Tulum or Coba?

[GinDon]

Looking ahead, for a possible cruise on the Crown Princess. They show a shore excursion to Tulum, and one to Coba. Both all day affairs, so would definitely book through the ship. In your opinions, which ruin would we like the best? (we have never been to a Mayan ruin yet).

[Shykashtai]

Really wish someone had answered your question because I have the very same dilemma.

[AryMay]

I have never been to Tulum, but did a trip to Coba on a land based trip to the Riviera Maya. From photos, the ruins in Tulum look very interesting and are situated on a high hill over looking a gorgeous beach below. There is no shade at Tulum which can make for a very hot visit. My friend nearly had a heat stroke there.

 

The ruins at Coba are in the jungle and offer a little more shade. Another "plus" for visiting Coba is that you can still climb the very high temple. As far as I know you are not allowed on any of the structures in Tulum. Here is a photo of the temple:

 

 

Nochach Mul is the highest Mayan temple in Mexico...since it was about 2 kilometers from the entrance, we hired a Mayan "taxi" to take us there.

 

 

This is a "ball field" used by the Mayans:

 

 

Another smaller temple:

 

 

When we did the tour of Coba it was combined with a visit to a Mayan village, rapelling into an underground river (cenote) and ziplining. The day is one I will never forget, but would not be possible to do on a cruise tour. Perhaps a cruise tour will give you a "taste" of the area and then you too will want to return for a longer visit!

 

 

[jff50]

Coba and Tulum are both great but very different. Coba is in the jungle, and I think that the ruins are more interesting. Tulum is on the sea, and the setting is fabulous. I would lean towards Coba. Whichever you do, you just need to return at a later time and do the other.

[Jade13]

Wow, I wish I had the option to go to Coba vs. Tulum. How far is Coba from the ferry?

[m and m's]

I found Tulum to be very beautiful, it was open without much shade, but you could take stairs down to the water and swim to cool off. Bring sunscreen and a hat. I would recommend wearing your suit under clothes, then using the restrooms when exiting to change to dry things. Otherwise after your tour you exit the ruins, change to swim, and then walk the whole way around to the entrance again wasting a lot of time. Tulum is the only one on the ocean, you cannot go on any of the ruins or climb any steps. Definitely enjoyed this tour.

[crewsweeper]

Wow, I wish I had the option to go to Coba vs. Tulum. How far is Coba from the ferry?

Coba is about a 125 kilometers (76 miles or so) from Playa Del Carmen. Tulum is only 50 miles. Either are very long distances including ferry time to get to from Cozumel. You should consider using any ship offered excursion to either of these sites to ensure you don't miss your ship. If however, your ship is in port from early morning until later in the evening or even 10 PM, you might risk trying to do Tulum via an independent tour operator. But have a Plan B back up, know the ferry schedules and buy oneway tickets to give you a better choice of ferry times on the return.

Your time at the ruins is somewhat limited by 1) tour guides chatting on and 2) departure times.

 

I am hearing that recent visitors to Tulum are restricted to narrow walkways, no climbing or sauntering around the whole site, and even prevented from using the beach, at least in some areas.

[Shykashtai]

Wow. Great feedback from everyone. Thanks so much.

 

Looks like it will be Coba for us, which is where I was leaning towards anyway. And I agree. If this wasn't a Celebrity excursion, I'd be worried about going so far from port. But this way, we can't be abandoned. :) Win - win.

[fann1sh]

I know I'm reviving an old thread.

 

I've done both Tulum and Coba.

 

I far preferred Coba because of being able to climb the castillo; and the shade, which made exploring so cooler and more pleasant.

 

However, I am not a beach person, and didn't take advantage of the chance to go for a swim at Tulum. Because I was on a ship's tour, the small beach was crowded.

[Dunmore2]

We love them both, but Coba has more ruins/area to see. The shade there is welcome. Lots of beautiful lanes for strolling. You can rent bikes too.

Tulum is beautiful, being built on a cliff overlooking the brilliant water. It gets very hot and can be crowded with tourists. There are a few "shows" during the day with Mayan dancers.

Some days the highway from Playa del Carmen can be very congested and slow, especially with the bridge/overpass construction. Plan for delays if you do the tours on your own.