TULUM - My favorite spots, things to do, and tips for your trip to Tulum

We visited Tulum in September 2019, and it was super hot at that time. We arrived in Cancun, stayed 3 days, and then took off to Tulum. We usually like renting a car wherever we are because it's more comfortable and you don't have to depend on anyone. We rented a car in Cancun from Eurocar. We managed to get an automatic Chevrolet for 6 days which we were able to return in Tulum instead of Cancun. The ride was approximately 21 $ a day with an additional driver added, so we could both drive the car and still have it insured. The drive to Tulum takes around 2 hours from Cancun. We stopped at Playa del Carmen to eat something at a restaurant called El Zorro Plateado, excellent ceviche! It started to rain really heavy, and we waited it out. At the time we wanted to start driving again, the car broke down. We called Eurocar for help, and they kept telling me to wait 15 more minutes. Around 2 hours passed and they didn't come. This put us way behind on our schedule. When they finally arrived they fixed the car but couldn't ensure that it wouldn't happen again. They offered us to change the vehicle at the Playa del Carmen Eurocar station. We were really disappointed about the lack of help and the service in general. They did not give us an upgrade. We didn't even get an excuse. They offered us a slightly different car for a much higher price. Obviously, we weren't satisfied with that. Nothing of it was our fault, and they didn't even care about the fact that we were on vacation and that we are the customers. They got very unfriendly, and If I didn't speak Spanish, we probably couldn't have talked to them in any other way. I had to call the Eurocar office of Cancun to finally get everything sorted out without paying even more than we had to originally. Don't book a vehicle with Eurocar.

Arriving in Tulum, you will quickly notice that there are only three main streets that you will pass the most. The first one being beach street, the second one is the main street of downtown Tulum, and the third connects those two.

Where to stay:

I would really recommend you to stay at a hotel on the beach street, rather than downtown. We picked 3 very different Hotels, and the decision was really hard. We wanted to try 3 different standards, from luxury to basic. We first stayed in the middle-class Hotel Amansala, which was around 80-100$ per night. We picked the most basic room. Therefore, didn't have much daylight nor a spectacular view. The hotel was being renovated at the time too. The Amansala has a beautiful beach and pool area and a hot yoga Cabin. At the time, they also had two cute dogs that strolled around. The staff was very kind, and the service was excellent. They don't offer you water in plastic bottles. Instead, you have a tank in your room that gets refilled with fresh water every day. The AC works only from 9 pm to 7 am. They are trying to create an eco-friendly environment and protect Tulum's nature.

Our next Hotel was Azulik, known as a luxury eco-retreat perfect for couples connecting to nature. The prices here vary from 385 $ up to more than 1000$ a night, depending on the season and room type. We decided to take a jungle cabin for 385$ a night instead of the front beach houses. I do feel like those are two very different experiences. We checked in at 15 pm, and after a while, we had an Azulik "angel" guide us through the retreat. We had to go through an energetic cleanse progress which every guest has to do before sleeping at the hotel. Azulik has a beautiful beachfront with fishnets tied under the sky, so you can watch the stars. It has a lovely Spa and also a Yoga house. Attending the Yoga class is complimentary. The entire retreat is like a vast jungle labyrinth, including small stores, cabins, restaurants, etc. Our room had a round bed, a Mayan bathtub, and a very spacious terrace with our own whirlpool. The rooms have no AC, and the wifi only works in the lobby, as they are trying to let their gusts fully connect to nature. At 6 pm the electricity goes off, and the staff will light your room with candles. The evening you arrive, you will get a drink on the house served in one of the nests where you have a spectacular view over the jungle. The Azulik retreat is a real jewel, and I have never visited a hotel this special. You experience a whole different vibe, and it's like you're in a different world where you forget about all your problems and troubles. I would really recommend you staying here for at least 2 nights. Our favorite thing to do was leave the phones in the room and go watch the stars at night on the nets at the beach.

Our last hotel was the Origin hotel, a bit further down the beach road. This hotel was so cute. It cost 60 $ a night. There are 4 tiny houses, meaning 8 rooms. Each room has a hammock on the balcony, a bed in the middle of the room, and a bathroom in the back. Here the AC usually works 24h when you don't turn it off. However, the day we checked in, the whole electrical Box thing broke down. We really took this with humor because the desk lady was amiable and kept us updated at all times. She even arranged a room in the hostel next door for us to stay, but luckily at night, everything was fixed. The hotel does not have a pool, and I think they don't serve breakfast, but Tulum has so many delicious food spots we didn't even need that service. On the other side, there is a small passage leading to a very hip bar at the beach. We had a few drinks there, and the vibe was unique. Even if you don't order something, you are allowed to stay at the beach.

