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Night-Time Visits And The Illumination OF Tulum’s Archeological Zone
August 3, 2008 by Fractional Property Ownership, Timeshare & Luxury Travel Magazine · Leave a Comment
Visitors are now able to experience the site due to the illumination of the site’s most emblematic monuments.
A new option to appreciate the nature and architecture of the archeological site.
There are new evening tours being organized in the archeological zone of Tulum, enhanced by audio guides in different languages. The goal of the new project is to attractively present the history of this archeological site and to expand the operating schedule to accommodate the increased number of visitors.
According to the statistics of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), Tulum is the second most visited archeological site in Mexico. For foreign tourists, Tulum is the number one archeological site in Mexico based upon the number of recorded visits; it also receives the greatest amount of visitors in the state of Quintana Roo. Before initiating this project, INAH had evaluated numerous proposals that presented finding more improved methods to preserve the historical monuments, to increase the attractiveness of Tulum to the visitors, to provide more in-depth historical information and to offer overall higher standards of services.
The manager of the INAH for Quintana Roo, Adriana Velásquez Morlet, explained that evening tours invited visitors to walk along illuminated paths that lead to the main monuments, including monuments in the center of the archeological zone, the Castle, monuments in the Interior Premises and the northern part of the walled area, which includes the House of Cenote, the Temple of Paintings, the House of Halach Uinic (or Great Lord), the House of Columns and some other structures that belong to the House of Chultun.
The illumination has been carefully designed to guarantee that the monuments are safe and protected, and at the same time, permit visitors to enjoy them.
The installations were made by strictly observing the regulations of the National Board of Archeology, in that no excavations were made, the cables were placed on the surface, and the installed lights were hidden in the rocks in order to avoid any negative impact to the archeological zone.
The lamps used for evening illumination were LED-type (light-emitting diode) lamps, semiconductor devices of greater resistance and durability than traditional incandescent lamps and safe for archeological monuments and the environment. LED-type lamps are more resistant to the effects of the environment; they do not generate heat, are easy to turn off in case of hurricanes or rain storms, and consume very little energy.
The representative of the state’s INAH explained that prior to every evening visit an audiovisual presentation introduces tourists to the site. Also, in order to learn more about the history of the pre-Spanish period, visitors can add an audio guide to their tour (for an additional cost added to their admission ticket). The audio guides, created by incorporating Tulum’s archeologists’ research, provide information about Tulum’s history, descriptions of the monuments, as well as help in identifying them. Ms. Velásquez stressed that the profits received from visitors who use audio guides would be used for preservation and maintenance of other historical sites of the country.
According to Ms. Velasquez, the night-time tours will help balance the flow of tourists who visit Tulum. The tours will provide another option to tourists and in the long run, will contribute to the overall preservation of the site. This project also gives a new dimension to archeological site tours in general, as it makes it possible to appreciate their beauty under a star-lit sky.
“Up until now, only archeologists, researchers and night guards could have this extraordinary experience, but at this time we can share it with the general public, which will have a possibility to establish a different, more emotional dialogue with our past and will be able to come closer to our cultural and national heritage,” said Ms. Velasquez.
Tulum’s night-time tours began this year in May and are currently organized for groups of 40 people and last for about 45 minutes. The schedule will vary according to the season, and the frequency will be gradually increased.
Easily accessible from many cities throughout the U.S., the eighty-one mile stretch known as the Riviera Maya is situated in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Beginning eleven miles south of Cancun International Airport in Puerto Morelos, the Riviera Maya extends to Tulum, one of the most important archeological sites in the Mayan World. The region features the tranquility of uncrowded beaches, a vast network of underground rivers, over 100 cenotes, the action of eco-adventure sports including kayaking, mountain biking, scuba diving, snorkeling, trekking, bird watching and deep sea fishing, proximity to many of Mexico’s most significant Mayan archeological sites, the varied activities of the eco-archeological parks, plus golf courses, spas, shopping, gourmet dining and a range of accommodations to suit every lifestyle and budget. The Riviera Maya has been named a Top Destination in Mexico for four consecutive years by Travel Weekly (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007), one of the hottest beach destinations by Orbitz in 2008 and was also featured in the January 2006 issue of Travel + Leisure as “The Next Riviera.”
For more information on the Riviera Maya, visit www.rivieramaya.com.
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