Ruins in Mexico - which one?

[jenphan]

I have a pre-reservation for the Tulum - Lost Civilization of the Mayans. My sister was here for her last vacation and said that the uniqueness of this Ruin was gone. "It looked as if someone cleaned up the place to make it look more touristy". She said it was not worth $99 to go on this excursion. She said that the Coba Mayan Ruins may be more worth it. What are your thoughts for the Tulum ruins, Coba ruins, and the San Gervasio ruins?

[MrSchwump]

San Gervasio is not that spectacular. A lot of small structures scattered over a wide area in kind of a scrub/brush covered area of Cozumel.

 

Tulum is very picturesque situated right on the coast. It's not that large and you can see it all in a short time.

 

I've not been to Coba so I can't comment.

[kooljamming]

I went to Tulum last summer. The view from the ruins to the ocean was breathtaking. The beach was one of the most beautiful I have seen

[jenphan]

I went to Tulum last summer. The view from the ruins to the ocean was breathtaking. The beach was one of the most beautiful I have seen

 

yes my sister told me how great the beach was but surely i would not fork over 100 to see it. hopefully the beach in princess cays or 7 mile beach can compare.

[Ken076]

The San Gervasio ruins aren't worth your time. We did Tulum excursion from Cozumel port and found the Tulum ruins to be much more expansive and impressive than generally advertised. From Cozumel the tour is pretty much all day; a 40 minute Ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen, about a 40 minute motorcoach ride from Playa del Carmen (with a 30 minute rest/shopping stop) to Tulum, about 1 hour guided tour and about 1 hour personal time to tour or use the BEAUTIFUL beach (no facilities), and the same return trip with no rest stop. There's food and shops at Tulum entrance and our tour had cold drinks and snack packs after the tour. ken

[kooljamming]

yes my sister told me how great the beach was but surely i would not fork over 100 to see it. hopefully the beach in princess cays or 7 mile beach can compare.

 

 

Oops, I am sorry. I mentioned the beach because I thought it added a bit more to the ruins, the history and overall setting.

[CruisinKiki]

We thought Tulum was pretty extensive. We had a really great guide and heard a lot of history. The area is quite pretty as mentioned above. I don't think the price is that high given the ferry and transportation there. Have not been to the other areas mentioned so can't compare.

[psyfi]

We went to Tulum a few years back and found it very worthwhile. The information they provide about the ruins is extensive. They are well preserved. It's location on the water is significant as the reef kept out ships that did not know how to safely sail thru. It makes for beautiful photos as well. I have not been to Coba. The only ones more impressive that ihave seen are Chichen Itza.

[DonMar]

We have been to Tulum and many other ruins throughout the Yucatan and Belize. We found Tulum's setting the most appealing part of the site - it was quite touristy (not our thing).

 

We really appreciated less visited sites such as Ek Balam and Lamanai. At these sites you can interact with the ruins where at Tulum, you are kept at a distance.

 

Hope this helps.

[southnevada]

Tulum is a must see. Bring food and water from the ship.

[jenphan]

Seems like people enjoy Tulum, so I will definitely still consider it. But I am very curious about Coba. Not many people seemed to have visited (in reference to the replies) I am not sure if that means that it will be more unique or if people do not visit it because they were disappointed.

[DougH]

I have not been to Tulum but visited Coba back in 2001. It is a pretty extensive site and pretty spread out. Be prepared for a lot of walking, I chose it to avoid the crowds and was not disappointed

[CruisingJs]

I thought Coba was still being excavated. I looked into going there when we were in Cancun in November. They said it was still being excavated and could only be approached by a long muddy road. Was I misinformed?

 

Tulum is a beautiful site, though not as extensive as others we've been to. Its location on the ocean makes it unique for a Mayan settlement. If it's your first visit to ruins, it's a good start. I don't know what it's like to visit on a tour. We've gone twice on our own while in Cancun.

[jenphan]

I saw a clip on youtube of the Coba Ruins and was it just me or was the site relative small? compared to the pictures i saw of the tulum ruins? ... are there many shops for me to purchase a few souvenirs because either of these excursions will take up all of my time at this port.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Tulum is spectacular mostly because of it's very scenic location right on the ocean cliffs. The ruins are not huge, but are very interesting. It is pretty touristy, with shops, etc., and, like most ruins that are easily accessible to tourists, has been rebuilt.

 

I've been there several times, and in my opinion it is a very long day from a cruise ship, what with the ferry rides and bus trip. I enjoyed it more when we were on a land vacation, but if it's your first or only chance to see ruins it might be worth it. It can be very hot and there is some walking involved, so be prepared. If I did it again I'd bring a swimsuit and use the beautiful beach there.

