The beach at Tulum in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is, in a word, spectacular. It’s what you go to the Caribbean to find: pale, powder-soft sand and waving palms beside a jewel-blue sea.
The Mayan ruins here were, in their day, all about maritime power, defense, and trade; in modern times, it’s just a lovely place to linger.
But for the sake of the delicate ecosystem here, be sure you don’t linger too long.
In the interest of full disclosure, our brief Tulum visit in late December 2001 won’t shine forth in the annals of my travel writing career. We were pretty exhausted, taking a short break in a week-long trip with my (dear, accommodating, blog-subscribing) in-laws, and spent much of our time in Tulum shuffling along an unshaded ticket line in the hot sun. Beyond wending our way through the ruins to the shore, we did little more than stare open-mouthed at the cove and delight in the scurrying iguanas. We didn’t hire a guide — which would have brought the whole site to life — but instead relied on pages copied from an old Frommer’s book and stuffed in my purse. That said, Adam and I both clearly remember thinking:
Let’s just stay here and never go home.
Needless to say, though, we eventually returned to California. (People, we have pets. It had to happen.) Since we just plain didn’t have enough time in Tulum, I’ve turned to our trusty friends Mike and Nathalie for the scoop. They swept through the Yucatán in early December 2008, and made Tulum their home base.
What they found was an overcrowded beach-lover’s paradise where, sadly, trash routinely washes up on shore, tourists routinely huddle around threatened sea creatures, water needs are constantly stressing supply, and restaurant food has to be brought in from miles away. In short, the word is out on Tulum, and it’s not doing Tulum any favors.
Wanting to bypass Tulum’s crowded hotel zone and make gentler strides, Mike and Nathalie chose to stay in a “luxury” beach cabana hotel (that they are opting to keep quiet) near both the ruins and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Luxury beach cabana stays are a common option in this part of the universe, so their experience bears mentioning.
Meant to be an inexpensive, eco-friendly stay, it also proved to be:
Loud: Something about Swedish tourists in clogs overhead, and chatty fellow guests at 6am.
Sweaty: Cabanas in warm days/cool nights = fabulous. Cabanas in humidity = praying for death.
Sandy: In ground-floor cabanas, at least, sand blows in off the beach and collects in drifts.
Buggy: As soon as the sun goes down here, be sure to break out the DEET.
Grungy: “Eco-friendly” down Yucatan way means “towels and sheets aren’t washed regularly”; this is a big bummer after stinky, salty, hot nights of basting in your own humanity.
Nathalie suggests that if staying in a cabana hotel, one phrase in Spanish should be valued above all others: ”Necesitamos un cambio de cama por favor.” (We need the bed changed, please.)
She also recommends bringing a flashlight and/or Itty Bitty Book Light. By 6pm, it’s romantic and surreal, dark as midnight and the sky full of stars, but without electricity in many lodgings, pitch-black indoors, as well.
They were intrigued by the (seemingly) swanky cabana digs at Ana y Jose, which boasted 24/7 power, kitchenettes, beautiful grounds, and a pretty pool.
They both suggest, no matter where you stay, visiting the local supermarket in Tulum pueblo, Super San Francisco de Asis. Food in restaurants can be good, but almost universally expensive; just grabbing a snack can be shocking. Also, drinking water out on the beach can be hard to come by. Invest in a small cooler, ice, water, and snacks, and you won’t be sorry.
When it came to restaurant dining in Tulum, they most enjoyed:
Don Cafeto: Ideal for breakfast. Go for fruit smoothies, powerful caffe americano, huge fruit plates, and Mayan breakfasts with chaya omelettes. Credit cards are accepted.
Zamas: Sublime fish tacos right on the beach, friendly cats hanging around, and the diabolical Coco Loco (three hard liquors served in a coconut). Cash only.
Ocho Tulum: Amazing ceviche, quesadillas and guacamole with great service, lounge music, a big palapa roof, and dark-wood french doors leading out to an ocean terrace. Credit cards are cool here, too.
The Dos Ojos Cenote: A truly spiritual experience that shouldn’t be attempted without a guide and flashlights; you can get easily lost. The mineral water here is said to have healing properties.
Turtle Bay in Akumal: By all means, get the floating vest, as it can get choppy here. It’s also crowded; for every ray, turtle and fish, there are several human beings clustered around it. Can get pretty cold.
Yal-Ku Lagoon: Calm and protected with no waves, this is a fish-viewing paradise. Use caution on the slippery stairs. Water on top is cold, while water on the bottom is bathtub warm. Avoid standing on the few remaining reefs here, so as to avoid further damage.
Tulum is, above all, a place to enjoy yourself — but with care.
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See related posts
Mexico’s Yucatán: Cancun
Mexico’s Yucatán: Isla Mujeres
Mexico’s Yucatán: Chichen Itza
Doin’ Time at the Ruins of Tulum
Isla Holbox: A Windfall of Whale Sharks
TWT Travel Binder: Mexico
