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8 Spectacular Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

When picking my next beach vacation, I decided to go to a place that was completely different than anything I have ever experienced before. Beach vacations typically consist of laying around on the beach all day while drinking cocktails. Tulum is not your typical beach vacation. It has so much more to offer. This vibrant area has cenotes, great food, ancient ruins, yoga, and cute Instagram worthy hotels. Obviously, I had to explore this one of a kind beach paradise. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved the atmosphere, food, and scenery. My itinerary was full with so many activities to do in this cute town, and I still felt like I could still spend another week exploring. If you are heading there soon and want to find out what the best things to do in Tulum Mexico are, then keep reading.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

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Tulum Hotels

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

As you might expect, I highly recommend staying on the beach. Tulum Mexico Hotels are one of a kind and beachside is the only way to go. Not only is the beach right outside the room, but you can also easily bike around or walk to all the cool spots. But if you want to save some money, spending time in the city of Tulum isn’t a bad idea either. I have listed the best Tulum Hotels in each of the three main areas of Tulum: the private area, public area, and the Tulum city area.

  • Ahau Tulum: My husband and I stayed at this hotel. I loved it!!! It has this boho-chic feel to it, and it is located right on the beach! Not to mention, my room was only 5 feet away from the famous Raw Love. I will mention, it is a little on the more pricier side. At times, prices are lowered on their smaller rooms during certain times of the year. I definitely took advantage of that. Also, the hotel is located on the private beach area, so I loved chilling on the beach and listening to live music while sipping my margarita. Ahhhhhh. >Check Prices Now
  • Kai Tulum: Ahau Tulum owns the hotel, and I love the light, elegant feel of the rooms. Plus, it is right on on the popular strip where many restaurants and bars are! Additionally, the hotel is close to the Tulum Ruins and the Tulum town. >Check Prices Now
  • Biwa Tulum: This hotel has a modern, sleek vibe to it. They also the cutest pool to relax by! The hotel is located in the city of Tulum, affordable, and cute!  >Check Prices Now

Tulum Weather And The Best Time To Visit Tulum Mexico

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
The temperature in Tulum Mexico

As you can see from the graph above, Tulum Mexico weather is relatively warm. Even in December, the temperature never goes below 60°F. Technically, you enjoy Tulum with warm weather all year round. But, keep in mind of the following tips:

  • June, September, October: This is the rainy season.
  • October, November, December: This is the best time to go to Tulum. Hurricane season is over, and the weather is warm but not extremely hot.
  • January, February, March: Has the most crowds.

Where is Tulum Located

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Tulum Map

Tulum is located in Mexico in Quintana Roo near Cancun. It is filled with stunning beaches, jaw-dropping cenotes, and magnificent ruins. The city is mainly known for its boho-chic vibe and great yoga classes.

How to Get to Tulum Mexico

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Getting from Cancun to Tulum map

Tulum is located an hour and a half away from Cancun. Getting to Tulum requires either booking a rental car in the Cancun Airport or buying a bus transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum.

I grew up in Texas where we drive everywhere. Naturally, I decided to rent a car and not feel “stuck”. Driving was a little nerve-racking because locals drive more aggressive then what I am used to. Aside from aggressive driving, I still felt pretty safe. I also heard it is cheaper to get a rental car in Tulum Mexico instead of Cancun Airport. Either way, the area provides several options for transportation. Cheaper modes of transit are available all around town including taxis and rental bikes. >Book Your Airport Transfer Here if you are sketched out about driving

Note: Some of the activities I have listed here do require a car, but there are still PLENTY of other things to do, so don’t feel like you need to rent a car.

Tulum Mexico Map

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Tulum Mexico Travel Map

When you visit Tulum, you will notice that the area is sectioned off in three different sections: the private beach area, public beach area, and Tulum City:

  • Private Beach: Probably the most beautiful but most expensive part of town. This area has perfect white sand beaches, beautiful boutique hotels, chic restaurants, and high-end shops. Since it is private, you have to usually buy food/drinks or stay at the hotel to gain access. Some spots even have dress codes!
  • Public Beach: The hotels in this area have a resort-style vibe. The beaches aren’t as clean and white as the beaches in the “Private” area but still beautiful nonetheless. You can find some great hotel deals for this area. Also, note that this is the “quiet” side of town with fewer restaurants and shops.
  • Tulum town: This area has more of a local vibe and is filled with authentic taco stands. If you are looking for a spot with more Mexican Culture, then this area is for you to explore!

