Woohoo! Here it is, friends: My no-holds-barred all encompassing recap of our trip to Tulum this month! Thanks for your patience with me getting this up. I wanted to be sure to cover all the bases. I actually realized a lot of the best parts of the trip are best told through our stories so I’m going to try to get Mark to do a vid with me recapping our highs and lows. When that’s done I’ll link it here for ya! Without further ado, here’s the scoop:
Why Tulum?
Tulum is very different from what you may think of a typical Mexican travel experience. It’s basically a hippie enclave in the heart of a tropical jungle. There is a strong wellness focus, with hotels offering spiritual ceremonies, sound baths, meditation gardens and daily yoga.
Even though you fly into Cancun you couldn’t be farther from the party-hardy, Spring break atmosphere of that area. There are definitely places to party late-night, but day time is pretty relax and rejuvenate centered.
The food also fits this mold and is different than what you may expect. No nachos or grande burritos to be found, it’s more Caribbean ceviche, grilled octopus and fresh-caught fish of the day.
Our trip was a celebration of our 30th birthdays and our 10 year dating anniversary- we wanted somewhere to relax and really be present with each other and the beauty around us. My sister in law is a regular world traveler and said we HAD to hit Tulum, it’s one of her favorite places on Earth {and she’s been to the best} so we were sold!
Tulum Travel Tips
Flight Expectations:
Tulum is in the heart of the tropics on the Yucatan Peninsula, the Eastern side of Mexico that separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean. It’s a quick flight from the East Coast of the US, but a relatively long one from here in LA, about 5 hours, and you’re losing time as your cross time zones. We flew out of LAX at 9a and landed in Cancun {The Closest Major Airport to Tulum} at 4p local time. So, almost a full day’s worth of flying.
PLUS Tulum is a 1.5 – 2 hour drive from the Cancun airport. After researching, we found:
It is definitely best to hire a private service to take you from the airport to your hotel
The taxi drivers in the airport are AGGRESSIVE with trying to get you to ride with them and the car company we hired gave us EXPLICIT instructions not to talk to anyone in the airport because they will lie and tell you anything to get you to ride with them. They’ll say they’re calling your car company for you, or that your car got cancelled etc. Don’t believe them!
Our hotel offered to book a car service for us but it was going to be over $300 roundtrip. You guys know I’m all about that luxury on a budgxury {I don’t know. I tried.} So I did some deal hunting and ended up going with this company for almost half that price! We paid $169 round trip and I splurged an extra $2 to have cold water waiting for us upon pickup lol. WELL WORTH IT after 5 hours in an airplane. They were waiting for us upon landing with a sign and the transfer was super easy and worry free. They had our departure flight info as well, recommended a pickup time from our hotel to return to the airport and were waiting for us at our hotel when we were ready to head home. Definitely recommend.
First Impressions:
You guys KNOW I pride myself on always keeping it REAL with you. Peeling back the veil on the glossy Insta-worthy world.
Well, to be honest, I was not impressed with Tulum upon first driving in.
After the hour and a half drive from the airport when our driver announced “We’re in Tulum!” I expected to see the glorious ocean views and beaches I had seen on Instagram. Instead, I was looking at a long, narrow, pot-hole filled street lined with parked cars, overrun with taxis and tourists on bicycles. There were a lot of fenced jungle areas and then patches of storefronts/restaurants/ and resort walls. Even the most exquisite resorts when you drove by had nothing to show for them except high walls and the hotel name because, obviously the beauty lies on the beach, and no one wants to look at the small, busy, dirty street.
Additionally, as we drove we hit several patches of disgusting sulfurous smell {like sewage} that made me want to vom.
Tulum Instagram VS Reality:
I had some serious insta vs reality moments driving in. For instance, have you see this cute Matcha Mama shack all over insta? You know, the one all the bloggers sit on the swings at and take pics of? Yes, it’s adorable, but it also sits RIGHT on that main street, with mopeds, taxis and trucks with beds full of resort workers driving by you every second at an uncomfortably fast speed.
The strip was BUSY. I mean FILLED with cars and we got there on a slow Wednesday! Definitely not giving me the relaxing vacay vibe I had hoped for. Thankfully, our hotel was at the very end of this strip so by the time we got down to where we were staying it was MUCH quieter and upon stepping into our resort I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief. This is where the relaxation would begin. Which brings me to…
Where To stay in Tulum
I looked into a bunch of different hotels for our stay and let me tell ya, the hotels in Tulum are not created equal. First off, not every hotel has beach access. Beach access is KEY because there aren’t too many public beaches they are super crowded. To be honest, I’m not a huge beach person, but after visiting some of the other hotels that sat on rocky bluffs etc it really made me extra thankful for our manicured beach cabanas and restaurant.
