How to Get There
From Cancun International Airport – During the daylight hours you can catch a bus regularly to Tulum, probably on the hour or so. The ride will take about 2 hours.
Rental cars are priced reasonably and are the easiest way to get around the entire area that surrounds Tulum.
There is also a direct shuttle starting at 24 USD per person called Tucan-Kin. It is a door to door service with no stops between the airport and the Tulum Area. A reservation is required.
Many of the Hotels in Tulum offer a pick-up service from Cancun Intl for an addition 99 or 120 USD.
You can also take a Taxi from the Airport which will run about the same as the Hotel shuttle service for 145.
By bus – Buses from Cancun run quite regularly. There is also an ADO bus direct from Cancun Airport.
Buses from Playa Del Carmen run hourly or so. Bus station is at southern end of Fifth Avenue near Playacar. ADO Bus stops at Xcaret and Xel-ha enroute to Tulum. Mayab bus stops more frequently enroute to Tulum from Playa Del Carmen.
To visit the ruins, get off the bus at the first Tulum stop at the intersection with the access road to the ruins. It’s an easy one mile or so flat walk to the ruins from the intersection.
An alternative to the buses is to catch a “collectivo” van. In Playa Del Carmen you can find these on Calle 2 towards Avenida 20. One-way trip costs 35 pesos.
By car – If you drive yourself to the ruins before opening time, it may be a bit confusing as to where to go and what to do. As soon as you park, a man on a bicycle should find you and charge you for parking (50 pesos). You must go through a sort of half open-air mall (which is empty before 8AM). From there you can either sign up with a tour guide (US$20 per person?), pay for a shuttle ride to the ruins (20 pesos), or walk a mile along a road to the ruins. The guides are reported to be better story tellers than actual experts on Mayan culture. The walk is on level ground and passes quickly as you admire the jungle and abandoned shops along the way. If you can walk it, do it and save a few bucks! As you approach a stone wall, to the left will be a brown wooden building where you can purchase your ticket into the ruins (51 pesos, an additional 35 pesos if they see that you have a video camera). From there, head along a stone path through the jungle and into the ruins…
Getting Around
- Taxis are an inexpensive way to get around but for the most part, Tulum ‘Pueblo’ is so small that walking is a simple, though often dusty, option. Taxis from ‘Pueblo’ to the coast is ~70-90 pesos. It is advisable to either take a taxi or rent a bike when traveling between the ‘Pueblo’ and the beach, as the walk is rather long, dusty and unattractive.
- Bikes are available for rent from Iguana Bikes in Tulum ‘Pueblo.’ 150-250 pesos for 24 hours. Bikes are a convenient way to get around town and to/from cenotes and the beach. Please be careful when riding a bike on the highway. Bring a headlamp/flashlight if biking at night.
The Kingdom of the Maya • Locations & Activities
Tulum Ruins