Tips & Tricks to Traveling to Tulum

Let’s face it, this new instagram photo fad, tropical bohemian town in the heart of the Riveria has seriously lived up to the hype that we cannot stay away! Here’s a run down of tips to traveling to Tulum, how to get to Tulum from Cancun, what to see, what to do and everything in between.

When to Visit Tulum

First thing is first, Tulum is a bustling coastal town with influencers, photographers and visitors flocking by the hundreds everywhere – all to experience this slice of beachfront glory.

When’s the best time to visit Tulum? Although there isn’t a real answer to this, because I imagine that Tulum is just as beautiful all year round – you want to avoid the crowds. It’s the busiest during the summer, as anyone would imagine – you’re looking at a no-go zone from mid-March to early June. July and August are really the best time to visit, much less tourists, more space on the beaches to enjoy all to yourself and less worries about reserving at the top restaurants. But there’s a catch, the closer you get to the fall/winter the more likely you will encounter heaps of mosquitoes. Welcome to the Jungle everyone.

That’s a real concern especially to those who are allergic or have sensitive skin. Wear ample amounts of bug repellent in all its forms, unscented/fragrance-free lotions, NO perfumes or body sprays! You have been warned. You’ll notice that the locals take this really seriously; almost every establishment will offer you bug spray or will have copal resin burning away on lit coals. Our airbnb host called it the “Caribbean perfume,” and that’s not an understatement after a few minutes anywhere in Tulum you too will smell like copal and a deep hope that it will keep the bugs away.

Getting to Tulum from Cancun

Depending on where you’re traveling from, you’ll most probably be landing at the Cancun International Airport. The ride from Cancun to Tulum is about an hour and a half – straight shot on the highway. There are a few options to getting to downtown Tulum from the airport.

The budget friendly, low-eco imprint option is taking the local ADO bus that leaves 3-4 times daily from the airport and stops directly in downtown Tulum (close to one of our favorite burrito spots, Burrito Amor). Here’s a schedule for the ADO bus, it will cost around $15 or 274 pesos per way.
The other option is to rent a car. We’ve been to Tulum twice, the first time we fell into the trap that is multinational car agencies – Hertz to be exact. After being forced to pay additional insurance fees of up to $250, we knew we were going to try something different. Then came the application Turo– an airbnb for cars where you can directly rent vehicles from their owners, or some in cases rent from local car agencies through the app. The fees are clear, sometimes requiring a security deposit, but the rates are much more affordable.

Quick tip – if you do rent a car and have the freedom to make a quick pit stop, make sure to grab a bite at at Los Pescados. At first glance it looks like a small store inside the first gas station that meets you outside the airport, but it truly was one of the best on the go tacos I’ve ever had.

Speaking of gas stations, here’s another tip. Beware of getting ripped off. Now, safety is relative so I won’t speak much on it. But just note that you’re traveling through towns in Mexico that may or may not be ready to fool a tourist. In one particular occasion, we gave the gas station attending 300 pesos to fill the tank and drove away only to find out that it had only been filled for about 100 pesos. This might not be the typical experience, but show them that you are aware – look at what they’re doing, watch the meter…pay attention.

Where to stay

What you need to know about Tulum is that there is the city center, the local area where many locals are and the buzzing tourist beach zone. Both are great places to stay. Obviously the beach zone is going to be more pricey, but with the convenience of bike rentals (or having a car) it becomes the same. Here are my favorites hotels and stays in Tulum – in the middle of the center and the beach strip is the very chic Wish Tulum. Other beach front favorites are the famous Coco Tulum, the eclectic Papaya Playa Project, and The Beach Tulum!

Exchanging Money

Almost anything you do or anywhere you visit in Tulum will require you to pay cash in pesos. Here’s a brief breakdown of where the exchange rate worked in our favor and where it didn’t.

Best rate by far was in downtown Tulum, at Money Exchange San Jorge Casa de Cambio. You’ll need your passport to make the exchange, but certainly worth it.

Next was the Dimesa Money Exchange, which was not as good as San Jorge but was close enough to be a good rate nonetheless.

By the Cancun airport, as you can imagine the rate was the worst. Around 2.50 pesos lower than in downtown.

Beach Clubs & Beaches

Now onto the real reason everyone visits Tulum – the water! We’ve written a whole post on favorite beach clubs, hidden and public beaches and cenotes here. Here’s a glimpse of what you need to know. Almost all beachfront hotels offer non-guests access to the beach, lounge chairs and amenities for a price. Remember the water is all the same, the fees for entry range from $15 and can go up to $70. Just depends on what vibe you’re looking for.

