August in Tulum

Tulum is really an extraordinary place to visit. You can stand on top of the cliffs of Tulum and you will overlook the sea. Plan to visit the nearby ruins of Tulum. Snorkel at Xel Ha or in one of the many cold water cenotes. Go north up the road and spend a day at X-caret or go to the crossroads and travel westward to the ruins of Copa or Chitchen-Itza.You can take a bus southward and cross the border into Belize. Take a day tour by boat of the Sian-Kaan reserve. Tulum is the perfect place in which to explore the Mayan Riviera.

Quick Tips:

Stay somewhere on the beach. It is very hot during the summer months and you will appreciate the cool breezes from the sea. However, housing is much cheaper in town. There are few places that have electricity let alone air conditioning on the beach unless you want to spend a lot of money. But the beach is the place to be. The views are spectacular. You can be up on a cliff with the birds looking at the sea below.

Best Way To Get Around:

You can easily get around by bus or white vans called colectivos. You will do a lot of walking if you don't rent a car. From the town of Tulum to the places on the beach is 4-5 miles and to walk to the ruins from the beach can be 1-7 miles. Taxis run along the roads and aren't too expensive. They will take you to the main road where you can catch Mayab buses that are very cheap. You can take a bus to Playa del Carmen and then get first class buses to almost anywhere. There are also a few first class buses that come to the Tulum terminal. You can get transport at the Tulum airport for about 50 dollars or you can take a bus to Playa del Carmen and then transfer to another that goes to Tulum.

You are staying in cabanas on the beach! This place has a terrific website and makes staying on the beach look very romantic which is why we decided to stay there - and it is. You are in cabanas on cliffs overlooking the sea. Some are directly over the water and the breeze from the sea is cooling and refreshing.

It is incredibly beautiful. But if you go in the summer you should know that it is incredibly hot and buggy! You sleep under a mosquito net. These are tiny cabanas with no real security except for a padlock. It is hot inside! If you pick one of the cheaper cabanas, it will not be near the water and you will not feel the breeze. Unless you pay around 80-90 dollars for one of the cabanas up on the hill, there are no bathrooms inside the cabana and you share a cabana type bathroom with everyone. Get one of the more expensive ones!

Remember also that there is no electricity so pack accordingly with candles, flashlights, etc. Even though the website says you will see giant turtles at night, we never say any. Nearby Akumal has many turtle sightings so go there if that is what interests you. Having said all that, after we changed accommodations to one of the larger cabanas facing the sea, we really enjoyed our stay. The beauty of the water is incredible, birds soaring, waves crashing etc.

There is a nice inexpensive restaurant there with a nice atmosphere and good food. We are vegetarians and they always had 3 or 4 vegetarian dishes, mostly rices and spahetti. You are able to walk to the ruins of Tulum from Cabanas Copal. We did- but it was exhausting in the day's heat - take a taxi instead. Cabanas Copal is also in a good location to walk to several other hotels and restaurants nearby, as well as a little store.

We didn't sleep much in the heat there, but we did meet terrific people and the "natualeza" can't be beat! another tip: I had to go to a bank in the United States and pay in cash ahead of time for the accommodations. This might not be necessary now -- I think you could also pay using paypal.

Although the ruins of Tulum are not spectacular, the setting is. The majestic cliff top ruins overlook vast stretches of beach and turquoise water. You can swim here and that is the best part. As you swim below you look up at the splendid Mayan Ruins and the sight is impressive. There are many little coves and beaches and private spots. To best enjoy the ruins go early in the morning or in late afternoon when the tour buses aren't there. It is free on Sunday and that is when the Mexican locals go.

Tulum was occupied from 1200 - 1521 and was a walled city. Its strategic function was that of a fortress. The city was abandoned about 75 years after the Spanish conquest. Tulum's tallest building is a watchtower fortress overlooking the Caribbean named "El Castillo". When you take the bus to Tulum, make sure you tell the driver to let you off at Las Ruinas, the town is another couple kilometers away. Then you must walk about half a mile to the ruins, or you can take a train-like shuttle but you have to pay and the walk really isn't long. The heat is oppressive though in the middle of the day. Thunderstorms come up quickly and there is not much shelter when you are viewing the ruins. Last time we took protection down by the water under some cave-like formations.

We go back to the ruins of Tulum time and time again because of the beauty.

Called Tulum Pueblo, it is located 137 kilometers south of Cancun. You can take the first class buses from Cancun or Playa del Carmen, or wait on the road for a Mayab bus (second class). There are also white vans that travel up and down the highway that will take you to Tulum for 10 - 20 pesos, depending on the distance. The van driver can show you a chart outlining the distances and prices. This is a nice way to travel, faster than the bus and relatively comfortable. I have also met friendly people who are happy to help out and give advice.

Tulum Crucero comes before the town, as does the Coba junction where you stand to catch colectivos and taxis for Coba. The road to the left leads to the Hotel Zone on the beach. There is an ADO bus station where you can travel to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Coba, and south to Chetumal. In town there are numerous money exchange places; don't exchange at the bus station as the rates are very low.

Across from the bus station is THE WEARY TRAVELER. Here you can get good information about tours and sights. They were planning to open an Indian Vegetarian Restaurant when we were there last. There is also internet service here. The people inside are very friendly, and it is a nice hang out place. They show movies nightly. The hotels in town are much cheaper than the cabanas and hotels on the beach, and many are air conditioned. However, you don't have the beauty and breezes of the beach.

You can easily go to the ruins of Coba from Tulum. Coba is 50 km. northwest of Tulum, and its beauty lies in the fact that the ruins are located in the jungle. Go to the Tulum Crucero to wait for buses, colectivos, and taxis to Tulum. The buses go only several times a day, so check as to the hour at the bus station in town. You can take the bus from the station. We took a taxi for the same price as the colectivo would have cost the three of us. We got there fast, but held onto our seats as the taxi raced down the dirt road. It was not a comfortable ride. Since there are only a couple of return buses and the bus does not originate in Coba, you may be standing for the 45 minute ride back to Tulum.

You reach the village of Coba before seeing the entrance to the ruins, but it is a short and easy walk. There are many very inexpensive restaurants and hotels there. The archeological sight is open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. and there is an admission charge except on Sundays when it is free. Be prepared to walk several kilometers on foot in a jungle-like area with lots of mosquitos and other insects. We paid a guide because we always learn more that way, but the guide is expensive and I'm not sure it's worth it for these ruins unless you can share the fee with others. Buy a book and do a self-guided tour.

Dress for the heat and humidity-bring a lot of water. There are men on bicycles with carts attached who will drive you to certain locations for a fee. You can also rent a bicycle. Plan to spend at least two hours at the site. The main attractions here are the Grupo Coba, the ball court, Nohoch Mul and the Great Pyramid. This is the tallest Mayan structure in the northern Yucatan.

After leaving, stop at El Bocadito, which serves as Coba's bus terminal. You buy bus tickets here, but I would suggest buying them before you enter the ruins so you can check the schedule and make sure there is room on the bus. We arrived and had to wait two hours for the bus and then had to stand the entire way back. The owner here is very friendly and will give you a lot of free advice. The restaurant food is basic and good and very cheap. They have a vegetarian platter.