Tulum is a beautiful city in Mexico located on the Yucatan Peninsula with a strong Mayan History. The city is full of jungles, beaches, cenotes and ancient Mayan Ruins. Today Tulum is know for it’s laid back ‘hippie style” hotels, restaurant and bars. Throughout Tulum, you will find many places that promote health and wellness with an ancient Mayan holistic approach. Here are 12 things you must do when visiting.
1. Stay at a Fabulous Airbnb
Tulum has started to develop more in recent years. Most of the Airbnb’s in Tulum are brand new or renovate villas and are very reasonably priced. We paid about $300 USD each for this 4 bedroom/4 bathroom 2 level villa with a pool. I recommend staying in an airbnb if you have 4 people or more. Our Villa in La Valeta was conveniently located 5 minutes from the center city and about 15 minutes to the main Tulum beach strip.
2. Take a Bike Ride Around Tulum City Center
Many people go to Tulum and spend the entire time at the beach. I encourage you to venture into the city. I love exploring cities with no itinerary. It allows the opportunity to stumble upon things you otherwise would have never discovered. Our Villa provided us with bikes. We relied on Google maps to take us to the city center. During the day, the streets are filled with stores with handmade goods, fresh cut fruit, authentic Mexican food and the best street tacos you will ever eat! Whenever I got too hot or tired to continue riding, I would park the bike and explore the block. After a few hours, I was able to cover a lot of the city. My bike had a basket in the front which made it easy to store drinks and gifts I purchased along the way. I highly recommend exploring the city on a bike. This was one of the highlights of my trip and a great way to get to know the city.
3. Take a Day Trip to Chichen Itza
Chitchen Itza has been on my bucket list for years. The Mayans created one of the most advanced civilizations to ever exist. Although you can no longer climb the 91 stairs to the top of the Temple of Kukulkan (El Castillo), it is still worth the trip to see one of the New Seven Wonders of the World! We started out with no tour guide and quickly changed our minds. I don’t suggest walking around without a guide. You will be doing yourself a dis-service. Our guide was 85 years old and has been working as a guide for over 50 years. I can’t imagine the tour without him! There is so much history to be learned even if you already have a general knowledge. Chichen Itza is open daily from 8am-5pm with the last entry at 4pm. I recommend visiting in the early hours before it is too sunny outside. There isn’t much shade while walking the grounds so it does get hot. It wasn’t too crowded but that may have been because the park was just opening up after being closed for months due to Covid. The cost to enter is about $26 USD. You can find a guide upon entry for around $50 USD. Most guides do not accept credit cards and prefer local currency. You can get advanced tickets or tour packages online as well. We hired a private driver who drove us to Chichen Itza from Tulum and waited for us while we toured the grounds. The drive was about 2 hours from Tulum. We stopped for lunch in the old colonial city of Valladolid on the way back to Tulum. I wish we had more time there. The colorful city was charming and quiet. There was so much to do with very little crowds. We had lunch at La Hosteria del Marques inside of the Hotel El Meson del Marques. I highly recommend this restaurant and hotel. I will go back and spend time in Vlladolid in the near future.
4. Swim in a Cenote
A Cenote is a Mayan underwater sinkhole aka a natural deep-water well. They are fed by the filtration of rain and currents of nearby underground rivers. The water is crystal clear and fresh. There are about 6,000 cenotes within the Yucatán Peninsula. Be sure to visit one when in Tulum. We chose the Gran Cenote because it was close to our villa and had great reviews. The cave in the cenote had over 250 bats flying throughout which was creepy as well as cool. I suggest going early in the day to avoid large crowds.
5. Go on an Excursion
6. Hire a private chef
7. Charter a Yacht for the Day
The Caribbean sea is so beautiful. The best way to enjoy the water is on a luxury Yacht! We chartered this 42 ft yacht for $1,650 through Tulum Yachts. We had 12 people, so we paid about $140 usd per person. The yacht included 5 hours of fun with open bar drinks, snacks and a BBQ lunch as well as water activities such as snorkeling, paddle boarding etc… There are multiple packages and yacht sizes available to work with all group sizes. I highly recommend using Tulum Yachts as I have used this company twice and have had a great experience both times.