You also have to be really careful with online reviews on popular travel sites. Look at the map and photos closely, some of the top ranked hotels I was surprised to find weren’t even on the main hotel strip and, after visiting the area you DEFINITELY want to be on that main strip. Also, as mentioned above, some top-rated hotels didn’t have beach access! Which I feel is a non-negotiable. We visited a few of the hotels I had my eye on and after seeing them in person I didn’t feel they lived up to my expectations from the reviews.
Someone asked me if I recommend All-Inclusive resorts, I do not. Personally, I’m not an all-inclusive resort person in general but especially in a region like Tulum which has such a specific type of cuisine and SO many good restaurants. It would be a shame to not be able to explore the local restaurants in the region {favs listed below}.
Some top Hotel Picks that are worth a stay after seeing them in person:
Sanara
Our hotel {listed below} was hands-down my favorite. But if I had to stay somewhere else I think I would go with Sanara. It was absolutely STUNNING, had a very modern/clean vibe and has The Real Coconut Restaurant which we stopped at for some delicious iced Matcha lattes. Some rooms have their own private pools and outdoor bathtubs. It is down near the quieter end of the strip and had a stunning enclosed yoga room with Full Moon ceremonies while we were there.
Be Tulum
This hotel is actually the sister hotel to where we stayed and it located right next door. It has a very eco-chic vibe and the grounds and rooms feel incredibly private and cozy. Many of these rooms had their own private pools as well, and the hotel has a pool option overlooking the ocean and next to their bar/restaurant. Staying at either this hotel or our hotel give you access to both hotel’s amenities which is a nice sort of two-for-one. Although, we loved our hotel so much we didn’t branch out for more than a walk through. I can tell this would be lovely to stay at.
Azulik
You’ve seen this one all over Instagram, I promise. With it’s construction made from layered and woven branches, and its nest tables overlooking the Tulum jungle Azulik is truly something to be seen. We stopped by for cocktails one night and planned to head back in the daytime but never got around to it which, to be honest, I was ok with because while Azulik is something to be seen it is also SOMEWHERE to be seen.
We walked in and while I was awed I was also a little nauseous. It reminded me of one of the trendy places in LA I hate going because everyone is there to BE SEEN and taking a thousand pictures to show they were there rather than truly BEING there. It is very trendy and cool-kids vibey. I really enjoyed checking it out and would like to give it some more attention in the daytime should we go back, but it was a bit vibey and sceney for me to tell you the truth. I was happy to head back to our quiet little hideaway at the end of the night.
We did stop into their super boujie store on our way out- this is a MUST see. You aren’t allowed to wear shoes and you’re walking through a series of caves and water features {yes, literally walking on water}. You’re surrounded by crazy stone ramps, ladders and tons of exorbitantly priced clothing. I’m into it, obviously.
Nômade:
This is where we stayed and we couldn’t have loved it more! Seriously, after my less-than-stellar first impression upon driving into to Tulum, the second we got out of the car and stepped into Nômade I felt relaxed and at-home. They had palo santo burning, cold towels for us to wipe our hands and face, and the most welcoming staff who take the time to get to know you personally. We told them we were celebrating our birthdays and anniversary and we arrived to surprise champagne and chocolate truffles in our room one night!
We stayed in a Deluxe Tent which was INCREDIBLE. It is technically a tent with canvas sides, but feels like a room because it has sliding glass doors front and back and is air conditioned.
My favorite part of our room HANDS DOWN was the outdoor shower! You are in the Tulum heat, looking up at blue skies and a canopy of palms while the water rinses the sweat {there will be sweat} off of you.
There are two restaurants on the property that I will go into more detail in on the EATS section, La Popular and Macondo. Both were incredibly fresh and delicious and we wound up eating there a lot of the time.
Hotel Money Matters:
FYI Our hotel and all the other hotels I listed are all on the pricier side of things, as is Tulum in general.
But you get a lot for your money. Included every day is an unbelievable breakfast spread with ocean view tables. Inclusive Breakfast brings up visions of dry eggs and gross sausage- that could not be further from the case at Nômade . Each morning is a plethora of fresh cut fruits {eeep, more on that later…}, Huevos rancheros, steel cut oatmeal, fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, poached eggs, beans, greek yogurt and more. It is a five star breakfast with great service {shout out to our server every day, Luciano!} and you can order additional things should you chose.