A budget friendly option is La Villas Estrallas. It was fairly priced, only $20 minimum including food and drinks. It wasn’t too crowded, nothing over the top but did the job. And if you make it here, make sure to order the shrimp tostadas!

The more expensive beach clubs are Coco Tulum and Papaya Playa Project. Coco is a great photogenic club, but the service/food/drinks are mediocre for the $50 minimum. Papaya is different though, food is incredible but seating can be tricky as this is one of the most popular beachfront clubs in Tulum.

A favorite was La Zebra. Tulum, like many other beach towns in Mexico, is still suffering from the seaweed infestation that started in 2018. We found that the further down the strip you go the clearer the water is. A La Zebra – there was no seaweed at all! They either did a great job cleaning it up or the seaweed disappeared from that part of the beach.

Where to eat in Tulum

The ever lingering question – with hundreds of options (if not more), you can’t really go wrong with just waltzing into a place and getting good food. The trick here is to get good food, for a good price and get a decent portion. Some of the top restaurants offer amazing dish selections but you only get a bite- sometimes quite disappointing after spending so much. Here’s an expansive list of places to eat in Tulum, but favorites are below:

Que Fresco! at Zamas – remains the best spot for a ginormous freshly fried Red Snapper! Although a bit expensive, absolutely worth it. Make sure to call ahead or stop by in the morning to reserve the fish, in high season the snapper doesn’t last very long.

Casa Violeta– a little further down the strip but a beautiful beachfront restaurant. Sun kissed seating indoors & outdoors and excellent selection of local foods. I loved the heuvos rancheros and the plates were only 110-150 pesos each.

Posada Margherita– Now you might not be in the mood for pizza and pasta in Mexico, but Posada is 100% a place to visit even for a quick drink, coffee, cortado or cocktail. With a long windy road leading to the beachfront restaurant and sand-seating, small pots of cacti and tropical flowers, and hints of old pottery throughout- the ambience defines the heart of Tulum.

After eating at 20 or so different places, we learned that tipping is actually included in a lot of places. Look for the added “propina” at the bottom of your receipt. If it’s not included, locals suggest leaving 10-15% in addition to the bill.

What to do in Tulum

Tulum is a pueblo, which really just means that it’s a small town. Despite that, there’s a ton of things to do. Check out our favorite attractions in Tulum here.

One of the most unique aspects of visiting Mexico is of course the history that’s been well preserved. Right in Tulum, you can visit the Mayan Ruins at the “Zona Arqueológica de Tulum.” Being the only Mayan city that was ever built on a coast, these ruins are a sight to see.

Now I want to imagine taking a dip in the ocean while visiting ruins! And as of recently, you can do just that. A wooden staircase was built to allow visitors to enjoy Tulum’s crystal clear waters while exploring the ruins – so make sure to pack a bathing suit!

Make sure to stop at Tin Koh, another instagram haven. Beautiful cocktail and tapas bar in the middle of the jungle. Enjoy laying in highly suspended nets overlooking the beach and surrounded by trees as far as your eye can see. The entry is steep 565 pesos per person but you get credit to use it for snacks or drinks. Wear something comfortable, avoid skirts/dresses as the nets are over the entry area of the hotel and you don’t want to be that person. Say hello to Emmanuel, the mixologist manning the smaller bar. He doesn’t follow recipes and will guide your taste buds to the perfect personally made cocktail.

Another great stop is Casa Malca, said to be Pablo Escobar’s secret mansion. Again, a steep entry fee of 1000 pesos to take photos or opt to grab a drink or meal at their restaurant the M Grill for “free entry.”

Don’t forget the excursions, this is especially simple if you’ve rented a car. We’re going to highlight day trips that are 2 hours away or less.

Coba Ruins

We’ve covered visiting the Tulum Ruins and Chichen Itza, but Coba is a different venture. Mostly because this is one of the only ruins that you can actually climb.

Suytun Cenote

On the way back from the workout that is hiking Coba, take a dip at Suytun. And not just any dip, this is one of the most beautiful cenotes with stalactites (or calcium deposits) decorating the ceiling, a perfectly place hole that allows for the gleaming light to enter, and a photogenic walkway. It’s best to stop by in the afternoon as the tour buses tend to leave mid-day – meaning less crowds for you!

Valladolid

Want to take a break from the jungle beach life? Valladolid is a quaint little town only an hour and a half away from downtown Tulum and is quite the gem. Check out our full post here on what to do in Valladolid.

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