10 Best Day Trips from Tulum, Mexico [2024]

Perched along some of Mexico’s most stunning coastline, Tulum is the ultimate destination for a lazy, do-little-to-nothing beach vacation – it’s actually one of our favorite spots in Mexico for this type of getaway. But if you’re looking for adventure, Tulum can also be an incredible base from which to discover the best of one of Mexico’s most diverse regions.

Tulum is surrounded by gorgeous cenote sinkholes, hidden beaches, and ancient Mayan ruins that are sure to impress. Read on for the best day trips from Tulum, with an insider’s eye for how to best enjoy every day trip destination in the area.

Best Day Trips from Tulum

Tulum feels like it emerges from the dense jungles of the Yucatán all of a sudden, with a small but bursting-at-the-seams town center and fringe of powdery white sand coastline that puts even Cancún to shame. There’s plenty to do in Tulum itself, that’s for sure, but these are the best Tulum day trips to add to your itinerary if you’re looking for an even richer experience ~

• Best Day Trip from Tulum: Muyil
• Best Do-It-Yourself Day Trip from Tulum: Tulum’s Cenotes
• Best Day Trip from Tulum for Ruins: Coba and Chichen Itza (tie)

Tulum day trips generally focus on the area’s cenotes and ruins, though you’ll find plenty of small-group day trip excursions from Tulum that combine visits to a few different spots. These tend to be super popular if you’re looking for more bang for your buck and convenience in your itinerary.

Read on for all the details; you’ll find added notes about distances from Tulum to help you make a more informed decision about which day trips are worth adding to your itinerary.

1. Muyil

Best Day Trip from Tulum

With so many things to see and do around Tulum, it’s hard to narrow it down to one specific day trip destination that rises above all the rest. However, the sheer range of things to see and do around Muyil, located within the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, makes it a popular option whether you’re looking for ruins, cenotes, or pure adventure.

The area centers around the ruins of Muyil, also known as Chunyaxché, which were one of the longest-inhabited areas in the Mayan kingdom. While these ruins aren’t as impressive as those at Coba or Chichen Itza, they’re fascinating, and well worth an addition to your itinerary.

Muyil is also home to the breathtakingly beautiful Laguna de Muyil, a bright turquoise lagoon perfect for tranquil boat rides, and home to a unique lazy river that runs through dense mangroves. Guides hand out lifejackets and let visitors float down the “river,” spotting gorgeous flora and fauna as they relax in the crystal clear waters, making it easily one of the most popular things to do in Tulum.

Muyil is just over twenty minutes outside of Tulum, so it’s the perfect option for a half-day excursion or a full day spent enjoying everything the area has to offer; it’s no wonder why Muyil is easily the most popular day trip destination for Tulum visitors.

2. Tulum’s Cenotes

Best Do It Yourself Day Trip from Tulum

The Yucatán Peninsula is riddled with countless cave systems and, famously, cenotes. Cenotes are dramatic sinkholes surrounded by lush jungle, often filled with crystal-clear water and perfect for a refreshing dip in the heat of the day. No matter how much time you have to spend in Tulum, you won’t want to miss the experience of swimming in a cenote!

Small group day trips from Tulum tend to visit multiple cenotes, making these excursions a great way to experience a number of different cenotes for a relatively affordable price. However, if you can also easily rent a car for the day and explore on your own, even better for a totally customizable trip.

Which cenotes should you choose to visit? It’s up to you! There is an incredible array of cenotes around Tulum that we’d recommend for visitors, ranging from totally enclosed caves to larger cenote complexes complete with diving and snorkeling operations and restaurants. These are some of my top recommendations ~

• Best Cenotes for Snorkeling and Diving: Casa Cenote, Cenote Dos Ojos
• Best Cenotes for Animal Encounters: Cenote Jardin del Eden, Cenote Manatee
• Best “Hidden Gem” Cenotes: Cenote Calavera, Cenote Mil Columnas

3. Coba

Best Day Trip from Tulum for Ruins

The cliffside pyramids of Tulum, which sit along the area’s beaches, are stunning, but if you just can’t get enough of the ruins, consider adding a trip to Coba to your Tulum itinerary. This Mayan archeological site is less than an hour from Tulum and offers some of the most dramatic and impressive Mayan pyramids in the area.

When visiting Coba, you’ll see several structures, including the impossibly tall main pyramid at the complex. Visitors are allowed to climb the pyramid for a breathtaking view over the surrounding jungle canopy.

Truthfully, the ruins at Coba are not as impressive as the ruins at Chichen Itza. But then again, nothing is—the ruins at Chichen Itza are considered a new wonder of the world, after all. Coba is a fabulous representation of Mayan architecture, but it’s much more accessible and less crowded than the more famous Chichen Itza, making it a great option that we’d recommend to anyone.

You’ll find many small group excursions to Coba from Tulum that also include a stop at the ruins of Tulum and some of the cenotes in the area, as it is a popular stop on multi-site day trips from Tulum. They can be busy, but an incredible way to see lots of the area’s best attractions at once.

4. Chichen Itza

Best Day Trip from Tulum for Ruins

Tulum is an ideal location from which to visit Chichen Itza, easily the most stunning and well-preserved Mayan complex and archeological site in Mexico. Considered one of the seven new wonders of the world, Chichen Itza is just under two hours from Tulum and is well worth a visit, earning our pick for one of the best day trips from Tulum for ruins. Its dramatic central pyramid is one of the most recognizable images of Mexico.

