Tulum is the name of an ancient Mayan city located on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea on the east coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It is about 130km south along the coast from Cancún, and about 60km south of Playa del Carmen in the state of Quintana Roo. Tulum was one of the last cities built by the Mayan civilization, and now its ruins are considered one of the best-preserved of coastal Mayan sites.
Aside from the archeological site, Tulum is also where many cenotes, or partially exposed caves that are part of an underground system, can be found. This interconnected cave system is usually filled with brackish water (mixture of fresh groundwater and salty seawater) and is made out of limestone bedrock. When the limestone bedrock collapses due to weaknesses in the cave’s structure, it forms a sinkhole, thus exposing the cave to the atmosphere and creating a cenote. The freshwater that enters cenotes comes from filtered rainwater, which has very few suspended particles. This leads to great visibility and is part of the reason why cenotes are such popular dive destinations.
If diving in cenotes is not for you, the many dive shops and dive resorts in the Tulum area offer shore diving and boat trips out to wreck- and drift-dive sites. Divers can expect to see different types of sea turtles, tropical fish, and sharks (in the winter) at these Caribbean Sea dive sites. Due to Tulum’s proximity to great inland and offshore dive sites, liveaboard dive boats are not common. Diving with the experts at local dive shops and resorts is definitely the way to make the most of your dive trip to Tulum!
Just south of Tulum is the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, which is an area of protected land and ocean (including Mayan ruins and part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef) and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main objective of this reserve is to carry out conservation projects and monitor the health of the various ecosystems contained in it. While most of the ocean component of the reserve is inaccessible to tourists, some local dive shops have permits to dive in this protected section of the barrier reef.
Diving in Tulum is popular all year round due to warm surface water temperatures. Temperatures can range from 24°C/75°F in the winter to 29°C/85°F in the summer months, with particularly good visibility between May and November for the offshore dive sites.
Not only is the wintertime (December to April) considered the best time to visit this area of Mexico, it is also when pelagic species such as sharks migrate to the area to be in cooler waters. Therefore, book your trip to Tulum in the winter if you want to get up close and personal with pelagic megafauna!
If cenote-diving is the main item on your agenda, the best time to visit Tulum is between May and September. These summer months bring with them the best visibility and the best lighting—ideal conditions for photographing these majestic caves!
Commonly seen marine life includes small fish and freshwater turtles. This dive site is suitable for all adventure levels, from beginners to advanced divers. It is perfect for both scuba diving and freediving. Unique features include stunning stalagmites and stalactites, making it a photographer’s dream.
Divers may encounter freshwater and saltwater fish due to its connection to the ocean. The adventure level is easy, suitable for both scuba diving and freediving. Special features include diving beneath a jungle canopy and exploring the connection to an extensive underwater cave system.
Housing diverse marine life, this site is for advanced divers due to its protected status and need for permits. It is primarily for scuba diving. Notable features include historical shipwrecks from the Spanish Conquest and a high likelihood of spotting crocodiles safely from a distance.
This site is rich in marine flora and fauna, including European shipwrecks now inhabited by diverse species. It is suitable for advanced to technical divers. Diving is restricted to scuba due to the area's conditions and regulations. A unique feature is the opportunity to observe crocodiles safely.
Divers can see an abundance of tropical fish, sea turtles, and other marine creatures. The adventure level is easy, making it accessible for less experienced scuba divers. The site is characterized by a rock formation resembling a whale and offers a shallow dive with a vibrant reef ecosystem.
