Tulum Tours from Playa del Carmen with Hotel Pickup
From Playa del Carmen you can take four guided Tulum-area tours: the Tulum ruins, the ruins plus a Gran Cenote swim, the Coba jungle pyramid, or snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal. We collect you at your Playa hotel at 7:30 or 8:00 am. Tulum is only about an hour down the coast, so you start later and get back earlier than from Cancun. Prices from Playa start at US$69 per adult.
Tulum Tours from Playa del Carmen Compared: Prices, Pickup and Return Times
All four Tulum tours from Playa del Carmen include hotel pickup and a local guide. They differ in what you do and how long you are out: from a half day with turtles that has you back for lunch, to a full jungle day at Coba.
| Tour | Price from Playa (adult) | Pickup in Playa | Back in Playa | Length | Swim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulum Ruins Tour | US$69 | 8:00 am | Confirm on WhatsApp | Morning | Beach below ruins only when open |
| Tulum Ruins and Cenote Tour | US$89 | 8:00 am | about 3:00 pm | Most of the day | Yes, Gran Cenote (entry included) |
| Coba Ruins Tour | US$79 | 7:30 am | about 4:30 pm | Full day | Yes, cenote near Coba |
| Akumal Turtle Snorkeling Tour | US$79 | 8:00 am | about 1:30 pm | Half day | Yes, sea and cenote |
Children aged 4 to 11 pay 25% less, and children under 4 ride free. Gate fees at the ruins are paid separately in cash (see below).
How a Tulum Day Trip from Playa del Carmen Works
A Tulum day trip from Playa del Carmen is door to door: a driver collects you at your hotel, you ride in an air-conditioned vehicle, a local guide leads you at each stop, and the same vehicle drops you back at your hotel.
Hotel Pickup in Playa del Carmen
We pick up from hotels in Playa del Carmen. Tell us your hotel when you message, and we reply with your exact pickup time and meeting point, usually the hotel lobby or main entrance.
About 1 Hour to Tulum on Highway 307
Tulum is about an hour south of Playa del Carmen on Highway 307, and Akumal is about 35 minutes. That short drive is the main reason tours from Playa are easier than from Cancun: pickups are at 7:30 to 8:00 am instead of 6:45 to 7:00 am, and you spend about 2 hours in the vehicle in total instead of 4. Planning to travel on your own instead? See getting around Tulum.
Half-Day or Full-Day Tour from Playa?
Want your afternoon free for the beach or Fifth Avenue? Choose the Akumal turtle tour (back about 1:30 pm) or the Tulum ruins tour, which is a morning trip. Want to fill the day? The ruins and cenote tour runs until about 3:00 pm, and Coba, the longest, until about 4:30 pm.
Best Tulum Tours from Playa del Carmen for Your Group
The best tour depends on who is going and what they want from the day.
- ✓First visit, love history: Tulum ruins tour
- ✓History plus a swim: Tulum ruins and cenote tour
- ✓Want to climb a pyramid: Coba ruins tour
- ✓Families with young kids: Akumal turtle tour (back about 1:30 pm)
- ✓Not a strong swimmer: Ruins and cenote tour (life jackets, platforms)
- ✓Want the afternoon free: Akumal turtle tour or Tulum ruins tour
- ✓Want a full adventure day: Coba ruins tour (bikes, pyramid, cenote, lunch)
- ✓Low on budget: Tulum ruins tour, US$69
Four Tulum Excursions from Playa del Carmen
Each tour has its own page with the full itinerary, inclusions and photos.
Tulum Ruins Tour
A guided walk through the walled Maya city on the cliff, with El Castillo and the view over the Caribbean. The classic first choice. US$69 per adult from Playa, pickup 8:00 am. See the Tulum ruins tour for the day plan.
Tulum Ruins and Cenote Tour
The same guided ruins visit, then about an hour swimming in Gran Cenote, a clear freshwater sinkhole about 10 minutes from the ruins. Entry, snorkel mask and life jacket included. US$89 per adult, 8:00 am to about 3:00 pm. Details on the Tulum ruins and cenote tour page.
Coba Ruins Tour
Inland in the jungle, you bike or walk the old Maya roads to the Nohoch Mul pyramid, then swim in a cenote and eat lunch in Coba village. US$79 per adult, 7:30 am to about 4:30 pm. Read the Coba ruins tour page.
Akumal Turtle Snorkeling Tour
A half day with a licensed guide in Akumal Bay, where wild green sea turtles feed on the seagrass, plus a cenote swim. Gear, life vest and bay fees included. US$79 per adult, 8:00 am to about 1:30 pm. See the Akumal turtle snorkeling tour.
What Is Included and What You Pay Extra
Every tour from Playa del Carmen includes round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off, air-conditioned transport, a local guide and bottled water. The rest depends on the tour:
- ✓Ruins and cenote: Gran Cenote entry, snorkel mask, life jacket
- ✓Coba: cenote entry and lunch
- ✓Akumal: licensed turtle guide, gear, life vest, bay fees, cenote
- ✗Tulum ruins and national park fees, about US$15 to 20, cash at the gate
- ✗Coba gate fees, about 330 pesos per adult, cash
- ✗Tips, and food where lunch is not included
Gate fees can change; see the Tulum ruins guide for details. We confirm your full total on WhatsApp before you pay.
Private Tulum Tour from Playa del Carmen
Any of the four tours can run private, with your own guide and vehicle and a start time you choose. Private prices for up to 4 people start at US$249 for the Tulum ruins, US$299 for ruins and cenote, US$279 for Coba and US$259 for Akumal. Message us with your date and group size for your exact private quote from Playa.
Ask for a private quote from PlayaHow to Book Your Tulum Tour from Playa del Carmen
- Message us on WhatsApp with the tour, date, your Playa del Carmen hotel, number of adults and kids' ages.
- We reply with your pickup time and full price, including gate fees.
- Confirm, and your driver collects you at the hotel on the day.
Cancellation and Weather Policy
Cancel up to 24 hours before pickup for a full refund. Short tropical showers are common and tours usually go ahead; if we cancel for unsafe weather, you choose a new date or a full refund.
Playa del Carmen Tulum Tour Questions
Do you pick up at my hotel in Playacar or north Playa?
We pick up at hotels in Playa del Carmen. Send your hotel name on WhatsApp before you book and we confirm your exact pickup point and time. If your hotel or gated resort is outside our normal route, we tell you before you pay, never on the day.
Which tour is best for kids or non-swimmers?
For young kids, the Akumal turtle tour is the easiest: only about 35 minutes from Playa and back around 1:30 pm, with life vests included. Non-swimmers often prefer the Tulum ruins and cenote tour, because Gran Cenote has wooden platforms, shallow areas and life jackets. Children aged 4 to 11 pay 25% less and under 4 ride free.
Can I add a cenote to my Tulum trip?
Yes. The Tulum ruins and cenote tour adds about an hour in Gran Cenote, with entry and snorkel gear included, for US$89 from Playa del Carmen. The Coba and Akumal tours also include a cenote swim.
What should I bring on the day?
Bring cash in pesos for the gate fees at the ruins, a hat, water, comfortable shoes, a swimsuit and towel if your tour includes a swim, and biodegradable sunscreen.
Ready to Book from Playa del Carmen?
Tell us your date and Playa hotel. We reply with your pickup time and full price.
Plan Your Day from Playa del Carmen
Want background first? Read our guide to the Tulum ruins, or compare the best cenotes in Tulum. Friends staying in Cancun? See Tulum tours from Cancun.