Welcome Back Cuties! I am so happy to finally be able to bring this Tulum Travel Guide to you all!
Oh Tulum, where do I start? This chic little beach town is truly such a gem and I finally understand why everyone is always obsessing over it. To put it simply, it’s the epitome of cool. It’s a small little beach town, nestled away in the jungle of Mexico, with only one small “major road” where you will find more taxis and vacationers riding on their bikes than anything. They have thousands of freshwater cenotes, the freshest food you will ever have and the most divine specialty margaritas.
This was our first time to Tulum and I truly cannot wait to go back. While we would do a few things differently and go during a different time of year, I’m already secretly planning our next trip!
GETTING TO TULUM
The easiest and best way to get to Tulum is by flying into the Cancun International Airport. Luckily, there are tons of flight options and if you book far enough in advance, your tickets won’t cost too much either!
The more difficult part is getting from Cancun to Tulum which is a 1.5 hour drive away. To do this, you have three options!
- Private Shuttle: If you are with a huge group (especially if you are traveling with a big group of girls) I highly suggest this option! There are a ton of affordable taxis once you get into Tulum + Bike Rentals, so having a car is not a necessity. I recommend calling your hotel to set up this transportation for you. Some hotels offer their own shuttles but if not – they will at least have a company they recommend!
- Private Car: If you are a couple traveling alone (or w/ another couple) and do not wish to drive – then this is a great option! Just as I recommended above, I suggest calling your hotel to set this up!
- Rent a car: This is what we did and I have mixed feelings about it….. If you are a couple, that’s somewhat adventurous and likes to have their freedom – then renting a car might just be for you! We honestly loved having a car, but the process of picking it up at the airport was a tad bit difficult. We had scheduled everything online through Hertz in advance ($85 for the week) and when we got there, it just became a nightmare. Basically, the rental companies will try to sell you insurance for the trip, which will cost you several hundreds of dollars to do. Don’t do this or let them talk you into it. Your credit card should have travel insurance and if it does, you’re good to go! The problem is that they will put a $1500 hold on your cc, until you return the car without damage. So if you are okay with that hold – then you will love having a car! We felt totally safe during the drive and loved having it for the trip.
SAFETY
I wanted to put safety at the top of this post because it has been my number one question from you all and was honestly my biggest concern.
While you should always be extra careful and extra cautious when traveling, Colton and I both felt so incredibly safe. From the moment we landed in Cancun, to our drive and our entire time staying in Tulum, we felt totally and completely safe.
WHEN TO GO
In order to have the best weather and to experience no seaweed, you will want to visit Tulum anywhere from late October to March. During April through October, Tulum is very hot, there are a lot of mosquitos and the seaweed is awful. I knew this when we booked our trip for May but didn’t think it would be that bad…. I was wrong. Thankfully, being from Houston, we were used to the heat but the seaweed sucked. We were able to find a lot of places with beautiful water and no seaweed (every place is listed below) but it was still a huge letdown.
WHERE TO STAY
One of the things that I love the most about Tulum is that there aren’t any huge resorts in the area. Instead, they are all smaller boutique hotels with lots of character!!
I recommend staying as far North as possible. The beaches in Northern Tulum are much nicer and have the least amount of seaweed! Plus, it is where all of the action is. I also recommend reading everything about your hotel before booking. Tulum is very eco-friendly so some don’t have to air-condition. I’ve also heard of a few only having salt water showers! So just make sure you really read up on whichever one you choose!
Tata Tulum – This is where we stayed for our trip! It’s a gorgeous and chic little hotel that was super affordable and that we all around really did like.
PROS
- Affordable.
- Free upgrade! (I’m guessing it’s bc I put it in the notes that it was our anniversary?)
- Close to everything! Just a quick walk or bike ride to anywhere you would want to go.
- Free (decent) wifi
- Air Conditioning
- Free Breakfast (honestly all of the food and drinks at Tata were amazing!)
- Nice Pool
- Chic & Cute Rooms
CONS
- SEAWEED. Most hotels do a great job at dredging the seaweed on the beach but this was not the case at Tata. The smell was so bad it honestly made me sick.
- The Birds: Holy sh**t the birds yall. While we were so thankful that we were upgraded to the third floor for an ocean view room, the roof was basically made out of straw and starting at 5 am every morning, the birds would sit on our roof and have a field day. It was awful.
- The sewage smell: I’m not sure where it was coming from, but every once in a while (especially at night) there would be the worst sewage smell that would pass through and last for about 15 seconds and then leave.
