In summer 2021, I had the best time basing myself out of Playa del Carmen, Mexico. It was an excellent opportunity to live abroad again and get away from Texas. This Ultimate 5-Day Tulum Itinerary will cover the best nightlife in Tulum, where to stay in Tulum, and what to eat in Tulum.

There’s a good reason Tulum is a popular tourist destination. It’s a place to meet other young travelers, show off your fashion, and have that tropical beach oasis getaway without the crazy prices. This is one of the main reasons I love traveling to Mexico. You can have affordable luxury.

So before we dive into this post, you may be thinking… Why should I listen to you, Gina Bear? Simple… I’m half Mexican and spent many summer vacations living in Mexico.

I’m familiar with the culture, language, and the way people operate. Think of me as your internet big sister looking out for you so you don’t become another gringo horror story.

Table of Contents

Blog Posts You Might Like

Frequently Asked Questions About Tulum Mexico

1. How many days in Tulum do you need?

Tulum is a gorgeous location for photos and exploring. You will never be bored because there are so many things to see and do in Tulum. Five days is the perfect amount of time to truly enjoy this destination. 

2. Is Tulum safe to travel right now? 

Tulum is safe to travel right now. Make sure you check the latest Mexico travel guidelines as well as CDC recommendations. I also recommend you exercise extreme caution with petty crime and familiarize yourself with common scams.

In my ultimate guide to solo female travel in Mexico, I cover some of these scams and the best way to stay safe.

3. What are the best months to visit Tulum? 

The best months to visit Tulum are from November until April. During this time there isn’t much rain, the temperatures drop during the mornings and evenings and the humidity is still high, but nothing like the summer months. Also, you will avoid all the seaweed that gets washed up on the beach and makes it stink.

4. Is Tulum better than Cancun? 

Tulum and Cancun have their own vibes. At the end of the day, it depends on what you want your Mexican experience to be.

Cancun is about the all-inclusive packages and gorgeous properties featuring pools and ocean views. They cater to tourists by taking them on various tours.

Tulum is more for the younger crowd who love to dress up and party. If you love social media, that’s also another reason Tulum will be up your alley.

5. Is Tulum worth visiting?

If you look beyond the Instagram hype of Tulum, Tulum can be a lot quieter than Cancun. Tulum has a lot of open space, land, and cenotes for exploring. It’s also a great location to take day trips to Yucatan.

6. Why is Tulum so popular? 

When I visited Tulum over ten years ago, it was a sleepy undeveloped fishing village in the middle of the jungle. Now it’s become a Mecca for influencers, party lovers, and adventure seekers alike. It’s surrounded by a beautiful ocean and gorgeous natural greenery. 

7. What should I do in Tulum?

Tulum is located on the Riviera Maya which is a stretch of the Yucatan Peninsula that includes Tulum, Cancun, and Playa del Carmen. One of the best things to do in Tulum is go cenote hopping.

Cenotes are natural sinkholes usually located in a lush jungle. The water is cool and the relaxed atmosphere is the perfect way to spend the day.  

How To Get To Tulum

Tulum recently built an airport to make your perfect Tulum itinerary possible. Instead of flying into Cancun Airport and taking the bus ride to Tulum town, you can simply get to the action.

Some of the airlines fling into Tulum are Aeromexico, Air Canada, Copa Airlines, Delta, Discover Airlines, Jet Blue, United Airlines, Viva Aerobus, and Westjet. You can check their websites and see if you’re able to fly directly from the closest city near you. 

If not, taking the bus directly from Cancun to Tulum is still a great option to the city center. The Airport shuttle bus is 70 Mexican pesos ($4).

What To Pack To Tulum (5 Days in Tulum)

One thing I noticed about traveling in Tulum is people dress to impress. Tulum’s vibe is all about the fashion which is quite unique. This isn’t your normal travel destination where you throw on flipflops, shorts, and some bikinis then call it a day. Your aim is to be stylish.

Tulum Packing Essentials

5-Day Tulum Mexico Sim Card

If you have T-mobile, they give you 5 gigs of data when you enter the country. However, if your phone company doesn’t have that benefit, it’s a good idea to get a Mexican sim card to stay connected at all times. 

