Located 80 miles south of Cancun on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, Tulum provides visitors a tranquil landscape and haven for relaxation. You’ll find less crowds, more locally owned hotels and restaurants, and a laid-back and bohemian chic culture that is quite contagious. Amongst the pristine beaches, fantastic restaurant scene, Mayan ruins, cenotes, and amazing spas, Tulum has a little bit of something for everyone.
What we did:
Tulum ruins: I suggest arriving as early as possible to beat the crowds at these oceanfront ruins. We arrived at 8am and the timing was perfect because we beat all of the crowds. The ruins are unique because they overlook the ocean and the views are spectacular. However, there is one thing I would have done differently; wear bug repellent. I was eaten alive by mosquitoes during the jungle walk to the ocean. Visiting Mayan ruins has been on my bucket list and it was incredible walking through the ruins while looking out on to the ocean.
Coba ruins: Coba is a large and expansive ancient Mayan Ruins site located about a half an hour outside of Tulum. These ruins are scattered throughout the jungle and consist mostly of partially restored structures. You can choose to explore the grounds by renting bikes, paying a bike taxi, or just walk like we did! It was a 2km hike to Nohoch Mul. If you’re not in the mood for a walk you can rent bikes. Only 2% of the Coba ruins have been excavated so when walking around the grounds you will see large hills covered by trees and jungle vegetation. Under these hills are unexcavated structures hidden in the jungle. In addition, Coba is home to the tall and impressive Nohoch Mul pyramid, which is one of the few ruins left allowed to be climbed. At the top, you will be rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding jungle landscape and lush green tree tops. Climbing (or in my case scooting on my butt) down the largest ruin in the Yucatan was a much more difficult feat than walking to the top.
On the way home from the ruins we stopped at a fruit stand on the side of the road and had some delicious empanadas, fresh fruit, and coconut water! After we drank all of the water out of our coconuts they cut them open for us and we squeezed lime juice into the center and scraped out all of the yummy coconut meat!
Gran Cenote: Before I begin let’s talk about what a cenote is. Centoes are sinkholes that have formed from collapsed limestone which exposes the underwater rivers. They are most prominent in the Yucatan peninsula. The water is natural fresh clear water that’s colder than the ocean and filled with colorful marine life.
The Gran Cenote is one of the most popular cenotes in Tulum. I immediately jumped into the clear water and swam along with sea turtles. We also saw tons of fish and bats that were living in the caves above. You can rent snorkel equipment, life vests, and lockers while at the Gran cenote if you choose.
Cenote Calvera: Our second stop was also known as the Temple of Doom which was our favorite cenote. We saw some intense scuba divers jump into this cenote ready to explore the underwater caves. Ceonte Calvera had three different holes to jump into which is supposed to represent a skull. I was a chicken and used the ladder to enter the centote. We weren’t able to see as much marine life in this cenote because of the darker water. Overall it was much less crowded than the Gran cenote and is worth a visit.
Explore the town: Tulum city is a great way to spend a few hours. There’s one main colorful stretch of shopping and restaurants that’s impossible to miss. While we mostly expected to find tourist junk, we did find some beautiful pottery, handmade dream catchers, hammocks, and bought some pom-pom decorations. There are countless souvenir shops, so much cheaper than on the jungle road, and local eateries with delicious authentic Mexican food.
What we ate:
Raw Love: If you love juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and fresh coconut than this is the place for you! We both ordered smoothie bowls with local fruit while digging out toes into the sand and enjoying delicious coffee with coconut milk.
Burrito Amor: Located near our Airbnb and in central downtown Tulum, Burrito Amor was so delicious that we ate here twice! They have an extensive list of beverages smoothies, juices, coffee, and horchata! They’re most known for their breakfast burritos which you can get with cactus, smoked pork, dried beef, or a vegan burrito. The best burrito I’ve ever had!
Posada Margherita: An Instagram dream on the beach with the best Italian food in Tulum. We came here on our first night to watch the sunset and enjoyed tasty fresh pasta with shrimp and zucchini.
Gitano: There are countless fantastic restaurants in Tulum, but Gitano (gypsy) was such an amazing experience. The décor is comfy bohemian, chic, and looks like a jungle getaway. It’s the go-to spot in Tulum for sampling artisanal mescal. We ordered tacos, grilled avocado, ceviche, and a chocolate mousse for dessert.
Layover Tips:
- Plan on renting a car unless you are only planning on staying around the beach area off jungle road
- When visiting the cenotes don’t use any creams or lotions before swimming because it can poison the marine life
- We didn’t take a cenote tour because we thought that we could do the same thing ourselves since we already rented a car. We brought our own snorkel to share and it ended up saving us money
- There are no direct flights to Tulum. Fly into Cancun and rent a car, book a private shuttle, or use public buses
- Always have cash! ATMS have high fees and many of them weren’t working. Most places do not accept credit cards
- US Dollars are accepted at some restaurants but will charge extra to exchange
- I was eaten alive by mosquitoes so plan on packing bus spray!