{"id":18880,"date":"2022-06-05T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-05T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/girlaroundtheworld.co.uk\/?p=18880"},"modified":"2023-05-04T16:22:17","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T15:22:17","slug":"best-things-to-do-in-tulum-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlaroundtheworld.co.uk\/best-things-to-do-in-tulum-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Unmissable Things to Do in Tulum, Mexico – Complete Guide & Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For all of you that are looking for a complete guide that includes all the best things to do in Tulum (and some bonus underrated activities as well), the best hotels and restaurants plus TONS of useful info about how to get to the city and how to get around, you are in the right place. My Tulum guide below will cater to all your needs, that\u2019s a promise!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m super excited to tell you everything I know about Tulum because I\u2019ve been there on my most recent trip. I had a 1-month trip to Mexico, with 2 weeks spent in Playa del Carmen and 2 weeks in Tulum. And I can say that Tulum has my heart!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, I\u2019ve been to Tulum a few times before, in 2018 and 2016, and I have always looooved the vibe of Tulum – it\u2019s a real tropical paradise! With the jungle so close to the beach and the insanely beautiful blue waters, incredible Mexican food and wild nightlife – what is not to love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll tell you.. the prices. The prices are not to love.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>How expensive is Tulum? What to expect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Since my first trip (and even my second), the prices in Tulum have become EXTORTIONATE. Like\u2026 I literally thought some people had gone insane with some of the prices they were attempting to charge. $40 for a 3-minute taxi ride. $3000 for a beachfront hotel – It was. literally. Insane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still! Tulum is beautiful, and there are ways of doing it on a budget, so this isn\u2019t meant to deter you – it\u2019s simply to warn you to be vigilant!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you want to talk numbers<\/strong>, the average price for one day spent in Tulum is around $80 per person and you can expect the cost of a Tulum vacation for an entire week for a couple to be around $1.200 if you\u2019re a regular mid-range traveller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TIP:<\/strong> If you\u2019re on a tight budget but still want to visit Tulum, I\u2019ve done my research and come up with this complete post on Free things to do in Tulum, Mexico<\/span> that includes heaps of helpful tips on how to avoid the insane prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, now let\u2019s find out more about this unique destination and my personal selection of unmissable things to do in Tulum for first-time visitors!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>Quick info about Tulum, Mexico<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tulum was once a (rather boring) fishing village, now transformed into one of the hottest travel destinations in the world. So hot that even celebrities are choosing to visit Tulum to relax and take a dip into its turquoise waters! And with soft white beaches, tons of gorgeous cenotes (more about this below), boutique shops and incredible restaurants, it\u2019s quite easy to understand why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tulum has a rich history as well. It was the last great, ancient Mayan city that was built between the 13th and 15th century. It\u2019s a place where Mayan gods were adored – and the well-preserved Mayan ruins and their surrounding sites are standing proof of Tulum\u2019s past and Maya civilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combine that with striking natural wonders, spiritual centres and incredible resorts and you\u2019ll end up with a wonderful place where both past and present collide. That\u2019s Tulum in a nutshell!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now a bit of technical info about how Tulum is structured. <\/strong>Tulum is divided into 3 (very) different areas and all of them are called \u2018Tulum\u2019, which can get a bit confusing at first, especially if you\u2019re visiting the city for the very first time. Here they are, explained:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Tulum Town aka Tulum Pueblo \/ El Centro – this is the place where locals live. It\u2019s also a more affordable place where you can find Mexican restaurants, cafes and stores. This area is often called just Tulum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Tulum Beach aka Tulum Hotel Zone \/ Zona Hotelera – this is the touristic part of the city where all the resorts and beaches are located<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Tulum Ruins \/ Archaeological Zone – an attraction per se, this part of the city is located north of Downtown Tulum and the Hotel Zone<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If things are still confusing for you, here\u2019s a map of Tulum that I made in order to help picture it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/a>Where is Tulum located?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Tulum is located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, in the state of Quintana Roo. It\u2019s right in the centre of Riviera Maya in the Caribbean Sea. By car, you can reach Tulum in less than 2 hours from Cancun and 45 minutes from Playa del Carmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    For detailed information about how to get to Tulum, head over to my dedicated section here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/a>8 Top things to do in Tulum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re up for an adventure, you\u2019ll quickly find out that there are endless things to do in Tulum that will keep you busy for more than one whole week! But if you\u2019re only on a short visit or it\u2019s your first time setting foot on this wonderful Carribean destination, make sure you don\u2019t miss any of the following activities in Tulum:<\/p>\n\n\n

    1 – Shop the boutique stalls<\/h3>\n\n\n
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    It\u2019s no secret that Tulum is a place full of awesome shops and boutique stalls selling anything from clothes to furniture, accessories and Mexican handcrafts. You\u2019ll find shops both in Tulum Town and on the beach area, the latter being a bit more expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Speaking of prices\u2026 Although there are some amazing clothes, jewellery, bags, etc that can be bought in Tulum, be warned – they\u2019re very pretty but very pricey. They practice Western prices here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some nice shops to check out in Tulum are Pura Vida Tulum<\/a>, La Pulga Boutique<\/a>, La Troupe<\/a> and Wanderlust<\/a>. For home decor, head over to Kaahal Home Tulum<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    NOTE:<\/strong> Tulum is not the place to buy cheap souvenirs \/ local goods. They increase the prices by up to 50% just because they are on this part of the coast. If you\u2019re looking to shop and buy some of those cute crochet Tulum cover-ups or beach-style dresses, I recommend heading over to Playa del Carmen – which is still a touristy area, but you\u2019ll be paying significantly less! Cancun is also a good choice for cheap souvenirs, as well as Merida (although the latter is further away).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    2 – Visit a Cenote (or 7)<\/h3>\n\n\n
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    Cenotes are stunning, natural deep-water sinkholes. They\u2019re like little blue holes of water carved in limestone and they look like an underground cave. Cenotes are typical to Mexico, they\u2019re scattered all over the Yucatan Peninsula and are not to be missed! Luckily, some of the best ones are located in the proximity of Tulum and some of the activities that you can do there include swimming, diving, snorkelling or taking some incredible pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Below are my favourites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n