Oh sip, it’s a girl’s trip! Quick guide to Tulum, Mexico
I did it, I finally made it to Tulum! I admit that social media influencers had me itching to get there. The IG photos and TikTok videos really piqued my interest. Typically, I travel with my husband, but this time it was just us girls. My beautiful sister-in-law mentioned she was going with some friends, so I may have invited myself to tag-along. It was last minute, so, this time, I was not able to take advantage of my flight miles, points or rewards. However, I did use my credit card to earn points wherever available. While researching and planning, I became a little apprehensive reading about how “touristy,” “overrated,” and, “expensive” Tulum has become, but I love travel and just had to see for myself.
As always, to help me make my travel/excursion decisions, I considered SuitcaseRace® 3T’s.
TIME – The time to get there and back.
TIME – The time of the year.
TIME –Time we allot for the vacation and excursions.
Now, please take some TIME and read the rest of this blog for me.
Before you go: You will need a passport to enter Mexico, so make sure yours is valid. I always look forward to getting new stamps in mine!
If you do not have a passport, visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html for new or renewals.
Mexico uses The Mexican Peso (MXN). You can request pesos from your bank or Travelex before you leave. My pesos arrived in about 5 business days from my bank. As a reference, I spent an average of $75-$100 USD per day which included food, excursions, and shopping.
Consider that cellular service and data in Tulum is very spotty (AT&T is my provider, for reference), so download to your smartphone any tickets, maps, reservations, etc. prior to arriving just in case you don’t have internet access.
How to get there? There are several transportation options to get to Tulum from Cancun Airport. This depends on your personal budget and group size. You can use a shuttle service from your hotel/resort or a shuttle bus service called the ADO bus which costs about $13 USD. You can check the route schedules here: https://www.ado.com.mx/
We chose to rent a car. Prices vary, but this was the best decision for us since we did not want to be limited to staying on one area. Once in Tulum, you can hire a taxi, rent/ride bikes, ATV’s or scooters to get around.
We arrived in Cancun, immediately got our rental car and hit the ground running. Before making that actual drive to Tulum, our first stop was a day trip to Isla Mujeres, a nearby island which is about a 45 minutes’ drive from the Cancun Airport to its ferry terminal. It costs less than $20 USD for a round-trip ticket. This 20-minute boat ride was scenic and quick. On Isla Mujeres, you can choose to explore the island by walking, bikes, scooters or golf carts. There is a nice beach with food, shops, etc., and plenty of excursions that you can plan while there. We tried our best to leave before it got dark, but you know how time flies when you’re having fun. Once we made it back to our car from the ferry back, it took us a little over 2 hours to drive into Tulum.
Where to stay? Choosing where to stay of course depends on you, your budget and travel style. Do you like beach vibes or more local hangouts? Our stay was 5 nights and 6 days (see attached itinerary).
We chose to stay in an Airbnb in the city center which made accommodations more affordable and gave us a more authentic feel of Tulum. If you like the hustle and bustle, then the inclusive resorts, hotels and beach party areas on the Tulum Beach Strip are for you. The drive to the beach parties, clubs, restaurants, and other main tourist attractions was about 15 minutes from our Airbnb. To me, this long strip is reminiscent of strips in Vegas or Miami- one long road with one lane in and one lane out with lots of aesthetically pleasing views. Depending on the time-of-day and/or season, traffic can be horrendous on this strip! If you know where you are going, it may be best to simply pay about $10 USD, park your car and walk (being sure to wear comfortable shoes as the roads are rocky) or rent a bike. Stopping or blocking traffic is a no-go and the police will come to you with the quickness.
What to do? Again, this all depends on what you like and your budget. Chill on the beaches (beach parties and individual cabanas cost extra), food tours, excursions, socialize, visit historic locations, shop, eat or just people watch. Photo opportunities are endless. This can take up a lot of your day if you are like us wanting to capture it all. Whatever you’re into you can find it. Excursions vary in price and location and can be booked in advance or when you arrive. Some of the most popular are Tulum Ruins, Cenotes, Ziplining, Snorkeling and Boat/Yacht Tours. To simply the search, we used Airbnb experiences and found some cool options. I follow IG:blackintulum and got a lot of ideas and helpful tips prior to my visit. From their recommendations, we booked our yacht excursion. If you’re not into parties and nightlife, there are a lot of health and wellness places to wind down and take more of a relaxing approach; including yoga retreats, spirituality healing and spas. Tulum definitely has something for everyone, so simply research according to your lifestyle.