Encantada Tulum – This is where we would like to stay next time we visit! I had a friend tell me that we had to 100% book here but since they are a smaller boutique hotel with only 8 rooms – they were full booked… but y’all – it is so enchanting, affordable and gorgeous! It’s in the perfect area and I just can’t wait to stay here next time we go back.
Be Tulum – I have a few friends who have stayed here and loved! Super chic and is also located in the area that you want to be in – the only thing is that it is a little pricier…. It’s definitely where you would want to stay if you’re on your honeymoon!
La Zebra – Another hotel that came highly recommend! We stopped in for afternoon drinks one day and were super impressed by its size and everything it had to offer.
(Matcha Mama)
RESTAURANTS & BEACH CLUBS
Tulum seriously might have some of the best food in the world! It’s known for being incredibly fresh (both fish and produce) and everything that you try will be the best that you have ever had. Truly – a foodies dream destination!!
Matcha Mama: (smoothie/juice bar) A super insta famous juice bar in Tulum!! I mean, you can’t go to Tulum and not take a picture there and enjoy a smoothie on their famous swings. I highly recommend the acai bowl and the cold brew coffee with coconut milk!
Ojo de Agua: (breakfast/lunch) This was actually one of our favorite breakfast spots in Mexico City, so I was really excited to see that we had one right down the road from our hotel! Super fresh and healthy options. Everything is good! We love the Acai Bowl and the Avocado Toast!
Raw Love Tulum: (juice bar) Just the cutest little health food stand. Definitely a must after a night of dancing and tequila!
(Ojo de Agua)
(coco tulum – restaurant & beach club)
( Ziggys Beach Club )
Restaurants & Beach Clubs Continued…….
Coco Tulum: (lunch/beach club) Instagram famous for it’s all white aesthetic and super chic beach bar swings. I definitely recommend checking Coco Tulum out but if I am being completely honest, I think it’s 100% overrated and was totally let down by my experience….the vibe just sucked and the people that worked there were super unfriendly. It was a $50 minimum/per person to hang out there… which we personally thought was ridiculous….so we opted to just hang out on their swings and enjoy a quick beer before heading out.
Ziggys Beach Club: (beach club): This was a random drop in Beach Club that we loved! It had a great atmosphere, everyone was so nice and the beach lounges were amazing! Unlike Coco, it is only a $37 minimum per person (so each person needs to spend $37 on drinks and food while there) and is totally worth it! With that minimum, you have access to the whole beach club and all of its amenities.
Boa Tulum: (beach club): A day-time beach club that is also great for drinks at sunset. It’s only a quick taxi ride away from the heart of Tulum and has a great atmosphere! I personally loved the fact that the DJ kept playing until the sun went down. Boa was also recommended to us for dinner, but we never made it.
La Valise: (lunch) Voted Best Tacos in Tulum!
(taboo tulum)
(mezzanine)
(gitanos)
Restaurants and Beach Clubs Continued….
Taboo Tulum: (beach club & dinner) A brand new spot to Tulum (I believe it has only been open a month!) and was hands down the best dinner and experience that we had our entire time there. We went here for sunset drinks and dinner our first night and didn’t end up leaving until after midnight. Our server Alex, was a dream!! Everyone was so nice and it was so chic! It’s right on the beach, so you can literally feel the ocean breeze as you eat and they have a house donkey that just walks around and becomes friends with everyone. The margaritas were better than anything I have ever had before and the food was to die for (be sure to start with the hummus and tuna tartar). I also highly recommend ordering the hookah experience and lounging on the beach beds after dinner! They gave us a complimentary high-end tequila tasting and brought out a complimentary dessert with sparklers for our anniversary as well. It was THE BEST start to our trip and I can’t recommend it enough! It’s also a beach club during the day with a pool – so I would add that to your list as well!
Mezzanine: (dinner) Probably the best Thai food I have ever had – along with the most amazing view. It’s more south Tulum and sits on a cliff, so it was a whole different area of the beach that we hadn’t seen before. Super romantic and beautiful!
Gitanos: (dinner & dancing) GO HERE FOR A GOOD TIME AND AMAZING FOOD! We went here our last night and had an absolute blast. The food was amazing, the vibe was spot on, they had live music and it turned into a huge party around 10:00. Highly recommend making a reservation.
Casa Jaguar: (dinner & dancing) Definitely a Tulum nightlife front-runner. It’s gourmet food in an upscale jungle atmosphere. Super cool – hipster vibes and is known to lead to late night dancing.
