Cozumel: Coba vs Tulum Mayan Ruins

[Aruba]

2 shore excursion options for Cozumel are the Coba Mayan Ruins and the Tulum Mayan Ruins. Both are approx. 8 hour excursions.

Can anyone who has done them compare them for me? Which one should we do? Thanks.

[ZachMary]

I can only speak to the the Tulum Mayan Ruins. It was fabulus. Be sure to bring a hat and lots of sunscrean - its hot!

 

The history is just amazing, and when we went you could still touch the ruins, not sure if you can still do that. If there is time left, bring your swim suit - you can climb down the stairs to the beach and swim in the ocean for awhile.

 

We just absolutly loved this tour, one of our all time favorites.

[jjones]

Coba is a LOT farther - quite a long bus ride, sandwich lunch served on the way. BUT Coba is apparently the only Mayan site where one is allowed to climb the pyramid. It is incompletely excavated but the areas that have been excavated are VERY interesting. It has two ball game arenas and appears to have been a very large settlement. It's worth the time and money IMO. I was there in November and it was HOT.

[jiminyC_fan]

Tulum is gorgeous but is more touristy. Coba is still more of a natural state and as mentioned above, you can still climb the pyramid.

[navybankerteacher]

Tulum is a rarity - the only Mayan ruins right on the shore -- aside from the dramatic location on a low cliff of a key tower -- the beach is great for a swimming break.

[luv2cruise450]

Tho Talum is 'unique' in that it is the only Mayan ruins that is by the water...I thought that Coba was bit more 'impressive'...plus Coba still has ruins that have not been totally excavated yet...it is found in a more remote area and some of the ruins are a little more spread out...but which ever you decide on...bring sunscreen, perhaps a hat and lots of water...I went to Coba the beginning of Dec and it was still around 95 degrees that day!

Happy explorations!

[geocruiser]

Coba

http://www.locogringo.com/past_spotlights/oct2002.cfm

 

Tulum

http://www.locogringo.com/past_spotlights/aug2002.html

[TnTWalter]

is the beach there is STUNNING....you can tour the ruins in an hour or so and then hit a beach bar for the rest of the day....walk up and down the beach.

 

Ziggy's & El Paraiso are popular beach bars

 

La Zebra is worth a stop to get a fantastic MOJITO, they have a sugar cane press. Mmm. Mmm.

 

Trish

[succeed_2]

I've been to both, more than once, and I guess your choice would all depend on what you want to do while there.

Tulum (as previously mentioned) is right on the water. The buildings are fairly close together - and it is easy to walk the entire site. You can go down to the beach below, and swim if the tide is cooperative (unfortunately there were red flags when I was there). You cannot touch the structures at Tulum, but you can take some great pictures. And learn about the history from the guide (and yes, you need a guide because otherwise you'll just be looking at a bunch of structures and not understand the significance of them).

On the other hand, the structures at Coba are MUCH more spread out. It takes a lot longer to see them all. And I found the heat more concentrated at Coba (it's much further inland - not on the water, and there was basically no breeze). I don't suggest you attempt to see all of Coba on foot, unless you are in excellent shape, you can tolerate heat, and you have lots of time. However, you can rent bicycles or hire a bicycle/tricycle driver to drive you around. IMO, hiring the driver is well worth it.

If someone in your party is young/energetic enough to climb the pyramid at Coba, then that might be your motivation to go there. My teenage son climbed it, and I'm glad he had a chance to have that experience, because one never knows when that will no longer be an option.

Personally, I preferred Coba - there was a wonderful, peaceful feel to the place, and I liked that some of it was still untouched.

[Randyk47]

As mentioned above Tulum and Coba are truly two different experiences. Tulum was, it appears, a religious center with some significance because of it's location on the coast and unique in Mayan culture because of that. It wasn't a major population center in the sense that Coba was so there are fewer and smaller ruins to see. Tulum is relatively easy to get to and to get around and the location is beautiful. Coba is more typical of Mayan cities and very interesting but not as easy to get to or get around. I like them both for different reasons so it's hard to make a recommendation though I think I'd lean toward Tulum if it's a first visit to a Mayan ruin or if you've been to several sites and want to see something a bit different.