Helpful Spanish Travel Phrases

  • Buenos días (BWEH-nos DEE-ahs) — Good morning
  • Buenas tardes (BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs) — Good afternoon
  • Buenas noches (BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs) — Good evening
  • Hola (OH-lah) — Hi
  • ¿Cómo estás? (COH-moh es-TAHS) — How are you?
  • Bien, gracias (bee-EHN, GRAH-cee-ahs) — Good, thank you
  • Por favor ((pohr fah-VOHR) — Please
  • ¿Habla inglés? (AH-blah een-GLEHS?) — Do you speak English?
  • Yo quiero, yo no quiero (yoh kee-EH-roh, yoh noh kee-EH-roh)— I want, I don’t want
  • ¿Dónde está…? (DOHN-des-TAH…?) — Where is…?
  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? (KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah?) — How much does it cost?
  • Yo tengo, yo no tengo (yoh TEHN-goh, yoh noh TEHN-goh) — I have, I don’t have
  • Yo entiendo, yo no entiendo (yoh ehn-tee-EHN-doh, yoh noh ehn-tee-EHN-doh) — I understand, I don’t understand
  • El baño (el BAHN-yoh) — The bathroom
  • Un banco (oon BAHN-coh) — A bank
  • La calle…(lah CAH-yeh…) — The street…
  • Dinero (dee-NEH-roh) — Money
  • ¿Dónde está la farmacia? (DOHN-des-TAH lah fahr-mah-SEE-yah?)— Where is the pharmacy?
  • A la derecha (ah lah deh-REH-chah) — To the right
  • A la izquierda (ah lah ees-KYEHR-dah) — To the left
  • Derecho (Deh-REH-choh) — Straight ahead
  • En la esquina (ehn lah ehs-KEE-nah)— At the corner
  • A una cuadra, dos, tres, cuatro cuadras (ah OO-nah KWAH-drah, dohs, trehs, KWAH-troh KWAH-drahs) — In one, two, three, four blocks

Safety In Tulum

If you come from a big city, exercise the same caution. Look over your shoulder, be aware of your surroundings, and always make sure you know where you are.

The businesses take care of their clientele. In addition, I came across many federales hanging out in the back of their trucks with their huge guns and patrolling.

If there’s one thing you have to look out for, it’s the cartels. For instance, last summer I was hanging out at a beach club when I spotted hoards people walking down the beach because there had been a shooting on the main road.

A favorite ice cream place called Ice Scream Bar closed down because of them. One of the locals told me that the owner closed down three of their businesses on the strip (including the Ice Scream Bar) because they got tired of the bs from the cartel.

One of the reasons tourists can be comfortable in Tulum is these businesses pay money to the cartels to stay away and for a “protection fee.”

How To Deal With Mexican Police

I’m half Mexican and have spent my life going back and forth with my mother. I enjoy spending time with my family, but Mexico is a different ball game.

Mexicans are good to their own friends and family, but will screw you if they have the opportunity. This isn’t to say all people are like this, but always on the lookout.

Pay attention to this section in particular because police in Mexico can and will be a bunch of assholes. They’re underpaid and will extort you before helping you.

What To Do If You Get Pulled Over

If you have a car rental and get pulled over, know your rights. The only reason I know any of this information is because I specifically asked the car rental places what I should do if I’m in this scenario. This was the advice they gave me:

  • The police will make up any reason to scare you and throw off your game.
  • You can try and play the stupid tourist. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
  • Unfortunately, if you’re a white man, you’ll get pulled over more frequently.
  • If the police pull you over, you have two options: slip them 200 pesos discreetly (this is called a mordita aka bribe) and say you don’t have any more cash on you.
  • If they don’t accept, let them give you a ticket because it will be cheaper than the bribe.
  • Mexican police will accept a bribe before writing a ticket because they don’t want to go through all the extensive paperwork.
  • If asked to show your license, show them through the window. Your car is technically considered private property and they are not allowed to go inside your car or take you out.
  • Under no circumstances are you to give them your license or get out of the car.
  • If they ask to see car registration papers, also show them through the window.
  • If they threaten to tow your car for whatever stupid reason they make up, then say, “Let me call the rental company and speak with them.” (This will get them to back off because they cannot legally tow your car.)

Just a note, I didn’t include this section to scare you. I included it to show you the very real scenarios that do happen when you travel around Mexico. (It also happened to me and my friends.) If this does happen to you, you won’t be caught unaware and extorted for hundreds of dollars.

Cost Of Traveling in Tulum Mexico

If you’re wondering what the cost of traveling to Mexico is, I’m going to do a mini breakdown for you. Here will be listed the cost of food, transport, hotels, and activities. I’m going to give the lowest number for the budget travelers to the highest number for the big spenders so you have an idea of how much money you need to bring to Mexico.