 

I haven't been to the Coba ruins and I don't know how accessible they are to cruise travelers. If they are still being excavated that would be a plus to me. I like seeing ruins in their more natural state. Chichen Itza is spectacular (very rebuilt also) but quite difficult to do from Cozumel unless you are in port a long, long time. Our son and DIL did go there a few years ago, but we had a 11 PM sailing time. They were very exhausted afterwards and felt they didn't have enough time at the ruins to really explore it enough.

 

The San Gervaiso ruins are quite small and underwhelming. I wouldn't plan my day around them.

[SuperLarz]

My hubby and I stayed in Playa del Carmen last May and did an excursion that included Tulum... We loved it!!

The history was fascinating but the views were BREATHTAKING!! I can't stress that enough! The water there was the bluest I have ever seen! I kept telling my DH that if I were a Mayan king, I would have chosen that spot too to build my palace!

 

The only thing we were disappointed with was that the ruins were roped off so you can't walk around in them. Which I completely understand, because all the tourists were destroying them, but it would have been more "personal" to be able to climb up in them. Instead, you stay on marked paths, and a guide tells you all about the history of the place.

 

We went with EdVenture Tours, who we highly recommend. Although we were not on a cruise, and I don't know if you would have enough time. But they were awesome!

 

I hope you have a great time, whatever you choose!!

 

I've attached a couple of pictures from Tulum, but it's hard to capture it in a photo. If you choose a different site to visit ruins, let us know how you like it!

[jenphan]

Thanks for the great pictures SuperLarz ... i did not know that we were not allowed to climb, i saw many videos of people who went to Coba and they climbed to the very top. If you are interested in that. Everyone has made Tulum sound like the best overall choice and that nice blue water is definitely tempting, so I think I will stick to Tulum this time and if i'm in Mexico again. I'll explore other ruins. Thanks for all the replies.

[Colo Cruiser]

I would say Tulum/Coba. :)

 

San Gervasio was unimpressive. :(

[knbcruisers]

Does your itinerary inlcude Belize? If so, I would highly recommend the New River/Lamanai ruins trip instead. It is a long day, first off the ship and last on,but it was worth it. The boat ride is great, and the ruins are awe-inspiring. We were able to climb 2 of the ruins this past April. If you do this, book it through the ship. If you go independently, there are too many places you could be delayed and the ship would leave without you.

[ddpe]

I have been to Coba and Tulum and enjoyed both. They are very different in style and level of excavation.

 

Tulum is beautiful, on the coast with a beautiful backdrop. It will be much closer avoiding a long bus ride into the jungle. The excavation is in a compact area that makes for impressive viewing. The style of architecture is different from what you will find at Coba or Chichen Itza.

 

Coba has many great buildings and two ball courts. It is in the jungle. You can take a ride on a bicycle ricshaw to speed up viewing the ruins. You can still climb the pyramid at Coba as far as I know while most is roped off at Tulum. The pyramid at Coba is taller than at Chichen Itza(I believe).

 

I would go to Tulum first. If you enjoy the experience, then go to Coba another time. both are worth the trip if you enjoy archeology and history.

 

You did not say what port this would start from. I will say that if it is Cozumel(since you mentioned San Gervaisio-this is a minor ruin), you have a ferry ride for either Coba or Tulum. If you are prone to sea sickness, take the dramamine/bonine before this excursion as that ferry ride can be rough at times.

[jenphan]

knbcruisers: no unfortunately i will not be stopping in belize this time, but hopefully i will next time and be able to visit the ruins there as well.

 

ddpe: I will be docked in Cozumel. Thanks for reminding me about sea-sickness ... i must remember to bring some. I think I will go with Tulum for my first sight at ruins.

[jjones]

Coba is very large, still being excavated. It was the only Mayan ruin where one could still climb the pyramid when I was there in 2006. It's a lot of walking and a long bus ride to the site. We didn't have time to visit the shops. Very worthwhile.

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

I recommend the Tulum excursion that includes the beach break as well. We did this on the Ruby in December and had a WONDERFUL day. Not only was Tulum amazing but the beach they bring you to afterwards was beautiful and the food they feed you was very yummy.

 

Oh, and say hi to Carla, Stan, Lillyanna and Valdo in the wheelhouse bar. They are wonderful!

 

Also Roman and Gillian (and Stan) at Tradewinds at the main pool are a hoot!

 

Enjoy the beautiful Ruby!

[GloriaF]

We did Tulum about 10 years ago while staying in Cancun and thought it was spectacular. We had a guided tour and then lots of time on our own. At that time we were surprised to find you could climb all over the ruins. I'm glad the Mex govt has wised up and prevents climbing now. I would say you should go for Tulum -- I don't think you will be disappointed!

[golferdog]

Tulum is just beautiful~~~San Gervasio small and underwhelming