I was in Tulum 2 weeks ago and I’m still dreaming about the clear blue waters and the soft sand between my toes! Tulum was absolutely paradise. Allen, Chloe & I had such an amazing time there and I recommend everyone visit at least once. Because it’s such a small town, here are 10 things you need to know about Tulum before you visit.
1. NO DIRECT FLIGHTS TO TULUM
There aren’t any direct flights into the city of Tulum. You have to fly into Cancun and take a 2-hour car ride to get to your resort. (You can coordinate a shuttle ride to your resort!) Most resorts/ hotels provide transportation options, but if not, there are multiple services that you can use from the airport. Always print out your confirmation and always confirm with your driver that you’re being taken to the correct hotel just so that there’s no confusion.
2. ALWAYS HAVE CASH
Make sure you do the currency exchange before you fly out of your airport. I found it to be challenging to exchange your money in Tulum because a lot of the ATMs didn’t work. Or at least when I was there the only ATM I could take out money was from a local grocery store ten minutes away by car. And always remember to bring change as opposed to big bills! Most of the cab drivers and vendors don’t carry as much change so it’s best to be prepared.
3. EAT TONS OF SEAFOOD
If you’re a seafood lover this is the place for you. The seafood in Tulum is absolutely fresh and the best I’ve ever had. On one of the nights, Allen and I had Baja-style fish tacos and they were the most amazing fish tacos I’ve had in my life. Stay tuned to find out my favorite spots in the city!
4. TULUM IS SMALL
I stayed at the Coral Tulum Resort which was conveniently located near the center of town. Tulum is small in the sense that it can be separated into 3 areas. The Tulum ruins, Tulum Center and the Tulum beach strip. We stayed at the beach strip but we were also able to explore the town where Chloe danced to a local musician!
5. WELLNESS IN TULUM
Tulum is actually a healthy and wellness focused area. I saw tons of yoga and green juice areas. If you’re a green juice addict like I am, then you’ll love Tulum. There were so many yoga places and fresh juices I’ll definitely take advantage of them the next time I go.
6. ON & OFF SEASON
According to my research, the best time to go to Tulum is between October and December. We went in April and the weather unbelievably hot and the rooms were quite affordable. Not to mention it was empty because it was off season, I definitely recommend going in April.
7. TULUM’S BED TIME
Everything closes early. Unlike the party city of Cancun, many places that we came across in Tulum actually closed around 10pm. Although we would go to very lively restaurants with live music or DJs, when the clock turned 10pm the restaurant started clearing out.
8. BIKE FRIENDLY
Tulum is the ultimate bike-friendly town. You can rent a bike and ride along the main street to see all of the little shops and enjoy biking beach-side. It’s also a great workout!
9. FAMILY FRIENDLY
Tulum is family friendly because it’s laid back and relaxing, especially in comparison to the party town of Cancun. We saw so many young families with kids around Chloe’s age!
10. YOU’LL FALL IN LOVE
We were in Tulum for five days but I wish I could have stayed longer. It was truly paradise because I was able to wake up to the most glorious sunrise and the waves crashing and walk around barefoot.
Although I’ve visited many amazing cities, Tulum has to be by far one of my favorites. I’m hoping to come here once a year as my family vacation. I highly recommend you go to Tulum this year for a little getaway! Have a great Tuesday!
