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Tulum
... What seems to take on a little town appearance is one of the most beautiful Maya Ruins to visit. The coast of Quintana Roo is bathed by shallow, crystal-clear, green-blue waters, lined by beaches of fine white sand, punctuated by numerous coves, bays and islands, with a backdrop of lush tropical vegetation. It is here that Tulum stands, on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean. The most important Maya archaeological sites on the coast, it is 127 kilometers south of Cancun and 47 kilometers southeast of Coba.
It takes a lengthy hike from the primary entrance or you can use a people mover type tram to get you to the entrance of the ruins. Tulum has battered down walls that surround these mysterious ruins which make it take on a fort like appearance. These crumbling walls struggling to reach for the sky are not very high in height but in their prime they must have been a beautiful site to see.
Having a knowledgeable guide who knows the history of Tulum is always a plus when seeing these ruins. Our guide told us many interesting things about Tulum and even showed us hidden secrets the amateur would not ordinarily see. I really enjoyed how the prehistoric looking Iguanas acted as if they were part of the tour. There were quite a few of these lizard like serpents walking around on the architecture of the ruins. You do not need to worry about the Iguanas ... if you try to get near them they will run away and hide as if they are playing hide and seek.
If you are taking a cruise on one of the big cruise ships you will most likely have an opportunity to visit Tulum. It only takes about three hours or less to see the ruins once you arrive. These ruins do not cover a large amount of area so seeing all of the ruins can be done easily.
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In prehispanic times Tulum was part of a culture that grew up on the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula. The city, defended by a wall on three sides and by the sea on the fourth, arose and grew between the 12th and 16th centuries A.D. in the Post classic period. The inhabitants of Tulum were divided into three social strata: the ruling class, who devoted themselves to government, religion, war and trade; the middle class, which included the assistants of the ruling class and craftsmen, and the lower class, consisting of farmers, fishermen and hunters. The members of the first two classes lived inside the walled area, where there are also differences in the buildings, since these range from luxurious palaces to simple houses. The lower class, which was the largest, lived outside the wall.
Religion was very important, as demonstrated by the numerous altars, temples and shrines in Tulum. Remains of mural paintings and other works show military and religious subjects, especially the Descending God, propitiatory ceremonies for rain and good harvests, and the worship of other deities associated with the fertility of the Earth. Tulum appears to have been a center of the worship of the Descending God, a deity who was venerated in other cities both on the coast and in the interior of the Yucatan peninsula. Some experts associate this god with the planet Venus, the setting sun, rain or lightning, but his true identity is not clear, since other scholars maintain that he symbolizes the go of bee-keeping the Bee-God, called Ah Mucen Cab in Mayan.
Tulum means fence trench or wall, and is the name given to the site in recent times because of the wall surrounding it, although its ancient name was possibly Zama~, a corruption of Zamal (morning), associated with the dawn. This is an ideal name for the site, as sunrise in Tulum is a superb sight. The first mention of the city was made by Juan Dîaz, who was on Juan de Grijalva's expedition that reached the coast of the Yucatan peninsula in 1518. He wrote "We followed the coast day and night; on the following day ... we sighted a city or town so large that Seville would not have appeared bigger or better ... a very tall tower was to be seen there ..." which no doubt refers to Tulum and the building known as the Castle, standing on the edge of the cliff.
In Juan de Reigosa's "Las Relaciones de Yucatan", written in 1579, Zama is mentioned as a walled site with stone building which included a very large one that looked like a fortress. Pedro Sanchez de Aguilar, author of "Informe Contra Idolorum Cultores del Obispado de Yucatan", (Madrid, 1639) mentions the coast of Zama when telling the story of ten shipwrecked Spaniards who were taken prisoner by the chieftain Kenich. Among them was Geronimo de Aguilar, who later became Hernan Cortes' interpreter during the Conquest of Mexico.
After this there are no other references to Tulum until Juan Pio Perez in a letter dated 1840 says that Juan Jose Galvez had visited Ascencion Bay, discovering that between there and Cape Catoche there were two ancient cities, Tancah and Tulum, the latter surrounded by walls. In 1842, John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood visited the site and later made it known to the world with the book "incidents of Travel in Yucatan", where Stephen's text is complemented by Catherwood's magnificent illustrations. During the Maya uprising of the War of Castes, which began in 1847 and lasted until 1901, Tulum was occupied several times by rebels because of the protection this wall afforded. In 1871 it became one of the sanctuaries of the "Speaking Cross" cult, led by Indian woman Maris Uicab, who was known as the patron saint or queen of Tulum. (Guide of Tulum, History , Art and Monuments. 1995
Click HERE to find Tulum Books
Hotel information for the Playa del Carmen area can be found here.
Tour information for Tulum can be found at the links below.
Tulum and Xel-Ha with Transportation click HERE.
Discover one of the most beautiful Mayan cities and the only one overlooking the Caribbean Sea, and then visit the largest natural aquarium in the world. Perched on a cliff, Tulum is thought to have been a major Mayan port. See the temple of the frescoes, the temple of the descending god and "el Castillo" a temple on a cliff with commanding splendid views of the coast. From here you will journey to Xel-Ha, the perfect spot for snorkeling and relaxation. This natural aquarium is famous for its thousands of brightly colored tropical fish and the dramatic limestone formations.
INCLUDED: Round trip air-conditioned transportation, guide and entrance to both sites.
Tulum and Xel-Ha with Transportation all inclusive click HERE.
Same description as above but with round trip air-conditioned transportation, guide, entrance to both sites, all meals and drinks at Xel-Ha, towels, lockers, ice cream, snorkeling gear and tips.
Tulum Caribbean Wonders (with Transportation) click HERE.
Category: Snorkeling: Tulum is found strategically located on a steep cliff facing the turquoise water of the Caribbean Sea and by far, the most famous archaeological site in the state. You will explore the tiny temples representing pious and cosmologies characters and allow your mind to journey in a splendorous past of millenary culture. Then we will head off to discover one of the best kept secrets of the Mayan Riviera, a nature reserve lost in the Mayan shore line where you'll snorkel in an unspoiled fascinating natural aquarium.
INCLUDED: Air-conditioned round trip transportation, guide, drinks on the bus, entrance fee to the park, snorkeling equipment and life jackets.
Other Maya Photo Adventure Sites
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