Cancun gets a lot of recognition as a winter and spring break tourist destination, but its neighboring city Tulum is on everyone’s bucket list these days and with good reasons. Tulum is a tropical paradise that offers pristine beaches, delicious food, nightlife, unique outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and super trendy accommodations.
Cancun gets a lot of recognition as a winter and spring break tourist destination, but its neighboring city Tulum is on everyone’s bucket list these days and with good reasons. Tulum is a tropical paradise that offers pristine beaches, delicious food, nightlife, unique outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and super trendy accommodations.
Tulum is a small town located approximately 2 hours south of Cancun Airport, and it’s mostly known for its beaches and yoga retreats, where idyllic white-sand beaches meet chic hotels and high-end resorts making it a prime destination for luxury travelers, couples, and solo travelers. That does not mean Tulum is not for families; it is; the only challenge is that many hotels in the area are adult-only.
There is a seemingly endless amount of things to do in Tulum for a smaller town.
There are two ways to enjoy the beach in Tulum – free or paid.
Free option: All beaches in Mexico are free to the public, so you don’t have to pay a dime to enjoy a sunbath, the sand, and the ocean, so head to a grocery store, fill a cooler with ice, drinks, and snacks, grab your towel, chose one of the many beautiful beaches and find your dreamy spot. Some of the best beaches in Tulum are Playa Pescadores, Playa Santa Fe, Playa Las Palmas and Playa Paraiso, remember this will cost you $0.
Paid option: You can head to the beach via a beach club. They all charge to get in, so expect to pay between $1,000-2,000 pesos ($50-100USD) to enter and have access to their pool and beach area facilities, including showers, bathrooms, etc. Your $50-100USD entrance payment will go towards your food and drinks as a credit; however, the more you eat and drink, the more you will have to pay.
While you are on the beach, you can also experience some traditional Mayan spas called Temazcal, often located close to the beach.
No trip to Tulum would be complete without visiting at least a few of its incredible Tulum cenotes; they are a must-visit. There are a number of these amazing sinkholes located not far from Tulum, and each of them has its own unique attraction.
IMPORTANT: At all the cenotes in Mexico, you’ll be asked to swim without any lotions or creams on your skin at all, as can poison fish, sea plants, and other delicate marine life. However, you can get a biodegradable sunscreen online or at some cenotes.
Kann Lumm is one of the best-hidden gems in Tulum and is more popular with locals than tourists. Located 20 minutes away by car, in Kaan Luum Lagoon, you can swim, relax, or lather yourself up in the mud on the bottom for a bañya Maya (Mayan mud bath), which locals claim has healing properties.
IMPORTANT: Sunscreen and lotions are prohibited, including biodegradable ones, so bringing an SPF swim shirt is a good idea.
The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its outstanding natural beauty and unique ecosystem. The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve consists of a series of ancient tropical canals, a rainforest, 120 km of coastline, an abundance of wildlife, and coral reefs. Here you’ll see dolphins, manatees, turtles, and birds out in the wild, and you can swim through its beautiful blue lagoon waters.
Access to reserve can be difficult, so the easiest way to visit Sian Ka’an is on a tour.
Tulum is surrounded by amazing jungles bringing the opportunity to experience some incredible adventures. There are plenty of tours in the area that will take you on jungle ATV rides, ziplining, cenote swimming, and more.
The Archeological Zone of Tulum is located just 10 minutes away from Downtown Tulum on the northern end of the beach.
Compared to other sites like Chichen-Itza, Coba, and others, the Mayan Ruins of Tulum are smaller. However, they are one of the most beautiful due to their locations. The ruins are on a cliffside overlooking the Caribbean Sea and white sand beaches.
Inside the ruins, you’ll find the Templo del Viento (Wind Temple), one of the most photographed Ruin buildings.
One of the best things about these ruins is that after touring them, you can head down the staircase onto a beautiful beach cove right beneath the site, where you can take a swim and cool off.
Tulum is a popular destination for hippie/bohemian/new-age types, so you’ll find plenty of yoga retreats, music therapy sessions, and other kinds of health and wellness activities. Yoga classes are available without any extra charge at every hotel; however, If you’re staying somewhere that doesn’t offer any yoga, you can visit any beachfront hotel and pay $25 to attend the class.
Raw Love Tulum is perhaps the most famous of Tulum’s large art pieces. The giant Ven a la Luz (Come into the Light) wooden man sculpture by South African artist Daniel Popper is at the Ahau Tulum Resort and Raw Love Cafe entrance.
Follow the dream sign has become another famous and popular photography spot. The sign is located on Tulum’s Beach Road in front of the Lolita Lolita shop and across the street from Kaya.
Other famous ones are the colorful sign, the crooked palm tree (Playa Paraiso Beach Club), Beach Swings (Coco Tulum), Matcha Mama, and Sfer Ik (Azulik Resort).
Tulum Pueblo has a magic all of its own. The art, food, and culture will delight you. Exploring the town on foot is nice, but bicycles are also a popular way to get around, and bikes are for rent everywhere in town.
Other famous ones are The colorful Tulum sign, the crooked palm tree (Playa Paraiso Beach Club), Beach Swings (Coco Tulum), Matcha Mama, and Sfer Ik (Azulik Resort).
Pablo Escobar was the famous Colombian drug lord who founded the Medellin Cartel and was shot dead in 1993. His mansion in the Tulum jungle was bought by the New York art collector Lio Malca in 2012 and turned into a luxury boutique-art hotel called Casa Malca.
After Pablo Escobar’s death in 1993, many of his properties were
Go for shopping
Tulum is a popular shopping destination too; its next-level boutiques are full of really trendy clothes with an eclectic and bohemian design, beautiful handmade items, and unique pieces you can’t find anywhere else.