Your ultimate guide to travelling and visiting Tulum.
Tulum is certainly an Instagrammers dream. It's got quirky pop up restaurants with plenty of places to eat brunch or grab a frozen yogurt, as well as riding around on a shopper style bike.
Places to stay:
There are two areas where you can stay in the Tulum, you can either stay along the beach front or you can stay in the centre of Tulum. Equally both have its benefits.
We decided to stay in centre of Tulum because we could easily get to the Cenotes as well as the beach, plus the ADO bus station was only a couple of blocks away from where we were staying.
1. Mystic Jungle
We stayed a a place called Mystic Jungle, only 3 blocks away from the ADO bus station, right in the heart of Tulum. This was place has a really cool vibe with lots of quiet places to chill out after a long day travelling or swimming. One of the cool things about this place was the fact we had a hammock in our room.
I've also put some other places which I had added to my Airbnb wish list which you can check out here:
Colibrí Room at Bufo Alvarius: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/38018626?wl_source=list&wl_id=756546928&role=wishlist_owner&adults=2&children=0&infants=0&guests=2&source_impression_id=p3_1586182404_Dxwb5iPi%2FK%2Fi1JjU
Best Location & Comfort In Heart of Tulum (A): https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/2988321?wl_source=list&wl_id=756546928&role=wishlist_owner&adults=2&children=0&infants=0&guests=2&source_impression_id=p3_1586182481_1Rh%2B6DxiUpzp1SRw
Designer Loft Tulum Chuhuk 3: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/4765233?wl_source=list&wl_id=756546928&role=wishlist_owner&adults=2&children=0&infants=0&guests=2&source_impression_id=p3_1586182549_BU7Ti0Kw2sLcd4Yk
How to get around:
The best way to get around Tulum is to hire a bike! They're environmentally friendly and it's the easiest way to travel around.
iBIKE Rental comes very highly recommended. I did some googling and looked at the reviews of the best bike rentals and stumbled across iBike Rental. In addition, it was on the way to the beach.
You can rent a bike here for the day at around $165 Pesos (if you pay by cash) or $195 Pesos (if you pay by card), which is equivalent to around £5.50-6.50 per day. They were so helpful in the shop and really accommodating. The guy in the store even let us keep the bike for an extra half a day at no extra cost!
Places to eat:
1. Del Cielo
Open 08:00-14:30
Del Cielo suddenly became a morning favourite for many reasons. One being that the food was delicious, whilst being healthy. Secondly, it was relatively cheap. Thirdly, you feel like you're in a jungle setting whilst having breakfast.
They have a range of different style eggs with a Mexican flare, guilt free coconut pancakes with agave honey and plenty of fruit bowls and granola.
2. Mezzanine Thai Restaurant and Bar
Open: 07:30-22:00
After cycling for quite a long time, I grew very hungry very quickly. We managed to put our bikes at the public entrance to the beach. Most of the access to get onto the beach is from private hotels. You won't miss where to park your bike as you'll find others have done the same and it is right next to Mezzanine.
We were not consciously looking for Thai food, however this place was extremely tasty. I went for the Pad Thai and it was beautifully presented in a palm leaf. However, you can go for some of the bar menu food which included quesadillas, fish and chips and burgers.
It has some of the best views of the beach and it was a really nice atmosphere with cushions to hang out on. Plus, there was a two for one special on all of their cocktails, so we couldn't really say no to that! This place was 5 star dining but at an incredibly low price. We even had an iguana join us for lunch.
Pad Thai= $250 MXN (£8.20)
Margaritas= $225 MXN (£7.30) However, split this between two, so we paid £3.65
3. Burrito Amor
After eating some Thai food, we were definitely searching for Mexican for dinner. We headed to Burrito Amor which was just down the other end of town past the ADO bus station.
This place was one of our favourites as the burritos were super tasty, very big and also cheap. I'd also recommend the chip and dip to begin with as they certainly don't skip out on the guacamole.
At night, it was a perfect atmosphere, with fairy lights scattered around. We were also joined by various musicians, one happened to be a mariachi band, which gave us that real feel of Mexico.
Average price for burrito $100 MXN (£3.30).
Things to do:
1. Gran Cenote
Cenotes are natural large open pools of water which are made of limestone and usually have many underground caves. If you're visiting Mexico, this has to be one thing you do before you leave.
There are many cenotes to pick from, some bigger and more popular than others and some smaller quieter spots. The Gran Cenote is one of the most expensive cenotes, but it is one of the most impressive and you also get the chance to swim with little turtles. The best way to get to the Gran Cenote is to cycle from Tulum Town, which only takes around 20 minutes (depending on how fast or slow you decide to cycle).
$200 MXN (£6.70) entry price per person (cash only).
If you cycle along the 109, you'll find many more cenotes which you can explore if you have more time, these include Cenote Zecil-Ha, Cenote Vaca Ha, Cenote Santa Cruz Tulum and Cenote Calavera. If you're up for exploring all, you could start at Cenote Zecil-Ha and work your way down to try them all!
Cenote Zecil- ha is the furthest along, which takes around 30-40 minutes to cycle.
2. Tulum Ruins
Unfortunately, the ruins were not open when we arrived in Tulum due to COVID-19 and most tourist places were shutting down. However, you could still see some of the ruins from the beach itself. These ruins are a great alternative to Chichen Itza (this was still the most impressive though!).
Price of entry: $35-40 MXN and an additional $30 MXN for video cameras.
3. Laguna Sian Ka'an
Laguna Sian Ka'an is a hidden treasure in Tulum. If you're looking to do something less touristy, then this is the perfect place.
The Lagoon is hidden in the jungle but is also famous for it's mud. You can either go swimming or do a bit of snorkeling. The lagoon also has a large cenote right in the middle which can also be dived. Some say it looks like the Blue Hole in Belize.
Entry price: $100 MXN
4. Paradise Beach
There is a reason the beach here is classed as a national park. The sea is perfect turquoise colour. This beach is perfect for swimming or playing some Frisbee in the shallows. The sand is white and the sun is hot. This has to be my favourite beach in Mexico. The beach is free to enter and there is a great spot to park your bike next to Mezzanine Thai Restaurant and Bar.
Entry price: Free!
Commentaires