The best activities to do in and around Tulum this Spring Break
Tulum is one of the most visited destinations in Mexico’s beautiful Riviera Maya. But if you’ve already checked off your Tulum bucket list, then you should take a couple of day trips from Tulum to explore more of what Quintana Roo and the Yucatan Peninsula have to offer.
While Tulum might feel like paradise, there are other must-see colonial cities, magic towns, and coastal gems in eastern Mexico worth exploring. Coba, Valladolid, Uayma, Sian Ka’an, and Bacalar are a few of my favorite places and days trip from Tulum. Tulum’s location in the northern part of Quintana Roo positions itself perfectly for day trips.
That’s why if you have the chance, you should definitely take the opportunity and go on a fun day trip from Tulum. Whether you have all day or just a half-day to spare, here are the best day trips from Tulum!
While many blogs and itineraries offer day trip ideas including things to do in Tulum like cenote tours, Tulum ruins, and Laguna Kaan Luum, we consider those activities to still be in Tulum (and so are their addresses). The below day trip suggestions are for places outside of Tulum.
The closest day trip from Tulum is only 20 minutes away and the furthest is 2.5 hours away. So you have quite a bit of choice! The places you see first are the closest in distance and the last are the furthest day trips from Tulum. This way, you can quickly scout out which day trips you’d actually have time for!
Note: Some destinations, even though they might be closer, may take longer to reach due to road conditions or traffic.
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve & Muyil Ruins
One of the best day trips from Tulum is actually the closest. Just a 20-minute drive south of Tulum lies the hidden Mayan ruins of Muyil.
Here, you can tour the ruins underneath the forest canopy before continuing to the shore of the Muyil Lagoon inside the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
The highlight of this day trip from Tulum is getting to float down ancient Mayan canals in the lagoon carved out sometime in 500 B.C. during the pre-classical era. These canals were used as historic trading routes from neighboring Mayan civilizations. You can go on a guided Sian Ka’an + ruins tour or visit on your own. If you go on your own, the best time to visit is early in the morning, around 8-9 AM when it first opens so you can secure a spot with a boat captain.
Akumal
If you take Chetumal-Cancun Hwy 307 in the other direction from Muyil, you’ll head toward Akumal — another coastal town known for swimming, snorkeling, and diving.
Akumal is a popular day trip from Tulum to witness sea turtles in the wild. Quite literally, Akumal in the Mayan language translates to “Place of the Turtle.”
Its colorful coral reef nearby the shore makes it a hotspot for divers — from newbies training to get their PADI certification to Dive Masters. Thanks to its picturesque beaches, Akumal is a big destination wedding spot for star-crossed lovers with tropical hearts.
Seeing as it’s so close, it definitely merits a top spot on your Tulum day trips list! While you can drive, it’s just as easy to take a local shuttle there.
Coba Mayan Ruins
Another incredibly popular day trip from Tulum is none other to the Coba Archaeological Ruins.
What brings people to Coba, you ask? Well, if not for its hidden Mayan ruins and climbable pyramids tucked away in the jungle, then it’s for its underground cave cenotes just around the corner.
If you want an adventure truly worthy of a day trip from Tulum then you should definitely put Coba on your bucket list! When you go, head out early. If you go early enough, you’ll be able to enjoy Coba without a crowd while everyone’s busy with the nearby Tulum ruins and Tulum cenotes.
The entrance price for Coba is around 75 pesos. There is an extra charge to rent bikes and explore the ruins faster, but it’s worth it in my opinion!
Punta Allen
Ever wondered if you were just to keep driving down Tulum’s Hotel Zone road? Well, you’d end up at Punta Allen! While Punta Allen seems close to Tulum because it’s only 35 miles away, it actually takes between 2-3 hours to get there because of the road conditions.
QROO 15 is just a single dirt road full of bumps and potholes. But if you make it there, Punta Allen will reward you with its sandy beaches and small Mayan fishing village vibes.
The tricky part about visiting Punta Allen from Tulum in one day is that, well, it takes a while to get there. You also need a full tank of gas in a sturdy 4×4 vehicle. There’s no gas service in Punta Allen so you need a big tank to get there and back.
Punta Allen is actually inside the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (it’s massive). Once you are south of the Tulum Hotel Zone, you’ll be asked to pay a $50-75 pesos conservation fee.
Tip: You can also head down this road as an alternative day trip from Tulum, even if you don’t make it all the way to Punta Allen. Visit the beach near Boca Paila, tour the free visitor’s center, and climb the watchtower there. You can also take a boat trip out on the lagoon to see wildlife such as native birds, manatees, and crocodiles.
Playa del Carmen
Of course, if you are in Tulum then it’s likely you’ve already heard about Playa del Carmen. Maybe you’ve even been before!
Either way, Playa del Carmen is just under an hour’s drive away, making it the perfect day trip from Tulum. It’s neither too far nor too close, so you feel like you’re getting a real break! Plus, the vibes of PDC are way different than Tulum. In my opinion, it’s a bit like if Cancun and Tulum had a baby (lol).
There’s a low-key boho vibe but also an eccentric shopping, dining, and nightlife scene. If you are a digital nomad, you’ll appreciate Playa for its conveniences and stronger wifi compared to Tulum.
Cozumel
San Miguel de Cozumel, simply known as Cozumel, is a stunning island just off the Riviera Maya coast. It makes for an awesome day trip or even a multi-day trip especially if you have 1-2 free days in your Tulum itinerary.
To get there on a day trip from Tulum, you first need to drive to Playa del Carmen (actually just south of it) and then take a ferry crossing from Punta Venado/Calica. Ferry times and maritime departure ports may vary depending on who you book with.