Also included are a variety of free activities each day. We started every day with complimentary Yoga on their deck located right on the ocean. We also took advantage of their Cacao Ceremony one night, a beautiful tradition thousands of years old that went along with the annual harvest of the cacao beans to set intention for your life. They offered sound healings, mediation workshops and live music – all complimentary for guests. If you want to take advantage of the activities but don’t stay at Nômade you can attend for a fee as well.
Last, but certainly not least, Nômade provides free bicycle rentals! Bikes are a MUST to get around Tulum. It’s THE way to see the strip and get to different resorts and restaurants. Everyone rides them and usually rents them by the day. Bikes free and right at your disposal is a huge cost and time savings! We may have gotten a tad overzealous with our bike usage lol, but it was so fun- a video with these deets to come later.
Where to Eat in Tulum
Oprah voice: I LOVE FOOD! So you know I put the most research into where we needed to eat while we were there. There are a lot of highly rated restaurants in Tulum and we didn’t get to go to them all, but I’m SO happy with the choices we made while we were there. I can only speak to where we went, obviously, so here’s a rundown of eats and thoughts:
La Popular
This is the main restaurant at our hotel, Nômade, we ate here the first night we arrived for dinner under a full moon and and it stole our hearts. Tables are literally ON the beach, with an ocean view framed by palm trees. The food focus is sustainable seafood and incredibly delicious. Truly the most magical setting that captures what I feel is the essence of Tulum. A must-visit. Multiple meals occurred here and we were always enamored! I recommend the tuna tartare {trust me} and octopus confit.
Macondo
This is the other restaurant located at Nômade and the place that provided our exquisite breakfast each morning. They also serve the food you order when on the beach at the hotel. DELICIOUS. We loved their red ceviche, guacamole with vegetable chips, and the breakfast spread every day.
Kitchen Table
The only restaurant we made reservations at, and they take them nightly at 6 or 9. Straight up AMATEUR hour we arrived here after biking an excruciating 5 miles in 90* weather with barely any cash when it’s cash only. *Face Plam* You can’t make this shit up. We literally ordered and immediately had to cancel one of the dishes because we didn’t have enough cash to pay for it all! Instead of hating us and calling us stupid gringos, our waiter pulled us aside to a private balcony after our meal to serve us fresh-made limoncello and desserts! I truly could not believe the hospitality. On top of that, the dishes we were able to enjoy were PHENOMENAL. Some of the best we had the whole trip. More than recommend!
The Real Coconut
Another rec from my sister-in-law and well worth it. Located in the Sanara hotel, we stopped by and grabbed iced matcha lattes, but the food looked incredible and is all gluten, grain and dairy free. The restaurant itself is beautiful and sits right on the ocean as well. Definitely worth a stop for some healing food and drink and to see the beauty of hotel Sanara as well!
Rosa Negra
Rosa Negra wasn’t planned and I had never even heard about it! After an ill-advised nighttime bike ride in search of food we stumbled in here because it was the only place open at 10pm. Still PACKED.
This does not have the typical Tulum vibe, more of a Latin almost Miami vibe with a live DJ and slightly sceney crowd but the FOOD and SERVICE were absolutely fantastic. Like, unreal. I’m still dreaming about the empanadas.
Mark got a wagyu burger the size of his head {with a slider on top?!} I did a slow roast short rib. Everything was delectable. Plus, the service was some of the best I’ve experienced anywhere in the world. Mark tried to pour his own water and I thought our server was going to faint; he ran over to the table like it was on fire to steal the bottle and pour for him!
Posada Margherita
Italian food in Mexico? YES. This place came highly recommended by friends, fellow bloggers and pretty much everyone else. I wasn’t sure we would make it because Mark is not a huge Italian food fan {I know. At least he’s good looking}. A final rec from friends we made at our hotel convinced him to give it a go. Sitting right on the beach this is the lightest, freshest Italian food I’ve ever had. A nice change of pace from the fare we had everywhere else. We went with the pictured pasta – homemade pasta, fresh veggies and lightest puttanesca sauce ever. Also had the most refreshing grapefruit basil cocktail situation. Loved.
