paid for parking and not included in your entrance fee. Tip: If you are thinking of traveling down the Tulum beach road after your visit, you can access the Tulum ruins from the north end of the Tulum beach road. Parking is done on the side of the road, and access to the ruins is straight ahead to the north, a walk of fewer than 1000 feet. Many people are starting to use this convenient location, so find a good parking spot where you cannot get blocked in by other cars. Bus or Collectivo to Tulum. Review the previous information in this DIY itinerary to format your public transportation plan. Both the bus and the collectivo will drop you off on the highway outside the ruins. Carefully cross Hwy. 307, and walk to the west, down the only road located in the area. Landmarks include the El Crucero Hotel and The Acuario Hotel. Take a tram or walk to the Tulum ruins A local family has been running a small tram from the Tulum Ruin parking lot to the entrance. The walk to the ruins can be hot, and for some, long. The 10 peso tram ride is a colorful and cheap way to avoid the tropical heat. Whether you just parked the car or were dropped off by public transportation, the tram stop is easily found on the one road that leads to the ruins. Note: this is a pedestrianonly road. The tram is the only motorized vehicle allowed on this route. P A G E 7
Get ready for some gorgeous views The entrance to the Ruins is a maze of historical information, facts and stories. Take your time and read what interests you. Once you are through the maze, the Tulum site is all yours. Be sure to visit the cenote, the terrace look out for those great sea views, and the Mayan structures that hold historical information. Guides can be hired at the entrance, or you can roam the site on your own. The Tulum Ruins can take as little as an hour to view or up to a few hours. The timeframe will depend on you! Take off to Tulum beach or return to your destination What we love about the Tulum ruins is the flexibility in this visit. You can go to the ruins and return back to your destination or you can make an adventure day out of it. The best beaches are to the south of the ruins. You can get to the beaches by taxi, walking south of the ruin exit to the beach road or drive your rental car. If you are returning to your destination, just make your way back the way you arrived. Thank your driver and show him some love! P A G E 8
SUGGESTIONS If you are up for an adventure, here are some suggestions for local, fun things to do. Visit the Muyil Ruins to the south of Tulum. This is small archeological site that is 20 minutes out of Tulum. You will have more water views, but this time of the lagoon in the Sian Ka an. Stop by the Tulum beach for a swim, some lunch and a siesta. We suggest stopping in at Que Fresco at Zamas as it is closer to the highway and the beach is easy to access. Two great stores are located across from Zamas, Mixik and Shalom. ZAMA'S QUE FRESCO Stop in the Tulum pueblo to the south of the Tulum Ruins for some lunch. El Camello s is a popular local seafood restaurant, Charlie s serves authentic Mexican food with interesting decor, or find a little place on the side streets. Tulum is more laid back and authentic than other small villages so take advantage of the local fare. Pop into Akumal and snorkel in Yakul Lagoon. This is a refreshing adventure after being in the hot sun. YALKU LAGOON Venture into Cenote Dos Ojos. After walking under the hot sun, this is a great cool swimming and snorkeling retreat where you can see the jungle, caverns and some pretty cool formations. P A G E 9
ITINERARY #2 GO WITH FRIENDS This is a great way to save money and travel with friends. The Go with Friends Itinerary combines a private van with our DIY Tulum itinerary. This option is where you are driven under your rules! The driver is not a tour guide but he will get you where you need to go in a comfortable air-conditioned van for 12! If you feel that this is YOUR option but do not have enough Riviera Maya friends to take advantage of the savings and convenience, no worries, we have you covered. You can find LocoGringo friends on the LocoGringo Facebook Fan Page. Post on our fan page when you are thinking of traveling and see who is up to sharing the ride and the cost! LocoGringo also has an online forum so sign up and post a thread stating dates, costs and departure city. If you have multiple city pickups, no worries, the driver will coordinate the appropriate pickups and timing. P A G E 1 0
FINDING FRIENDS Use LocoGringo social networks to share your adventure Outline the dates, your name, where you are staying, and where you are going! Find out from each willing traveler where they are staying (hotel and city) and obtain their personal email details so you can all plan together. Share this ebook with them. Costs will vary depending on the number of people you rally for the adventure. Private vans with a driver range from $200 USD to $300 USD, depending on how many hours you will need a driver and if you add on an adventure after or before the Tulum Ruins. Book your private van in advance and get ready Reserve your private van through our people and they will arrange a seamless pickup. We love the drivers that take us around the Riviera Maya so we thought you would enjoy the same. Bring your own drinks, snacks, and pesos, which you can buy the night before. Start your first pickup whenever you wish, Tulum is at most a 45-minute drive but remember, the tour buses arrive around 11 am so get in before or after they do. P A G E 1 1 Bus or Collectivo to Tulum Review the previous information in this DIY itinerary to format your public transportation plan. Both the bus and the collectivo will drop you off on the highway outside the ruins. Carefully cross Hwy. 307, and walk to the west, down the only road located in the area. Landmarks include the El Crucero Hotel and The Acuario Hotel. Take a tram or walk to the Tulum ruins A local family has been running a small tram from the Tulum Ruin parking lot to the entrance. The walk to the ruins can be hot, and for some, long. The 10 peso tram ride is a colorful and cheap way to avoid the tropical heat. Whether you just parked the car or were dropped off by public transportation, the tram stop is easily found on the one road that leads to the ruins. Note: this is a pedestrian only road. The tram is the only motorized vehicle allowed on this route.
