Leisure & Activities
Tulum Attractions:
In surroundings of Tulum, besides the archaeological zone, there are spectacular ancient cities that call the attention of the tourism from all over the world. When you travel to this region of Mexico, you get a certain feeling of mystery and beauty mixture, with the special touch that the Mayan culture emanates; not to mention being among a natural paradise that this trip an unforgettable experience.
Tulum
Tulum is one of the most ancient sites ever known in the western world region, as in 1518 there already was people who narrated about the mysterious Mayan city with a tower, which without a doubt, turns out to be the Tulum Castle. Back then it was still populated by natives from that independent headquarter.
The buildings currently visible in Tulum belong entirely to the latest pre-Columbian period of the Yucatan Peninsula. According to recent archaeological researches, Tulum had been one of the main Mayan cities from the 13th and 14th centuries; there is evidence that proves that Tulum worked politically as an independent settlement from other provinces up until the Spaniards arrival in the 16th century, eventually the city was actually left behind for good.
Coba
It is located west Tulum’s town and Archaeological zone, covering approximately 100 km2. The same as with other places in the Mayan area, the original meaning of its name remains unknown; however, later studies related the name of Coba with the meaning of “Place of Turbid Water”. The main unit is formed by buildings that are named: Coba, Nohoch Mul, Chumuc Nul and Makanxoc. It was occupied from the pre-classic period up to the post-classic; its height occurred between the years of 600 and 800 A.C.
Later researches have allowed us to find out about a long history of pre-Columbian occupation, a notorious demographic, social and political growth that would had turned Coba into one of the biggest and most powerful cities in the Mayan region, dominating the north of the current Quintana Roo and east the current Yucatan. Apparently there’s no doubt that it also held strong bonds with great Guatemalan cities, south of and Quintana Roo like Tikal, Dzibanche or Calakmul with which inhabitants established high level military and marital alliances to retain power.
When you visit this place it’s highly recommended to visit the Ball Game, from which you still can appreciate representations of it. As you continue with the tour, you can reach the Nohoch Mul Group, where you can find one of the highest buildings from the entire Mayan area, precisely known with the name of Nohoch Mul (“Great Mound” in Mayan tongue); an enormous base over 30 meters high, over which remains a temple that culminates with a height of 42m tall. Finally, the tour will also offer you the chance to appreciate a great array of birds and animals of the region, as well as the large vegetation, which form the jungles environment of this region.
Xcaret Archaeological Zone
Xcaret is one of the most notorious sites from the Quintana Roo coast, particularly by its location. Along the way there are numerous signs that guide the access to both the Archaeological Zone and Xcaret Park, as both places are practically linked, although it is necessary to clarify that they’re not the same place.
Xcaret Archaeological Zone features buildings built between the year 1000 and 1400 A.C. However, the architectural pieces known nowadays are basically those ones that were built from the 1400, a period when several constructions were built. The settlements started to expand along the coast for several kilometers that connected communities like Calica (La Rosita and INA Ranch), Punta Piedra and Kanakeuic. When the Spaniards arrived, the site was still occupied, reason why a catholic chapel was built.
Xcaret counts with a large number of buildings, architectural groups, temples and walls. The constructions that have been carried out around the area during the past years have irreparably modified the site’s original landscape pattern. Nevertheless, the beauty of the place isn’t shade by it, since Xcaret park is a recommendable place of rest and amusement.
Xel Ha Archaeological Zone
The archaeological zone is located in one of the most important coves from Quintana Roo coast, though nowadays is better known by the beauty of the tourist park than by the pre-Columbian constructions history; in this case we must mention that there is an archaeological zone and a tourist park with the same name, although they are independent from each other.
Among its main structures you can find the “Group of the Birds”. Its main structure is the palace with the same name, which, even though it was slightly shattered due to the construction of a highway decades ago, it remains beautiful mural paintings in which stand out diverse birds from the region, as well as a Tlaloc God of evident Teotihuacan style. From ‘Los Pajaros’ you can go to the group of lower platforms known as “Lothrop Group”, in honor to the famous researcher who studied for the first time the post-classic architecture of the east coast.
Due to the construction dimensions and characteristics, and by the fact that these are not very common constructions in the region, one can suppose that is possible that is about ceremonial platforms, as the ones that were traditionally used for dancing rituals in different Mesoamerican regions. Continuing with the tour, one can discover the buildings known as “El Palacio” and “Pilastras Building”. The final form of the buildings is a product from the several construction phases that were carried out, although for the most of them seem to belong to the period between years 600 to 1000 A.C.
A Sacbe (or “road”) of 540 meters long links this sector with the one known as “Jaguar Group”. It’s a group of five buildings constructed over a common platform, from which stand out the one named “Casa del Jaguar” (House of the Jaguar), which is a typical construction of oriental coast fashion, perhaps dedicated to certain ceremonial activities; its name is due to a jaguar painting, which surely refers to the sacred power from governors and its main god of the corn divinity. The group is complemented with the “Alfardas Building”, of a similar style, and where you still can appreciate remains of traditional streaming rafters which characterized some ceremonial buildings from that epoch.
Likewise, it is important to mention the beautiful cenote which is located next to this group of constructions, belonging to an extended underground water flow system that emerges on an important portion from Xel Ha area, and which surely played an important role during the ceremonial development carried out within this group.
Finally, although it’s only been partially explored, it’s important to mention the “Muelle Group”, located nearby the cove named after the settlement, and where there can be sighted diverse platforms of oriental coast fashion, as well as a wall that used to protect these constructions from the eventual incursion of enemies of the city. This set is likely to be directly linked with the port activities and nautical assistance, which established the economic resource of later settlements.
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