Quintana Roo · Mexico

Tulum and Cobá

Mayan ruins on the cliff, white-sand beaches, cenotes in the jungle, the Sian Ka'an reserve and the Cobá pyramid, in the southern Riviera Maya.

Caribe Mexicano (Cancún e Riviera Maya)

In the photo: Temple of the Wind God, Tulum

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Tulum is in the southern Riviera Maya, about 130 km from Cancún. It is known for the archaeological zone on a cliff facing the Caribbean Sea, the image many people have of the Mexican coast: a walled Mayan town, with gray stone temples above a small white-sand beach. The old name was Zamá, linked to the dawn, and the city was an active port between the 13th and 15th centuries, already near the arrival of the Spanish.

Today's Tulum has two parts. The Pueblo, by highway 307, concentrates shops, restaurants and simpler lodging. The beach area runs along a narrow road south of the ruins, with low hotels between the jungle and the sand, up to the entrance of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO site, with lagoons, mangroves and reef.

In the interior are the cenotes, freshwater sinkholes that give access to the peninsula's underground rivers. The Gran Cenote, on the road to Cobá, and the Dos Ojos system to the north, attract swimmers and cave divers. About 45 km away, in the middle of the jungle, Cobá was one of the largest Mayan cities of the Classic period, with the Nohoch Mul pyramid, lagoons and stone causeways that are explored by bicycle.

Tulum has its own airport and a Tren Maya station.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Tulum, Cobá.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Tulum and Cobá is

Limites: INEGI / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Tulum and Cobá

✈ Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto (TQO) · 25 km to Tulum

✈ Aeropuerto Internacional de Cancún (CUN), in Cancún · 120 km to Tulum

Check before booking. Tulum has its own airport (TQO), about 25 km from the Pueblo, with domestic and some international flights; Cancún (CUN), about 120 km away, has more flights and direct buses to Tulum. The Tren Maya has a station in Tulum.

Suggested arrival point: Tulum

Quintana Roo · Tulum and Cobá Suggested arrival point

Tulum

Tulum is the town in the southern Riviera Maya known for the Maya archaeological zone on a cliff facing the Caribbean. The Pueblo, on highway 307, has shops and the bus station; the beach area lies south of the ruins, with Playa Paraíso and the entrance to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. Inland are the Gran Cenote and, to the north, the Dos Ojos system.

Quintana Roo · Tulum and Cobá

Cobá

Cobá is a Mayan village in the interior of Quintana Roo, about 45 km from Tulum, beside two lagoons. Next to it is the Cobá archaeological zone, one of the largest Mayan cities of the Classic period, spread through the jungle and linked by stone causeways, with the Nohoch Mul pyramid, about 42 meters high. South of the village, the cenotes Choo-Ha, Tamcach-Ha and Multun-Ha are freshwater caves managed by the community.

The local experience

Things to do in Tulum and Cobá

Cobá · Quintana Roo · Archaeological site

Zona Arqueológica de Cobá

One of the largest Maya cities of the Classic period, spread through the jungle among lagoons, featuring the Nohoch Mul pyramid and a network of stone causeways called sacbé.

Tulum · Quintana Roo · Archaeological site

Zona Arqueológica de Tulum

Walled Maya city on a cliff of about 12 meters facing the Caribbean, featuring the Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes and the Temple of the Wind God.

Cobá · Quintana Roo · Cenote

Cenotes Choo-Ha, Tamcach-Ha y Multun-Ha

Three cave cenotes south of the village of Cobá, run by the local community, with wooden stairs down to the fresh water beneath stalactites.

Tulum · Quintana Roo · Beach

Playa Paraíso

Public beach south of the Tulum ruins, with white sand and coconut palms, and a view of the Castillo to the north.

See 3 more places in Tulum and Cobá

Tulum · Quintana Roo · Cenote

Gran Cenote

Semi-open cenote on the Tulum–Coba road, with crystal-clear fresh water, stalactite caves and turtles, used for swimming, snorkeling and cave diving.

Tulum · Quintana Roo · Cenote

Parque Dos Ojos

Two cenotes linked by flooded caves, north of Tulum, in one of the largest underground river systems in the world, offering snorkeling and cave diving.

Tulum · Quintana Roo · Nature reserve

Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka'an

Biosphere reserve south of Tulum, a UNESCO site, with lagoons, mangroves, jungle, beaches and reef, visited on boat tours from Tulum and Muyil.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From December to April is usually the dry season, with sun and calmer seas; it is the high season. From May to October there is more rain. Hurricanes occur between June and November, most often from August to October. Sargassum typically reaches the beaches from April to August. Cenotes can be visited year-round.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three or four days: one for the ruins and the beach, one for the cenotes, one for Sian Ka'an and one for Cobá. Many visit Tulum and Cobá on a day trip from Playa del Carmen or Cancún, but that is rushed.

Which city to stay in

The Pueblo, around Avenida Tulum, has simpler accommodations, restaurants and the bus station; you reach the beach by bicycle or taxi. The beach area, along the coastal road south of the ruins, has low hotels between the jungle and the sand, more expensive and more isolated. Aldea Zamá and La Veleta, between the Pueblo and the beach, are new apartment neighborhoods. In Cobá there are few guesthouses, near the lagoon.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Tulum and Cobá

Which airport should I use to go to Tulum?

Tulum has its own airport (TQO), about 25 km from the Pueblo. Cancún (CUN), about 120 km away, has more flights and direct buses to Tulum, in a trip of about two hours.

Tulum or Playa del Carmen: where to stay?

Tulum is quieter, close to the ruins, cenotes and Sian Ka'an, with low beachfront hotels. Playa del Carmen is a larger town, with more nightlife and the boats to Cozumel. Many split their nights between the two.

Can you climb the pyramids in Tulum and Cobá?

In Tulum, the structures are viewed from the outside, behind ropes. In Cobá, climbing the Nohoch Mul pyramid is usually prohibited; check at the entrance.

How to go from Tulum to Cobá?

By car, about 45 minutes on the road that passes the Gran Cenote. There are also regular buses and colectivos (shared vans), with fewer departures.

Do you need a car in Tulum?

It helps, because the cenotes, Cobá and Sian Ka'an are spread out. Without a car, the Pueblo and the beach are connected by bicycle and taxi, and organized tours take you to the cenotes and reserves.

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