  • Hotels: $50 – $200 a day
  • Food: $22 – $80 a day
  • Fun: $20 – $150 a day
  • Transport: $15 – $20 a day

Mexico Travel Insurance

Sadly, COVID-19 is here to stay and is now a part of daily life. I highly recommend using World Nomads Travel Insurance. With the World Nomads Travel Insurance, you can expect: 

  1. Trip Cancelation – This benefit helps you recover non-refundable, pre-paid trip costs when you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason, including for an unexpected sickness that keeps you from traveling.
  2. Emergency Medical – The only thing worse than catching COVID-19 is getting infected away from home. If you get sick with COVID-19 or another illness, you can get diagnostic tests to confirm your case and other emergency medical benefits.
  3. Medical Evacuation – If you’re in an inadequate medical facility, our plans have benefits that can arrange a transfer to a hospital capable of treating your medical needs.
  4. Trip Interuption – During your travels, you might have to return home early. With trip interruption, you could get reimbursed for a one-way, economy-class ticket home and any pre-paid, unused portions of your trip if you need to change your plans for a covered reason.
  5. Trip Delay – Even when there isn’t a pandemic, traveling can have its bumps and hiccups. If your travels are delayed at least six hours by a covered event, you could get reimbursed for meals, hotels and other basic expenses.

If this plan isn’t for you then you can check out the different travel insurance plans World Nomads offers here. When looking into your Tulum Mexico itinerary, make sure you always have travel insurance.

Mexican Currency

Mexico uses Mexican Pesos. At the moment, $1 USD is about 18.18 Mexican Pesos. Exchange your money in the States or your home country before you travel to Mexico.

Many currency exchanges in Tulum and Cancun will lowball you simply because they can. To stay up to date on currency exchange, check out The Money Converter.

Where To Stay In Tulum

In this section, we’re going to go over the best places to stay in Tulum. No matter what kind of traveler you are, there’s something in here for everyone from the bougie traveler to the backpack adventurer.

All Inclusive Resorts in Tulum

  • Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa – Among acres of tropical gardens and jungle, Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa is an all inclusive resort located near the ancient Mayan ruins and the trendy and bohemian town of Tulum. Dreams Tulum is a AAA Four Diamond award-winning resort, with all the benefits of Unlimited-Luxury® – where everything is included.
  • Bahia Principe & Golf Residences – Located in Tulum, close to Akumal Beach, Bahia Principe & Golf Residences (Terrazas Condo) has self-catered accommodations with restaurant, car rental, a private beach area, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness center. Featuring free private parking, the apartment is in an area where guests can engage in activities such as hiking, canoeing and tennis.
  • Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal – Located in Tulum, close to Akumal Beach, Terrazas Bahia Principe Akumal has self-catered accommodations with outdoor swimming pool, car rental, a private beach area, a bar and a garden. This apartment provides free private parking, a 24-hour front desk and free WiFi.

Luxury Accommodations in Tulum

  • Casa Malca – Located on an unspoiled beach in Tulum and on the edge of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. It offers a bar-restaurant, tropical gardens and stylish accommodations with air conditioning. Each room and suite at Casa Malca is decorated in elegant white and has views of the gardens or the Caribbean Sea.
  • La Zebra Colibri Boutique Hotel – This boutique hotel is one of the best “Beach Chic” experiences in Tulum. Fun and vibrant, La Zebra is a luxurious haven for all who are looking for an amazing time on the beach. It offers a phenomenal dining experience, customized drinks and amazing music.
  • Mi Amor Colibri Boutique Hotel – This is an adults only hotel combining sensuality, design, nature and style. Nestled upon a small rocky hill where the sea serenades the shoreline, Mi Amor’s playful decor and design invites you to ignite your spirit, awaken your senses, disconnect, reconnect and to be free. 

Mid-Range Accommodations in Tulum

  • Mezzanine Hotel Tulum – The Mezzanine offers you that Mexican vacation you’ve been waiting for. Feel the fresh water and the warm sand beneath your feet as you experience one of the best beaches on the Yucatan Penninsula. Relish great service in a stunning, luxurious hotel.
  • Casa Ganesh Tulum – Conveniently located in the Zona Hotelera district, the property is set 5 miles from Tulum Archaeological Site and 2 miles from Cesiak. This is a beach front hotel, nestled in the heart of Tulum’s vibrant restaurant, beach club, bar & nightlife scene.
  • Punta Piedra Beach Posada – Situated on a private beach within Tulum National Park, this tropical complex offers thatched cabins with breakfast, sea views, free WiFi and private bathrooms. Tulum’s Mayan Ruins are just 2.5 miles away.

