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Mexico · Quintana Roo

Tulum travel guide

Mayan ruins above a Caribbean beach

Tulum's clifftop Mayan ruins. Photo: Popo le Chien, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

10h 15mflight from London
TQOnearest main airport
28° in Augwarmest month
24° in Jancoolest month

Tulum has the most beautiful setting of any Mayan site, a walled city on a clifftop above a white beach. Around it is a stylish strip of eco-hotels and beach clubs.

Inland are dozens of cenotes and the ruins of Cobá, where you can still climb the main pyramid. A new airport opened in 2023.

Good forRuinsBeachesCenotesWellness

What Tulum is known for

  • The ruins

    A Mayan city on the sea.

  • Cenotes

    Gran Cenote and Dos Ojos.

  • Boho style

    Yoga, jungle hotels and beach clubs.

  • Sian Ka'an

    A UNESCO wildlife reserve.

Top things to do in Tulum

  1. 1

    Tulum ruins

    Go at opening to beat the heat.

    Find tours and tickets
  2. 2

    Gran Cenote

    Swim with turtles in clear water.

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  3. 3

    Cobá

    Cycle between jungle ruins.

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  4. 4

    Sian Ka'an

    Boat trips through mangroves.

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See all tours and tickets in Tulum

Where to stay in Tulum

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Best time to visit Tulum

Best value: May–Jun, Nov. November to April.

  • Best valueGood weather, smaller crowds
  • PeakBusiest, highest prices
  • QuietCheapest, cooler or wetter
24.1 C24°J25 C25°F25.7 C26°M26.9 C27°A27.8 C28°M27.6 C28°J27.8 C28°J28 C28°A27.6 C28°S26.6 C27°O25 C25°N24.6 C25°D
Bar height is the average temperature in Tulum, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Getting there and around

About 10h 15m from London to TQO, and flights from most UK airports.

Bikes and taxis. Colectivos run to Playa del Carmen.

Find flights to Tulum (TQO)

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Good to know

  • Tulum is pricier than elsewhere in Mexico.
  • Bring cash for cenotes.
  • Take insect repellent.
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Tulum FAQ

How far from Cancún?

About two hours by road.

Can you swim at the ruins?

Yes, at the beach below.

More places in Mexico

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