This is the Ultimate Guide to Tulum - So, be ready! It is a long post, but it holds a lot of great information to help you plan your own Tulum vacation! Let’s dive in.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

CURRENCY: Mexican Pesos.

If you want to bring USD, you can. Dollars are accepted at most places on the beach strip. However, you will need pesos in town. You can get pesos before arriving in Mexico, but it is a lot cheaper to get them from an ATM once you are there. If you have a transfer from the airport set up, ask the driver to stop by the ATM in Tulum for you. Typically, I get money out at the airport ATM, but I wasn’t able to find one before our driver got to us. He also recommended stopping at the ATM in Tulum anyway. Just make sure you clarify that you want pesos.

ELECTRICAL PLUG: You will find Type A and Type B in Tulum.

If you’re coming from the United States, this is the same type of plug we use. But honestly, most places have USB plugs now also.

TIP: I never plug my phone directly into the wall when I travel. I travel with battery packs, charge those using the wall socket, and THEN charge my phone. That way nothing overheats and breaks (like my flatiron in Italy or my Apple block in Egypt).

LANGUAGE: Spanish.

Some people will tell you that you probably won’t need to use any Spanish in Tulum because it is a tourist destination and most people speak English. Wrong. Don’t assume that. In my experience, I was very surprised at how many people did NOT speak English. I was happy I brushed up on mine before traveling.

WHEN TO GO

Tulum is a tropical destination - meaning it is relatively warm all year round. There are a few things to keep in mind though. June, September and October are the “rainiest” months. I say “rainiest” because I don’t want you to think that if you go in September, which is said to be the MOST rainy month, that it is going to rain all day, every day. It is the tropics. So, usually when there is rain, it will come and go. I went in early September, and it rained just a tiny bit in the afternoon and evening. The forecast had shown rain every day. Once I got there, I barely even noticed when it did rain. Another thing to note is that hurricane season is October through December. Peak season is January through March.

SAFETY
While there are parts of Mexico that have travel advisories due to crime, Tulum is very safe. With that being said, just like anywhere, take normal precautions. Keep your eyes and hands on your belongings. Don’t wear flashy jewelry. Be aware of your surroundings.

TIP: Always travel with photo copies of your passport in case anything does happen and yours gets get stolen.

TIP: Do not keep all of your cash on your person or in the same pocket. Keep some of your cash at your hotel, and never put all of it in one place. That way if something does happen - you have backup.

HOW TO GET THERE

To get to Tulum you will need to fly into Cancún International Airport (CUN). From there, you will have to arrange a transfer to Tulum. Tulum is just over an hour and a half drive from Cancún - give or take depending on where you’re staying. If you are staying at an Airbnb, whether it be at the beginning, end or middle of your trip, I recommend arranging the transfer with your Airbnb host. The transfer will more than likely be more affordable. We paid 95 USD (total) for our transfer to Tulum on arrival and the same to the airport on the day of departure. Many of the luxury hotels will charge you over double that for one way. Check with both just to be sure.

WHERE TO STAY: LOCATION

There are a few different areas you can stay at in Tulum. The beach, the town, or somewhere in between. There are pros and cons to each, but honestly you can’t go wrong with any decision here.

TULUM BEACH

Pros: You are close to and, in most cases, within walking distance from all of the popular shops, restaurants, bars and beach clubs.

Cons: Price of accommodation. The beach strip is where all of the nicer, more luxe hotels are. That luxury, of course, comes at cost. You are also further away from the local, in town gems.

TULUM TOWN

Pros: Price of accommodation. Not all of the places in town are cheap, but you won’t be paying beach property prices. There are also some really unique places that have that local vibe. You can also walk or, better yet, bike to all the local spots in town.

Cons: You are further from the beach strip where you will spend a big chunk of your time.

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

Pros: Just like the location, the price falls somewhere in between the above options as well. What I like about this option is that you get the cool, boho chic, Tulum vibes while also not having to pay beach resort prices. Taxi fare is another pro. Your taxi to town or the beach will be relatively the same and inexpensive.

Cons: No matter where you want to go, you’re going to have to take a cab. UNLESS you rent bikes (which is a great option that I’ll give more info on below).

We spent 4 nights at an Airbnb between the town and the beach and then ended our trip with two nights at a luxury hotel on the beach strip.

