The Best Day Trips From Tulum
Best Day Trips From Tulum
With so many things to do in and around Tulum, you might feel overwhelmed by options!
But if you’re looking for the best day trips to take you out of the city or away from the beach clubs for a day, here’s a list of my top recommendations!
Join me in Mexico in 2022 for Día de Muertos!
Snorkel with the sea turtles in Akumal
Distance from Tulum: 25 minutes
You might have not heard of this little town but it should be on your bucket list for a trip to Mexico given that it’s the best place to snorkel alongside wild sea turtles!
The small rural town of Akumal is just 25 minutes from Tulum. You can easily take a taxi round trip or take the local “collectivo” bus for only 45 pesos ($2.50 USD).
When you arrive, you’ll need to book a tour because parts of the reef are protected to ensure that people don’t touch or harass the turtles (which I fully support!!) so you can only access them with a local guide. Tours aren’t expensive and can be booked onsite!
Want to turn your day trip into an overnight visit?
Budget Hostel: El Padrino
Glamping: Akumal Natura Glamping
Resort: Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness Resort
Akumal is small but the beach is beautiful, the town is full of street art and you can visit some animal sanctuaries. I opted for an overnight trip here but many people just go roundtrip in a day from Tulum!
Chichen Itza Road Trip
Distance from Tulum: 2 hours
Chichen Itza is the most visited site in all of a Mexico and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! This Mayan civilization thrived around 600 A.D. to the 1200s and is home to the massive step pyramid, known as El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan.
I recommend skipping on the group tour and renting a car for the day. The drive is super easy and then you can arrive before the tour buses do! Get there right when Chichen Itza opens to avoid the crowds and the heat.
When you’ve finished at the ruins, be sure to go cool off in a nearby cenote afterwards. I recommend Ik Kil & Oxman.
Drive back to Tulum via the colorful town of Valladolid. Just be off the roads by dark for safety!
Read: VISITING CHICHEN ITZA FROM TULUM
Ancient Coba Ruins
Distance from Tulum: 45 minutes
This ancient Mayan settlement surrounded by two lagoons makes for a fascinating day trip.
You can book a taxi round trip from Tulum, book a tour or rent a car to reach the ruins.
Once you arrive, you can hire private tour guides for a walking tour or for small fee you can have a guide show you around the ruins via a tricycle. I recommend the bikes, it’s a lot of fun!
Read: VISITING THE COBA RUINS IN MEXICO –
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Sian Ka’an Biosphere
Distance from Tulum: 40 min to Visitor Center
The stunning Sian Ka’an Biosphere is enormous but from Tulum to the Visitor Center it’s less than an hour.
This protected area is one of Mexico’s most pristine nature reserves. And visiting here from Tulum will be a full day trip!
I suggest booking a trip like this wildlife boat tour if you want to see dolphins, turtles and manatees living together in their natural habitat.
Snorkel, ATV, Zipline and Swim in Cenotes with Aventuras Mayas
Distance from Tulum: 35 minutes
The Aventuras Mayas main location is less than an hour from Tulum but they offer round trip transportation for their tours!
If you want to do all the of the classic Mexico excursions at once without the crowds, this is your chance!
In your tour, you get to snorkel through the most spectacular cavernous cenote I’ve ever seen, zipline over the jungle and drive your own ATV on a track totally suitable for beginners!
What was most remarkable about this tour was the private Cenote Estrella. Never in my life have I snorkeled in a cenote like this! I cannot recommend the experience enough.
Read: AVENTURAS MAYAS: AVOID THE CROWDS WITH THIS ADVENTUROUS TOUR COMPANY IN RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO!
Overnight Trip: Cozumel
Another great trip from Tulum is the island of Cozumel!
And while you could reach it in a single day, I would recommend booking a night on the island so you aren’t having to do the ferry crossing twice in one day/traveling back to Tulum after dark.
You can take the ADO bus or the local “collectivo” bus to Playa del Carmen which is just under an hour away from Tulum. Buy your ferry tickets when you arrive and go enjoy island life in Cozumel! The reef is incredible for diving and snorkeling.
Check the ferry schedule here.