The new Ultramar ferry departs from downtown Playa and offers the fastest route at only 20 minutes and costs around $500 pesos/person round-trip (basic adult plan). So if you’re just visiting on a day trip from Tulum, it’s better to pay a bit more to save on time. Otherwise, the Winjet and Transcaribe ferries take around 45 mins to 1 hour.
Felipe Carillo Puerto
Felipe Carillo Puerto, named after the journalist and revolutionary with the same name, is a bustling Mayan city. If you want to leave the touristy coastal towns in the Riviera Maya behind and get a sense of real Mayan culture and history, then a day trip from Tulum to Felipe Carillo Puerto is a must.
If you ask locals around Tulum or near Muyil, many of them live in FCP because it’s remained local and genuinely Mexican and they can’t afford to live in Tulum. There are lots of things to do in FCP on a day trip.
You can visit an ecotourism center run by Mayan locals, take a Spanish/Maya immersion course, taste authentic Mexican food, or visit the Santuario de la Cruz Parlante — a cross-shaped shrine symbolizing the strife and plight of the Maya people.
Valladolid (Most Underrated Day Trip from Tulum)
Valladolid is a charming colonial city in the state of Yucatan. If the state’s capital of Merida had a small sister, it would be Valladolid. It is a bit farther away, but many travelers make the day trip from Tulum to jump in one of Valladolid’s cenotes or use it as a pit stop on the way to/from Chichen Itza in one day.
I really enjoyed my time in Valladolid and feel like it’s one of the most underrated destinations on a Yucatan Peninsula road trip. Thanks to the fast highways, getting to Valladolid on a day trip from Tulum is fairly easy and straightforward.
If you leave in the morning you’ll have practically the whole day to visit Valladolid and maybe even hop over to see one of the Wonders of the World.
Uayma is an unassuming yet charming colonial Mexican town pitted between Valladolid and Chichen Itza (it lies 20 minutes west of Valladolid). It’s in this small adorable town that you can see the majestic church adorned with a decorative red and blue facade. We stayed one night in the colonial-era house just in front of it, Casa de Los Pianos, before visiting Chichen Itza the next morning. Uayma offers a glimpse into small-town Yucatan and shouldn’t be missed on a day trip to Valladolid from Tulum.
Ek Balam Ruins is another nearby attraction located just 30 minutes north of Valladolid. If you don’t have interest or time to see Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, meaning Black Jaguar in the Mayan language, offers a glimpse into another ancient Mayan Kingdom.
Surrounded by lush jungle, it is a much quieter escape than Chichen Itza. Nearby are also a few cenotes with jungly vibes and swing ropes, notably Cenote Xcanche, that you can’t skip out on.
Cancun
OK, so you’ve likely already passed through Cancun if you landed there and drove to Tulum. But just in case you came from Merida or another airport, then you could always take a day trip from Tulum to Cancun.
There are lots of beaches to lounge on and even more dining and shopping opportunities. I personally loved exploring the Mercado 28 and eating my way through some taco stands.
Chichén Itzá (Most Popular Day Trip from Tulum)
Chichen Itza is probably one of the most popular day trips from Tulum because everyone who visits Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula for the first time wants to see this incredible Wonder of the World.
I can’t blame them! The first time we road-tripped around Yucatan and Quintana Roo, I too, said “I must see Chichen Itza!” There is a certain magic surrounding Chichen Itza.
So if you want to take a day trip from Tulum to see Chichen Itza you need to rise early. Chichen Itza gets super busy and people line up even before the entrance opens at 8 AM. There are many group tours from Tulum that will take you on an all-inclusive day trip to Chichen Itza and the surrounding cenotes like Cenote Ik Kil or even a stopover for lunch at Valladolid.
These tours are great, but they don’t leave you much room for flexibility. It would be a long day if you were to pack Chichen Itza and Valladolid (plus the surrounding cenotes and attractions) in one day. But it really depends on your pace and what you want to see.
Bacalar
Bacalar, near the Belize border, is one of Mexico’s magic towns (pueblo magicos) that is filled with eco glamping hotels skirting its Lagoon of 7 Colors (Laguna de Siete Colores).
It is a super cute and small town with down-to-earth vibes. It’s not yet developed like Tulum, but it’s on the rise of becoming the next travel hotspot. You can kayak, snorkel, and go sailing on its blue and green-hued lagoon and swim in the nearby Cenote Azul, or check out the town’s 18th-century San Felipe fort.
I really loved exploring Bacalar and its hidden gems! If you are looking for a quieter town to escape to, then definitely consider taking a day trip from Tulum to Bacalar. Make sure to head out early though since it is 2.5 hours away.
Mahahual
What once was a local fishing village is now becoming a hotspot for tourists and cruise ships. Nonetheless, Mahahual remains a little slice of paradise, perched on the Costa Maya and the shores of the Caribbean Sea.
There are beachfront restaurants with live music, quiet beach spots, attractive hotels, kayak and SUP rentals, and of course, a handful of snorkeling and dive centers to enjoy the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Mahahual is also located 1 hour and 15 minutes from Bacalar. So while it might be far to see both on a day trip from Tulum, you could consider spending 1-2 nights down there to explore both Bacalar and Mahahual since they are relatively close to each other.
There are plenty of other small towns and attractions that didn’t get a special mention here, but that will charm you nonetheless as places to visit nearby Tulum. If you have extra time, I recommend exploring Puerto Morelos, Chemuyil, Calakmul ruins, Izamal, Uxmal, Rio Lagartos, and even Merida (which is 3 hours away).
Happy exploring beyond Tulum!
By Bri, an adventurous digital nomad living abroad full-time since 2015.
