Mexico: Tulum

Tulum was our last stop in Mexico. We were here for only 2 nights, mainly to visit the local Mayan ruins and spend a few hours at the local beach, which is said to be one of the most beautiful in Mexico.

The archaeological site and the beach are located about 2 km away from the village of Tulum. However, the hotel prices on the beach are exorbitant, so we decided to book accommodation in the village. The booked accommodation was actually very central, which was very convenient, but there was a bar with live music right next door, and since it was the weekend, the loud music played all night long. Sleeping was out of the question. The next day, we rented bicycles at the hotel to go to the ruins and the beach. They were rickety, rusty bikes with only one gear and, of course, far away from Jörg's size. Consequently, the actually relatively short ride turned out to be quite challenging (especially against the wind).

We had heard from other travelers before that the ruins are supposed to be completely overcrowded. And they actually were. It was more like an amusement park than an archaeological site. Nevertheless, it's impressive, mainly because of its location directly above the cliffs by the turquoise sea. The ruins themselves are not really spectacular, but the backdrop is truly breathtaking there.

The beach is, well, just a beach. The positive thing is that the hotels are slightly set back and the resorts do not extend onto the beach. So at the beach you only see palm trees and no concrete blocks. That is certainly much nicer than in Playa or Cancun. There were also a few beach cafes.

This was our time in Mexico. Mexico, or at least the part of Mexico we saw, was nice, but it didn't blow us away. Of course, we mainly came for the Mayan ruins, and we definitely saw that, which was very interesting and impressive. Otherwise, the Yucatan Peninsula is mainly a place for beach tourists and package holidaymakers, and that's not really our world. We didn't really have the opportunity to get in touch with authentic Mexico. Some people also told us that the state of Quintana Roo, where Cancun and Playa are located, has not been settled for very long. Traditionally, no one lived here, it was mainly foreigners who first settled in these areas. Therefore, you can find a multicultural mishmash here rather than a truly Mexican atmosphere. As already mentioned, we experienced this mainly far away from the coast and the hustle and bustle in Chiapas.
Furthermore, it became very clear to us what major social problems exist in the country. Some Mexicans told us that Mexico has one of the highest murder rates in the world, it is incredibly corrupt and the north is heavily controlled by drug cartels. You don't notice any of this in the party state of Quintana Roo, except for the constant whispering on the streets: "Weed, Weed, Marijuana, Ganja, maaaan...".
This region is considered the safest in Mexico and we actually walked around late at night in the darkness, which we usually try to avoid, and felt safe. Nevertheless, there are stories of shootings in clubs and parties where tourists are sometimes collateral damage.
The infrastructure actually seems to be quite good at first glance, but you are told, for example, that the water is so dirty that you shouldn't even use it for cooking. The infrastructure in this area is mainly geared towards tourism.
It has to be said that we were usually treated very friendly and courteously. We also had little feeling that we were being ripped off. Of course, we probably paid a little more for a taxi ride than the Mexicans would have to pay, but it was really not noticeable and exorbitant. Usually we paid about 40-50 pesos (about 2-2.50 Fr) for a ride within the cities. Even when we booked a tour, we actually got what we paid for.

I think the Yucatan Peninsula is not the best choice if you want to get a good impression of authentic Mexico, but rather for a relaxing beach holiday with a few ruins on the side. We will definitely come back here someday to explore the north...