WHERE TO STAY: AIRBNB

It is always nice to experience a new place like a local. This is why I love mixing in an Airbnb when possible (and safe) while traveling. There are many great Airbnb options in Tulum. We stayed at an apartment in the up-and-coming Aldea Zama area. It was an apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, balcony, and private terrace with a pool. It was in between Tulum Beach and Tulum Town and cost only $125 a night. For tips on how to book an Airbnb and what to look for when browsing you can check our my guide here.

WHERE TO STAY: HOTEL

Tulum has some of the most beautiful and unique hotels I have ever seen. They remind me a lot of the hotels in Bali. If you’re going to pay to stay at a hotel on your trip, I suggest staying at one of the hotels along the beach strip. Most of the nicer hotels are located here anyway. There are a lot of options which made it hard to narrow down where we wanted to stay. We decided on Be Tulum. It came down to getting the biggest bang for our buck and location. These were my top 6 picks, in order, and starting with the most loved.

BE TULUM
The Vibe

The Food

LA VALISE TULUM
CASA MALCA: AKA Pablo Escobar’s mansion.
NOTE: If you are hoping to just visit Casa Malca and take photos on the swings and with the Kaws statue (amongst other cool statues) - check with the hotel first. When I went they told me that it is now only accessible to guests of the hotel.

HOW TO GET AROUND

TAXI: Taxis along the beach strip are easy to flag down. If you’re staying at an Airbnb or in town, ask your host if they can help you arrange a taxi. Our host was able to give us a number to text any time we needed a taxi. We could also just ask the front desk at our apartment building.
TIP: Pay in pesos when you can. If you use USD, you will get charged more because the drivers lose money when they exchange it.

WALK: If you’re staying in town, you can easily walk to places in town. If you’re staying on the beach strip, you can walk to most of the popular restaurants, bars and shops. It can be kind of a far walk depending on where your hotel is, but it’s honestly not that bad. It’s actually nice to walk and see everything that the strip has to offer. We only took a taxi once while staying along the beach.

BIKE: You can’t go to Tulum without riding bikes. Even though people do ride them along the beach strip, I wouldn’t suggest it. There is a lot of traffic and no designated path for bikes. We used the bikes to get around Tulum Town. Most places will have bike racks. There are many different places where you can rent bikes. We walked to a bike rental service from our Airbnb (about a 20-30 minute walk), and then rented the bikes at roughly 8 USD each for the day. In order to rent the bikes, we had to leave either our IDs or a security deposit. We chose our IDs. At the end of the day we got our IDs back with no issues.

Me with bike and chin guard (aka my mask)

PRIVATE DRIVER: If you want to go further outside of Tulum to explore some of the cenotes around Valladolid, you can arrange a driver for the day. We did this through our Airbnb host. It cost us 170 USD for the whole day with no time limit. We went to two cenotes, Valladolid and to lunch in town.

San Servacio Church – Valladolid, Yucatan

WHAT TO DO

SWIM IN THE CENOTES

A cenote is essentially a water-filled sinkhole. Each cenote has connections to the underground rivers that run and connect all over Mexico. The ancient Maya saw these as gateways to the next life. There are many cenotes throughout Mexico and close to Tulum as well. We visited six different cenotes. Check out my guide to The Best Cenotes Near Tulum, Mexico.

VISIT THE RUINS

The three most popular ruins to visit while staying in Tulum are the Tulum Ruins, Cobá Ruins, and of course - Chichén Itzá.

TULUM RUINS: These ruins lie along the cost in Tulum making them an easy visit.

COBÁ RUINS: These ruins are situated in the middle of the jungle, about 40-45 minutes from Tulum.

CHICHÉN ITZÁ: In my opinion, if you’re in Cancún or Tulum, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to visit Chichén Itzá. About a two hour drive from Tulum you will find Chichén Itzá - one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. I suggest booking a trip with a tour group so that you can learn about the history of the Mayan civilization. I visited Chichén Itzá in 2016 while I was staying in Cancún.

ZIPLINING TOUR

We booked a ziplining tour at Selva Maya Eco Adventure Park through Trip Advisor. It cost 80 USD per person and included ziplining through the jungle, walking on hanging bridges, swimming in two cenotes, rock climbing and repelling. The guides were wonderful, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. Lunch is also included which helped us save on money and time for the day.

