Tulum Ruins, Playa de México One of the main beaches to explore is the “secret beach” below the ruins. Also known as “Playa Ruinas”, it's very easy to overlook this protected beach, hidden by the surrounding cliffs and ruins. The paradise you see here is Tulum Ruins Beach. This impressive little corner of the Earth is located in the ruins of Tulum, which are located within the Tulum National Park.
It has one main public beach, Playa Paraiso. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico and attracts thousands of visitors every year. While Playa Paraiso is quite popular, it's not as crowded as Playa Ruinas. You can access Tulum Ruins Beach via a wooden staircase.
The beach is open from 10 in the morning and is relatively empty until 11 in the morning. I recommend going as soon as possible, as it's crowded. In terms of food, the cities of Tulum offer a wide variety of foods, from elegant spots like Unico to numerous affordable taco stands that line the main avenue. Tulum is famous for its beautiful beaches, but there are plenty of other amazing things to do in Tulum and the surrounding state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.
While there are great beaches in Tulum, there are other fantastic beaches in the Tulum metropolitan area. Right in front of El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescos is one of the best preserved and most spectacular buildings in the Tulum ruins. Some tours also have the option of visiting other places that are close to Tulum, such as the Gran Cenote. The sand is still excellent and the water is beautiful, although in my opinion it is not as beautiful as the beaches in the north of Tulum.
Tulum's beaches stretch for miles with silky-soft white sand and the beautiful turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Playa Ruinas is located under the spectacular cliffs of the Tulum ruins, lined by dozens of palm trees and white, silky sand that dominate the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. The trip to the Tulum ruins from Cancun airport takes around an hour and a half and costs around 1700 pesos (~ 90 USD). Most importantly, since getting drinking water in Tulum often requires disposable plastic bottles that ruin Tulum's beach, consider carrying a LifeStraw filtration system: it's a simple bottle that filters your drinking water as you go, and it's a way to do your part to save Tulum's environment from overtourism.
The Selina Tulum hostel offers beachfront accommodation with just about every comfort you could ask for, from free self-service parking to free Wi-Fi, food and drink. Taxis are almost everywhere in Playa del Carmen, and just about everyone knows how to get to the ruins of Tulum. Take a tour: If you're like me and prefer the convenience of having all the logistics done for you, booking a tour from Playa del Carmen to the Tulum ruins is a great option for you. On the South Beach, most parking is now controlled by resorts and restaurants, but there are also private lots that charge around 200 pesos a day.
From Puerto Morelos to the ruins of Tulum there are approximately 95 kilometers (59 miles) through Cancun and Akumal on Highway 307.
