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Mayan Tulum was a walled town and prosperous trading community at the time when the Spaniards arrived in the 1520s. The ruins include a recognizable main street, the Palace of the Halach Uinic, and the House of the Columns.

The most impressive of the Mayan buildings at Tulum is the great temple-pyramid. A flaming beacon at the top of the temple was once visible for miles.

The oldest and simplest cabaña clusters – Don Armando’s, the Mar Caribe – are along the stretch of the beach road close to the ruins. Don’t come here if you want much privacy or more than basic showers and other facilities.

Along the stretch of beach south of the T-junction in the road is a wide choice of beach cabins, from plain stick-and-sand-floor huts to luxurious cabañas, most of them secluded. Few have electricity and are lit only by candles at night.

The village of Tulum is a rambling place spread out along the main highway. Almost 100 per cent Mayan just a few years ago, it now has a bank, bus terminus, cafés, small hotels, and backpacker services.

Along the road toward Cobá from Tulum are several accessible cenotes. The Gran Cenote is one of the most attractive for swimmers and snorkelers, surrounded by rock columns and exotic flowers, and leading into a wide, arching cavern.

Another enjoyable cenote for swimming, with a broad, peaceful pool that runs into a dark and mysterious cave system. As you swim around the pool you see many shoals of tiny fish.

A bumpy, winding road leads to this little-developed beach which has an enjoyable beach-bar and restaurant, and a large, easily swim-mable cenote just inland of the track.

This cenote is the entrance to the world’s longest known underwater cave system, which stretches over 600 km (350 miles). The Hidden Worlds Center (see Dos Ojos Cenote and Hidden Worlds) offers exhilarating tours.

The coral inlet has been landscaped as a snorkel park, plus forest trail and beach. It has plenty of colorful fish and is great for children. Across the highway is a ruined Mayan city.