Ruinas Tulum parking — Attraction in Quintana Roo

Ok, so I have seen a lot of negative reviews for this place and a lot of people who did not have a good time. I can honestly say my partner and I had an AMAZING time at the ruins. First things First, was it more on the pricey side... maybe? Yes, there were multiple "costs" to visit the ruins. We paid for parking, the lot was nice and we were near the kiosk where the workers were. We had to pay the government tax. There was also a tram fee, but it was optional, I definitely recommend it because it's a bit of a walk to the ruins. We also had to pay for tickets to enter the park. And finally, we splurged and paid an additional amount for the snorkeling excursion. When it was all said and done it came out to be around 60 dollars per person in total. Pricey? Maybe, but in my op they were all expected costs to enter what is basically a national park. I would absolutely pay for it again. I recommend getting there as early as possible before the tour groups show up. We got there around 930am and the park was relatively empty. After walking around for around an hour the larger tour groups began to arrive. Another optional cost that we chose to forgo was the guided tour. We just wandered and explored. It was so cool seeing these buildings that have stood for so long. After we finished with the ruins we took another tram ride to the beach area for snorkeling. A short walk to the beach from the road and you are at a series of stands. You give them your ticket they load you up and take you out on the ocean. You get stunning views of the ruins. Then it's off to two different spots on the reef. Wow! I can honestly say that this was in the same league as some of the snorkeling I've done in Hawaii. The water was crystal clear, the sea life was super abundant, and the reef was vibrant and full of life. It was at the end of our excursion that paying that extra for the tram paid off. It was super hot and we were pretty tired, and that ride came in clutch. So yes I would definitely go back and pay to do it all again. And no I don't feel that we got...

As others have stated, this is the official ruins parking. We paid $100 MXN in late 2024, but prices around the ruins seem to change constantly, so have plenty of cash and expect prices to be different than what you see in reviews.

We arrived at 8:15 AM on a Sunday and were one of the first to park. After paying for parking, you will need to find the ticket office for the Jaguar National Park past a few shops. The park is newly formed and contains the ruins and the beaches south of the ruins. This includes some nice new infrastructure, most of which is unfortunately not in use yet. You then walk down a road to the ruins entrance where you will need to pay another fee to enter the ruins. These fees are currently not high, not nearly as costly as Chichen Itza. After touring the ruins with or without a guide (the official guides are at the ruins ticket office), I would definitely recommend checking out the gorgeous beaches south of the ruins. The access cost to these is included in the Jaguar National Park fee you already paid, and there is easy access straight from the ruins; you can be on a beach within 5 minutes of leaving the ruin walls and you can easily return to the parking area on the beach road. There are some beach clubs where you can rent spots for a few hundred pesos, but the beaches themselves are public and do not require you to pay a beach club. The parking appears to be good all day as we were there for several hours.

Also, shout out to the National Guard folks working at the site and people in general. My partner lost her phone at the site, but it was found and turned in after we told the security guards. I'm not sure that would have happened anywhere...

Besides of visiting the arquelógical site of Tulum ruins, it is a must to enjoy all the activities that the shopping-parking area has to offer. Such as : The body painted guys dress as mayan warriors with feathers that offers you to take pictures with them for a fee. Or the Papantla flying dancers that works on tips after their show. Or the mechanic gondola that offers a view from the heigths, Or the Mistic Museum, The Handcrafts Shops. Try a "natural Tepache drink" that is like a kambucha made with pinaple, from the guy in a tricicle carring the "Tepache" in a wood barril. Or drink cold coconst water, direct from the coconut. Or buy "Rambutan fruit" from the guys on the road to take home, and have them a healthy snacks to enjoy watching TV. Hire a guide to learn more having a guided tour in the arquelógical site. Eat in one of the restaurants, "Don Cafeto" is a clasic and my favorite, with their "Filete Tampiqueña", and while waiting for your food, they bring to the table complimentary pickled veggies: carrots, baby potatoes, garlic, but be carefull they migth be a little spice hot because of the Jalapeño chile in...