Tulum or Coba Mayan ruins?

Hi, We'll be in Cozumel off Regal Princess on Dec. 9th, and can't decide between the Coba and Tulum Mayan ruins. Does anyone who's been there have any suggestions?

Thanks.

Coba are more impressive but further away - a long day of travel for a relatively short time at the ruins.

Tulum are closer, smaller and the trip usually involves a short stop at the beach.

Your call.

depends what you are looking for....

Coba is more impressive if you are really interested in the Mayan history, with a huge pyramid and ball court. MOST of the ruins of the city are still under jungle growth. It is out in the jungle, very hot, very remote, and not many people. You can climb the pyramid and see over the top of the jungle for miles and miles.

Tulum is a minor city in Mayan history, near the end of the empire, but it sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It is pretty, but smaller buildings, no ball court, no huge pyramid, and zillions of people. You cannot climb any buildings or touch anything.

Coba is much less crowded than Toulum. From my experience Toulum is full of people from Cancun with their selfie sticks. The distance to Coba makes it more deserted. It is a much more interesting site. You get a real taste of a jungle archaeological site. Take a ship tour, the excursion tends to run late. Last time we did it, the ferry waited for us. Even then we had to run through the streets, traffic was so bad.

Depends on what you want - Tulum is much more developed as both an archeological site and a tourist attraction. Tulum is perched on a cliff by the sea and it is possible to get down to the beach for a swim - if the sargassum isn't too bad. One isn't allowed to clamber around on the ruins and the pathways through the town are easily managed. The sea breezes help moderate the temperatures, especially in the warmer months.

Logistically, Coba is further away requiring more time. It is a much less developed archeological site and obtaining guide books about Coba would be in one's interest. You can climb the pyramid - at least you could several years ago. While the climb is not particularly difficult - there's a rope for a hand-hold - medical care is not close in case of accidents. The site is in the jungle and can be quite hot. For us Coba was more interesting in that one can gain an appreciation for just what archeologists are required do in their pursuits of knowledge. Only a portion of Coba has been uncovered and one can feel like an adventurer there. Coba also has much fewer visitors than Tulum.

Thanks so much for the replies and opinions. Sounds like Coba may be more to our liking.

Jim

Thanks so much for the replies and opinions. Sounds like Coba may be more to our liking.

 

Jim

We were on the Carnival Breeze, with the Coba excursion booked for April 21st. Sadly, it was cancelled due to not enough participation. :( Hearing all these stories makes me even more bummed to have missed it!