he Maya site may have been formerly also known by the name Zama, meaning city of Dawn. Tulúm is also the Yucatec Mayan word for fence or wall (or trench), and the walls surrounding the site allowed the Tulum fort to serve as a defense against invasion. From the numerous depictions in murals and other works around the site, Tulum appears to have been an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. While an inscription dated A.D. 564 has been found at the site, most of the structures now visible were built in the Post-Classic Era, between about 1200 and 1450. The city remained occupied through the early years of the Spanish conquest of Yucatán, but was abandoned by the end of the 16th century. Local Maya continued to visit the temples, to burn incense and pray, until the late 20th century, when tourists visiting the site became too numerous for the local inhabitants.

Curled up between the white sand that draws the crystalline beaches of the Caribbean Sea and the exhuberant tropical forest lie the enigmatic one you take care of Mayan of Tulum, the only one constructed next to the sea. It is located in the Yucatan Peninsula in the State of Quintana Roo, to the Southeastern of Mexico, in the North border of the reserve of

the Biosphere of Sian káan. 145 km are located to the south of the cosmopolitan city of Cancún. Tulum is divided in three different areas, the Hotel Zone, the Town and the Archaeological Zone.

Visitors are now able to experience the site due to the illumination of the site’s most emblematic monuments.
A new option to appreciate the nature and architecture of the archeological site.There are new evening tours being organized in the archeological zone

of Tulum, enhanced by audio guides in different languages. The goal of the new project is to attractively present the history of this archeological site and to expand the operating schedule to accommodate the increased number of visitors.

Tulum is like Chichen Itza but on a smaller scale. If you only have time to do one, do Chichen Itza. If you have plenty of time, you can use Tulum as

practice for taking pictures of Mayan ruins and then go to Chichen Itza. Tulum's ruins are less spectacular and you are not allowed to climb most of them. The unique aspect of Tulum is its seaside location. As there is no place to eat at Tulum itself, you may want to pack a picnic lunch and have it on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. There is a long uncrowded stretch to the right of the main temple. Because a trip to Tulum only takes about half a day, make sure to book one of the combined tours: morning in Tulum and afternoon snorkeling in Xel-Ha.

The archaeological site is relatively compact (compared with many other Maya sites in the vicinity), and is one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites. Its proximity to the modern tourism developments along the Mexican Caribbean coastline (the so-called "Riviera Maya" surrounding Cancún) has made it a popular destination for tourists.

Daily tour buses bring a constant stream of visitors to the site. The Tulum ruins are the third most-visited archaeological site in Mexico, after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza. It is popular for the picturesque view of the Caribbean and a location just 128 km (80 miles) south of the popular beach resort of Cancún. A large number of cenotes are located in the Tulum area such as Maya Blue, Naharon, Temple of Doom, Tortuga, Vacaha, Gand Cenote, Abejas, Nohoch Kiin and Carwash cenotes and cave systems. The amount and beauty of these underwater caves have developed this area for into a hot spot for cave divers who like to cave dive in these cristal clear caverns and caves. The tourist destination is now divided into three main areas: the archaeological site, the pueblo (or town), and the zona hotelera (or hotel zone).