Tulum

Tulum is an expert-only site on the Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo, right next to the Mayan ruins. Launch is essentially at sea level: pilots walk the public beach about 500 m south of the ruins to a stretch of flat rocks before small cliffs and a lighthouse, inflate there, and walk toward the lighthouse, launching fairly easily once the wind direction is right. The difficulty is real — there's no landing option between the beach and the ruins, and landing inside the ruins or on the beach beneath them is forbidden. Wind needs to come from the east or southeast at 20 km/h or more, and it often blows harder than that. Whether flying is consistently permitted by Mexican authorities and the ruins' own security isn't entirely clear, so it's worth asking locally before flying. Landing is back on the public beach, with care needed around beachgoers, the surf and the rocks.

Launch & conditions

Inflate on the beach and walk toward the lighthouse; the launch itself is fairly easy in the right wind direction, but this is an expert-only site — there's no landing option between the beach and the ruins.

Getting there & local rules

From Tulum town, take the road toward the Mayan ruins and park at the public beach access before reaching them, then walk about 500 m south along the beach.

Local rules & hazards

Whether flying here is consistently permitted by Mexican authorities and the ruins' own security isn't entirely clear, so it's worth checking locally before flying. Wind needs to be from the east or southeast at 20 km/h or more, and it often blows stronger than that, with no landing options between the beach and the ruins.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Tulum, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Tulum with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.