Tulum Mayan Ruins On Less Than $ 10

Tulum, considered by many as the most beautiful of the Mayan Ruins sites around Cancun, is small but exquisitely poised on the fifteen-meter-high cliffs above the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea.

When I was planning my trip to Mexico, one of the things to do/see was "Visit Mayan Ruins".

I used to be a huge history buff. When I was a kid, my family traveled a lot, and every time we would visit a new town, my mom would make sure we see as many local museums and landmarks as possible. She was the one who taught me that travel wasn't just about snapping a picture in front of a monument or a landmark. For her, travel was a form of learning that exposes a person to cultures other than one's own and to places that have historical or cultural significance.

Since then, I always try to learn as much as possible about the place I'm about to visit. While I'm a big fan of guided adventure trips, I ( personally ) don't see value in popular "walking city tour".

That's why when I was researching trips to Tulum Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, I was a bit disappointed to see the prices for many tours ( though with transportation from Cancun ) to be as much $ 75-100.

Tulum is only 2 hour ( less if you drive like a real Mexican :)) from Cancun, and the Tulum Mayan Ruins are very easy to find just off the main 307 HWY

I paid just 55 pesos for parking and another 65 ( pesos ) for the access fee !

Was it worth it ? Yes and No

The ruins themselves are not much to look at. There are about 60 well preserved buildings on the site. The most significant of them have plaques with information in English, Spanish and Mayan.

These ruins' greatest attraction is its location. Mayan Ruins of Tulum are a spectacular site to behold. It stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking out on views of the Caribbean that are nothing less than spectacular.

There are a few places to take a great pic, but the best one would be from the beach below with the ruins in the back. The beach is the attraction of its own. It's the most visited area of the archaeological site. Judging by the number of people it's even more popular than the ruins themselves.

NOTE: At the entrance you'll be offered "a guided tour with snorkeling". While they say that tour guides are well worth the price, make sure you'll ask if the snorkeling tour is at the beach or at nearby Akumal Bay ( beautiful reefs, lagoons and caves ! ). The ruins beach is quite small, with lot's of tourists, hence water visibility is bad which makes "snorkeling" pointless. Or you can just bring your own snorkeling gear.

But I won't deny, the place is a photographer's delight. But, honestly, I spent more time at the beach, than "exploring" the ruins. Yet, it's a nice day trip that can be combined with other attractions in the area.