Tulum
If Tulum isn’t currently on your list of places to travel, add it right now. The city hasn’t been transformed into an American tourist trap so you can still get an authentic cultural feel during your stay. You will find kids playing in the street, authentic Mexican taquerias, and ladies pushing elote carts down the street. A bike ride through the city is filled with vibrant homes, tempting smells, and locals smiling back at you. You will be able to explore everything from the Mayan Ruins resting on the shore, to white sand at Santa Fe beach and the awe-inspiring cenotes.
How to get there: I flew Delta from LAX to CUN. The duration of the flight to Cancun is 4 hours and the flight back is 5 hours. Tulum is a 90 minute drive south of the Cancun airport, so make sure to book a hotel that can arrange a car service for you or arrange a car through SuperShuttle.
How to get around: The ONLY way you should being traveling around Tulum is by bike. My best friend and I hadn’t ridden bikes in years so the first day the definition of a struggle. By the second day we were ready for the x-games. Biking a city allows you to get a much more personal experience. You are on your own schedule and you can stop and go explore whenever you want. If your hotel does not have complimentary or rental bikes, there are tons of rental shops throughout the city.
Where to stay: Although we stayed at a hotel, I highly recommend staying at a hostel. Casa Del Sol was a hostel located around the corner from our hotel. If I hadn’t already prepaid for the hotel, I would have stayed at the Casa Del Sol in a heartbeat. If your objective is to explore during your trip that means you won’t be spending much time in your room, so save money by staying at a hostel.
Where to eat: Remember when I said in my Palm Springs post that all girls from California are half Mexican because we love Mexican food so much. Well, don’t worry I stayed true to my half Mexican side and ate an unreasonable amount of tacos on this trip. Trust me when I say Antojitos La Chiapaneca has the best al pastor tacos you will ever eat in your life. I had 6 in one sitting. Don’t judge me. It’s a bright orange spot and there will be a line out the front, you can’t miss it.
What to see & do:
Mayan Ruins: Tulum is home to the only Mayan Ruins on the coast. The ruins are a must see while you are in Tulum. Bike there to avoid paying for a taxi and the long walk from the parking lot to the ruins (over a mile). You can access Santa Fe beach from the ruins so get there early enough to explore and then hit the beach. It cost 65 pesos per person to get into the ruins.
Santa Fe Beach: Blue skies, white sand beaches, and palm trees. That’s all you need to know. Take a few beers, lay out, and enjoy. To access the beach, bike all the way to the Mayan Ruins, make a left and bike until you see the sign for the beach.
Akumal: We headed out to Akumal around 830 am to go snorkeling with the turtles. Prior to this trip, I couldn’t snorkel to save my life, but I somehow magically snorkeled for an hour and managed to see 5 turtles. Head out there early before all of the big group tours get there. That way 20 people won’t swim over when you spot a turtle. It is required that you have a life jacket, a snorkel, and fins.
Dos Ojos Cenote: If you don’t what a cenote is, it’s okay. I had no idea either before I get to Tulum. It is natural pit or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. Basically, it’s the coolest sh*t you’re ever going to see in your life. We decided to just go on a tour to Akumal and Dos Ojos. Once you weigh in the cost of a cab rides, entrance fees (200 pesos), snorkel gear, and just overall experience, it makes sense to hire a guide. We went with Scuba Seven and our guide Ricardo was hilarious and took us to two secret cenotes.
Tips:
· Mexican currency is called the Pesos. 1.00 USD = 18-19 MXN on average
· Make sure to bring cash to exchange
· Bike absolutely everywhere for the best experience
· The Cancun International Airport does not have Wi-Fi, so arrange all travel before arriving or get hit with extremely high taxi fares at the airport
· Stay at a hostel