Chichen Itza’s popularity means you’ll have no problem finding a plethora of ways to get there from Tulum, regardless of your budget. Small group day trips to Chichen Itza from Tulum tend to be much more manageable than those from Cancun, which can feel more large group experience than a small group one. Renting a car or taking a private excursion from Tulum is another way to experience the site, and allows for much more flexibility in the experience.

4. Sian Ka’an

The largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a sprawling 1.3 million-acre reserve hugging the coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula. It protects everything from forests and unique fauna to ancient ruins and coral reefs and is easily one of the most popular day trip destinations from Tulum.

A number of the other destinations on this list, including Muyil and Punta Allen, are actually found within the Reserve, though there is much, much more to see here than just these two sites. Visitors also love bird-watching tours, snorkeling and diving excursions along coastal reefs, and other community-led tours.

While it is possible to visit the park on your own, we don’t recommend it due to its ultra-remote and relatively unexplored nature. If you’re looking for a richer experience than you can get in just one day, consider spending the right in Sian Ka’an. Development is exceedingly limited in the area, but properties like the luxurious Casa Chablé – one of the best resorts in all of Mexico – and some tiny, affordable boutique properties in Punta Allen like Hotel Cielo y Selva, welcome visitors overnight in the park.

6. Laguna Kaan Luum

Laguna Kaan Luum is a body of water so magical that you have to see it to believe it. It closely resembles the famed Laguna of Seven Colors in nearby Bacalar on the Yucatán Peninsula, with its dramatic contrast of impossibly light green turquoise hues near the coastline and deep blues beyond.

What is the secret of this multi-colored water? At the heart of this deep laguna, there is an underwater cenote sinkhole, much deeper than the water in the rest of the laguna. From above, you can clearly see the outline of the cenote; if you have a drone, this is the place to give it a test run for some impressive images!

Laguna Kaan Luum is another great half-day trip from Tulum for those looking to do a day trip experience on their own. Just a short 15-minute drive outside of Tulum, Laguna Kaan Luum can be easily visited via rental car or taxi and is the perfect addition to an already full itinerary if you’re looking to take in one of the area’s most beautiful natural sites.

7. Punta Allen

Get off the beaten path, both literally and figuratively, and head to the remote town of Punta Allen in the southern part of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Located about three to four hours south of Tulum along what is (truly!) known as “Mexico’s worst road,” Punta Allen is far from a true there-and-back day trip from Tulum, but makes for a great overnight or weekend destination.

What’s so special about this remote destination? Punta Allen’s untouched and undeveloped nature makes it a great base from which to explore areas of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve that few others get to see. Locally owned and operated Cooperativa Punta Allen is a great excursion provider in town, offering experiences to spot dolphins and turtles, embark on snorkeling tours, and go deep-sea fishing. It’s a combination of eco-tourism and adventure experiences you’ll love.

8. Xcaret

Xcaret is one of the most important hotel and theme park groups in Mexico, set in the Cancún and Playa del Carmen area and offering big-time attractions and excitement. Older kids will go crazy for activities at the array of Xcaret theme parks, like rafting and swimming in underground rivers, while younger kids will enjoy interacting with baby turtles, splash pads, and playgrounds.

However, you don’t need to be a kid to enjoy Xcaret. From dinner shows that artfully cover the rich, layered history of the Riviera Maya to breathtaking adventurous activities and incredible dining options, the Xcaret parks are definitely ones that adults will love as well.

To reach the Xcaret parks from Tulum, you’ll first have to get to Playa del Carmen. With extremely frequent bus and shuttle service between Tulum and Playa del Carmen, this tends to be pretty. easy You can also plan on renting a car in Tulum to reach Xcaret on your own or can arrange for a private transfer to take you straight to the parks.

9. Valladolid

History buffs looking for a memorable day trip from Tulum should consider a stop in the Spanish colonial town of Valladolid at the very center of the Yucatán Peninsula. Gorgeous historic streets lined with colorful facades and ornate churches make Valladolid a unique destination in the Yucatán Peninsula, and a breath of fresh air if you’re tired of the beach (if that is even possible).

Valladolid is also a convenient access point to the ruins of Chichen Itza, which are just about 45 minutes into the jungle from the colonial heart of the city. This makes Valladolid a popular addition to Chichen Itza day trips from Tulum. Many of the most popular Chichen Itza day trips from Tulum also include a stop here, though it can be a quick one.

Valladolid could easily be a destination where to spend at least a few days exploring and enjoying – I actually recommend it for that rather than just a quick visit! However, as a day trip from Tulum, it has plenty to offer, too, especially for those looking for an experience beyond the cenotes and ruins of the rest of the region.

10. Playa del Carmen

Just over an hour north of Tulum, Playa del Carmen is one of the Yucatán Peninsula’s most popular destinations. Much like Cancún, Playa del Carmen is now dominated by an impenetrable wall of beachfront resorts, making it a popular spot for an all-inclusive getaway.

Playa del Carmen itself doesn’t tend to be as popular of a day trip from Tulum; after all, you’ll find much of the same beautiful beachfront, sparkling cenote sinkholes, and ancient ruins near Playa del Carmen that you’ll find in Tulum as well. However, with attractions like the Xcaret parks and oversized resorts, it can be a popular addition to any itinerary in the Riviera Maya.