Tulum was a dream! Ever since we booked our trip I’ve been seeing people I follow on Instagram go there and it really got me so excited to visit! We have only been to Cabo before Tulum so that is all we had to compare it to, but Tulum takes the cake for the beauty and romantic jungle goodness. Tulum is a jungle town and all along the beach lives a road with the cutest boutiques and restaurants you’ve ever seen. I was obsessed as soon as we drove through and I knew we would have a good time here. I’ve listed the restaurants we recommend, things to do and where to stay and helpful tips in this post to help you plan your Tulum vacation!

How to Get There

I did some research on how to get to Tulum since you can’t fly directly there and I found it easiest to fly into Cancun then taxi from the airport. Before you leave the airport there will be a Taxi station where you can schedule a taxi to drop you off and pick you up from your hotel to and from the airport. It cost us about $150 USD to do it that way. You can also rent a car and I think we will do that next time because it would save us money on taxi rides into town everyday.

Where to Eat

Be prepared, most restaurants in Tulum cost us on average $70 USD for dinner(sometimes more) and breakfast and lunch were about $50 depending on where you went. After the first two days, Tanner and I went to the local grocery store to get PB&J ingredients, water bottles and nonperishable snacks(we did not have a fridge) to help save some money. Funny story; we walked down to a hotel near ours for some lunch one day and ordered 2 Pad Thais with chicken, bottled water and one juice and were unpleasantly surprised that all that cost $80…just for lunch haha. So be aware that some things like adding chicken can cost you a lot more than you thought. Even drinks like Pina Coladas are an average of $15 at some places. Things just cost more in Tulum. But all of the places we ate out at were SO good and worth the share!

• La Zebra:We ate here for breakfast and dinner on two separate occasions and both times where so good! They have a restaurant there called The Chef’s Table you could eat at as well.
• Safari:Cute outdoor taco spot for such a great price! This was the only place we found on the main beach road with decent priced food and it. was. DELICIOUS! They make their food out of an Airstream so that makes it even better.
• Posada Margarita: Hands down my favorite place we ate at. It’s Italian food and the pasta is fresh and unbelievable! You will love walking into this restaurant on the beach because it is decorated with pots, plants has a beautiful garden feel throughout the entire place. This needs to be on your list for sure.
• Rosa Negra: A Latin American restaurant with some of the best food we’ve had. Granted I ordered a burger as my main course, but even that was so juicy and delicious and it was the biggest burger I’ve had(picture below to prove it). We also ordered empanadas for an appetizer and I highly recommend them!
• Oragami:Best gelato! We went here almost everyday haha. There are two locations, one in town and one on the beach near Hotel Poc Na.
• Hartwood:They take reservations a month in advance, so we did not eat here, but rumor has it that it’s the best food in Tulum. You need to go here when you visit! It’s for sure on our list for next time 🙂
• Juanita Diavola at Coco Tulum: Wood Fire pizza. Need I say more? We ate here twice and loved every bite.
• Casa Jaguar: Delicious food, romantic setting. I love the essential oils they use outside and the candles lit everywhere 🙂

What to do

• Swim at a cenote.We went to the Grand Cenote and swam in a cave with turtles and fish:)
• Go to the beach partyat Papaya Playa Project that’s every Saturday night.
• Rent bikes. This is the best way to get around if your hotel is closer to the restaurants.
• Visit Pablo Escobar’sold home at Casa Malca.
• Visit the Azulik Hotel and have dinner in the trees.
• Visit the Mayan Ruins.
• Work out at theJungle Gym. A gym on the beach that has a caveman style. You can pay for a day pass for $20.

Helpful Tips

• Most places are cash only, so make sure to get Pesos. They do accept American dollars if you run out.
• If you can, stay closer to the further side of the beach road on the right side. It’ll save money on taxi rides. That’s where we liked to spend our time the most.
• Most hotels do not have A/C. They are mostly boutique hotels on the beach side.

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