[woody14h]

Tulum is a great mini site. In that it is contained in a small area and easy to explore. Worthwhile to see. Coba is 95% unexplored and walking through the site (huge) is like seeing an Indiana Jones movie. Many areas are not excavated but you can see that there are ruins there. I've been to both several times, I would always love to return to Coba but it is a trip way past Tulum. As a first time explorer see Tulum after that Coba is a real work of art.

[Aruba]

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied!

[Aruba]

PS - I hit SUBMIT before I thought to ask if anyone has used (and can recommend) a private guide to either Tulum or Coba. Or did you do a ship's excursion? Thanks again.

[Randyk47]

PS - I hit SUBMIT before I thought to ask if anyone has used (and can recommend) a private guide to either Tulum or Coba. Or did you do a ship's excursion? Thanks again.

 

Because of the distance and the complication of having to take a high speed ferry from Cozumel over to the mainland I've always used a ship's tour. Luckily we've had excellent guides and good transportation. The high speed ferry from Cozumel is sometimes very interesting....kind of a 45-minute amusement park ride. :eek::) I've never been on a ship that docked on the mainland side so I'll defer to anybody who has had that experience. Getting to either location would be a bit less complicated and long.

[Aruba]

Because of the distance and the complication of having to take a high speed ferry from Cozumel over to the mainland I've always used a ship's tour. Luckily we've had excellent guides and good transportation. The high speed ferry from Cozumel is sometimes very interesting....kind of a 45-minute amusement park ride. :eek::) I've never been on a ship that docked on the mainland side so I'll defer to anybody who has had that experience. Getting to either location would be a bit less complicated and long.

Good point -- maybe I'll stick with the ship's tour, unless anyone can recommend a private guide that includes transportion direct from the port.

[pokeyjones]

is the beach there is STUNNING....you can tour the ruins in an hour or so and then hit a beach bar for the rest of the day....walk up and down the beach.

 

Ziggy's & El Paraiso are popular beach bars

 

La Zebra is worth a stop to get a fantastic MOJITO, they have a sugar cane press. Mmm. Mmm.

 

Trish

 

The Discovery Channel ranks this beach #2 best beach. Here's a few pics from a couple of weeks ago. It was HOT. We tipped the bus driver from our ship excursion $5 for an extra cold towel, and, to start up the bus 20 minutes earlier than they had planned! We had no time to spare, by the time we got back.

[Tamaracboy]

2 shore excursion options for Cozumel are the Coba Mayan Ruins and the Tulum Mayan Ruins. Both are approx. 8 hour excursions.

Can anyone who has done them compare them for me? Which one should we do? Thanks.

 

Coba is a LOT farther - quite a long bus ride, sandwich lunch served on the way. BUT Coba is apparently the only Mayan site where one is allowed to climb the pyramid. It is incompletely excavated but the areas that have been excavated are VERY interesting. It has two ball game arenas and appears to have been a very large settlement. It's worth the time and money IMO. I was there in November and it was HOT.

 

Tulum is unique being sea side and with a variety of buildings. Some types that are not found with any frequency.

Guides are readily available at Tulum, most of them actual Mayan descendants.

Surely any excursion you would book will be guided.

Tulum is also very photogenic.

I was there in March and did not find the heat very bad, and I am quite sensitive to heat.

And don't be mislead, there are MANY other Mayan sites where you can climb all over multiple pyramids and other buildings, just not at Tulum.

 

r.

[Aruba]

Do you know how I solved the dilemma of having to choose between the two options? I chose both. :) I have 2 cruises that stop in Cozumel so will do Coba on one and Tulum on the other. Problem solved!

[Randyk47]

Do you know how I solved the dilemma of having to choose between the two options? I chose both. :) I have 2 cruises that stop in Cozumel so will do Coba on one and Tulum on the other. Problem solved!

 

Good solution! Enjoy!

[gooselace]

Do you know how I solved the dilemma of having to choose between the two options? I chose both. :) I have 2 cruises that stop in Cozumel so will do Coba on one and Tulum on the other. Problem solved!

 

Wonderful choice(s) especially as they are so different.

[SWACK]

Been to several Mayan ruins, and Tulum is hands-down the most unique. Coba is buried in the jungle, but so are others in Belize and points south. Tulum is the only by the sea, and is my favorite.