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Tulum lies at the southern end of the Mayan Riviera. It is a small town that has sprung up gradually over the years and is still growing in response to the popularity of its gorgeous idyllic beach and famous ruins.

The Tulum ruins are well worth a visit. In their time they served as a point of defense against invaders from both the land and sea, and also as a port of call for the maritime commerce that thrived along the coast. It is the only walled city the Maya built and the only one by the edge of the Caribbean. When the Spanish first came upon the site in 1518, they recorded that it was as large as Seville. The major construction is the Castle, a handsome pyramid perched on the edge of a cliff high above the pearl-white beaches below. From here one can see most of the ancient city, as well as a spectacular view of the coastline.

Tulum town itself does not hold much for the visitor and most of the hotels are situated down the Boca Paila road fronting the beautiful stretch of white sand and turquoise sea known as Tulum beach. This is simply a wonderful place to relax in informal surroundings with the fabulous warm Caribbean waters and white sand under foot. The hotels here are not as luxurious as some of those further up the coast, as they are more isolated and have to provide their own electricity, waste disposal and water. As they are not connected to the main public utilities this does mean that systems and power failures can be common. The accommodation here is more of the comfortable cabañas and charming "eco-hotels" type but what they lack can be forgiven for their absolutely stunning location, sprinkled along this beautiful stretch of beach.

Please note it can often be pretty windy along the peninsula, especially from December to March.