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Earlier this week, the Mexican National Guard unexpectedly restricted the movement of motor vehicles in and out of the Tulum National Park during what was an average, busy tourist day in the Riviera Maya city.
As a result of the blockade, some tourists were left stranded at one of the beach clubs located inside the park’s vicinity.
Here’s all you need to know about this week’s incident at the Tulum National Park:
Drivers Prohibited From Entering Tulum National Park Area By National Guard Personnel
On Tuesday, drivers of cars and vans used for transporting tourists, as well as local taxi drivers, arrived at this popular tourist attraction to drop off and pick up travelers as per usual.
But on this particular afternoon, they were banned from passing through the entrance of the Tulum National Park.
According to reports, they were restricted without being given any prior warning. Instead, the drivers were told that they couldn’t enter because of road repairs happening at the park.
This undoubtedly came as a surprise to the drivers, as they arrived at the gates of the park and were denied entry.
Restrictions Reportedly Due To Operations Against A Hotel In The Park Area
For context, the Tulum National Park is a huge area and is home to the popular Archeological Zone, also known as the Tulum Ruins. This area is located along the Caribbean coastline, but many access it through the main highway 307.
While the drivers were told that the restrictions for motor vehicles were due to road work, the report later discovered that the blockade occurred because of an operation against a hotel located in the park area.
Along with the Mexican National Guard, some officials of the Mexican Attorney General, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection, as well as the State Police were on the scene because there was some illegal construction happening in the protected park area.
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Furthermore, because all access points to the park were blocked at that time, patrons of the businesses located in the park couldn’t get out via car. This included a popular beach club frequented by tourists in the park, and they were left stranded for hours with no transport being able to get to them due to the entry points being blocked.
One driver that was on the scene complained of the inconvenience, noting that operations such as this one would be better conducted during off hours rather than in the middle of the day when movement is busy by travelers on foot and by car.
A Similar Event Happened In Tulum National Park Last Month
Tuesday’s event was the third time that this has happened in the Tulum National Park, with authorities coming in to shut down illegal construction in the area.
We reported only a few weeks ago that the National Guard secured a popular beach bar in Tulum.
Citing major environmental damage, the Sante Fe Beach Club, which is located in the vicinity of Tulum National Park, was placed under custody by the National Guard.
Business operations at this tourist spot were immediately shut down as damage to the nearby coastal dune was reported. The park is an official natural protected area, so many businesses that operate within the park can be heavily monitored.
Tulum Continues To Be A Major Destination In The Mexican Caribbean
The winter vacation season in Tulum has been a busy one.
Still a popular destination along with Cancun and Playa del Carmen, Tulum continues to attract tourists of all types – whether they’re travelers looking for a tropical getaway, day-trippers heading to the Tulum ruins, or beach bums in search of that pristine spot along the coast.
Even backpackers and seasoned travelers can’t help themselves sometimes and are planning a weekend getaway here to see what all the fuss is about.
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