Things to consider: When purchasing goods or services, please make sure you are being charged in pesos, not USD unless, of course, the deal is better. During our stay, the dollar was $20 MXN pesos to $1 USD. Know that food can range from ~$2 USD street tacos to over $50 USD per person at restaurants like Kin Toh. My average cost for food was about $15-20 USD per meal. TIPS!!! We also went to the local grocery store for snacks, fruit and booze. Most of the restaurants do not split tickets, so be sure to have pesos ready or be prepared to cash app the person that paid for the entire check. Also, check your receipts; especially at restaurants! Sometimes the tip is already included. To avoid double-paying, simply check it for accuracy. (Something you may not know- At most places, there is NO FREE WATER!)
Is Tulum Safe? We felt very safe in Tulum. We saw plenty of police and national guards on the streets, however, ALWAYS travel with caution! DO NOT carry large amounts of cash or valuables and keep an eye on your belongings while at the beach to avoid the opportunists. The people we encountered there are very friendly and seemed to want to help rather than hurt you. You are more likely to get hurt by the large humps and potholes in the roads than the people (inside joke).
Who should go? I noticed all types of tourists in the area, however, what I did not see much of were young children other than local children in the neighborhoods. I did, however, see people ages between 20’s – 40’s, lots of girl groups, bachelor/bachelorette celebrations, many couples celebrating honeymoons, anniversaries or birthdays. If you are looking for a party, this is the spot! If you are looking to relax, this is the spot- something for everyone (well, every adult).
A Few of Our Favorite Spots:
The Funky Burrito – the food here was reasonably priced and flavorful. The drinks and service were good. There was music, swings to sit on at the bar, and also a pool.
M Tulum – Had my 1st ever hookah here. The afro-beats blasting, the drinks flowing, and the food was great. Very Instagrammable spot!
Bak Steakhouse – The nightly fire show Charan Ka’ak was fantastic, personally the food was not the best for us. The aesthetics of Bak was nice.
Taboo – Great vibes, food was OK. The DJ kept the music coming (just a bit too much techno for us) but later the music was rotated. People dancing on tables, an electric violinist performed, beautiful views and access to the beach.
Ziggys – Great view and access of the beach while you enjoy your meal. Great happy hour specials and free parking.
Kin Toh – Best place to watch the sunset! Must make a reservation (online only). This place is absolutely stunning. The food is what some may consider “fancy,” but I enjoyed my meal. Wear insect repellent! The mosquitos are terrible. Go early so you can get day and night photos while you’re there.
Ven a la Luz – a huge wood structure of art makes for a perfect shot; the art park will cost you about $20 MXN to get in and you have access to other smaller pieces of art as well. The line can get long, but it moved quickly for us.
Azulik/Kin Toh/Tseen Ja/Sfer Ik – If you go to www.azulik.com, you will be able to see all they have to offer here. They have a beachside resort with breathtaking accommodations and restaurants with sunset views with unique nests to sit in. If you are into art, be sure to visit the art museum.
My Overall Review of Tulum:
I got FOMO (fear of missing out), but I am glad that I went. I had a great time with the ladies. I saw and experiences some fun adventurous excursions and sparkling nightlife. I got some absolutely beautiful photos, too. The history and ruins are a sight to see. If you are able to, visit other nearby cities for more ruins, cenotes and pristine beaches like Chichen Itza or Holbox, for example. Would I go back to Tulum? Yes, I probably would, but that may be several years from now. I can see the progress of new developments happening there, so I am sure the uniqueness and picturesque spots may only get better. I would also hope that they have a solution for the cell coverage and internet access and more paved roads, better maintained and more lanes by then.
Tulum is definitely an influencers’ paradise, so if this is you, GO AND ENJOY!
