Day 56 – 58 : Tulum

Located about 1 hour from Playa del Carmen is Tulum, which could be referred to the town of Tulum, the Tulum Ruins or the beaches of Tulum. 

I had spent 3 days in Tulum, and stayed in the Town Centre.  It was a small undeveloped village dotted with some restaurants on the main road, with no signs of any famous fast food burger joints, a total opposite of Playa del Carmen.  This gives it a very laid back feel, with it being a rather sleepy town during the day, with slightly more activity in the night. 

The most beautiful beach in Tulum is El Paraiso, located about 10mins drive from the town centre.  It spots beautiful white sand beach with very clear water. Being way less busy than the beaches in Playa del Carmen, it was a more pleasant beach to laze down and sunbathe with more personal space.

The Tulum Ruins is located next to El Paraiso Beach. I heard that it usually gets crowded from late morning, and made it a point to arrive the moment it opens.

At the entrance while waiting for the ticket counter to open, a wild animal which looks like a raccoon appeared from the jungle and was rummaging through the trash bin for food. 

So adorable looking!

The area isn't very big and nothing in Tulum Ruins is climbable, and could easily be completed in about 40mins.  The ruins were OK in my opinion, but what was impressive was that this is the only Mayan settlement that was built by the sea.  Oh my, was the view just amazing! 

You could even get access to the private beach via a special stairway that had been built and with a good camera, capture the view of the ruins out in the water.

I enjoyed Tulum, though I have a higher preference for Playa del Carmen, with its easy access to the city centre, modern amenities and shops, giving one more options on things to do around the area.