You must know that Tulum has almost no public beach. I would really recommend you staying in a beachfront hotel for at least half your trip. For the other half, you can stay at a second-row hotel and go on day trips. The next part will be about what to do in Tulum and around Tulum. We would've also loved staying at the papaya playa project, but we'll keep it in mind for next time!

What to do:

First up is visiting the Chichen Itza in Yucatan. With a car, you will be there in 3 hours. Drones are forbidden.

On another day we took the bikes and visited the Mayan Ruins. Make sure to not come here at mid day. It is way too hot. I heard they have opening hours from 7 to 8 pm that cost 100 pesos more but are less busy.

Cenotes:

We visited several Cenotes, our favorite being cenote calavera. The entry is only 100 pesos, and in low season you can visit it at any time. Make sure to bring eco-friendly mosquito spray and a towel for any cenote you visit. Also, I would recommend you to bring goggles, as underwater life is fascinating. You can rent these for 3 $ or less downtown. We also visited a few other cenotes. I will recommend you to visit the following by car. There is a cenote park 20 min from Tulum with several cenotes and different prices for different cenotes depending on whether you want to dive or just swim. Ours was 200 pesos. As we are not the biggest fans of diving, we went with the package that included the cenote nacta-ha and dos-Ojos, which are actually two cenotes, and that's where the name comes from. Both cenotes nacta-ha and dos ojos are very different from each other. I really recommend you visit both as nacta-ha is an underwater paradise filled with plants and flowers. You can even take a 3-meter jump, but you have to pay extra for drone videos (around 150 pesos).

Next up on the Cenote list is the grand cenote. This one is probably one of the most popular ones, and even off-season, there are many people around. The entrance fee is 180 pesos. The Grand Cenote is a significant connection of several smaller caves. All of the sections are connected by wooden walkways that are very instagrammable. You can expect crystal-clear water, in which you can swim with fish and turtles with or without a snorkel.

We also took a trip to Akumal beach, where many people have gone swimming with wild sea turtles. Don't let yourselves get fooled here. You only have to pay for parking. There will be people telling you that the beach is a part of a national reservation park and that you have to pay entry. They will also offer you tours and tell you that only they can show you where to see the turtles. However, you can visit the beach, but you have to eat or drink something at the restaurant right there. They will then give you a receipt that you should keep if any guards ask you to pay the entry fee. Make sure to rent your goggles in the pueblo and not at the Akumal beach. Don't take fins! They are strictly forbidden out of protection for the turtles and sea life. You won't need any anyway. We swam for around an hour and saw at least 3 turtles. The best part was that it was without a tour and other people and for free.

Where to eat and drink:

Of course, eating in the Azulik is a must if you're staying there and staying somewhere else to reserve in advance.

Matcha Mama is super cute and instagrammable, plus the food and drinks are delish.

I scream bar is excellent for drinks.

Posoada Margherita little more expensive but has great pasta

Mi cielo has super breakfast

and here are a few more:

Mina Tulum

Yoga Shala Tulum

La Zebra

Coco Tulum

Farm to table

Burrito Amor

Sale e pepe great ceviche

Restaurant don Cafeto

Azulik Restaurant

Photospot Checklist

Chichen Itza

Azulik – either you have a room, or you visit the restaurant, stores, or art exhibition they have

The entrance of the Ahau Hotel

Pablo Escobar's mansion (tell the guards you wanna go in to make a dinner reservation)

Gran cenote and also all the others cenote dos ojos, cenote calavera

The popular follow that dream sign.

Coco Tulum super cute beach club with a very nice guy named Mario; they also have swings and delish nachos.

Matcha Mama with the matcha mama sign

Ruinas Mayas

Between the macramé small shops al pueblo

Raw love (unfortunately, it was being renovated during the time we were there

Tulum is one of the most instagrammable spots in the world I've ever been to, and you can find a motive more or less anywhere.

How to move around:

The best way for us was definitely with a car. It was a pure luxury having an AC, a place for outfits and props, and getting anywhere quickly. The streets are pretty safe to drive on, even at night. However, if you want to experience the Tulum lifestyle properly, you should also rent a bike for several days. We rented ours at the hotel mi Cielo and paid 1000 pesos for 2 bikes for 5 days (around 50 Euros), around the same price you would pay for a car.

Getting back to Cancun from Tulum

Taking a taxi will cost you around 70 $ and will take 2 hours

Taking the public Bus that takes off from the pueblo will cost you 11 $ only but will take approximately 4 hours

Renting a car at MexCar in Tulum and returning it near the airport in Cancun will cost you 50 $ and will take only 1,5 hour

We decided that this was the best option for us and our two huge pieces of luggage.

Tulum is a place that I would definitely visit again. Although it is not the cheapest destination, it is entirely worth it. We didn't even manage to see everything Tulum has to offer during our stay.