Tulum has a strong reputation for being an Instagrammable town, but it’s so much more than that. Sure, its chic and cute and photogenic – but it’s also serene, with an incredible food scene, sparkling waters with diamond sand beaches, and magical sunsets. Tulum is famous for it’s cenotes around the area, so make sure to hit up a few!

I’d plan to spend at least 3 nights in Tulum, more if you want to do day trips, or for as long as you want to work remote from there 😉

QUICK MEXICO INFO:

PASSPORT/VISA

US and EU passports are able to stay in Mexico without a visa for 180 days.

CURRENCY

Currency is Mexican Pesos (MXN), 1 USD is roughly 18-20 MXN

LANGUAGE

Dominant language is English, but many people speak and/or understand enough English to get by. Google Translate helps!

AIRPORTS

You’ll want to fly into either Tulum’s new airport (TQO), or Cancun (CUN). Note that TQO is 40 min from town.

GETTING AROUND

Taxi’s are wildly expensive in Tulum. I’d recommend taking ADO buses, collectivos, or we usually just rent cars. Car rentals in Mexico are known for adding wild fees for insurance, but we rented AVIS through DiscoverCars with the top insurance option at TQO and had no issues (we just had to pay a large deposit, $900 USD, but we got it all back).

MAKE SURE you get the max coverage option with Discover Cars or they will make you add coverage.

WHAT TO-DO

Tulum is what you make it. You want dancing and late night parties? You’ll find it. More of a relaxing beach vibe? Also yes. Wanna adventure and cliff jump into cenotes and cave dive? Eat your body weight in vegan tacos? Explore ancient Mayan ruins? Tulum’s got it. If you don’t rent a car, you’ll likely want to book tours as things can be super spread out. I’d pick 2-3 cenotes you want to visit and prioritize those, because otherwise the fees really start to add up (can be ~$18 USD/pp/cenote).

• Tulum Beach
• Tulum Food Tour
• Tulum Snorkeling
• Mexican Cooking Class
• Sian Ka’an Bioreserve
• Chichen Itza/Valladolid Tour
• Tulum Ruins
• Day trip to Ek Balaam
• Akumal Snorkel with Turtles
• Playa Paraiso
• Playa Las Palmas
• Parque del Jaguar National Park
• Laguna de Kaan Luum
• Cenotes:
  • Taak Bi Ha
  • Dos Ojos
  • Calavera
  • Car Wash
  • Escondido
  • Cristal
  • Zacil-Ha
  • Caracol
  • Sac Actun

Please note: cenotes were sacred to the ancient Mayans, so please treat these places with respect. You will also need to wash off before entering (to clean off sunscreen/lotion/bug spray etc to protect the delicate ecosystems). A lot of them cave ones also have bats! They leave you alone as long as you leave them alone so don’t be alarmed. Most cenotes entrance fees must be paid in MXN via cash.

PS: click on the tour names to go directly to the tour page – I make a small commission on any tours booked though my links at no cost to you so I truly appreciate anytime you use my links!

WHERE TO STAY

If you want to just have a nice relaxing beach trip, stay in the Hotel zone on Tulum Beach. If you’re looking for a mix of beach, culture, and cenotes I’d stay either in Tulum town or in the jungle area between town/the beach. Tulum town is super walkable with tons of affordable food options too!

• Deja Vu VRBO – stayed here LOVED
• Adora Tulum – stayed, loved
• KASA Kuyen – stayed, cute

PS: links go to the booking page, I make a small commission when you book though my links at no cost to you so I truly appreciate anytime you use them!

WHERE TO EAT

• Botanica Garden Cafe
• Burrito Amor
• Del Cielo
• Wang Tulum
• Don Cafeto
• Ziggys
• Burritos Street Tulum
• El Bajon Vegan Tacos
• El Camello Jr (for ceviche)
• La Negra Tomasa (seafood)
• Taqueria La Riviera Costeña

I hope you have the best time!!