This past week I was in Tulum and it was such a vibe! There are so many things that I wish I had known before I got there. This post is all about where I stayed, where I ate, what I did, and a few things I want to do on my next visit.
Things to Note
- Airport - Cancun Airport (CUN)
- Travel Time to Tulum - About 2 Hours from the Airport
- Rainy/ Hurricane Season - June - November, with August and September Being the Worst
- There are 4 Main Cities You Can Explore - Tulum, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel
- Exchange Your Money in the States and Use Credit Cards When Possible to Get the Best Exchange Rate
- Covid Tests - Get it at the Airport it was $27 for 2 Rapid Tests (takes about 30 minutes for the results), $35 per person in Tulum.
Where I Stayed
I opted for an AirBnB in downtown Tulum. It was amazing and our host, Lissette, is the GOAT. It is a 2 bed/ 1 bath penthouse with a private rooftop pool area. It is on the 3rd floor of the building, walk-up, no elevator. The building staff is so friendly and there are even a few restaurants within walking distance. The unit has a full kitchen, ceiling fans, and AC units in every room.
The complex has a swimming pool, sunbathing area, and beautiful greenery everywhere. They also have bikes to rent. If you rent a car, they have a parking space available as well!
Where I Ate
Mexican food is literally my favorite, I could literally eat tacos every day! So to say I was excited about the food in Mexico was an understatement. I did think the food was going to be cheaper, not gonna lie!
Humo (@humo.tulum) - This restaurant was super close to where we stayed and had a great outdoor vibe. I had the shrimp tacos (pictured to the right) and had the Local to drink, it was DELICIOUS! The shrimp was so fresh, but I do wish it was a bit warmer. We also ordered guacamole. With 2 entrees, 2 drinks and an appetizer our meal came out to a little over $50.
Funky Burrito (@funky_burrito) - This place was a whole vibe!!! We ate on the patio near the small pool and the music was hitting!!! We went for lunch and were not disappointed. I had the veggie burrito, hands down the best burrito I've ever had (pictured to the right). I also had the Lemonada Funky and my mom had the Jugo Tiki (she could not stop raving about it). Of course, we ordered the guac and it was the best of all the places that we went to. Our bill was about $50 here as well.
Tseen Ja (@tseenja.azulik) - By far the best views, out of all the places we went! It's a Japanese/ Mexican fusion restaurant located at the Azulik Resort. You have to make a reservation on their site, A week in advance to be safe. You might be lucky to get a reservation the day before, but I wouldn't chance it.
We had the Jumbo Prawn Tempura, Local Veggie Tempura, and the Mayan Garden Salad ( was not a fan of the salad). To drink I had an Asian Kiwi (pictured to the right). The prawns were soooooo good! The bill was about $100 after tip.
El Mariachi Loco - This restaurant was so much fun and had the most cost-effective menu. We of course had guacamole and tacos. I had the grilled fish tacos, I do wish they were cooked a little bit more but still delicious. With their taco entrees, you get 5 tacos. I had a margarita with Tajin on the rim, so so good, but not strong! The bill was about $30.
This place also takes a picture of you with a sombrero on and gives you the option to buy either a framed picture or a custom bottle of tequila with the photo on it. Both are $20, we opted for the framed photo!
Canova Cantina (@cantinacanova) - This Italian food was so good and cheap! I'm mad I only went the night before we left. I ordered the Spaghetti Pomodoro and it was only $6... LIKE HOW?! It had the cutest ambiance and next time I will stay to eat as I took it to go. I would suggest getting a reservation as I saw them turning some people away who didn't have one.
La Pebeta (@lapebetatulum) - Our last meal in Tulum was at this cute cafe for breakfast. I did an a la cart meal of eggs, hashbrowns, and avocado. My mom got the mini pancakes, they looked so good, they came with fresh berries, caramel drizzle, and syrup. This came out to about $20-30 and this place is cash only.
La Barracuda (@labarracudatulum) - We ate here our last full day in Tulum. I had the grilled shrimp tacos, and of course, we got the guacamole. I also got a pina colada, which was ok. This place had the biggest language barrier as most places we went to had more English-speaking waiters. Our bill was about $30.
What I Did
Laguna Kaan Luum (@lagunakaanluumoficial) - This place is absolutely gorgeous! It's located about a 10-minute drive outside of the city. Once you're parked it's about a 5 minute walk to the lagoon. The water is so crystal clear, but it was cold the day we went, you do get used to it the initial descent into the water was a shock. The lagoon is very walkable, most of the water is about waist deep. There are hammocks, restrooms, refreshments, a dock, and a huge swing that can fit 2 adults. The also have canoes for rent. It costs $17 per person.
Cenotes Calavera (@cenotecalavera) Yall I jumped into a cave filled with water! This was so much fun but it definitely showed me I need to get back to swimming, ASAP. The parking lot is a lot closer to the cenote, less than a 2 min walk. They also have a few sitting areas away from the cenote. And around the cenote, they have a bunch of seating where you can put your belongings so they don't get wet. I would suggest getting there early before the crowds come. This cenote has a huge ladder and a swing. It costs $17 per person.
Ven a la Luz Sculpture - This 10-foot sculpture is breathtaking! I knew I wanted to take a picture in front of it, as it's one of the most iconic pieces of art in Tulum. It used to be the entrance to the Ahau Tulum, but it's now a part of a sculpture garden. Unfortunately, all the statues weren't up yet so we only got to see this one. But it was still a sight to behold. Get there when they first open at 9 am, so you can take time with your photos and won't have to wait in a long line. The cost is $5.
The artist, Daniel Popper, has a sculpture in Ft Lauderdale as well.
Holistika Art Walk - This is an outdoor garden at the Holistika Hotel. It's a walk through the jungle featuring various Mexican artists. The majority of the art is huge murals with some you're able to interact with. It took us about 30 minutes to get through the whole thing and it's located towards the back of the property. It is $0, yes, FREE99.
Supermanzana 7 -This is the mall in Cancun. Ya'll know I had to do a little shopping! It was pretty packed in there but I loved that they had sanitizer at the entrance of the mall and the stores also did temperature checks. They are not playing in these Covid streets!
Places To Go Next Time
Kin Toh (@kintoh.azulik) - This is the sister restaurant to Tseen Jah and the views are even more spectacular from here. You have to make a reservation on their site I'd say at least 2 weeks in advance to be safe! @kintoh.azulik
Downtown Tulum Hotel Rooftop (@downtowntulumhotel) - We passed by this every day and the rooftop bar just looked beautiful, so I'm definitely going next time.
Tulum Ruins - Unfortunately, my mom hurt her foot so we weren't able to walk to the ruins, as there wasn't any parking closer than a 10-15 min walk to it.
Gran Cenote - One of the most popular Cenotes in Mexico so I have to dive in next time!
Xcaret - There's like 10 amusements parks/ excursions at Xcaret and I want to either do the ziplining or the water park. It is about an hour or so outside of Tulum.
Casa Malca - Some of the most iconic photos are taken here at Pablo Escobar's old estate, now turned hotel. I won't be staying because rooms start at $500 a night but I definitely want to try the restaurants and snap some pics.
The Beach - Sadly we didn't get to the beach. Most of the beach is only accessible via a beach club or hotel but there are small pockets that a free to the public.
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