We visited Tulum on a cruise ship excursion last November and had a good time. We didn't get a lot of time to check things out or lay on the beach. We would like to take a trip to Tulum and perhaps a stop in Playa del Carmen while we are in Cancun in May. Does anyone have any experience making a day trip to Tulum? We won't have a car and really don't want to rent a car. Though could we do a single day rental from somewhere in the hotel zone? What about the public buses? I have been reading up on the buses a little and it looks like we could get to Tulum and back for about $40. We would probably take the bus in to town and then a cab to the ruins since it sounds like the walk from where the bus would drop you off is pretty far. We have also looked at a few tours. There is a Tulum Express tour with Cancun-Discounts that is about $40pp and looks like it gives you about two to two and a half hours if you don't take guided tour. We really have no interest in a guided tour of the ruins again since we did that on the cruise excursion. This obviously wouldn't give us the chance to visit Playa del Carmen, but would be a no hassle way to get to Tulum. Plus we can always go to Playa and stay for a week sometime in the future.
You can get the ADO - http://www.ado.com.mx/ from downtown Cancun. You can get a bus Cancun to Tulum archeological site. Then take a ADO from Tulum to Pl,aya del Carmen, then a bus from Playa back to Cancun - they run until late in the evening. The buses are excellent, clean, modern etc. If you don't have a car then this is your best bet, and pretty hassle free really once you know the times.
Thank you for the information. We have looked in to the ADO Bus and think we will take that to get to the ruins at Tulum. Someone over on TUG mentioned using the Colectivos. Would that be a good option if we also opt to go to Playa del Carmen on the same day? Take the bus to the ruins and then a colectivo to Playa and then an ADO Bus back to Cancun? Or would we be best to spend a whole separate day in Playa?