Kintoh at Azulik: (dinner) I had to put Kintoh on this list because while it is super spectacular… it’s also super overrated. They are known for their dinner tables that are situated above the trees in the Tulum jungle. We had reservations here for over a month and upon arrival were told that in order to sit at those tables that we had reserved, it would be a $400 minimum (American) or we could sit at their basic in-door seating tables and would only be able to stay for an hour. Needless to say, we canceled our reservation and left. I will say though, for the seating above the trees, they do have huge tables that can fit up to 15 people, with a $1000 minimum – which is totally doable when you have that many people. There was just no way Colton and I could eat/drink enough to spend $400…. nor would we want too lol. Maybe we’ll go next time if we are with a group!
(Caleta Tankah)
ADVENTURES
Cenotes: You can’t go to Tulum and not visit a cenote!! I mean, the Yucatan Peninsula has over 6000 Cenotes alone! Each provides a magical, freshwater experience and are all super affordable! Most Cenotes will cost you around $8 (American) per person and offer snorkeling equipment to rent as well but you can always bring your own if you would like! We went to the Grand Cenote (pictured below) and it was seriously so gorgeous. I recommend getting there early, like around 8:00 am when it opens to avoid the large groups! Other recommended Cenotes we plan on visiting next time include Cenote Calavera, Cenote Bonita, and Celestial.
Caleta Tankah: A hidden, gorgeous gem and a lifesaver when the seaweed is bad. It’s technically classified as a “Cenote” since it is freshwater based, but since it formed right on the edge of the Caribbean sea, it’s really half fresh water, half salt water. We loved it here! It’s 200 pesos per person (so $10) and worth it! They have a little beach club and chairs to lay out in too! The food is mediocre but the coronas were just right 🙂
Mayan Ruins: A quick 15-minute taxi ride from Tulum. We didn’t have time to make it there this trip, but it came highly recommend and will be going next time we visit! It’s supposed to be pretty remarkable and is right on the beach, so be sure to bring your swimsuit to jump in the water afterward.
Laguna Kaan Luum: Another fresh, crystal clear water option for when the seaweed is bad. This beautiful Laguna is just south of Tulum and took us about 20 minutes to get too! The center of it is actually a super deep cenote and the sand is supposed to be incredible for your skin. The cost of entrance is 50 pesos per person and 150 pesos if you want to go diving!
Rent Bikes: One of my favorite things to do while we were there was to rent bikes and explore! It cost 100 pesos a day ($5), so it is super affordable and almost every hotel offers this, so they are super convenient to rent. If your hotel doesn’t, no need to worry – there are a ton of places around that do!
Relax on the Beach: Sit back, relax and enjoy your time in Mexico!
Snorkel and Scuba Diving: Another one that’s on our list for next time! A company that came very highly recommend is called KOOX! They have the option to take you to explore a few cenotes or even on a boat in the Caribbean! I believe they even have an option where you can do both!
Casa Malca: Pablo Escobar’s old house! It has SUPER COOL architecture and is actually a hotel as well. I recommend coming here for drinks and taking the afternoon to explore the different rooms, the artwork, hidden charms, nooks, and crannies, & etc.
(grand cenote)
(Laguna Kaan Luum)
EXTRA TULUM TIPS
- Get pesos before you get there – While most places take cards, there were surprisingly a lot of places that were cash only and finding a working ATM was hard to come by….. plus the ones that you will find charge around $8 a transaction! You’ll want pesos for a handful of restaurants, most bars, taxis, the cenotes and etc! I recommend getting pesos from your bank, at the airport or at a bank atm on the way to Tulum.
- Before getting in a taxi – ask the driver if it is “100 pesos?” – From one end of the beach to the other, the standard rate for a taxi is 100 pesos (so about $5). If you get in and ask them how much – they might try to overcharge you… but if you get in and they see that you know the correct price – you won’t get haggled. Note** this price goes up to 150 pesos Friday and Saturday nights.
- Be prepared for the Mosquitos (only at night though!) – Most places will have mosquito spray and will “fog” to help with the mosquito situation but it might be a good idea to bring your own or at least just go into it knowing!
- Know you’re going to sweat – I’m from Houston, so I am definitely used to the humidity and heat but I swear, I have never sweat more in my entire life than I did in Tulum….. Colton would agree lol!
- No Frozen Margaritas here – If you prefer frozen margaritas, that are pumped with sugar and come out of a machine…. then Tulum might not be for you. All of their drinks (literally throughout the whole beach) are specially made with the highest tequila and natural ingredients. Truly the most amazing and fresh drinks I have ever had!
- Relax and Enjoy! – Drink the tequila, try the mezcal, eat the fresh fish, forget putting on makeup, dance under the stars, immerse yourself in the culture and have the best time!
Did I miss anything??? Leave your favorite Tulum spots below!!
Same if you have any questions!:)
xo,
Lauren