Dawn in Tulum is like awakening in the middle of nowhere, far from the cold, rainy mornings waiting for the bus that never comes. In the Mayan language, Tulum is known as “Zama”, which means, precisely, “dawn”, a form of describing the impressive vista which the first light of the day offers over these Caribbean coasts, as the sun rises above the sea. In Tulum, the spectacle is magnified even more. The temperature is mild at this early hour and it is not hard to imagine the morning bustle of old in what was, in its day, an important Mayan sea port; the light-filled middle of the day when the colourful stuccoed façades merrily reflected the dazzling sunlight or the sunsets which swathed in shadows the murals that even today can be seen in the Temple of the Frescos. At the end of the day, when human activity comes to a halt, one can perceive the dimmed, muffled sounds of the tropical jungle that grows towards the west.
Tulum is the only city built by the Mayas close to the sea, on a promontory which opens onto the Caribbean. The archaeological site is one of the best preserved and is unique because of its coastal location. After hours of relaxation on the sands, as we half-open our eyes, we can make out the ancient Mayan ruins on the cliff-tops. The town centre of Tulum gives the impression of being anchored in this ancient Mayan splendour. From this part, a road dotted with a mass of villages leads to the Cobá Archaeological Park, immersed in the respectful silence of an extinguished civilization.
Tulum is history and nature. Exuberant and prodigious nature, where the water has created fanciful forms, such as the ‘cenotes’, crystal-clear natural pools, some of which are inside caves that run through the Yucatan Peninsula like mysterious labyrinths, surrounded by mango plantations.
