What to See & Do in Tulum
There’s much more to Tulum than the gorgeous beaches. There’s a ton of Mayan history to learn and experience, and some other fun things to do if you find yourself with a good amount of time in Tulum. I’ve compiled a list of what I’ve done as well as a few things on my list to get to.
Eat.
Must-try Dishes in Tulum (coming soon)
Drink. Read more, here. Order Mezcal and also try a Carajillo (or a few).
Beach. Checking out all of the different beach clubs in Tulum will keep you busy. However, some have covers (Casa Malca) and most have minimum spend requirements.
Read about the Best Beach Clubs in Tulum (coming soon)
There are ways to get to the beach without paying and that’s by either staying at a hotel on the beach or by going to a public beach (La Eufemia Taqueria) or Parque Nacional/Playa Paraiso.
More tips on how to do Tulum on a Budget
Cenotes. There are over 10,000 cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula. There are a handful of cenotes within 10 minutes of Tulum’s town that a lot of people go to: Cenote Calavera, Gran Cenote, Casa Tortuga. I’ve been to Calavera and it was cool but very small. Encanto Cenote is located in the Hotel Zone and also worth a trip. Make sure you get to the cenotes early if you want to snap some pics without others in them. It’s easy to get to cenotes via a taxi.
Sian Ka’an. This is the nature reserve to the south of the Hotel Zone and town. There are two ways to enter it - either driving to the end of the Zona Hotelera road and passing through the arch or by driving through town and taking the highway and then a boat tour. One of my favorite experiences in Tulum was a Sunday afternoon when we took a boat tour in Sian Ka’an through the Mayan-made canals. It reminded me a little bit like being in the Everglades in Florida. We got to a point in the tour where our guide told us to take off our life vests and put them on as if you were wearing it as a diaper. We then jumped in the water and let the current just carry us for a while. I have no idea how long or far we went, but it was amazing. You’re completely disconnected in nature. Although I did ask the guide if they have alligators and he said “No….we have crocodiles.” So I clung to my friend Nico the entire time.
Tulum Ruins. The Tulum Archaeological Site is very cool and I’d recommend that you do a tour of the ruins so that you can understand the significance of the place and Mayan history of the area. I wouldn’t suggest going on a Sunday (or to any tourist/sightseeing places on Sundays) since it’s the one day every week when residents can access sights for free, so it will be crowded.
Muyil Ruins. Another site of Tulum’s Mayan ruins. I tried to do this, but we arrived after they had closed. It’s on the way to Sian Ka’an and you could do both in the same day.
Chichen Itza. This is the huge Mayan pyramid you’ve likely seen photos of. It’s actually closer to Merida than Tulum, but something that is really a must-see if you have enough time to make the trip. It’s about 2 hours driving to/from Tulum or 2.5 hours to/from the Cancun airport.
Suytan Cenote. You may have seen photos of this place on Instagram or Pinterest. It’s a very cool cenote with an underground platform in the middle of the water. It’s also near Chichen Itza/on the way to Merida.
Rent a Bicycle or Scooter. Read more about buying/renting a scooter, here. There are two bike rental places near Aldea Zama that I know about: IBike and Ola Bike. I would recommend riding a bike early in the morning when the roads are clear of cars. There are no sidewalks along the beach road.
Holbox. If you are going to be in Tulum for a while and are looking for a weekend getaway, I’d check out the island of Holbox. I went there for Thanksgiving and wrote about it, here.
Bacalar. I finally made it to “the next Tulum.” It’s on a lagoon vs. the beach and the water is known to be seven shades of blue.
Read more here.
I recently stayed at Habitas’ Bacalar property - More here
Yoga. If you’re a yogi, Tulum will be heaven for you. There are tons of places to do yoga. Some of the best are Amansala, Holistika.
Read more on Where to do Yoga in Tulum (coming soon)
Massage. Need to relax and want to get a massage? There are a bunch of places along the beach where you can get an hour massage for $40 USD. However, I choose to visit my friend Eric weekly. He owns the Casa de Sol Hostel in town which is home to the Energy Healing Spa. He’s accessible and super responsive on WhatsApp and just the best. He always works out my neck/shoulders and incorporates lymphatic drainage as well. Just tell him what you’re in need of and he’s got ya.
Temazcal. Another thing that is high on my list. From my understanding, it’s a ritual where you essentially go into a stone igloo with a Shaman. You sweat a ton and it’s a physical, mental, and spiritual detox.
Merida. Visit the largest city in Yucatan. The streets are lined with colorful colonial-style buildings. It’s very cute and the food is amazing. I am still writing a recap of this trip and plan to post it soon.
Mexico City. There is SO much to see and do in and around Mexico City. It’s also a great home base to see other parts of Mexico (Oaxaca, San Miguel de Allende, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Cayeres, etc.) I have a lot to write about CDMX and these trips, but will post soon.
I lived in Mexico City for a few months, more on Mexico City here
For more on my experience and what I’m doing in Tulum, check out my “Emily in Tulum” post, here. For more info on navigating Tulum see my “Tulum 101” post, here.
xx Em
