Travel Guide: Tulum
Tulum is unlike most tourist destinations in Mexico. You won't find giant hotel buildings and all inclusive resorts here. Instead, you might find yourself spending the night in a palapa hut on the beach. Of course this doesn't mean this city is without its fair share of bougie. Boho chic boutiques, five star restaurants, and gorgeous tourists dot the coastline of this tiny piece of jungle oasis.
I went to Tulum back in February and had no idea what to expect. Yes, I've probably seen thousands of insta pics of various influencers and girls I know who have visited over the years but I had no idea where to eat what part of the city to stay in and what the layout of the city would look like. I quickly learned Tulum is nothing more than a jungle with a super long dirt road that connects all of the restaurants, stores, clubs, hotels, and of course the beach. Read below for more info on where I stayed where I went to eat, and clubs that I went to.
Where to Stay
Do not, I repeat DO NOT stay on any other road in Tulum besides La Costera. This is the main road that mirrors the coastline in Tulum. It is where all the bars, clubs, restaurants, and stores are. And of course, this is the road that connects you to all of the beaches. There are air bnbs that are located inside the town of Tulum farther away from the beach. You'll see most of them are actually really pretty. However if you choose to stay in one just remember you will have to drive everywhere. Taxis won't take you back there at night so you'll most likely get stuck in a ton of traffic or even worse, you won't be able to drink since you'll have to get behind the wheel of a car later on. Not fun. Staying in one of the many boutique hotels on La Costera is a much easier choice. You'll be able to walk to basically any place you want in Tulum Beach. Prices range from about $800 to as low as $90 a night. We stayed at Origen Tulum and paid about $140 a night.
Where to Go
In terms of restaurants, let me break it down by meal. Breakfast: By far some of my favorite parts of this trip were eating breakfast at La Zebra Hotel. Not only do you get an INSANELY gorgeous view of the ocean, you're far away and secluded enough under the wood awning to avoid annoyances like seagulls and sand in your food. Breakfast burrito is a must try. If you'd rather party all day and eat and drink by the pool I suggest Tantra. By far the most fun day I had in Tulum the entire trip and its absolutely breathtaking there.
For lunch I'd suggest going to a place on the beach since you'll probably be spending most of the day there. Taqueria La Eufemia was our go to. It was right on the beach and they'll even serve you without having to get up. Just get there at a good time to reserve yourself some beach cushions for the day. They're also completely free.
Choose your spot wisely when it comes to dinner in Tulum. Because of covid restrictions all clubs, restaurants, and bars are forced to close at 12am (not sure if this has changed this Feb. but I doubt it has). So the restaurant you choose for dinner will double as your source of nightly entertainment too. Some great options: Bagatelle, Taboo, Gitano, and Rosa Negra. These restaurants all turn into a low key night club past 10pm. Rosa Negra does a great job of bringing the party to your table with sparklers, electronic violinists, and will even let you dance on the chairs.
What to Wear
One thing I tell all my friends who are planning trips to Tulum, choose your shoes wisely. Like I said in the beginning of this post, Tulum basically consists of one single road, and its not paved! Expect dust, dirt, and lots of rocks. I suggest bringing at least one pair of super cute and easy sneakers to walk around in when you're not at the beach. In terms of more dressed up options I suggest 1"-3" heels. I walked around in 1.5" tie up heels basically the entire trip and yes my feet hurt by the end but for the most part I was totally okay. If you're anything like me you're not going to want to pack super complicated outfits with you. Colorful printed dresses, super cute bathing suits, and maybe even a pair of jeans because I do remember it getting as low as 70 degrees during dinner time.
