If you want to accustom yourself with Tulum, don’t dive into history books. It’s a place larger than any book can ever characterize or illustrate. To know Tulum well is to roam around the whole place and find the secret pathways to its old soul.
On Friday afternoon, I met a guide and tour organizer. He informed me that Tulúm is a Yucatec Mayan word for fence or wall. These walls surrounding the place allowed Tulum fort to be protected because it serves as a defense against incursion. Tulum was protected on one side by steep limestone sea cliffs and on the landward side by a wall that averaged about three to five meters in height. The wall also was about eight meters thick and 400 meters long on the side parallel to the sea. The part of the wall that ran the width of the site was slightly shorter and only about 170 meters on both sides.
The tour guide also added that there are five narrow gateways in the wall with two each on the north and south sides and one on the west. Entrance is via one of the original five tunnels through the wall. The chief structure of Tulum, El Castillo sits on a high point of the site, facing the ocean. It is hypothesized that one of the purposes of El Castillo was to act as a lighthouse and guidance system for boats. On the Northwest and Southwest corners, there are small structures that have been identified as watch towers presenting again how well defended the city would have been. Therefore, Tulum served as a point of defense against invaders from both the land and sea.
The next day, we headed to the south of Tulum Pueblo where the famous cenotes can be found. Cenotes are sinkhole with exposed rocky edges containing groundwater which have provided freshwater to the land inhabitants. Cenotes, particularly in Quintana Roo often provide access to extensive underwater cave systems. With this, scuba divers were curiously interested to explore the said caves.
Moreover, both landscapes and seawaters seen in Tulum are extremely varied and frequently very beautiful. The highlands are sunny, warm by day but pleasantly cool and invigorating at night. Tulum’s white limestone beaches and sapphire blue Caribbean waters are perfect for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling.
The Tulum ruins carry the history of the Mayan people and most structures were actually constructed during the Post-Classic Era between 1200 and 1450. Today, parts of the Mayan ruins of Tulum have been restored for tourism purposes. Businesses in Tulum are improving with the increase number of tourist that visited everyday.
Finally, if you’re seeking for an adventure, I recommend Tulum as part of your travel destination and stay in one of eco-chic Tulum hotels. You will discover the affluent history of Mayan civilization and explore the natural beauty of Tulum.
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