Tulum rose to fame in recent years, becoming one of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations. While I believe this has cost the town some of its authenticity and magic, it also proved to be a great base to get to know Mexico’s breathtaking nature, rich history and fascinating culture.
I’ll admit: Tulum was my least favourite place when we road-tripped through Mexico’s south. Then why write about it, one might ask? Because we did see and do some great things while staying in Tulum. Because it’s a convenient place to start a road trip. Because it’s an easy location to choose for a short getaway. And mostly because my sentiment towards Tulum is entirely subjective and many people love the place, still.
Tulum is one of the country’s Pueblos Mágicos. The Mexican tourism board appoints these so-called magic towns, because they’re worthwhile to visit. In my opinion, Tulum itself lost much of its magic to overdevelopment. I didn’t feel the vibe while walking through town and was underwhelmed with the hotel zone, home to famous Instagram spots like the Ven a la Luz artwork and Follow That Dream sign (which we both skipped, admittedly) … Yet, we did have some lovely experiences in Tulum and its surroundings, that prove that if you look for it, the magic is still there.
So without further ado, here are the things to do in Tulum when you’re not visiting for the Instagram hotspots or beach resorts.
Things to do in Tulum
Rent a bike
Tulum’s different places of interest aren’t exactly at walking distance from one another. Luckily, the area is packed with places where you can rent a colourful beach cruiser to discover the town on two wheels. It’s the best means of transport to get to Tulum’s Mayan ruins, stop at the beach and to see the hotel zone with its famous photo ops, if you want to.
We rented our bike at Ola Bike Tulum. They are located along the road that connects Tulum Pueblo with the beach zone. Renting a bike for 24 hours costs about 8 US dollars. You will also need to leave a safety deposit and a means of identification. Don’t forget to ask a lock!
Discover Mayan history at the Tulum ruins
Tulum’s Mayan ruins might not be the most grand on the Yucatan peninsula, but their location is absolutely splendid. The structures look out over the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. This makes the place unique, as the Maya’s rarely built their cities by the sea.
While some people say Tulum’s archaeological site isn’t very spectacular compared to others in the vicinity, I disagree. It might be because this was the first Mayan site we visited on our road trip through Mexico, but the place certainly lived up to my expectations. Just make sure to visit as early as possible. As Tulum and nearby places like Playa del Carmen and Cancun are really touristy, the place gets packed with throngs of people pretty fast.
Relax at Playa Paraiso
Tulum is famous for its stunning blue waters and white sand beaches. Unfortunately Playa Paraiso looked less like paradise when we were there, as it was flooded with sargassum (smelly seaweed) then. Unfortunately, this is a worsening problem that affects many other beaches in the area too during certain times of the year.
As a result of the seaweed, we couldn’t take a dip in the water, but luckily we could enjoy a refreshing drink at one of the many beach clubs. If you find yourself in Tulum in times of less seaweed, it might be fun to rent a beach bed for the day, to enjoy the Caribbean to the fullest.
Marvel at amazing nature in Sian Ka’an
When you leave Tulum’s overdeveloped beach zone behind, you’ll enter a natural wonderland you might not have expected here. The Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka’an is protected by UNESCO and the best way to visit is on a day tour.
During the tour, you’ll spot marine wildlife like dolphins and turtles, snorkel along the second biggest reef in the world, swim in crystal clear waters and eat an amazing lunch before strolling through a small, authentic town.
Find out everything you need to know about a day trip to Sian Ka’an.
Wander around Tulum Pueblo
Tulum’s town centre might not win beauty prizes, but it’s worth taking a stroll along the main street. There’s plenty of shops, bars and restaurants to be found here. For a heavenly breakfast, head to well-known Del Cielo. Oh, and once your stomach is filled, keep your eyes open for some lovely street art.
Swim in cenotes
Cenotes are spread out all over the Yucatan peninsula and Tulum’s surroundings are jam-packed with these spectacular sinkholes. We visited one cenote when driving to Tulum from Akumal, but to be honest we were quite disappointed. The place wasn’t that pretty and wasn’t worth the steep entrance fee, in my opinion. For extra activities, that are probably the highlight of the place, you needed to pay a lot extra.
