This is one of the many wonderful places housed by the Mexican Caribbean: the walled city of Tulum. Built by the Maya civilization during the post-classic period, today it is a National Park that still conserves its beauty and mysticism in each of its buildings.
Beginning the tour
Be prepared to walk 1 km from the vehicle access point to the archeological site of Tulum through an earthy path surrounded by lush flora and fauna leading to the only walled city built by the Mayas, while immersing yourself in their world. The journey will be worth the reward.
Finally, you will come upon a wall made of perfectly fitted rocks, pass through a narrow tunnel designed to fit its first residents, and then reach the stunning city.
The city was home to priests, astronomers, mathematicians, architects, and engineers. Common people lived outside the walled city.
During the tour, you can appreciate information in each ruin showing how this powerful indigenous society excelled in pottery, scriptures, medicine, and astronomy, and also see the level of complexity and development in each monument.
On one side of the sea is one of the most emblematic and ancient symbols here, El Castillo, a lighthouse intended to be a reference for those who sailed across the open sea. But before reaching it, you will encounter the Temple of the Descending God, one of the most enigmatic structures of the Mayan world.
Temple of the Descending God
Seen from a frontal plane, the Temple of the Descending God seems inclined to the right and gives the impression of collapsing at any moment. However, the Mayas constructed it like that intentionally, lining up at dawn so that when the sun rises, the room which has been in shadows all year, is illuminated for an instant by a ray of sunshine considered a communication channel with their god K’in, the sun.
To finalize the tour, Tulum offers a majestic landscape, Paradise Beach, with white sand and turquoise water, listed as one of the most photographed beaches in Mexico. This beach is referenced in many literary works, films, and video games and is ranked number one by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards.
Visiting this national park and closely learning each majestic structure’s history is without a doubt a must during your trip to the Riviera Maya.
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