Muyil Ruins & Sian Ka'an River Float Tour from Tulum

The Muyil Archaeological Site

Muyil, also known as Chunyaxché, is one of the earliest and longest-lived Maya settlements on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, occupied from around 300 BC until the arrival of the Spanish. It lies about twenty-five kilometres south of Tulum, at the edge of the Sian Ka'an reserve, and was once linked to the sea by canals through the lagoons, making it an important trading port. Its tallest building, known as the Castillo, rises about seventeen metres above the jungle.

On this Muyil ruins tour you spend about an hour and a half on site with your guide, walking among temples and platforms that are far less crowded than the ruins of Tulum or Chichén Itzá. The trees grow right up to the stones, birds call from the canopy and the atmosphere is calm and green. It is a rewarding place for anyone who wants to see Maya history in its natural setting.

The Jungle Trail to the Muyil Lagoon

From the ruins a path leads through the tropical forest towards the lagoon. Your guide stops along the way to point out medicinal plants, giant trees, orchids and bromeliads, and the birds that live here, from colourful woodpeckers and parrots to herons near the water. The walk is gentle and shaded, and it shows you how closely the Maya lived with the forest around them.

This short walk is one of the details that sets this tour apart from a simple boat trip. It connects the ancient city with the water that made it rich, and gives you a feel for the scale of the jungle that still covers much of the southern Riviera Maya. Bring insect repellent, preferably biodegradable, and comfortable shoes for the trail before you change into swimwear.

Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Sian Ka'an, a Maya name often translated as the origin of the sky, is one of the largest protected areas in Mexico and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. It covers tropical forest, savanna, mangroves, freshwater lagoons and a long stretch of Caribbean coast with part of the Mesoamerican reef. The reserve shelters jaguars, manatees, crocodiles, sea turtles and more than three hundred bird species.

On this Sian Ka'an tour from Tulum you enter the reserve by boat across the Muyil lagoon, a sheet of water that shifts from deep blue to bright turquoise over the white limestone bottom. The ride lasts long enough to take in the open views and the line of mangroves along the shore. Seeing the reserve this way is one of the best things to do near Tulum for nature lovers.

The Natural Lazy River Through the Mangroves

The highlight of the afternoon is the float along an ancient canal between the lagoons, a narrow channel of crystal-clear fresh water bordered by tall mangrove trees. Many believe these channels were widened by the Maya to move goods by canoe between Muyil and the coast. Today you simply slip into the water in your life jacket and let the gentle current carry you along for a relaxing swim.

Life jackets are compulsory, so you do not need to be a strong swimmer; you just lie back, look up at the branches and watch small fish below you. Afterwards the boat brings you back across the lagoon. This Sian Ka'an lazy river float is the part most guests remember, and a waterproof camera is a good idea if you have one.

Mexican Tacos in Tulum

After the reserve, the van takes you back towards Tulum for a taco stop at about half past five in the afternoon. Tacos are the everyday street food of Mexico, soft corn tortillas filled with grilled or slow-cooked fillings and topped with onion, coriander, lime and salsas of different strengths. It is a relaxed way to end the day, sharing stories of the float with the rest of the small group.

Tulum itself is known for its clifftop Maya ruins above the sea, its white-sand beaches and its laid-back town centre, so you can easily combine this tour with other days on the coast. Drop-off at your hotel in Tulum is between 6:30 and 7:00 pm, which leaves the evening free for dinner or a walk through town.