Tulum means “wall” in Yucatec Maya, a reference to the city's fortifications; 19th-century explorers used the name and it stuck. Originally, the city was called Zamá, or “dawn,” because it faced east.
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Ruins in the Riviera MayaIn the Mayan language, Tulum was called Zama, meaning “dawn,” an appropriate name given its eastern location. It seems “Tulum” is the name given to the site by explorers Stephens and Catherwood in 1841.
The greatest attraction at the Tulum Ruins is its location. Built on a bluff facing the rising sun, this ruin site is the only Maya settlement located on the beaches of the Caribbean. The views continue to be described as spectacular as millions of people visit this Maya ruin in the Riviera Maya.
Tulum has many beautiful traces of Mayan culture and history, much like the rest of the Yucatán Peninsula and Quintana Roo. Visiting Tulum is worth it simply for the experience of seeing the historical Tulum Ruins in person.
Yes, that's right, Tulum ruins beach, there is a beach just down the cliff from the ruins and it's the perfect place to cool off and take a swim in the Caribbean sea halfway round.
Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya and achieved its greatest prominence between the 13th and 15th centuries. Maya continued to occupy Tulum for about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico, but the city was abandoned by the end of the 16th century.
Tulum ruins are perched on 12 metre high cliffs facing the Caribbean Sea. It is the 3rd most visited site in Mexico and the most visited spot in the state of Quintana Roo. The site was inhabited as early as the 6th century. Tulum is a rare city built by the Mayans because it is one of the few walled cities.
In fact, many people actively prefer Tulum because it's less crowded! Tulum is quiet, serene, and. Tulum is a much more compact archeological site than the sprawling Chichen Itza. The structures within Tulum are close together and don't feature many stairs.
Isla Holbox has a long history of providing asylum for fugitives. Said originally to have been settled by eight Mayan families, the island made a convenient stopover in the 18th century for Spanish and Italian pirates en route from the coastal states of Veracruz and Campeche.
Where is the wooden sculpture in Tulum now? Ven a la Luz in her new home — a giant Sculpture Park located in an outdoor garden at Ahau Tulum Hotel, and no longer at the hotel's entrance. Ven a la Luz is still located at Ahau Tulum, but it's no longer right on Tulum Beach Road, and now lives in the Tulum Sculpture Park.
Be cautious at night if you're traveling alone – Tulum isn't the most dangerous place at night, but in some places, it's not as well lit as it should be. Don't walk around alone late at night if you can avoid it — especially between the center of town and the beachfront hotel zone.