Tulum, Mexico There are at least 30 Mayan ruins scattered throughout Mexico and Central America. From Chichen Itza to Palenque, Calakmul to Tikal, few are less than awe-inspiring. Idyllically situated on a rocky cliff facing the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea, Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Mayans, managing to survive around 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico in the early 16th century.