The town of Tulum, on the east coast of Mexico, has an aura of tranquility and beauty. The town is situated on the coast of the Riviera Maya, South of Cancun and Playa del Carmen, near the Guatemala-Belize border. The town's primary industry, like that of its sister cities in the Riviera Maya, is of coarse tourism. All along the beaches one can find eco-lodges and cabanas spread amongst the pristine fine white sand. Within the quaint town, small international and domestic palapa-style restaurants line the main road. But by far the main attraction in Tulum is its fantastic Ruins.

The Tulum ruins epitomize the town's essence and beauty. Established on a bluff overlooking the Caribbean sea and beach, these small but magical ruins yield awes and spectacular scenes. Although not it's original name, Tulum means "wall" in the Quintana Roo Maya language. According to historians the Tulum ruins were formally named "Zama", which means "to Dawn". Tulum was the name given to the location upon its rediscovery by Stephens and Catherwood before the Caste War in 1847.

According to regional historians, Tulum was a major port for the Maya's vast extensive trade network. Land and maritime trade routes met in Tulum, Mexico. Artifacts found in the Tulum ruins ranged in origin from central Mexico to Central America, confirming the theory of expansive trade capacity. It is theorized that the city lay in ruins after the decimation of its native population by the diseases brought over from Europe. Visiting the Tulum ruins today, tourists can still find relatively well-preserved structures on the ancient pre-hispanic site. These political and religious structures are those that best survived the elements after their abandonment. Remnants of other minor buildings lay scattered.

Stephen Hansen writes articles on adventure travel around the world. He is enjoying his trip to the Mayan ruins and for more information on adventure travel he recommends you to visit: http://www.onejungle.com
 
 

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