Directions & access
The Tulum ruins sit right off Highway 307 on the Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo, which makes them one of the easiest Maya sites to reach from the resort towns. Here is every way to get there, and what to expect once you arrive.
Most visitors come on a guided day trip, and for good reason: nearly every tour includes round-trip hotel transport, so you avoid the drive, the parking and the queue at the ticket booth. A guide also handles the practicalities of the separate gate fees. You can compare the best-reviewed options among our top Tulum tours or the full list of Tulum ruins tours.
Highway 307 runs straight past the site, and the turn-off to the ruins is well signed. There is a paid car park near the entrance; from there it is about an 800-metre walk to the gate, or you can take the small shuttle “train” that runs the route for a modest fee. Arrive close to opening for the best chance at a parking space and the coolest part of the day.
ADO buses run frequently down the coast to Tulum town; from the town it is a short taxi or colectivo ride to the ruins. Colectivos — shared vans — also run along Highway 307 and will drop you near the access road. Taxis from Tulum town are inexpensive and the quickest door-to-door option if you are already staying nearby.
If you are staying on Cozumel, take the passenger ferry from the island across to Playa del Carmen — about 45 minutes — then continue south to Tulum by tour, car or colectivo, roughly another hour. Many Cozumel day tours to the ruins build the ferry crossing into the price, which saves juggling separate tickets and timetables.
The site is busiest and hottest from late morning to early afternoon, when tour coaches and cruise groups tend to arrive together. Coming right at the 8:00 am opening — or in the last hour or two before the 3:30 pm cut-off — means thinner crowds, softer light for photographs and far more bearable temperatures on the exposed clifftop, where there is almost no shade.
Access to the archaeological zone now runs through the Parque del Jaguar area, reorganised since 2024. You buy the INAH archaeological ticket at the booths, and the separate park fees are collected here too — bring pesos in cash. The site opens daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, with last entry at 3:30 pm. The full breakdown of tickets and fees is on the plan your visit page, and the layout of the site itself is on the site map page.
The main paths through the site are wide and mostly level, but there are some steps, uneven stone underfoot, and a wooden staircase down to the beach. There is very little shade, so bring a hat, water and reef-safe sunscreen. Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours to walk the site at a comfortable pace, and remember that the structures can no longer be climbed.
Book a guided Tulum tour with round-trip transport and free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead — the easiest way to reach the ruins.