Psst, All the activity locations, hotels, and restaurants are located in the map below:

What To Pack For Tulum

  • Bug spray: You will need this to the EXTREME. Jameson (My husband) got attacked by mosquitoes and probably still has nightmares over the incident. Keep safe and bring bug spray! >Buy All Natural Bug Spray
  • Sunblock: The sun is intense here! >Buy Some Sunblock Here
  • Moisturizer: During all of my travels, I always make sure to take care of my skin. I like to bring with me the Kiehl’s Lotion. It is super moisturizing. >Buy The Kiehl’s Lotion Here
  • Hair Shampoo/ Conditioner: Make sure your hair doesn’t frizz up like mine! >Buy A Travel Sized Moroccan Oil Shampoo Pack Here
  • Straw hat: The sun is pretty insane here. Get a cute Instagram worthy hat.>Buy A Cute Hat Here
  • Denim shorts: I don’t recommend bringing any pants because it can get HOT! Shorts are perfect, especially when you are riding a bike through the town. >Like This One
  • Cute Tops: Bring a few flowy cute tops to wear with shorts. >Like This One
  • Maxi dresses: This is necessary! Walking around in a long flowy dress pretty much describes the style in Tulum. >Buy This Super Cute Maxi Dress
  • Bathing suits: For the beach and impressive cenotes :-). One of my favorite bathing suits is this one >Check Out My Bathing Suit
  • Beach coverups: Great to bring with you on the beach and the one I have linked goes PERFECT with the boho theme. >Buy Your Beach Cover Up
  • Flip flops: In the past, I have worn cute sandals to the beach only to notice that they get destroyed by the sand and water. Bring some cheap flip flops to the beach. >Buy These Budget Friendly Sandals Here
  • Cute Sandals: These shoes are for exploring around the town. >Click Here For One of My Favorite Shoes Brands
  • Beach bag or backpack: You for sure need this for the beach. >Buy Your Beach Bag Here
  • Passport: Check the expiration date. Don’t let the expiration date be less than six months.
  • Camera gear: I love this camera! The Sony A6000 is one of the best cameras for travelers in the market. >Buy The Sony A6000
  • Water Bottle: Don’t drink the faucet water, but the hotel should give you plenty of drinking water. I always bring this water bottle with me on my travels! >Buy My Travel Water Bottle

Tulum Travel Guide: Tips

  1. ALWAYS carry pesos! I recommend notifying your bank a few weeks in advance that you will need cash pesos. Also, let your bank know you are traveling to Mexico. I didn’t listen to my advice during our trip to Tulum, and our debit card was declined when trying to take out cash. I am usually on top of this, and I was pretty mad I got charged so much, but we live and learn. A lot of restaurants, cenotes, and tours don’t accept cards, and I heard that some of the ATMS in Tulum are sketch, so take plenty of Mexican Pesos with you.
  2. The speed bumps and potholes worried me the most during our Tulum travel. The speed bumps are the most massive bumps I have ever seen, and the holes are all over the main Tulum street. If you are renting a car, drive careful.
  3. Most people at the hotels and restaurants speak English, but since I know Spanish and hubby is trying to learn it, we made sure to practice with everyone. The locals were friendly and appreciative when we would try to speak Spanish.
  4. If your hair is anything like mine and puffs up as soon as any moisture is in the air, put your hair up or braid it. Please excuse my frizzy, puffy, mess of a hair in the pictures below. I am only human.

Best Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

Visit Ancient Tulum Ruins

Chichen Itza

This should be on everyone’s list as the pyramid is stunning! Since we drove, we were only at Chichen Itza for half a day. The other half of the day was spent at nearby cenotes I have listed below. Chichen Itza is technically an hour away from Tulum, so it requires to either rent a car or a tour guide.

