Tulum Half Day Tour Review
Ever dreamed of squeezing ancient history into half a day? A quick trip to the Tulum ruins lets you do just that—wandering through centuries-old Mayan architecture set dramatically atop seaside cliffs, with sweeping views of the Caribbean below. It’s a perfect adventure for history lovers and curious travelers alike, offering a glimpse into one of Mexico’s most iconic archaeological sites without taking up your whole day.
Maybe my daughters are not your ordinary teenagers, but they are both fascinated by history and they were really excited when I suggested this tour while we were in Cancun for spring break.
I booked the half day Tulum tour through one of my trusted vendors, but the actual tour company used was Cancun Adventures.
They picked us up bright and early at our hotel and then we had several other stops to pick up other guests. This process took awhile since we were staying in Cancun and were the first stop. If you are staying in the Riviera Maya area, you would likely have a shorter travel time since it is closer to Tulum. We understood how long we would be traveling and were okay with it. We came prepared with water, snacks, and entertainment.
Once we were closer to Tulum, the tour guide shared information with us while we finished the drive. Once you arrive, you are not allowed to bring in single use plastics in the form of bottles or wrappers. If you want to carry water on the tour, it needs to be in a reusable cup.
The tour company did provide bottled water, which was very nice, even if you couldn’t take it on into the actual site. They also had some snacks for us on the way back.
Once we arrived, we were given tags that reminded us where to meet at the end of the tour. There were several shopping and food locations in the main area and it was nice to have the option to get a drink or a snack. We followed our guide to the tram and once we were through the ticketed gate, he started giving us lots of information about the area and history. It was nice to have the guide so we didn’t have to stop and read all the information plaques along the way.
We were with the guide for about 45 minutes and then were given an hour on our own. The guide pointed out many interesting features of the ruins that I wouldn’t have known if we were on our own. Since the Mayans worship the sun, their buildings are built with the position in the sky in mind. During the equinox, there will be no shadow at noon and the rest of the year, the sun is meant to hit between the columns in the building.
The views were stunning here. We lucked out with a beautiful day and enjoyed wandering around looking at everything.
We were all fascinated by the iguanas who live there and it was fun to spot them all around.
All in all, I do recommend visiting the ruins! It was very interesting. However, if you are coming from Cancun, be prepared to spend more time in the car than you will at the site. Our tour only included this portion, but there are others that have other inclusions, like a visit to a cenote where you can swim, if you want to do a full day tour.
Is Tulum on your list of places to visit? Leave a comment if you have any questions or contact one of our amazing vacation experts to start planning your own trip!