Casa Violetta
A sleeper hit I didn’t see mentioned much pre-trip, Casa Violetta was actually probably our favorite meal of the whole trip! They are known for their pizza and I DEFINITELY see why! We went for late lunch and were the only ones in the place sans 1 other table. Snagged THE most picturesque table next to the window and hung for hours with our pizza and Tulum Iced Teas {their version of a Long Island. Whoa.} Our server became our best friend and we basically didn’t want to leave.
What to do in Tulum
Number 1 : R E L A X.
Seriously, that is the purpose of this place and I love it. Mark and I are usually doing 10,000 things when we travel so going somewhere that relaxation / meditation etc was the main goal was so fab.
The other two main Tulum activities:
Tulum Ruins
We biked here. In the middle of the day. 7 miles each way. 92* and 84% humidity. Why? We will never know lol. But we did. And I’m glad we saw them! I love learning the history of places we travel to and these ruins sit overlooking the ocean with gorgeous views. But real deal- we walked around {more like hobbled bc it was SO hot} for maybe 15 minutes and then we were done. These ruins aren’t as “impressive” technologically as say Chichen Itza but are still gorgeous and worth a visit.
My personal fav here is the sign at the entrance about Lucy the Coati who lives at the ruins. I’m SO sad I didn’t snap a pic of it, but it’s hilarious. If you visit be sure to give it a read while you wait in line, and if you take a photo of it PLEASE send it me! It’s a great laugh.
Cenotes
These are underwater caves/swimming holes and we really wanted to go see them but…. we didn’t. Lol. If we go back we definitely will! But we were in the relax zone and I wasn’t keen on heading further into the jungle bug-wise. Which leads me to…
The Ugly Side of Tulum
Ok, kids. We always keeping it real up in here. So I’m going to be honest- I LOVED Tulum, but I am honestly not sure I will be running back anytime soon. Please don’t get me wrong, I am NOT complaining, and I am SO grateful for our trip and wouldn’t change a thing, but I may need a breather before visiting again. Here’s why:
Street Situation
Already discussed above but, yes, the main street that all shops/resorts/restaurants are on in Tulum is a bit rough. Very crowded with drivers / parked cars / bikers and potholes. Also every once in a while the sewage smell smacks you in the face and makes you wanna vom.
The street is not a deal breaker, obviously, but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. As someone who loves wandering streets for hours and finding hidden gems this was not the ideal situation for that.
Bug Bites
I know it sounds dumb, but these bites are INTENSE. Multiple people warned me to bring bug spray, one friend even said she had SCARS from the bites from her last Tulum trip. The first 2 days I was fine and thought I had somehow miraculously escaped the bugs- NO. They just didn’t show up until day 3 and were SO BAD I seriously couldn’t focus on much else. I had bug repellant that I applied on the reg but it didn’t do much.
Please note, I react VERY strongly to bug bites. Mark had bites but it was no problem for him. For me, I was so physically uncomfortable from the bites by our last day that I was honestly a little relieved to head home. I wandered the airport for an hour in excruciating pain searching for Mexican Benadryl. HINT: they don’t have it. But the next closest thing to Mexican Bendryl is Cloro-Trimeton and that helped a little.
If you react badly to bug bites… this may not be the best place for you.
Humidity/Heat
I have never experienced this type of heat and humidity. Temps in the 90’s with 85% humidity. You literally showered and were immediately soaking wet. I liked it and felt very detoxed, but it is not for everyone.
You won’t be wearing makeup, any clothes you don’t mind getting drenched, or wandering around outside much. At least during June/July.
Expensive
If you’re looking for those sweet Mexico savings, it’s not in Tulum. Prices were comparable to LA prices for food and drinks. Shopping was HIGH END LA prices. Just something to note. It’s no budget vacay.
Stomach Bug
This is a danger anytime you head to Mexico- you shouldn’t drink the water or use tap water to brush your teeth etc. Apparently you also shouldn’t eat the fruit? We were fine the whole time we were there but upon our return Mark and I both got the worst stomach flu of our lives. I’m talking DAYS of downtime and multiple convos about whether we should hit the ER or not. It was intense. I’m still eating basically nothing more than bread, rice and eggs and it has been like 2 weeks since we got back. Just be careful and know this is a possibility!
All in All
I loved our vacation and came back feeling so relaxed! {Until the stomach situation happened lol}. If you have any questions about Tulum please feel free to comment or email me and I’m happy to give my best answer! If you do go, please take a pic of the Lucy sign at the ruins and send it to me. It’s urgent, obviously.
Xx,