BIKE RIDING

As mentioned before, bikes are a great way to get around Tulum town. It’s also just a fun activity that makes you feel like a local.

PHOTO OPS

Tulum has become famous on Instagram thanks to influencers and travel bloggers. You can explore and check out all of the popular photo spots.

BEACH

I always end my beach vacations with a full beach day or two. If you’re staying at a hotel along the beach strip, take advantage of the private beach and spend the day relaxing. The turquoise blue water with the white sand is picture perfect.

SHOP

If you’re looking to get some souvenirs from Tulum and decide to venture out to visit Valladolid, try stopping at one of the local shops along the road on the way. You can’t miss them - there will be dreamcatchers everywhere. If you’re looking for high end items, fashion or home, there are many stunning boutiques along the beach strip.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Like with hotels in Tulum, there are countless restaurants in Tulum. I’ll share with you where I actually ate and also what else was on my list that I didn’t get to. You can check out Trip Advisor to find more options, prices, menus, and reviews.

TIP: Some restaurants only accept cash, some only pesos. Make sure you check beforehand.

TIP: If you’re trying to stick to a budget, check out the local supermarket, and also take advantage of the free breakfast that most hotels offer.

BREAKFAST/LIGHT EATS

Ki'Bok Cafe: We rode our bikes here. They only accept cash. We ordered French toast and enchiladas. I would’ve loved to go here again. Highly recommend! It is very small, so keep that in mind. We went early (and also during the Covid-19 pandemic) and were able to be seated with no wait. ~ FAVORITE

Matcha Mama: Stop here and enjoy a smoothie or juice while sitting on the swings. One of the popular photo spots in Tulum.

I Scream Bar: Vegan, organic ice cream.

Ziggy’s: I believe they serve food all day, but I would have went here for breakfast based off of the menu and photos I saw when researching.

Raw Love: Smoothie bowls and healthy food. The entrance is also another iconic photo spot in Tulum.

LUNCH

Antojitos La Chiapaneca: Best Tacos in Tulum hands down. We ate here twice. We ordered two drinks and six tacos, and it was under 7 USD. ~ FAVORITE

Taqueria Honorio: Good tacos with a great beach view.

Sin Yolanda: Did not have the chance to visit, but I heard they have the best margaritas in Tulum.

DINNER

Mur Mur: I LOVE this place. The swings by the bar, the bartenders, the music - it’s a vibe. We did not eat dinner here, unfortunately. We will for sure next time. We did however have an appetizer and a few drinks. ~ FAVORITE

ARCA: Wow wow wow. The food. The atmosphere. I loved Arca. It was intimate and chill. The food here is designed to be shared. They suggest that you order two items per person. However, we ordered three, and it was perfect. Get the bone marrow. One of the best things I have ever eaten in my life. ~ FAVORITE

Mia: We went here for drinks and dessert. You can take your drinks down to the beach for a stroll.

Taboo: I thought that this place might be overrated, but I was pleasantly surprised. The service was excellent. The food was delicious. The truffle mushroom soup was probably the best soup I’ve ever had. It is also a fun vibe with live music and an ocean breeze. This is a great place to go on your first night to celebrate being in Tulum.

Hartwood: I hear that Hartwood is one of the best places to eat in Tulum. However, I didn’t get a chance to try it.

Rosa Negra: A sister restaurant to Taboo - I had high hopes for Rosa Negra. It is one of the most popular and highly rated restaurants in Tulum. My honest opinion… overrated. For the price, the food was not great. Also, if you’re like me and love to have dinner, drinks and conversation - don’t expect that here. It was too loud to even hear each other speak. The restaurant is always busy which translated into the service not being so great.

Kin Toh: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we did not get the chance to visit Kin Toh. It was closed when we visited. However, if given the change to visit Tulum again, I would love to check it out. Their bar with nets to lounge on and nests to watch the sunset in while you eat make this place super dreamy and of course, very Instagramable.

FINAL NOTES

I visited Tulum in September of 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tulum was not as busy with tourists, a lot of things were closed, and there were deals on a lot of the hotels. Another thing to note - almost all of the restaurants took our temperatures before we entered.

Check out my Tulum highlights on Instagram to see more of my trip.