Dec-2015
Enchanted by the Mayan ruins of Tulum at sunrise
Sunrise at the Mayan ruins of Tulum
Tulum is a laid-back Mexican town on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula where popular Mayan ruins are located on a cliff overlooking the beach. Here’s how to avoid the crowds and have the beautiful ruins all to yourself during a visit to Tulum.
A Coati playing in the trees near the ruins of Tulum
The Mayan ruins of Tulum are quite different from other archaeological sites in Mexico because of their unique location near the beach. The ruins even have a private beach that can only be accessed by a staircase (and you’ll have to pay an entrance fee) that goes down from the cliff where the ruins are standing on. You can’t reach this beach through the public beach or you’d have to swim to the beach to get there, which I don’t recommend having seen the rocks and the strong currents. The idea of visiting ruins and being able to relax at the beach at the same time does make a visit sound pretty cool, don’t you think?
The beach underneath the Mayan ruins of Tulum
Visiting the ruins in the middle of the day is not something I can recommend you to do because of the heat and mostly since you’ll be annoyed by the crowds. Therefor waking up early and arriving to the ruins before 8am will give you a much better experience. You can have the park all to yourself and enjoy a wonderful sunrise.
The Wall of El Castello being caressed by the sun
You can take a bus from Playa del Carmen or other nearby towns, but you can also spend the night in Tulum which will make it more comfortable for you to arrive early morning.
Thom and I stayed at Tulum and we spent the night at Posada Los Mapaches where they gave us beach cruisers – cool kind of bikes – to use for during our stay. We got up early at 7am and cycled up to the ruins. Within 10 minutes, in an easy pace, we reached the Mayan ruins of Tulum. We were the first to arrive and to enter the archaeological site, so we had the luxury of being the only visitors AND we got to enjoy a magical sunrise.
When we arrived to the ruins the park wasn’t officially open yet (it opens at 8am), but since I asked if the sunrise was viewable from inside the park they didn’t hesitate to make us buy a normal ticket and enter anyway.
It is a privilege to be at a Mayan site all by yourself as it makes you feel how things might have been once upon a time… We walked around feeling like we were the ones who discovered this Mayan piece of history. As if we were the very first to have ever been here.
El castillo
The most imposing building of the ruins of Tulum is The Castle and over more than 500 years ago it must have been even more spectacular. This castle, with its sculptures and a brightly painted facade, has two small temples where offerings where left and it used to be a religious place for the Mayans.
The Castle
El Templo del Dios Descendente
One of the most beautiful buildings at the ruins of Tulum must be the Temple of the Descending God. The name refers to the sculpture on top of the door where you can see a winged figure falling from the sky. Can you spot it here below? Did you know that according to the episodes of Ancient Aliens, which we’ve been watching last summer, the figure is falling out of space and it should refer to some sort of alien…
Temple of the Descending God
El Palacio del Gran Señor
The most important people of Tulum used to live in the Palace of the Great Lord, where several large rooms were supported by columns. It’s the Buckingham Palace of Tulum.
The Palace of the Great Lord
More information
Location: Tulum, Mexico
Cost: $214 MEX entrance fee per person.
Accommodation: Posada los Mapaches – $630 MEX per night for a tree house double room with fan and shared bathroom.
Tips: Explore the archaeological site of Tulum on your own and visit early morning to avoid crowds. There are plenty of signs to be found in the park so you can save a lot of money by just reading them instead of going on a guided tour.
About Renate Rigters
Ever since I left my home country I felt at home at any other place I went to. I enjoy getting to know more cultures by talking to strangers and hearing their philosophy about life. Speaking with gestures when you can not find a shared language, finding places only the locals go to and learn about their customs and values. Hanging out with local people makes me happy. The experience of every new place is a step out of your comfort zone where I like to wander around until it feels like a second home.
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