Tulum Excursion
26 March 2016 | Isla Mujeres, Mx
Susan / mostly sunny, breezy, 86 degrees F
We wake early to catch the 7:30am ferry to Cancun in order to rent a car to drive to the Mayan ruins of Tulum. However due to Semana Santa and spring break, there are no cars to rent. So we head to the ADO bus station and learn there are air-conditioned buses that travel between Cancun and Tulum several times each day. Great! We purchase tickets for the next bus out (9:15am) and the 5:30pm return.
Outbound, the journey is 2 hours. We’d thought the ADO bus station would be in the town of Tulum but it’s near the ruins instead. No additional taxi needed, just a 10 minute walk to the entrance. Once inside the ruin walls, even though crowds are thick, it’s a much better experience than Chichen Itza because signage is readable & informative, and no vendors are allowed inside (except site guides). Bring what you want to eat and drink because nothing is for sale inside. The ruin campus is fairly compact; a couple of hours is all that’s needed.
Next up, cold beers! Ruin exit, walk to the road, turn left. Additional lefts lead to a series of low-slung resorts, small hotels and restaurants lining the beach. The Caribbean Riviera. A beautiful spot filled with vacationing families frolicking in the water, building sand castles, and enjoying the sun, beverages and lunch. We share a long picnic table table at one of the sand-floor restaurant / bars with another family and order drinks and fish tacos. All excellent.
By 3pm we’re done with lunch, and it’s so hot and windy, more of a beach walk isn’t of interest; we’re ready to return to Isla Mujeres. We walk back to the ADO bus station to exchange our tickets for an earlier bus. There’s a 3:30 departure but it’s full. Bummer. Next one is 4:50pm. Sooner than 5:30pm so we exchange our tickets and wait. The return bus trip is 2 hours, 40 min. A fast taxi ride to the ferry terminal gets us there for the 7:30pm departure. Whew! Back to the marina at 8pm it was a 13 hr excursion. We’re hot, sticky, sand-encrusted, and happy to be home. After a shower, drink & light snack we’re all ready for a good night’s sleep.