It’s taken me a while to come around and write a post about my trip to Tulum, Mexico. Traveling internationally in 2020 during COVID-19 is not a hot subject I really want to be raving about, ya know? Nonetheless, Tulum is everything I dreamed of. From beautiful blue waters to incredible architecture, this stylish beach town is a must-see.
We visited Mexico at the end of September, a couple of months after they lifted COVID restrictions and hospitality began to open back up. There are new processes in place to maintain social distancing and COVID guidelines, which I will touch on in this post since I received a lot of questions on that. Here is the complete travel guide to Tulum.
Note: We went at a time when cases in Mexico were low. I am writing this a couple months later in November 2020, so Mexico's COVID cases have changed. Please travel responsibly and refer to official sources like the WHO and your local government for up-to-date news.
How to Get There
- The main airport you want to fly into is Cancun International Airport, which is about two hours away from Tulum.
- From the airport, you can schedule a shuttle with your hotel or rent a car. I recommend you rent a car.
- If you plan to take a taxi, make sure to agree on a rate before you accept a ride. A taxi should be charging you around $50-$80 USD (1,000 – 1,600 pesos) to get to Tulum.
What is it Like to Travel by Plane During COVID?
This is the most common question I’ve been asked. My two favorite airlines to fly with at the moment are Delta and Alaska Airlines. Neither fills the middle seats, and they have a process on how to board and de-board an aircraft. We flew Delta and they are only serving packaged snacks and bottled water. There’s no meal service or alcohol. Sans alcohol was a bummer since that’s the beauty of international travel.
The way Delta boards the plane is handicap and first-class board first. In the economy section, those with seats in the back rows board first, and those closest to the front row board last. Then, it’s vice versa when exiting the plane to avoid crowding. You are required to wear your mask at all times, except for when you’re drinking water or eating a snack.
Pro tip: order food to-go at the airport or bring your own snacks, unless you want to eat Cheez-Its for the next six hours of your flight.
I’ll be honest; wearing a mask for over 10 hours is not the most comfortable experience (accounting for Lyft rides, airport, connecting flights, and checking in to your hotel), but nothing is important than to travel responsibly.
Is Tulum Safe for Travellers?
From my experience, I felt very safe in Tulum. Tulum has become very touristy over the years and police presence is prominent in Mexico’s stylish beach town. As always when it comes to any kind of travel, be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times.
From a physical health standpoint when it comes to COVID practices, Mexico take precautions seriously. All employees in establishments wear masks. Your temperature is taken and you are given hand sanitizer at pretty much any place upon entry. You have to wear masks when entering premises and can take it off when you’re seated. You are not required to wear masks as you walk around town, but I had it on anyway and maintained social distancing from others.
Things to Do in Tulum
Go Eat
There’s an abundant list of restaurant options in Tulum. From acai bowls to vegan food to tacos and everything in between, there are food options for everyone.
- Breakfast: We didn’t go out for breakfast as we had a private chef in our apartment who made us breakfast and prepared fruit (so this can be an option for you), but there are tons of acai bowl and smoothie spots in Tulum.
- Lunch: Nomade, Taqueria Honorio
- Dinner: Rosa Negra, Arca, Gitano
Go to the Beach
The beaches in Tulum are beautiful. The water is crystal blue and at a comfortable warm temperature day-to-night. Warning: do not lay your bare skin in the sand! Lay on a towel at all times. I made the mistake of kneeling in the sand and got covered in bites from sand mites.
- North Side: This part of Tulum is closest to the ruins and what I like to call the less bougie area to hang out in. We found more locals gravitating towards this side of the beach, as well as tourists who just came from exploring the ruins. It’s a lot calmer and relaxing — we spent a couple of evenings hanging out at beach clubs here and going on sunset swims.
- South Side: Otherwise known as Hotel Zone, this is primarily where all the well-known hotels in Tulum are located; Be Tulum, Nomade, Casa Malca. This side of the beach is mostly private beaches, meaning they belong to hotels and beach clubs, and you cannot simply place a towel on the beach and hang out. It’s the trendiest part of Tulum, as well as the most expensive.
Hang out at Lagoon Kaan Luum
We had a friend who lives in Tulum show us around while we were there. She took us to Lagoon Kaan Luum and it was one of the coolest and most memorable places we went to in Tulum! It costs 100 pesos to enter and there are swings and hammocks on the water to hang out at. In the center of the lagoon is a big cenote, but that was fenced off when we were there.
There are little fish in the lagoon water that bite you or pick at your skin. It sounds scary and creeped me out at first, and some of them can be quite painful! But I believe they are the same fish that some places use for pedicures where the fish eat dead skin cells. That’s what I’m going to go with because nothing else makes sense.
Cenotes
The most unique thing about Tulum is its underground water system (not for drinking; please don’t drink Mexico’s tap water). Tulum is well known for cenotes, which is a swimmable saltwater sinkhole. There are so many beautiful cenotes in and around the town; some are open space, some are completely underground in caves. Here’s a list of cenotes to check out:
- Gran Cenote
- Dos Ojos: We went to this one so I can speak to it a little more. Dos Ojos is about 30 minutes away from Tulum center. There are double sinkholes that connect to make one underground tavern. You can snorkel, and even scuba dive its deep cave systems if you’re into diving.
- Ik Kil
- Xcanche
- Suytun – quite possibly the most Instagrammed cenote
Visit Mayan Ruins
We did not have good luck with ruins on our trip. Whether we arrived too late to ruins or they were closed due to COVID, we weren’t able to see the Mayan Ruins this time around. It was on our list of things to do, so we’ll be there next time.
Party at a Beach Club
I don’t know if Tulum is just becoming more popular or clubs are trying to make up for money lost from lockdowns, but my goodness are beach clubs expensive in Tulum! Think Miami prices: $20-$70 cover charge, which a portion may or may not cover some food and drinks. Some beach clubs are also charging minimum spends on top of a cover charge. There seems to be some price gouging, but nonetheless, they are fun to go to for a day.
Ask any Tulum local where to go out and you are bound to hear at least one of these beach clubs mentioned:
- Om Tulum
- Taboo
- Gitano
- Papaya Playa Project
Other Tulum Travel Tips
- Bring cash with you! Most restaurants and beach clubs accept credit cards and we made use of our Chase Sapphire Reserve card. However, places like small bars or food stands are mostly cash only so be prepared to have pesos on you.
- There are banks around Tulum for you to exchange money so you can always bring your country’s currency and exchange it in Mexico. Do not exchange money at the airport! The rates are not worth it.
- Most people in Tulum speak English. There are a lot of ex-pats living in Tulum so it’s fairly easy to communicate. I would still brush up on your Spanish as there are a handful of places, especially in the town center that may not always speak English.
- Notice how I did not have shopping on my list of things to do? That is because shopping in Tulum is expensive, especially on the South end of the beach. If you want to go shopping, go to the city center where you can haggle prices.
- Bring mosquito spray with you. Trust me.
Leave a Reply