8. Shop
The city of Tulum is full of hand crafted gifts and trinkets. I suggest finding a store that you like and feel comfortable in. Some stores may be pushier than others but learn to stand your ground and be firm on how much you want to pay. Nobody wants to be harassed on vacation but try to understand that tourism drives the economy and most of the store owners are just barely making a living. It may be easier to bargain if you do most of your shopping in the same store. I have bought hats, purses, dresses, dreamcatchers, swings and much more as gifts for friends and family and everyone always loves the unique Mayan designs!
9. Visit Casa Malca
10. Eat, Eat and Eat Again!
BAK
BAK is a fine dining steakhouse along the beach strip. There is a Cha’an Ka’ak (“fire celebration” in Mayan) every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 8:30 and 9:45 pm. (please verify with Bak as this may change) During the fire show, the performers are moving around the restaurant, jumping on tables, etc to provide a unique experience for all guests. It is truly a one of a kind dining experience. The food is also delicious and the service is unmatched!
Rosa Negra
Rosa Negra is a great vibe. The food is good, especially the fresh fish, Mexican corn and ceviche. There is always music at night, providing a dining experience as well as party. The service is also impeccable!
Street Food
Most of the best food in Mexico is street food. If you are in the city of Tulum you can get authentic Mexican tacos, burritos etc… on every corner. There is always someone cutting fresh fruit at a stand. In my opinion, the street food is better than any restaurant!
11. Go to the Beach
I always stay in the city when I travel to Tulum but I love the beach! The vibes are always relaxing and tranquil. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Nomade
Nomade is my favorite hotel and beach in Tulum! The hotel has a Mayan- Bohemian aesthetic and focuses on health and wellness. I usually grab a bed by the beach and order food and drinks while napping in between. The food and drinks are delicious but not cheap. Be prepared to spend some money when visiting Nomade.
Nest
Nest is another hotel with great beach vibes. There are hammocks and comfy cushions as well as beds to relax in. The food and drinks are great as well. I have never stayed at the hotel but the rooms look incredible!
12. Visit a Wellness Spa
My favorite spa in Tulum is the The Yaan Healing Sanctuary located across from Be Tulum Hotel. This spa focuses on health and wellness through many holistic therapies. The treatment rooms are located across the calming garden in outdoor bungalows. Some of the treatments are even accompanied by a spiritual reading from the therapist. The spa also includes a steam room, sauna, and indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pools. The best place in Tulum to relax!
Helpful Information
- Language: Spanish, English
- Currency: Pesos 1 USD = 20.68 pesos. The US dollar is accepted at some places in Mexico, however I strongly recommend exchanging USD to Pesos. This can be done at the airport in US or Mexico. You can also exchange at a bank in Tulum before you arrive at your hotel. Also, keep in mind that ATM’s are not very convenient near the beach in Tulum. (I suggest planning an itinerary in advance to ensure you bring enough currency) Credit cards are accepted but sometimes there are costly fees associated with each purchase which will quickly accumulate. Be sure to contact your credit card company/bank regarding fees and limitations prior to traveling.
- Climate: Tropical, warm-hot temperatures year round
- Best time to visit: November-April (Dry season). **Hurricane season is from August through October, pricing is usually cheaper during these months **
- Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
- Transportation: Taxi, private car service, walking, bicycle
- Plan to stay for at least 4 days.
- Safety– I never once felt unsafe. This does not change the fact that there still may be some crime. I advise to always travel in groups. Be aware of surroundings and pay attention to people. Try not to get too intoxicated as this can hinder ability to notice any potential threat or problem. Always check the travel advisory info on the US Embassy website.
