Which one to choose in Tulum
Tulum Archaeological Zone vs Coba Maya Ruins
Two temples in Tulum. Tulum Archaeological Zone has 36 tickets and tours to book; Coba Maya Ruins has 41 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Tulum, Mexico
The Maya walled city of Tulum is one of the few ancient sites in Mexico that you can easily visit on your own: it stands on the coast just north of the modern town, inside the Jaguar National Park, and entry is paid at the gate in two parts, the INAH archaeological ticket and a separate park fee. Bicycles, taxis and colectivo minibuses from the town reach the park entrance in minutes.
Most of what is sold online is a day trip from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or the Riviera Maya resorts. The standard formula pairs the ruins with a swim in one or two cenotes, sometimes snorkelling with turtles at Akumal or a visit to the larger and less-crowded ruins of Coba, and adds a buffet or taco lunch;
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Tulum, Mexico
Coba lies inland, about 47 km north-west of Tulum and a little over two hours by road from Cancun, so most visitors arrive either by hire car or on a day trip from the coast. The ticket is bought at the gate, and there is nothing to reserve for an independent visit; at the entrance you can also rent a bicycle or hire a tricycle taxi with a driver, which is a good idea because the groups of ruins are spread over several kilometres of forest tracks.
The day trips sold from Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun nearly always combine the ruins with a swim in a cenote, the freshwater sinkholes of the Yucatan, and often with lunch in a Maya village.
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