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Tulum
City of Dawn
A Beautiful Bohemian Wellness Retreat
Why
The Why, When & How to visit...
Once a major trade hub for the Mayans from the 13th to 15th centuries, Tulum became a popular tourist destination in the early 2000's as a Bohemian alternative to neighboring Playa del Carmen and Cancun. Thanks to Instagram and word of mouth, Tulum's tourism & developments have grown significantly in recent years. Its peacefulness as a cool Bohemian retreat still remains intact with many places to experience yoga, massages & cenotes. That combined with the beautiful beaches with bars, restaurants & beach clubs along the Yucatan Peninsula of the Caribbean Sea and history of the Mayan ruins, make Tulum a special place to visit.
When
How
Now with its own international airport (TQO), it's faster to reach Tulum with direct flights from major cities in North America. It's then a 45-60 min drive from the airport to Tulum. Alternatively, the Cancun airport (CUN) is about a 2 hour drive to Tulum.
Tulum maintains average highs in the mid-80s to 90s F year round with minimal rain November - May making it a great warm weather escape in the Winter and Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
Where
to stay...
There's no shortage of cool accommodations to choose from in Tulum across the town & beach. Many newly developed in the last few years and most have that cool, Bohemian aesthetic that makes Tulum popular. Prices can range quite a bit from ~$60 USD to $600+ USD and tend to be more expensive on the beach, but have good value options there too. Staying along the beach also eliminates the cost to get to the beach, which as of February 2025 was ~$30 USD for a one-way taxi ride for a 15 min drive from town to the beach, but can be negotiated for a bit less.
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Azulik and Papaya Playa Project are two of the most well known hotels in Tulum for being two of the coolest & most unique hotels there, but also come with a higher price tag as a result. Both worth checking out for Azulik's museum SFER IK, nearby gardens & restaurants and Papaya Projects art installations, even if not staying there. Hotel Milam also gets an honorable mention for a gorgeous new hotel that opened in 2023 in the La Veleta area in town that earned it a Michelin Key.
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For mid-priced options on the beach, I selected:
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1) ​Diamante K - Diamante K is truly magical. The property is situated on the northern end of Tulum within the Tulum Jaguar National Park. It has the most beautiful private cove of beach with ample beach chairs, daybeds, and hammocks to enjoy the incredible scenery. It's spread across varying heights for amazing views of the water and surrounding scenery with cool sculptures scattered throughout. There is also a pool and open air restaurant & bar overlooking the ocean, along with wellness activities, including massages, yoga, sound healing, reiki circles & more. Rooms vary in size, including ones with & without private bathrooms in the room. For more information and the ability to book, click here.
2) Casa Gitano - I'll start by saying I'm a big fan of the Gitano brand both in Tulum and NYC. So when I saw Gitano created a small boutique hotel with a small beach club & restaurant in 2024 called Casa Gitano and Gitano Beach, I was very excited. Located at the far south end of Tulum Beach Road, Casa Gitano is nestled in its own secluded oasis with a private beach. The hotel contains 17 airy, beautifully decorated, all suite villas on the beach. More details on the hotel, along with the ability to book is accessible here.
3) Ikal Hotel - For the full Tulum experience, head to Ikal Hotel & Wellness Center. Ikal encompasses & embodies that Bohemian wellness focus that Tulum is known for. Located on the north end of Tulum on Paradise Beach in the Tulum Jaguar National Park close to the Tulum Ruins, Ikal is a great option for those looking to experience the many wellness activities Tulum has to offer.
From yoga to breathwork, temazcalli and full moon ceremonies, Ikal has a full schedule of wellness activities available each day. Rooms range from Mayan Lodges, Bungalows & Suites, some with private bathrooms & plunge pools. There's also neighboring GlampIkal with platform tents and shared bathrooms for another option. For more information and the ability to book, click here.​
What
Do
to...
1) Enjoy Time on the Beach - Tulum has a beautiful stretch of fine white sand beaches along the turquoise Caribbean Sea with minimal contained sargassum during the Winter months. The beaches contains boutique hotels & restaurants with beach clubs to visit. Popular beach clubs include Vagalume, Bagatelle, Gitano Beach and Taboo often with a ~$100 USD minimum F&B spend pp. The northern stretch where Paradise Beach is located is my favorite to explore places along the way, however is now part of the Tulum Jaguar National Park with a $400 peso (~$20 USD) entrance fee.
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2) Take Time on the Water - Get on the beautiful sea with a 45 minute Private Sailing Trip near Paradise Beach during the day or at sunset with a 30 minute snorkeling optional add-on. Or spend 4 hours on a Catamaran with a small group and an open bar, lunch and ability to snorkel.
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3) Swim in a Cenote - Swimming in a cenote (a natural sinkhole or deep well that contains ground water derived from the Mayan word dz'onot = "cavern with water") is another popular activity to experience while in Tulum. Travel + Leisure created a list of Beautiful Tulum Cenotes to check out to decide which to visit. ​
4) Explore the Tulum Ruins - One of the nicest elements of Tulum are the Tulum Ruins close by. Constructed in the 13th century, the walled archaeological site in the Tulum Jaguar National Park is one of the last cities inhabited by the Mayans. The ruins contain several well preserved buildings along the coastline with beautiful views of the ocean below. It is watched over by many iguanas scattered throughout.
The ruins can be explored on your own with a $100 pesos (~$5 USD) entrance fee as of February 2025 purchased at the entrance. The last entry is at 3:30pm and no disposable plastic is allowed in, like plastic bottles & bags. There is now also a $400 peso (~$20 USD) entrance fee to the Tulum Jaguar National Park where the ruins are located that provides open-air shuttle transportation to the ruins and stops along the beach. A guided tour of the ruins can be booked, like this one that includes the Tulum Ruins, Tequila Tasting + Swim in 3 Cenotes.
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5) Embrace Wellness - Tulum is known for & became popular as a Bohemian wellness destination that offers an extensive array of activities, including: yoga, meditation, breathwork, moon ceremonies, sound baths, cacao ceremonies & temazacales. Many of the boutique hotels, particularly along the beach, offer a variety of these. Ikal Hotel Wellness Center offers the most extensive programs that I came across, along with the Tulum Beer Spa (surprisingly) that incorporates its Tulum Beer into the treatments. There's also a Mayan Clay Spa & Bathhouse on Tulum Beach Road for massages & exfoliation using Mayan Clay that's said to detox & energize the body. ​
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6) Enjoy Local Cuisine - One of the best parts of visiting Mexico is the food! Go beyond just eating the food and learn how to make a Mexican meal with this Mexican Cooking & Mezcal Tasting in a Local Home for lunch starting at 10am or dinner starting at 4pm or enjoy an Artisanal Mezcal & Chocolate Tasting at the La Veleta tasting room in town. ​
Eat
All the traditional Mexican food is available throughout Tulum. My favorite thing to eat in Tulum is ceviche and fresh fish. Try Pancho Villa on Paradise Beach for both!
Drink
Margarita, Mezcalita, Michelada, Mojito & Mexican Beer. Tulum also has its own artisan lager said to be the first beer brewed with seawater to try with brewery tours, a restaurant, hotel & beer spa. *If of legal drinking age to drink responsibly
Wear
Boho Chic with sturdy flat shoes for the pebble beach road
Watch
Against All Odds by
Taylor Hackford
Listen
"Tulum"
by Boehm
Gift
Check out Tulum Gifts!