Tulum, the Walled City, is mounted high on the edge of a cliff. The abandoned city towers above the deep turquoise of the Caribbean and a beautiful white sandy beach. The city within the walls was only inhabited by the nobles, high priests and esteemed citizens such as astronomers, whereas the lower classes lived in simple wood and thatch huts beyond. The buildings in the city were originally covered with brilliant paintings and carvings stark white, deep red or vibrant blue, but only faint remnants of these now remain.

A guided visit of the site takes about 45 minutes. You'll then have some time at leisure to take photos of the picturesque views.

Then continue to Xel-Ha (pronounced shell-ha). Here, visitors can learn to snorkel and enjoy observing the fish at an arms length or simply sit in one of the beach chairs and soak up the sun! Xel-Ha is 15 minutes north of Tulum, ideally located to combine the day with a visit to the ruins. There are several restaurants in the park giving the option of arranging a group lunch in one of them or guests can be at leisure.