Tulum is well-placed for day trips along the Riviera Maya and inland into the Yucatán. Akumal — half an hour north — is famous for snorkelling with sea turtles in its protected bay. Playa del Carmen, an hour up the coast, is the regional hub for shopping, restaurants, and the ferry across to Cozumel.
Inland, the great Maya city of Chichen Itza is a long but worthwhile day; it is around two and a half hours by car, less by Tren Maya. Closer to home, Cobá (45 minutes inland from Tulum) has the tallest pyramid in the Yucatán and a network of jungle paths you can cycle. Bacalar, the famous seven-coloured lagoon, is a stretch at three hours south but doable.