Be careful with the sales people at the ruins. They pester you into buying souvenirs. It can get pretty annoying at times.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

Mayan Ruins In Tulum Mexico

The Mayan Ruins are one of the top things to see in Tulum. Luckily, the Mayan Ruins does not require a car or a tour guide to view. The ruins are near the public beach side of Tulum. Jameson and I biked to the ruins quickly in the morning. You can also hire a taxi driver to take you there as well. We made a terrible mistake in forgetting our water bottle. Tulum is HOT! Luckily they had a small shop to buy water in.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
The most famous Tulum Mexico Ruins

During the tour, we came across a beach filled with people. It was a pretty hot day, and there wasn’t much shade around the ruins so we obviously had to get in the water. Bring your bathing suit just in case you want to take a refreshing dip during your tour.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

Tulum Shopping

If you love shopping, then this activity is a must! The main road called Avenida has many boutiques filled with chic boho fashion. If you don’t have many cute clothes to bring with you on vacation, you can always buy some clothes here. Just keep in mind that shopping here can get pretty expensive.

Visit the Best Cenotes In Tulum

Cenote Suytun

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
One of our best pictures of Tulum Mexico

One of the best things to do near Tulum is to visit cenote Suytan. As beautiful as the picture above might seem, this was wasn’t my favorite cenote. It was super crowded, and the water was freezing due to it being inside a Tulum Cave. But, I still got one of the most bad @ss pictures in the end so no regrets! You are also required to wear a life vest in the water so keep that in mind.

Also, we were lucky enough to witness some pretty neat acrobatics in the cave. They don’t usually do the acrobatics daily, as they were only taking pictures for promotion.

Note: You need a car to see this cenote as it is over an hour away from Tulum.

Please note that you need a car to see this cenote as it is over an hour away from Tulum. 

Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman

This was by far my favorite part of our time in Tulum Mexico! I loved Cenote Lorenzo Oxman. To get to the cenote, you will need a car rental or a guide. The cenote is about an hour away from Tulum. The best part is that you can arrive early and have the entire place ALL to yourselves! Yup that is what we did. We got there around 8-9 am and swung into the water and swam for a few hours.

Eventually, we went upstairs and ate authentic Yucatan lunch next to a pool. It was a great time, and I highly recommend it.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

Dos Ojos Cenote

Dos Ojos is a must do in Tulum, and it was my second favorite cenote. The water was insanely blue, and I loved the cave formations. This is also a great spot to go scuba diving in. There are so many remarkable hidden caves to explore. Please note that there are two different cenotes at this location. Be sure to visit them both.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

Read More: 15 Best Cenotes in Tulum | Where to Splash in and Near Tulum

Lay At A Tulum Beach Mexico

One of the easiest things to do during your Tulum Mexico vacation is to lay on the beach. As mentioned previously, Tulum has two different types of areas,  private and public. Both are great options to lay out and enjoy the vibes.

Some of the best places I liked hanging out at was at my hotel: Ahau Tulum. The area was usually filled with people, and sometimes there was great music.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
My favorite beach in Tulum Mexico. Ahau Tulum.

Boa Beach Tulum was another fun stop. We loved the music the DJ played, and there were so many people just lounging around relaxing. Posada Margherita Bar wasn’t the best place to lay at. It seemed a little dead, but I will tell you that I loved the decoration, so we took some pictures while we drank our cocktails.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Posada Margherita bar.
Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Boa Tulum Beach DJ

Explore Tulum On A Bike

One of the top things to do in Tulum is to rent bikes and ride all over town! Just make sure you have pesos and an ID. All the fun bars, restaurants, shops, and hotels are all lined up a long the street. So biking is a great way to see the best of Tulum. Jameson and I took our time by “bar hopping” all along the strip. We enjoyed exploring everything at our pace.

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
Views during our Bike Day
Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
The Busy Main Street of Tulum While riding our bikes

Experience Tulum Nightlife

I loved walking around at night and trying out different bars and restaurants. There was a lively, fun atmosphere at some spots and great music to dance to. Also, be sure to drink some Mezcal as this smokey tequila is everywhere in Tulum. Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made of agave, and it has a smokey flavor to it. It is not for everyone, but I recommend at least trying it at least once.

