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Tulum

Historic sites ·Tulum ·Open now
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#2Historic sites in MexicoTravelers' Choice Best of the Best 2025
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About

Tulum is a ruined walled Maya city beside modern Tulum, on 12-metre cliffs above the Caribbean Sea in Quintana Roo’s Riviera Maya.

More photos 8

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Tulum — Stone temples and stepped platforms among the Tulum ruins Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa · CC BY-SA 2.0 · edited
Tulum — Stone temples and stepped platforms among the Tulum ruinsTulum — A large stone temple and adjoining ruins at TulumTulum — Stone buildings and sandy paths within the archaeological siteTulum — A high stone wall beside the ruins and palm treesTulum — A path through coastal vegetation toward a Tulum ruinTulum — A palm tree beside a pale stone temple wallTulum — Low stone ruins and tropical plants along a rocky pathTulum — Rocky shoreline below Tulum's ruins, with a visitor on the steps

Why go

  • El Castillo, Tulum’s tallest building at 7.5 metres, with serpent-shaped columns at its upper temple.
  • The Temple of the Frescoes, with gray-and-blue interior murals and a role in tracking the sun.
  • The Temple of the Descending God, with a narrow staircase built over an earlier temple, in a city whose murals suggest worship of this deity.

Opening hours

Today08:00 – 17:00Show all
Monday08:00 – 17:00
Tuesday08:00 – 17:00
Wednesday08:00 – 17:00
Thursday08:00 – 17:00
Friday08:00 – 17:00
Saturday08:00 – 17:00
Sunday08:00 – 17:00

Don't miss

  • The city wallFive narrow gateways pierced the landward defences: two to the north, two to the south and one to the west. Watchtowers stood at the northwest and southwest corners.The city wall
  • The ancient canoe harbourThe cove below El Castillo was a landing place for trading and fishing canoes. A small shrine on El Castillo appears to have served as a beacon for incoming canoes.Below El Castillo
  • Temple of the WindA single-room temple stands on a semicircular platform on a natural hill near the sea.On a natural hill near the sea

Know before you go

  • The site is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00.
  • Some structures are closed to visitors for conservation.

Tips for your visit

  • Tulum is relatively compact compared with nearby Maya sites; plan a walking visit around the archaeological remains.

Interesting facts4

1/4

  1. Small window openings show how sunlight was directed at the winter solstice.

    Tulum (Maya-Stätte) - Wikipedia

  2. A small cenote near the north wall supplied fresh water.

    Tulum - Wikipedia

  3. Some buildings retain traces of red paint from the Maya period.

    Tulum - Wikipedia

  4. The city was formerly called Zamá, a Maya name meaning “dawn”.

    Tulum - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

Tulum served as a major port for Cobá, linking land and sea trade routes. Finds include flint, pottery, obsidian, jade, copper bells and rings. The trading stronghold was allied with Mayapan. From 1250, the city combined civic, administrative, religious and residential roles. It remained a religious centre when the Spanish arrived, and nearby communities continued leaving offerings until the early 20th century.

  1. AD 564An inscribed stele bears this date and is now in the British Museum; most surviving buildings date to 1200–1450.
  2. around AD 1200Archaeological evidence indicates occupation from around this time.
  3. 13th–15th centuriesTulum reached its greatest prominence during this period, becoming a major maritime trading city in the 13th and 14th centuries.
  4. 1518Juan Díaz first mentioned the site after a Spanish expedition spotted it.
  5. late 16th c.The city was abandoned by the late 16th century.
Show all
  1. 1843John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood published a detailed account of the ruins.
  2. 1913Work began to restore the site and open public beaches.
  3. 1981The archaeological site became part of Tulum National Park.

How to get there

  • BusDaily organised tour buses serve the archaeological site beside modern Tulum.

Sources: Tulum - Wikipedia · Tulum (Maya-Stätte) - Wikipedia · Tulum - Wikipedia · Tulum - Wikipedia · checked 28 Sep 2026

Where
Zona Hotelera Tulum, Tulum

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What survives of the houses at Tulum?

Only the foundation walls of the low houses remain visible.

What architectural details distinguish the ruins at Tulum?

Low platforms, narrow doorways and rooms with one or two small windows; larger temples have prominent roof façades in the Puuc style.

What wildlife does Tulum National Park support?

The park is home to more than 545 plant and animal species, including 55 classified as at risk.

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