Whether it’s a family vacation, a get-away with friends or a couple’s retreat, Tulum, Mexico has something for everyone. About 80 miles from Cancun, Tulum is a growing tourist attraction. It’s still somewhat of a hidden treasure, which is part of its appeal. Are fun-filled days on the beach your vacation requirement? How about swimming in the ocean or in the still waters running through underground caves? Are you turned on by the intellectualism of historical and ecological sites? Perhaps you just want some delicious, diverse dining.
Tulum has all the magical wonders you look for in a vacation spot, without the larger crowds and commercialized feeling that sometimes come with more popular tourist destinations. Here are 8 reasons you’ll say, “Here I come Tulum,” on your next trip to Mexico.
1. Bring on the Beaches
You’ll be impressed by the soft white sand, clear blue water and your own live aquarium of tropical fish and coral reefs in the sea. The jungle weaves seamlessly in and out of the oceanfront.
A walk on the beach has never been so beautiful, especially when you look towards the horizon and see the past looking back at you in the Mayan Ruins.
2. Yesterday and Today – The Mayan Ruins
The Tulum ruins are walking distance from town, and sit on a cliff overlooking the beach.
Bring your swimsuit and intellect. You can have a swim and a piece of history almost simultaneously. If that’s not enough, take a day trip to Coba or Chichen Itza and see even more Mayan ruins.
3. Let’s Defy Gravity – The Caves
The underground caves give the sunny beaches a run for their money.
You won’t know if you’re standing on the ceiling or the floor as the underground river reflects the stalagmites and stalactites. These crystal-like structures ascend from the cave floor and descend from overhead.
4. Sink Into a Cenote
When you’ve had enough of swimming alongside sea turtles in the ocean, you can dive into one of the many cenotes.
The region has hundreds of these sinkholes. You can find the freshwater pools above or underground, silhouetted by those magical cave stalactites and stalagmites.
5. Good Eats
A trip to a foreign land is incomplete without a hearty sampling of authentic dishes and familiar meals made with a local flare. Tulum’s cuisine welcomes vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters.
Have some tacos from one of the street food vendors. Enjoy seasonal dishes cooked on an open fire in one of the restaurants.
Choose Mexican or Italian. Fish fresh caught from Soliman Bay is amongst the seafood favorites.
6. Easy to Reach
Tulum is on the coastline of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
If you’re already in Cancun, you can make it to Tulum in about a two-hour drive.
You can also go straight to Tulum from the Cancun Airport. Book a Cancun to Tulum Shuttle and be at your hotel in about two hours or less. Choose from private, luxury or group shuttle options.
7. Become One with Nature – The Wildlife
Book a tour to visit Sian Ka’an, the Mexican Caribbean’s largest preserved area.
This park is home to thousands of different plants and animals. See jaguars, birdwatch at sunset or go snorkeling alongside the dolphins.
8. Affordable Lodging
If it’s in your budget, you can always reserve a room at a beachfront resort.
For more frugal spenders, there are hotels a little farther from the water, Airbnb options and hostels. Some accommodations are all-inclusive.
Find lodging in the hotel zone about five minutes from Playa Paraiso, one of Tulum’s most beautiful beaches.
Now that you have eight reasons to visit Tulum on your next trip to Mexico, book your adventure. You’ll not only return home relaxed and energized, but with at least eight more reasons to go back again.