Eat At The Many Tulum Mexico Restaurants

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico
One of the best places to eat in Tulum: Raw Love

There are so many great Tulum restaurants! Honestly, I loved just walking around and eating or having drinks. It was so fun trying out all these restaurants. Here are some excellent choices to find the best food in Tulum (Also the location is in the Google Maps Above :-)):

  • Raw Love: We were lucky enough to be 5 feet away from this excellent breakfast place. The food was amazing and the decorations were super cute.
  • Matcha Mama: Another great all natural place to eat some yummy fruit bowls. A perfect location for an Instagram picture.
  • Posada Margherita: We stopped by here for some drinks and loved the decoration!
  • Burrito Amor: This is one of the only places we ate at in Tulum city. In all honesty, I wish we had time to explore the city more, but I digress. Burrito Amor is one of the best places in Tulum to eat! But let me warn you, it is super touristy and not a place where the locals eat. But the food is still delicious.
  • Hartwood: I was super bummed that this restaurant was booked for a party while we were there. It is known to be one of the best restaurants in Tulum Mexico. Try it out and let me know how it is!
  • Mezzanine Thai Restaurant & Martini Bar: This was one of my fav Tulum beach restaurants. We had lunch here, and we loved the Thai food! They had a DJ, and we enjoyed just relaxing, eating and drinking.
  • Boa Beach Tulum: We stumbled upon this joint while biking back to our hotel. This was my husband’s favorite spot. We ordered some appetizers, drinks, and they had a pretty awesome DJ playing. The atmosphere was intoxicating.
  • Origami Gelato: Jameson bought some Ice Cream from here and liked it.
Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

Do Some Morning Yoga

Tulum is the premiere destinations to get your yoga on. It is a great place to escape the crazy hustle and bustle that is life. There are some great options for yoga studios and classes. Some are even alongside the beach!

  • Sanará Tulum: There are daily meditation and yoga classes near the beach.
  • Yaan Wellness Energy Healing Spa: If your goal is to relax then this is honestly the place to be. Yaan is a center of wellness and healing and yoga is held daily on the Shala Treetop overlooking the jungle canopy.
  • Ahau Tulum Yoga & Spa: This is the hotel we stayed at and let me tell you, it was a super boho, relaxing, fun atmosphere. They offer daily yoga and meditation classes in their oceanfront studio.

Tulum Tours

Not wanting to plan all these Tulum activities? Check out some of the more popular tours:

 

What To Do In Tulum: Conclusion

Things To Do In Tulum Mexico

Thanks for reading my post on top things to do in Tulum Quintana Roo Mexico. I hope I helped plan out your Tulum vacation! Make sure to check out some of my favorite posts for future travels 😉

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17 Comments

  1. I NEVER leave comments on things like this but this was so helpful. Love your photos and will be reading more articles!

  2. Wow! So helpful – thank you. I usually skim through articles like this but yours was so informative and nicely written. I just wondered, the beautiful photo you got a cenote suytum, how did you get it it was so busy? I’m a photographer so would love a similar shot of my husband! Thank you in advance xx

    1. Thank you for the comment! We actually had to wait in line for pictures. It really was packed with people but it looks like no one else is there! That is why I liked the other cenotes better.

  3. Hi, I enjoyed your post. I’m headed to Tulum at the end of the month so this was all good information. I’m wondering if you can recommend any authentic Yucatan places to eat?

  4. This entry was everything we needed to make sure our day trip to Tulum and the ruins went great. Arrival at noon meant 1 hour in line for tickets (one tip we didn’t follow but should have!) and we skipped the beach for going into Tulum proper. It became quite a long day traveling from Cozumel but very much worth it 🙂

  5. Wow, this was very informative.
    I’m actually planning on returning to Cancun and The Riviera Maya in a couple of months (if COVID allows it ).
    But I´ve heard that Tulum and Bacalar are true paradises. Your article was the push I needed to make up my mind about it, so thanks.

    I would say that the only inconvenience is transportation. But there are some really great options to transfer during your stay.

    Anyway, once you are there everything is worth it.
    Cheers!

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