One Week Tulum Itinerary
10.5.21
Lauren Eidson Photo
____________________
Cenotes, Mayan Ruins, Jungles, Beachesβ¦β¦ just a few attractions that piqued my interest and ultimately drove me to purchase a plane ticket to Tulum, Mexico.
βWhere will we stay? What will we eat? How will we get from place to place?β If youβre asking yourself those same questions, look no further! I have some wonderful tips and tricks to make your trip smoother than ours was (lol). My man, Patrick, and I decided to take a short one-week visit to this dreamy destination, which was the perfect amount of time to get a taste, and now we crave for more! Oh and letβs not forget how affordable this vacation was! We spent about 1K per person for the entire week including the roundtrip flight, Airbnbs, bus rides, taxis, food, and attractions!
I have included 4 lists below of our favorite attractions, amazing local foods, cozy Airbnbs, and tips and tricks for traversing Tulum, Mexico.
Tulum Attractions
1. Mayan Ruins. The closest ruins to Tulum are at the north beach. Itβs a massive site and easily accessible. Plus, you can go to the beach while youβre at it!
2. Cenotes. Unfortunately, we arrived right before a hurricane, and most cenotes were closed off or shut down. Clan-Destino which has a privately located cenote close to the beach road, was open shortly after the hurricane passed. There was debris and the water was no longer clear, but it was beautiful, nevertheless.
3. Riding bikes and shopping local artists. Bike rentals and artist shops are conveniently placed throughout Tulum.
Tulum Foods
1. Campanella Cremerie: Coffee, baked goods, ice cream
2. Burrito Amor: Burritos, juices
3. Humo: Ceviche, tacos, juices
4. Clan-Destino: Elote, ceviche, nachos
5. Chacabar: Pizza, pasta, sushi
6. Pizzeria Manglar: Pizza, sushi
Tulum Airbnbs
1. Kiki Tulum. This building was in the downtown tourist district of Tulum. The deciding factors were their location, aesthetic, rooftop pool with glass siding and bike rentals. The only downside was riding our bikes through the muddy backroads.
2. Suk-Ha Tulum. This apartment was located right in downtown Tulum. It had easy access to the ATM, great coffee houses, and taxis. We went out to the beach bars and clubs during our stay here since it was the closest Airbnb to the beach.
3. Nahouse Zapote Lodge. This resort was our βgetaway into the jungleβ. It had a huge private fence and was right off the beaten path towards the inner jungle. The architecture was surreal, but the deciding factor was having a cenote all to ourselves!
Tips & Tricks
1. Use the Banco Azteca ATM in downtown Tulum to pull out pesos. This bank was conveniently located from all our Airbnbs. If you are staying closer to the beach, I recommend stopping here first and getting as many pesos as you need for a few days of taxis, food, and attractions. Most places charge a hefty fee to pull out pesos, including the airport, and for using your debit/credit card. When carrying bulk cash on hand, you should place it in different bags of luggage. You should also keep your passport and cards hidden.
2. Preplan but do not over plan. This goes without saying. Taxis can take a while to reach you, or you may have to walk or bike long distances to reach certain locations like the Mayan Ruins at the beach. Some places had their hours wrong on Google and were closed because of the hurricane. In one day, I would pick two major attractions to visit and have a selection of restaurants on hand.
3. Bring a raincoat. The weather in Tulum can be unpredictable, especially in the rainy season: a downpour for 30 minutes and sunshine right after.
4. Mosquito repellent is a must. Do not skip this one. From experience, Patrick had what looked like the entire population of mosquitos on his tail when we visited the jungle ruins, and this literally sabotaged our exploration that day.
5. Download WhatsApp. In order to communicate with taxis, I messaged the number +52 984125 6661. An operator asks for your address and destination and gives you a price. Once you ok the price, they send a taxi to your location. Some of our Airbnbs were tucked away from the main road, and this provided us with an easy solution.
6. Only drink BOTTLED water. Introducing tap water with new bacteria and other foreign substances to your body can easily upset the digestive system and destroy your peaceful vacay. If you donβt believe me, look up Montezumaβs revenge.
Email or message me on Instagram @laureneidsonphoto with any questions about your upcoming trip to Tulum, Mexico! Safe travels. <3