After some research, we found that prices in the cenotes around Tulum had risen to unknown heights since the corona pandemic. As we read that the cenotes near Valladolid were not only cheaper, but also more mesmerizing, we decided to simply visit more of them there. If you visit Valladolid too, I would certainly recommend to do so too and skip the Tulum cenotes. However, if you’re only staying in Tulum, do some extensive research and visit at least one cenote here, as it is a phenomenon unique to the region.
Explore the ancient Maya ruins of Coba
Visiting the Coba ruins is wildly different from discovering its counterparts in Tulum. Coba’s buildings are scattered throughout the lush jungle, giving the entire site a mystic vibe. It makes Coba stand out from other Mayan ruins in the surrounding areas. And if that hasn’t convinced you: Nohoch Mul – Coba’s Great Pyramid – is the tallest pyramid in the entire Quintana Roo province.
As the buildings of Coba are spread out over a relatively large surface, it’s interesting to rent a bike on site for a small fee. This way you can optimize your time and discover all Coba has to offer. Unfortunately, it is no longer allowed to climb any of the pyramids in Coba. A visit is still really worthwhile though. A lovely extra? The numerous colourful butterflies that fly around Coba’s jungle, especially in the lesser visited areas.
Coba’s ruins are about a 45-minute drive from Tulum Pueblo. Try to arrive early, to beat the heat, but mainly the crowds.
Snorkel with sea turtles at Akumal
People come to Akumal for one great reason: snorkelling with sea turtles. We stayed the night in Akumal, but you can just as well visit Akumal on a (half) day trip from Tulum. Take a guided snorkel tour (about 45 minutes) to optimize your chances of spotting turtles. It’s a wonderful experience, only half an hour driving away from Tulum.
Find out everything you need to know about snorkelling with turtles in Akumal.
To visit Tulum or not?
As you have read already, I have some mixed feelings about Tulum. If you’re taking a road trip around the Yucatan Peninsula and don’t have time to do it all, I would advise to skip Tulum. However, if you’re just in Mexico for a week, don’t want to travel around much or are looking for some relaxation in the resorts: Tulum is your pick.
The town and its surroundings offer some amazing experiences. It allows you to scratch the surface of what Mexico has got to offer, both culturally and in nature. But the real authentic Mexico and the true charm of this magical country has faded from Tulum.
It seems like Tulum has become a victim of its own popularity. Therefore, it’s also one of Mexico’s more expensive destinations. Food and activities can be quite pricy, which is something to keep in mind when deciding to visit Tulum or not.
When to visit Tulum?
High season in this part of Mexico is December to April, because it’s the driest time of year. We were there in July, and had mostly fine weather throughout our Mexican road trip. July is very hot and already hurricane season, though chances of tropical storms are higher a bit later in the year. While it rains more, this is mostly limited to a couple of hours in the afternoon.
How to get to Tulum?
Tulum is located on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, along the Caribbean Coast. If you come by plane, you’ll probably land in Cancun, the biggest airport in the vicinity. Driving from Cancun airport to Tulum Pueblo takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
We rented a car and found driving in Mexico definitely doable, although getting out of Cancun might be a bit of a hassle. If you don’t want to drive yourself, you can use Mexico’s ADO buses. This extensive network of long distance buses connects all the major places to visit in the country, including Cancun and Tulum.
How many days in Tulum?
Four nights in Tulum will allow you to discover everything listed in this article at a nice pace. If you have less time, you could do with three nights and skip something or plan some more things on one day. If you want to relax at the beach clubs too or stay in a resort, I would advise you to stay five to seven nights.
Where to stay in Tulum?
Tulum has two big areas to stay: the Hotel Zone along the coast and downtown Tulum Pueblo. The former is where the resorts are, but prepare to splurge a bit if you choose this area. Hotel prices in Tulum’s Zona Hotelera tend to be quite high.
If you don’t mind not being by the sea, aren’t looking for a resort or just don’t want to break the bank on a hotel, then Tulum Pueblo is your pick. We stayed at the amazing Casa Almendro. I might not have liked Tulum that much, but I absolutely adored this small-scale hotel. It was one of my favourite stays throughout our road trip.
If you’re looking for a lovely, authentic place to stay that is great value for money, this is where you want to be. I would almost advise you to go to Tulum just so you can stay at Casa Almendro.
