Tulum, The Ancient Maya "Beach Resort"

This Late Classic Maya site was founded ca. 1200 AD. Its major temple overlooks the Caribbean and as sweet a beach as exists on this planet. I've always facetiously said this was the Maya beach resort in Pre-Columbian times. Can't you imagine the priest kings and wealthy merchants heading to their seaside villas for a weekend frolic?

We visited in the morning and afternoon. DON'T visit in the morning, if at all possible, for two reasons: sun and tourists. The morning we were there the site was overrun with bleating tourists being shepherded around by guides . It is even worse when cruise ships are in Playa del Carmen. Fleets of buses descend on Tulum, each filled with knock-kneed chatterboxes clutching their Kodak throwaways. The sun, naturally, is in the eastern sky in the a.m., making photography difficult, unless you go into the water as I did.

By 2:30 to 3 p.m., however, the ruins are almost deserted (it closes at 4 p.m.)   and the sun is at your back. If you arrive late enough in fall or winter, the low sun creates spectacular lighting effects.

While waiting for an afternoon entry time, take a 10-minute walk south along the paved road just outside the Tulum wall. You'll pass the southernmost torreon (tower) and continue along the jungle road to the entrance to Don Armando's Cabanas. Great place for a beer and lunch on a wonderful beach. (See Beaches of the Yucatecan Caribbean).

Hurricane Roxanne came ashore at Tulum sporting 110 mph winds. While the structures were not harmed, the vegetation for miles around the sight was heavily damaged. I stood on one of the torreones and looked landward. Stretching to the horizon was an ugly desert of brown defoliated trees. Nature, being what it is, most will rejuvenate, gracias a Dios.

Hurricane Roxanne damage near Tulum.

Another side trip in the Tulum area is down the sandy track to Punta Allen. We only made it part way because the road was still bad from the hurricane rains. Still, it was a beautiful trip. Good bird-watching, some lovely surviving palms and lonely beaches begging to be danced upon.

Mexico  Yucatan  Coba  The Beaches