CampAkumal

Tulum has many points of interest, including the Tulum Ruins, the beaches, the pueblo and the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve.

TULUM RUINS – The Tulum Ruins are a Pre-Columbian Mayan walled city that is situated on a cliff, overlooking a white sand, aqua blue Caribbean beach.  This City of Zama (meaning “City of Dawn”, because if faces the sunrise) was an important site of worship of the defending God.   This site was one of the last cities to be built by the Mayans, with completion estimated to be in the 12th century.  European explores and settlers brought diseases appear to have been the cause of its demise.  As one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites, the ruins of Tulum are a popular tourist attraction.

For many of our guests, Tulum Ruins are on a short list of “must see”.  We recommend that if you want to see ruins you must go to Coba.  At Tulum, the spectacular backdrop of the cliffs leading to the crystal blue waters far out shadow the structures.  You will find yourself looking past the ruins and thinking: “How am I going to get to that beach????”

TULUM BEACH  – First a word of caution.  As you are approaching Tulum there is a series of Topes (bumps in the road) and if you are not paying attention you will go flying over them with a BUMP.  There are also police checking speed with radar guns.  Please drive slowly and carefully.  When you do enter Tulum from the highway, make a left at the first traffic light.  (You will pass a Cheduraui Grocery Store if you need groceries) Go about 1 km and you find a traffic circle with a police check.  From there you can go to the North Beach or South Beach. Either way is wonderful, so it only leaves the question of…what is your budget?  One thing to know about Tulum is that sometimes there are big waves and sometimes it is flat as a lake, and you never know until you get there.  Bring boogie boards just in case!  At the end of the North Beach you will see at sign that says SANTA FE where there is public beach access.  There are no facilities, or shade.  But you can bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the gorgeous beach for free!  On the South Beach there is more action. There are hotels, shops, restaurants, resorts; and you will need to bring your wallet, and make sure it’s full! You will see my recommendations below, however I am sure there are many other options that we have not tried…explore and find your own paradise, but please let us know so we can tell everyone else!

ZIGGY’S BEACH CLUB – Pretty far south down the road, located at KM 7, but it is a nice drive taking in the sites of Tulum.  At Ziggy’s you can sit on the beach at a table or on a lounge chair and be served on the beach.  It is breathtaking.  There are bathrooms and showers.  The food is fantastic, we recommend the Tuna Tacos!  There is a 200 peso per person minimum food and drink consumption for use of the facilities.  There is a children’s menu and there are some Happy Hour specials which change daily.  It will be very crowded at high season!

LA ZEBRA  – About 1 km past Ziggy’s and much the same set up.   I prefer the food at La Zebra and my husband prefers Ziggy’s, so it is just a matter of taste.  Fish Burritos are to die for!  Check the menu for pricing when you order drinks, as they can be expensive.  My friend paid 130 pesos for a Sugar Cane Mojito but she said it was worth every penny.  Both places are family friendly, which is rare in Tulum, and also why choose them.  La Zebra has a playground but there is no children’s menu.

TULUM PUEBLO – Take a stroll down Avenida Tulum to get the local vibe of Tulum.  There are many shops to peruse, however most are just filled with standard souvenir trinkets. The are many fabulous restaurants located in the Pueblo.  On the main street look out for  LA NAVE, a small italian bistro offering incredible pizza and pasta.  For gourmet International seafood  UNICO just north of the 4 way stop light on the road to Coba.

There are 3 main grocery stores in Tulum Pueblo: San Fransisco which is on the northwest corner of the 4 way stop; Bodega which is less fancy but more economical pricing; and Super Cheduraui on the road toward the beach has imported luxury items and tourist fare.  Don’t forget OXXO located on every street corner across Mexico, where you can always get the basic necessities of a hotdog, beer and even sunscreen!

SIAN KA’AN – “Sian Ka’an” is translated from Mayan as “where the sky is born” or “gift from the sky”. It is approximately 1.3 million acres in size and spans 120 kilometers from north to south, comprising almost one third of the Caribbean coast of Mexico.  It consists of tropical jungle, savanna, mangroves and barrier reef.  Common marine species include spiny lobster, tarpon, grouper, permit, nurse shark, hammerhead, black tipped shark, and snapper.  Mammals include jaguar, puma, ocelot, monkeys, tapir, peccaries, deer, turtles, crocodiles and a wide variety of land and aquatic birds.

The reserve is thought to have been inhabited in the pre-Classic and Classic periods.  There are twenty-three known archeological sites inside the reserve. Discoveries of human remains, ceramic pieces, and other artifacts have been dated up to 2,300 years old.

Tourism and fishing are the main sources of income for the local residents of Sian Ka’an.  There is a charge of $ 4 USD as a fee entrance to the Reserve per person per day.  The driving is treacherous so please make sure you have the appropriate vehicle.  You can hire to run a boat trip to see the reef and lagoon systems.