Cozumel to Tulum

[duke_indiana]

The wife would like for us to take an overnight trip to Tulum from Coz and back. Has anyone here done this? its going to take away a day of diving but it looks like it would be worth it. My questions are, is there a bus or shuttle service from Playa del Carmen? is it better to rent a car? any hotel recs at Tulum?

 

[Ron Lee]

Ferry to the mainland...Buy one way tickets only.

ADO bus to Tulum, 60 pesos per person one way. Schedule below:

ado.com.mx

Then taxi to hotel.

Useful pictures here

www.tinyurl.com/7m3r6

 

[gopbroek]

My wife and did this last week. It can either be done car or bus. I prefer a car but ADO runs frequent bus service. We used Easyway and got a small clean car for $41.75 with all insurance, I prefer this company as they do not play damage games when you return it. The ADO terminal is on 5th ave 1 block up and 1 block North of the ferry pier, Easyway is 1 block west on 10th av another block N between calls 2 & 4. As for hotels I would check Trip Advisor, its off season so you should be able to work a deal in person.

 

[BrewingDiver]

A couple years ago we used the ADO bus from PDC. Very comfortable, cost about $8 round trip. It made one stop at the water park I believe, and the rest is mainly freeway. Are you set on going overnight? We left fairly early in the morning (can't remember exactly the time), took the ferry to PDC, bus to Tulum, paid a guide for a tour and returned for a dinner in Coz. We missed the first ADO bus that we had planned to use for the return trip, but there is a outdoor-type bar near the stop so we just relaxed with a couple beers (and a free tequila shot) and some chips while waiting another hour or so for the next one. No worries there. But, as said above, do not buy a round trip ferry ticket because there is no savings anyway, so you can be flexible when buying the return ferry.

 

[Ron Lee]

If you miss the ADO bus there may be second class buses as well as colectivo vans. The ADO bus is my preference.

 

[driftwood]

If you are going to do an overnight, why not just head to Valladolid and hit Chichen Itza early in the morning. Plenty of time to see CI and make it back to PDC before the last ferry.

Tulum is nice but not the most impressive ruins in the area and a trip to CI is worth the time. In addition, Valladolid is a nice, old colonial city.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Tulum was worth a trip, but not, in my opinion, worth an overnight. I've done Tulum a couple of times, once on the bus, once with a rental car. I prefer the rental car because I can control my own schedule, I don't like sitting around waiting for the next bus. I would catch an early Ferry to PDC, rent a car and try to get to Tulum by 9:00. 3-4 hours is plenty to see the ruins at Tulum. Then head up to Xel Ha for the afternoon, lunch, snorkeling, tubing on the river. Dinner at PDC after returning the rental car, and Ferry back to Coz, and you can Dive again the next morning.

 

[Ron Lee]

What does the OP want to do? What is the purpose of the trip to Tulum?

 

[duke_indiana]

Ron Lee: we just want to see it. It looks great and a must do. We live seeing ruins and anything we can.

Deliver: thanks for that reply. We are now thinking ove a day trip. As you could tell we are not regulars there I've been a few times. Looking more like a non diving day trip.

 

[lionfish-eater]

There is a very good Argentine steak house on the main street in tulum. The best meat Ever! There are very nice boutique bed and breakfast/small hotels along the beach that are very nice. Bring your gear and dive the cenotes.