Tulum itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Tulum, day by day: the Maya ruins above the Caribbean at opening time, Playa Paraíso, ceviche at El Camello and tacos in town, then the Cobá ruins and the cenotes on the Cobá road, Car Wash, Gran Cenote and Calavera, and with a third day the Muyil ruins and the Sian Ka'an canals, the Kaan Luum lagoon and Dos Ojos. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Tulum in 1 day
Day 1
Tulum archaeological zone (El Castillo)
Walled Maya port city on a cliff above the Caribbean, with El Castillo and the Temple of the Frescoes, now inside the Parque del Jaguar.
Playa Paraíso
Wide white-sand beach just south of the ruins, with palms, turquoise water and beach clubs; mornings are calmest.
El Camello Jr
Local seafood restaurant at the south end of Avenida Tulum, known for big ceviches, fish tacos and seafood cocktails; it fills up at lunch.
Cenote Calavera
Small cenote near town called the Skull for its three openings, where swimmers jump from the edge into the cool water.
Tulum Pueblo (Avenida Tulum and Parque Dos Aguas)
Tulum's town along busy Avenida Tulum, with Parque Dos Aguas, the main square, where families gather in the evening around food stalls.
Antojitos La Chiapaneca
Busy, simple taco spot in town loved by locals for tacos al pastor, panuchos and salbutes, open late into the evening.
Tulum in 2 days
Day 1
Tulum archaeological zone (El Castillo)
Walled Maya port city on a cliff above the Caribbean, with El Castillo and the Temple of the Frescoes, now inside the Parque del Jaguar.
Playa Paraíso
Wide white-sand beach just south of the ruins, with palms, turquoise water and beach clubs; mornings are calmest.
Laguna Kaan Luum
Shallow turquoise lagoon south of Tulum with a deep, dark cenote in its centre, wooden platforms and swings over the water.
El Camello Jr
Local seafood restaurant at the south end of Avenida Tulum, known for big ceviches, fish tacos and seafood cocktails; it fills up at lunch.
Tulum Pueblo (Avenida Tulum and Parque Dos Aguas)
Tulum's town along busy Avenida Tulum, with Parque Dos Aguas, the main square, where families gather in the evening around food stalls.
Day 2
Cobá ruins
Large Maya city in the jungle around lagoons, with the tall Nohoch Mul pyramid and white sacbe roads explored by bike.
Cenote Car Wash (Aktun Ha)
Open cenote on the Cobá road, once used by taxi drivers to wash their cars, with water lilies and a cave popular with divers.
Gran Cenote
Popular cenote on the Cobá road with clear water, caverns, turtles and wooden platforms, good for snorkelling among stalactites.
Cenote Calavera
Small cenote near town called the Skull for its three openings, where swimmers jump from the edge into the cool water.
Antojitos La Chiapaneca
Busy, simple taco spot in town loved by locals for tacos al pastor, panuchos and salbutes, open late into the evening.
Tulum in 3 days
Day 1
Tulum archaeological zone (El Castillo)
Walled Maya port city on a cliff above the Caribbean, with El Castillo and the Temple of the Frescoes, now inside the Parque del Jaguar.
Playa Paraíso
Wide white-sand beach just south of the ruins, with palms, turquoise water and beach clubs; mornings are calmest.
El Camello Jr
Local seafood restaurant at the south end of Avenida Tulum, known for big ceviches, fish tacos and seafood cocktails; it fills up at lunch.
Tulum Pueblo (Avenida Tulum and Parque Dos Aguas)
Tulum's town along busy Avenida Tulum, with Parque Dos Aguas, the main square, where families gather in the evening around food stalls.
Day 2
Cobá ruins
Large Maya city in the jungle around lagoons, with the tall Nohoch Mul pyramid and white sacbe roads explored by bike.
Cenote Car Wash (Aktun Ha)
Open cenote on the Cobá road, once used by taxi drivers to wash their cars, with water lilies and a cave popular with divers.
Gran Cenote
Popular cenote on the Cobá road with clear water, caverns, turtles and wooden platforms, good for snorkelling among stalactites.
Cenote Calavera
Small cenote near town called the Skull for its three openings, where swimmers jump from the edge into the cool water.
Antojitos La Chiapaneca
Busy, simple taco spot in town loved by locals for tacos al pastor, panuchos and salbutes, open late into the evening.
Day 3
Muyil ruins and the Sian Ka'an floating canals
Small Maya site at the edge of Sian Ka'an, where boats cross the lagoons to an ancient canal for a slow float.
Laguna Kaan Luum
Shallow turquoise lagoon south of Tulum with a deep, dark cenote in its centre, wooden platforms and swings over the water.
Dos Ojos cenotes
Two linked sinkholes north of Tulum forming the 'Two Eyes', with clear water and caverns for snorkelling and well-known cave diving.
Watch: Tulum
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Tulum
The dry season from December to April has the most reliable weather and the biggest crowds. From about May to September sargassum seaweed can pile up on the beaches, and June to November is hurricane season, wettest in September and October. The cenotes are good all year, a cool escape from the heat.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Tulum on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Tulum on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Tulum on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Mexico from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Tulum
- The Tulum ruins are now reached through the Parque del Jaguar national park, with its own entrance and ticket on top of the ruins ticket; go at opening to beat the heat and tour buses.
- Cenotes ask you to shower before swimming and not to wear sunscreen or repellent; many take cash only, so carry pesos.
- The Sian Ka'an canal float is a boat tour from Muyil with a local guide; go in the morning, wear the life vest and bring insect repellent for the jungle path.
- A bike is the easy way between town, the beach and the ruins; a car or colectivo vans along Highway 307 reach the cenotes, Cobá, Muyil and Dos Ojos.
- Climbing Cobá's Nohoch Mul pyramid is no longer allowed; rent a bike or ride a tricycle taxi along the long white sacbe paths between the groups.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Cenote Calavera: Offthebeatonpath, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cenote Car Wash (Aktun Ha): Eduardo Manchon, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cobá ruins: O.Mustafin, CC0
- Dos Ojos cenotes: Dag Lindgren, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gran Cenote: anjči from London, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Muyil ruins and the Sian Ka'an floating canals: Pierre-Selim Huard, CC BY 4.0
- Playa Paraíso: Erik Cleves Kristensen, CC BY 2.0
- Tulum Pueblo (Avenida Tulum and Parque Dos Aguas): Dennis Sylvester Hurd, CC BY 2.0
- Tulum archaeological zone (El Castillo): Popo le Chien, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
