The Mayan Ruins at Tulum, Mexico

My friends and I knew that we wanted to experience a piece of history by visiting some of the ancient Mayan ruins during our Carnival cruise last month. There were several sites from which to choose at each of our stops, and our travel agent recommended the ruins at Tulum, Mexico. Carnival's shore excursion to Tulum was priced at $79 per person, which we thought was reasonable considering all that it included. If you choose to go, be sure to reserve your spot early, as this particular shore excursion has limited space and usually fills up early.

If you decide to participate in this shore excursion, know that there is quite a bit of time and extensive walking (on pavement, gravel, and dirt paths) involved. Our cruise ship docked at Cozumel, an island just off the Yucatan peninsula in southeastern Mexico. Tulum is on the mainland, so we had to take a 45-minute ferry boat ride (with our choice of indoor or outdoor seating) from the island to Playa del Carmen. From there, we walked about fifteen minutes through the town to a waiting charter bus. The bus ride to Tulum took nearly an hour, plus time that we took to stop at a large roadside store where we were able to shop for souvenirs and use the comparatively clean restroom facilities. Along the way, our tour guide, Lily, told us about the history of the Mayan tribe and what we would see upon arrival at the ruin site. Lily was extremely knowledgeable and informative.