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The Yucatan Peninsula is home to 6,000 different cenotes making Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, and Cancun the perfect location to explore these fresh water sink holes. This adventure travel destination not only offers endless cenotes but ancient Mayan Ruins, amazing food and gorgeous beaches!
Tulum has been up and coming the past few years and is now a trendy hot spot for young professionals, foodies, and party goers! Vibrant boutique hotels, jungle view treehouses, and luxury oceanfront resorts have created a unique vacation experience drawing in tourists from all over the world.
HOW MUCH TIME TO SPEND IN TULUM
The perfect amount of time to truly experience all of Tulum is 3-5 days. Before heading down to Tulum Luke and I were staying at an All Inclusive Resort just north of Playa Del Carmen for Luke's sisters wedding! We stayed at Iberostar Paraiso Maya Suites for 5 days celebrating with family and taking a few mind blowing excursions from there. We spent 2 days in Tulum and it definitely was not enough time but we made the most of it!
WHERE TO STAY IN TULUM
We decided to stay closer to Tulum Center knowing that the beach was about a 15 minute bike ride away. Spoiler alert, Tulum is expensive so staying outside of the popular beach hotel zone saved us so much money! We stayed at a gorgeous 4-star hotel that featured a rooftop infinity pool called Aloft by Marriott. Our room was modern, trendy and had a gorgeous balcony overlooking the jungle with a hammock!
The hotel offered free admission to partnered Tulum beach clubs with free shuttle service to and from as well as free daily bike rentals. The room rate also offered a welcome drink of two domestic beers and a daily food credit of $20 which we used on cheese platter by the pool. I would definitely stay here again!
THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT TULUM
In between November and December is the best time of year to travel to Tulum. The temperature is in the low 80's and accommodation costs are a bit lower than usual if you are looking to save some money!
Keep in mind that Tulum's peak travel season is January through March and will be crowded. Although the weather is gorgeous during this time it will be harder to find any deals.
We stayed during the month of July and it was very hot and unfortunately May through October is Sargassum Seaweed season! While staying at our All-Inclusive Resort located just north of Playa Del Carmen the property made grand efforts to keep the beach clean and removed the seaweed multiple times a day with a huge machine.
When we got to Tulum the beaches were absolutely covered and we did not swim in the ocean there at all. Tulum is being built up but it is still very rustic with smaller boutique hotels that don't necessarily have the resources to keep up with cleaning like the major hotel names can.
BEST THINGS TO DO IN TULUM
There are so many different tours, excursions, and day trips to chose from when staying in the Riviera Maya area. The tour options mentioned below are accessible from Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum. Here are two tours we personally went on and absolutely loved!
On this tour you will experience one of the New 7 Wonders of the World! This ancient civilization was built around 1,500 years ago! Many are lead to believe that the people living in this city suddenly vanished but studies have shown of possible migration due to drought. Although, no one knows for sure! Most of what is 'known' about ancient Mayan culture is collected by interpreting the carvings of pictures and symbols on the structures left behind. What was most interesting to me was there beliefs and how that mingled with human sacrifice!
After visiting Chichen Itza you will drive to your next destination, Cenote Maya! Personally this cenote was by far the most impressive and I consider this a bucket list experience! Yes, it was that amazing. Upon arriving you will partake in a Mayan Ceremony before repelling 60ft into the 197ft wide underground cenote! Don't worry you can choose not to repel down and opt for the stairs instead. There is a zip-line and numerous platforms to jump off of into the water! After swimming this tour ends with an authentic Mayan meal which was absolutely delicious!
Warning: Cenote Maya Park does not allow any cellphones or personal cameras into the cenote. They require you to lock ALL of your belongings inside of a locker. They have a photographer taking pictures inside the cenote which prompts you to buy the pictures at the end. Everyone in our group including myself purchased them. I mean how could you not? For all of the pictures it cost us $50 USD but they also offered less expensive packages. It's a money grabber for sure but honestly it didn't bother me to pay. It allowed everyone in our group to actually experience the experience!
On this tour you will snorkel Yal-Ku Lagoon, Cenote Pakal-Nah and Cenote Aktun-Koh! Our first stop was Yal-Ku Lagoon located in Akumal just 30 minutes North of Tulum. The lagoon is the prefect place to snorkel since it is protected from rough seas and offers an opportunity to see a variety of marine life. A friend of ours saw sea turtles! We did not see any turtles on our snorkel trip here but we did see a lot of different fish and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings.
Pakal-Nah was my favorite location on this particular tour! It is an open air cenote with crystal clear water. You can snorkel and cliff jump from a 20ft high platform. The best part is the zip-line and you can go as many times as you want!
Aktun-Koh is an underground cenote just a short walk away from Pakal-Nah. This was the majority of our groups favorite cenote. You will enter a cave with bats flying around! You'll awe at the stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the cave above you. While snorkeling you'll notice how intricate and deep the cave goes below! Our tour concluded with a buffet lunch that impressed everyone in our group.
Tulum, Mexico is a global foodie hotspot, beckoning with a tantalizing blend of flavors. Here, you'll discover a world of dining options, from authentic Mexican dishes to the freshest seafood and delightful plant-based creations. Prepare your taste buds for a delicious journey as we delve into Tulum's best restaurants!
THE BEST BEACH CLUBS IN TULUM
Tulum, Mexico has quickly become one of the most popular beach destinations in the world due to its beautiful beaches and vibrant beach clubs! With a range of stunning venues offering everything from luxurious pool parties to romantic beachfront bars, there's something for everyone in Tulum's beach club scene.
Papaya Playa Project is perfect for a day spent on the beach or poolside! From the beautiful white sand beach to the modern and stylish cabanas, it's an experience like no other. The food is mouthwatering and the drinks are top notch! We loved their Mezcalitas and fish and chips.
Mia Tulum is rated one of the top beach clubs in Tulum. Luke and I were very impressed with the level of service that was offered here! If you decide to spend a day at Mia Tulum definitely order food, it was delicious. We ordered some Tuna Sashimi Tacos served on jicama tortillas, the dish was very bright and refreshing.
Playa Paraiso Beach is the nicest beach in Tulum! It is a beautiful, sandy beach surrounded by lush vegetation. With crystal-clear water, this beach offers excellent swimming and snorkeling opportunities. It also provides some of the best spots for sunset watching in all of Tulum. Chairs and umbrellas are available for purchase with beach service.
Dear Traveler,
I hope this informative guide to Tulum inspires you to head to Mexico. Comment below and fill me in on your experiences in Tulum or upcoming plans! The Yucatan Peninsula has so much to offer along it's beautiful coast line so if you are interested in other gorgeous destinations in Mexico, we've got you covered! Have the best time living it up in Tulum, Mexico!
ttyl, Corlu xo
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