Day Trips from Tulum: 5 Amazing Nearby Destinations 

There’s no doubt that Tulum’s beaches are amazing.  Turquoise waves gently crashing onto a golden shore lined with infinite palm trees…  I could spend days just lounging there.  But there is so much more to explore around Tulum as well!  If you’re feeling adventurous, venture out and explore some of these amazing day trips from Tulum.  The plus side is most of them are not too far away. So, if you get an early start, you can be back on the beach all afternoon!

Muyil Ruins and Sian Kaan Biosphere: Not to be missed underrated day trips from Tulum!

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is filled with Mayan ruins!  It can be overwhelming trying to decide which ones to visit on your trip.  If you’re looking to find a great hidden gem that’s not too far and not crowded Muyil is the perfect spot for one of your day trips from Tulum.

The archeological site of Muyil is also one of the entrances into the Sian Kaan Biosphere, so visiting both is super easy!  Muyil is located about 20 minutes drive from downtown Tulum.  It’s easily reached by car or taxi, or you can take a collective, or minibus, to the ruins as well.  The ticket to enter the Muyil ruins is $80 MXN (about $4 USD). 

If you want to get some great pictures of Mayan ruins without crowds—this is the best place for it!   I arrived around 9 am on a weekday morning and I was the only person there.  What felt the most magical to me was how the trees have not been cleared from the site of the ruins at Muyil. You really feel that you are exploring them within the jungle!  Walking along the jungle paths kindled in me my childhood dreams of becoming Indiana Jones… exploring ancient ruins hidden in the jungle.  

Tip: Don’t forget bug spray!  Because the Muyil ruins are in the jungle, there were a ton of mosquitos!  I forgot my bug spray and I ended up with so many mosquito bites. Don’t be like me and do come prepared!

Getting to the Sian Kaan Biosphere

Continuing on the jungle path in Muyil, you’ll see a sign for the Sian Kaan Biosphere entrance.  There is a small entrance booth where you can pay the entrance fee. Then it is just a short 1 km hike through the lush jungle to the boat launch.   

One of the highlights of visiting the Sian Kaan Biosphere is taking a boat tour through the canals.  The price for the boat tour is pretty steep at $1000 MXN pesos per person, but it is the best way to experience the Sian Kaan Biopshere.  You’ll get to explore the Mayan canals, and even float down them as well! 

Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to Sian Kaan as planned due to my fiasco with forgetting bug spray, getting eaten alive by mosquitos and then… it started to rain.  So I made the decision to head back to my car and get back to downtown for some lunch instead of trekking through the jungle in a downpour.  But it is at the top of my list for my next Tulum trip!

Laguna Kaan Luum

Have you seen pictures of Bacalar, the lagoon of seven colors?  Bacalar is a couple hours south, making it a little far for one of your day trips from Tulum.  But if you want to visit a colorful lagoon that’s a little closer, Laguna Kaan Luum is only a 15 minute drive from downtown Tulum!  While it’s no where near as large as Laguna Bacalar, it is a beautiful and relaxing place to spend some time and escape the crowds. 

The center of the lagoon is an open cenote.  Standing from the observation deck, you can see the center of the lagoon is a dark blue circle.  People often scuba dive in the cenote as well. The rest of the lagoon is shallow, with a soft clay bottom.  The clay is a great for your skin.  When I visited, everyone was rubbing it onto their skin, it’s an all natural spa! 

The shallow water makes this a perfect place to swim, float, and relax on a hot afternoon.  There are swings and hammocks set up in the lagoon making it great for relaxing and a super cute photo op.   

Coba Ruins: One of the classic day trips from Tulum

The Coba ruins are located about a 45 minute drive from downtown making a great option for one of your day trips from Tulum. If you haven’t got transportation, there are many tours you can join like this one. The archeological site itself is pretty large. After you enter you can get a ride on a rickshaw through the site or rent bicycles.  Walking takes about 2 hours to get through the entire site.  On bike it takes about an hour. 

Like Muyil, Coba is also located within the trees and forest of the jungle.  So it’s a good idea to bring some bug spray here as well!

If you’re planning on shopping for some souvenirs, the place to do it is along the road from Tulum to Coba.  All those super cute macrame dream catchers, lampshades, and dresses you saw in Tulum? There are some roadside shops here with even better selection and prices that what you’ll find in town, especially compared to the beach road.  There’s no ATM out here, so be sure to bring plenty of cash.

Swimming with sea turtles in Akumal

Akumal is about a 20 minute drive from Tulum.  It’s located between Tulum and Playa del Carmen.  It’s very easy to reach by car or taxi, or to join a tour. Even if you don’t have your own transport, it is super accessible making it one of my favorite day trips from Tulum!  If driving, you won’t miss it as there are signs along the highway. 

Once you arrive to the beach area of Akumal, it is not difficult at all to find a guide to take you out to snorkel with the sea turtles.  As Akumal is a protected area, there is only a certain part of the bay that you are allowed to swim in without a guide.  If you prefer to go on your own, you are limited to the area roped off right off the beach.  There are guides all over, and you can negotiate a price.  I paid $250 MXN pesos for a guide at the beach.  They also have it available to rent as well as life jackets if you need them, but I brought my own.

I recommend arriving early in the morning around 8 am if you want better visibility and fewer crowds.  As more people swim in the area, it churns up the sand at the bottom and makes the water murkier.  The plentiful seagrass at Akumal makes it a great place for the sea turtles.  My guide knew the places they like to hang out and we saw several of them that morning!

Snorkeling Casa Cenote: One of my favorite day trips from Tulum!

There are tons of cenotes scattered all around the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico! So, it can be overwhelming to choose one to visit on your trip to Tulum.  One of the most unique I visited was Casa Cenote.  Just 10 minutes from downtown Tulum, this open  cenote feeds into a small river, which you can snorkel along.  There is also an underground cave connecting the cenote to the sea.  You can see all kinds of fish and even possibly turtles! 

The river you swim along makes Casa Cenote unique. At the end, there is an area with crocodiles! Not to worry, they are not aggressive and will calmly watch as you swim by without bothering you.  If you enjoy exploring nature off-the-beaten path places, Casa Cenote is the perfect way to spend a couple hours. The secluded beach nearby is also a great spot to spend the rest of your day!

Tulum is an amazing destination to visit and see the stunning nature and history in Quintana Roo, Mexico.  There are so many amazing natural attractions just a short drive away. With so many amazing nearby destinations, you will have no problem finding some amazing day trips from Tulum during your visit!