Tulum for an excursion

[foxden]

We will be on the Westerdam and unfortunately will not have enough time to go to Chichen Itza. Do you recommend Tulum. The excursion is from 6:30 (ugh!) to 2 PM. I really want our kids to get a flavor of the ruins. Thanks:)

[RuthC]

I can't stand heat and humidity. I have trouble walking long distances, and a great deal of trouble walking on rugged terrain.

I took this tour and am very glad I did! It was hot; it was humid. It was a long, hard walk.
It was worth it.

Go, and enjoy.

[sandydownunder]

We did this tour in April. Presume you will be doing it from Cosumel ? A pleasant fast ferry ride over to Playa del Carmen, bus pick up to Tulum. Wonderful experience seeing the ruins in such a lovely setting by the sea. It was hot, but we thought the walk was very easy and not rugged at all. It wasn't a paved path but it was reasonable. There was an open air train that you could take from the shops/cafe area for a couple of dollars, but the distance was very small. We are in our sixties so if you are taking children you must be younger and fitter than us and you'll do it easily. What a great trip for your children seeing the Mayan civilizaton first hand. The cafe is nice for a cool drink when you return. A group of Mayan decendents perform a traditional pole dance in costume near by. They require tips if you take a photo. (like buskers)
Have a wonderful time.

[fsdj1097]

We took the Tulum tour in March and it was still pretty warm. We took plenty of water.

The walk is not bad at all.

One thing to be aware of. If you are a blood donor and take this tour, because you traveled outside of a city, you will not be able to donate blood for 1 year.

Also, on our excursion, the bus stopped for a "bathroom break", which is actually a place for the locals to try and sell to a captive audience. I wouldn't recommend the restrooms!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been to Tulum - loved it.

We have also been to Chichen Itza - REALLY GREAT - too bad you don't have enough time to go there.

But definitely go to Tulum.

As for bathrooms - we always take advantage of break stops - and the bathroom breaks here are much better than in many places we visited in Europe.

[jhannah]

We loved Tulum. And, sure enough ... I was deferred for one year as a blood donor because that area is considered a malaria risk.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Neither of us can donate blood for health reasons ---

BUT

Our doctor still had us take larium pills knowing that we would be in a "jungle" area.

[florida_mom]

Tulum is beautiful and well worth the trip. The cliffs overlooking the ocean are a wonderful view and the iguanas walking up the steps of one of the temples made for a great picture for my scrapbook. :) Bring a suit because there is a nice beach there. I wished I had brought mine. Enjoy!

[Randyk47]

Absolutely go to Tulum. There are some pictures of our time in Tulum on our webpage: www.geocities.com/theklugspage/ (http://www.geocities.com/theklugspage/)

[jfishe]

We took the Tulum tour in July of 2003. It was amazing. Our 15 year old son says it was the best thing he has ever seen (and he's seen ALOT for his 15 years !!). My tips:
-Book directly through the cruise line. We had booked through HAL and ended up being almost one hour late back to the ship. The ship waited for everyone....whew.
-The ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen can be a bit rough. Especially so early in the morning. We counted 17 people on the ferry that were seasick.
- have the kids wear a swimsuit and bring a towel off the ship. There is a great little beach at Tulum (with a lifeguard). The tour guide gives you some time to wander the ruins on your own and you can cool off in the ocean !
- don't forget sunscreen and bottled water