Tulum is a special place for me because it’s where my husband and I honeymooned. Back in 2016, we got married on the west coast of Mexico in Conchas Chinas where we celebrated with family and friends; and then Aaron and I headed east to the Yucatan Peninsula.

This week as we celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary, I wanted to share my favorite things from beautiful Tulum, Mexico.

Travel Guide: Tulum, Mexico

The Beach Tulum

During our time in Tulum, we literally stayed at The Beach. The boutique eco-resort hosts no more than 25 rooms, and is adults only for a very private feel throughout your stay. Since we were on our honeymoon, we opted to stay in one of their Junior Suites. All of the rooms at the hotel have ocean views, so there really isn’t a bad spot in the house. The Junior Suites have rooftop terraces, access to the community pool from one side, and a patio out front that steps right onto the beach. The slice of beach between your terrace and the ocean is reserved just for your room! Complete with personal hammocks and beach mattresses, you never have to worry about someone taking your spot.

One of our other favorite details is that the beachfront along the hotel is not open to the public, leaving you with unobscured views of the ocean all day. My husband kept asking if we were in a Corona commercial.

places to stay For every budget:

Casa Malca // $$ - $$$
Sanara Tulum // $$ - $$$
Nomade // $$
Be Tulum // $$
Coco Tulum // $

You can’t really go wrong with any place you choose to eat in Tulum. Just walk or ride your bike down the beach road and you’ll come across a variety of mouthwatering cuisines set in modern bohemian spaces.

Savor the local flavor of Tulum:

Here are a few suggestions of where to eat in Tulum along the beach road:

Gitano // Their Mezcal tasting menu is incredible and definitely worth trying. For food we recommend the ceviche, smoked sweet potatoes, and slow roasted pork belly. But really, everything on the menu is delicious. YUM!

Ziggy’s Restaurant // Ziggy’s is the restaurant at The Beach, so we ate here daily. We had the tuna nachos and Shrimp Aguachile ceviche at least once a day while relaxing on the beach. If you’re staying at The Beach, you can text the front desk your order and they will deliver it right to your beach chair.

Arca // Stylish and delicious, try a combination of Arca’s amazing cocktails and fresh seafood.

Hartwood // This off-grid, farm to table restaurant has gained a lot of popularity over the years. Make reservations in advance, as getting a table can be near impossible. If you aren’t able to get a table, check out the Hartwood cookbook and try to make some of their delicious entrées yourself!

In the pueblo of Tulum, which is about a 15 minute taxi ride from the beach road, there are also some great options for delicious eats. Definitely don’t miss the street tacos!

Here are our suggestions for where to eat in the Tulum Pueblo:

The best street tacos in Tulum can be found at Antojitos la Chaipaneca and Taqueria Honorio. Try both and decide for yourself.

For an afternoon pick me up, grab a coffee at Ki’bok.

While you could spend all of your days in Tulum just relaxing on the beach or biking to a local restaurant, there are several amazing sites that are definitely worth venturing out for.

Explore the Ruins of Tulum

While the ruins aren’t as impressive or as large as other ruins in the Yucatan, what makes the ruins of Tulum so remarkable is it’s location overlooking the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Dive in a Cenote

During our time in Mexico we visited two cenotes; The Grand Cenote and the Cenote Ik Kil.

THE GRAND CENOTE: This cenote is really close to Tulum so you could easily start your morning with a dip here. Buses bring tourists here from the resorts of Cancun and Rivera Maya, so it’s best to go as soon as it opens so you can explore before the crowds arrive. Since we were swimming we didn’t take many photos; but the caves are vast with incredible formations under the depths of its crystal clear waters.

CENOTE IK KIL: This cenote is near Chichén Itzá so we recommend seeing both during a day trip to the ruins. It’s very touristy as well, so there will most likely be tons of people around, but it’s fun to jump off the diving platform and stare up at the cliffs above you.

Take a Day Trip to Chichén Itzá

I love exploring ruins around the world; from Angkor Wat in Cambodia to Tikal in Guatemala. So we knew that we couldn’t miss seeing the Kukulcan Pyramid (or El Castillo) at Chichén Itzá during our time in the Yucatan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The ruins have been partially restored and the grounds are well maintained offering lots of views of the pyramid.

SIDE NOTE: If you want more of a jungle-climbing ruins experience, check out the ancient Maya city of Cobá which is just down the road from Tulum. Unlike the maintained ruins of Chichén Itzá, you can explore and climb on the ruins of Cobá where the jungle has become one with the ancient city.

Heading south of the border? Check out our other travel guides from Central America.

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