Get ready for some gorgeous views The entrance to the Ruins is a maze of historical information, facts and stories. Take your time and read what interests you. Once you are through the maze, the Tulum site is all yours. Be sure to visit the cenote, the terrace look out for those great sea views, and the Mayan structures that hold historical information. Guides can be hired at the entrance, or you can roam the site on your own. The Tulum Ruins can take as little as an hour to view or up to a few hours. The timeframe will depend on you! Take off to Tulum beach or return to your destination What we love about the Tulum ruins is the flexibility in this visit. You can go to the ruins and return back to your destination or you can make an adventure day out of it. The best beaches are to the south of the ruins. You can get to the beaches by taxi, walking south of the ruin exit to the beach road or drive your rental car. If you are returning to your destination, just make your way back the way you arrived. Once you hit your destination, your Tulum adventure is officially over! Thank your driver and show him some love! Share your photos on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter so everyone can experience your personally designed Tulum adventure! Remember to share photos of your Tulum adventures as well, tagging them in the photos so they can share more of the trip! #locogringoknows P A G E 1 2
SUGGESTIONS If you are up for an adventure, here are some suggestions for local, fun things to do. Visit the Muyil Ruins to the south of Tulum. This is a small archeological site that is 20 minutes out of Tulum. You will have more water views, but this time of the lagoon in the Sian Ka an. Stop by the Tulum beach for a swim, some lunch, and a siesta. We suggest stopping in at Que Fresco at Zamas as it is closer to the highway and the beach is easy to access. Two great stores are located across from Zamas, Mixik, and Shalom. MIXIK Stop in the Tulum pueblo to the south of the Tulum Ruins for some lunch. El Camello s is a popular local seafood restaurant, Charlie s serves authentic Mexican food with interesting decor, or find a little place on the side streets. Tulum is more laid back and authentic than other small villages so take advantage of the local fare. Pop into Akumal and snorkel in Yakul Lagoon. This is a refreshing adventure after being in the hot sun. EL CAMELLO Venture into Cenote Dos Ojos. After walking under the hot sun, this is a great cool swimming and snorkeling retreat where you can see the jungle, caverns and some pretty cool formations. P A G E 1 3
BOOK A TOUR P A G E 1 4 We understand that you may not be up for a Do It Yourself adventure. The Guided Tour option makes your adventure less stressful, easy and convenient. This adventure is a tour, with a driver, a guide, food and more! We love what YucaTreks does and they offer an awesome excursion. We picked YucaTreks for a few reasons. Mitch and his group of guides are just like us. He has lived in the area for over 15 years, is originally from Canada and is an explorer. He loves to find cool and interesting things to do. Yucatrek tours are effortless, provide valuable historical facts and are fun. There is nothing to plan or think about. Mitch looks after it all. You will enjoy his tour groups because they are small, intimate and designed for people like you who are looking for a more personal experience.
YucaTreks offers you the following benefits: Unique and off the beaten track experiences Local guides are trained in Mayan history and are registered INAH guides Spend a day with passionate people who love what they do and want to share their local insights. Create interesting tour stops that are cultural and local. They know the secret spots. They love to have fun! Your day will look like this: Guided tour of Tulum Swimming and snorkeling stops Visit 2 extraordinary cenotes Lunch on Tulum beach near the Sian Ka an Biosphere. An afternoon snorkel - swim in the jungle Deluxe air-conditioned transportation, professional bilingual guide, entrance fees to ruins and cenote, guided tour of the archaeological site, water and soft drinks throughout the day, snacks, and lunch. Pickups are scheduled through YucaTreks directly with a specific time allocated to you or your group. P A G E 1 5 Tulum tours are done Tuesdays and Saturdays unless you have a large group. Large groups can book the van with YucaTreks and have a private tour with all the frills mentioned. How great is that! Price is $114 USD per person for this all day tour. It is a little bit more than doing this on your own but the service and the adventure is worth it! Contact YucaTreks directly to reserve your tour.
The very best vacations are individual journeys and each is uniquely suited to the person who chooses it. That s why our local team invests so much time and energy in researching and reporting the real Riviera Maya and Yucatan. It s personal. What you see on Loco Gringo are vacation accommodations we have personally checked out. The adventures you ll read, we ve lived. The restaurants? Our favorites. reservations@locogringo.com tel. +1 512-853-9676 We share what we know. And we share what we love.