Budget Accommodation in Tulum

  • The Strabon Tulum – The Strabon Tulum has a restaurant, outdoor swimming pool, a bar and shared lounge in Tulum. This 4-star hotel offers a concierge service and a tour desk. The property offers car rental and features a garden and terrace.
  • Mimosa Tulum – Located in Tulum, 1.7 miles from Las Palmas Beach, Mimosa Tulum has accommodations with a bar, free private parking, a garden and a terrace. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a concierge service, along with free WiFi throughout the property.
  • Maka Hotel Boutique – Maka Hotel Boutique has a restaurant, outdoor swimming pool, a bar and garden in Tulum. Among the facilities at this property are a concierge service and a tour desk, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The property has nightclub and room service.

What To Eat in Tulum

While I was in Tulum, I had the opportunity to try many different foods. While all Mexican food is delicious to me (having grown up eating it my whole life), these are my top picks for places you should eat and drink at while in Tulum.

For a full list of everything you need to eat in Tulum, check out my guide on Where & What To Eat in Tulum here.

  1. Casa Banana – Casa Banana serves Argentinian style food. I highly recommend the lamb risotto. In addition, they also have vegan and vegetarian options to choose from as well.
  2. El Asadero – This is also an Argentinian style restaurant where the favorite on the menu is steak.
  3. Matcha Mama – Best known for their matcha, but try their smoothies and smoothie bowls!
  4. Mateos Tulum – This massive restaurant serves mouthwatering Mexican food and looks like a treehouse from your childhood. It’s built with multiple levels and even has a large outdoor terrace.
  5. Raw Love – Eating healthy while on vacation can be a huge challenge which is why I recommend Raw Love. You can’t miss it as it’s located in front of the famous Ven a La Luz statue.

Best Beach Clubs in Tulum

  1. Conestesia – This restaurant serves tasty drinks right by the beach as well as seafood inspired dishes. Conestesia is a beach club and is the cheapest one to go to in the Tulum Hotel Zone.

Best Night Life in Tulum

If you’re looking for the best party in Tulum, then look no further. I’ve been to all of these places to drink and party and had a great time at all of them. Tulum is made for the night owls and the party animals. Whatever your flavor is, you’re gonna find it!

  1. Bagatelle – This is great for a day party at the beach and at night after dinner as well.
  2. BONBONNIERE – Great if you like elegant and classier beach clubs.
  3. Papaya Playa Project – One of the most popular beach clubs at night for their music.
  4. Vagalume – Also great for a day beach party as well as a night club.

Best Cenotes in the Riviera Maya

  1. Casa Cenote
  2. Cenote Azul
  3. Cenote Casa Tortuga
  4. Cenote Calavera
  5. Cenote Taak Bi Ha
  6. Dos Ojos Cenote 
  7. Gran Cenote 

How To Get Around Tulum

  • By taxi – The taxi should cost $5USD or $100 Mexican Pesos. Don’t let them try and uncharge you.
  • By bike – You can rent a bike for $15USD or $300 Mexican Pesos a day on the Tulum Strip.
  • By combis – It costs 50 cents or $10 Mexican Pesos to ride this anywhere you wish down the street. You can find them because they’re big red and white vans that say “Collectivo” on the front.
  • By Rental Car – This is one of the easiest ways to get around Tulum on your own terms is via car rental. Just know you’ll be paying minimum $10-$15USD or $200-$300 Mexican Pesos to park your car.

Five Day Tulum Itinerary Map

This map was created with Wanderlog, the best travel planner app on iOS and Android

The Ultimate Tulum Itinerary for 5 Days 

I’ve been to a lot of places in Tulum and can confidently say that this is a place for young people, party animals, and bohemian spirits. When you arrive in Tulum, it will most likely be the afternoon so its great for beach time! 

Day One in Tulum

Be a Beach Bum at Playa Paraiso 

Your perfect Tulum itinerary should include a visit to one of the many gorgeous beaches with picturesque turquoise waters. On your first day, enjoy the white sand beaches and sparkling blue waters of Playa Paraiso. It’s also famous for this leaning palm tree which I magnificently fell out of.

There’s a lot of beach clubs where you can rent beach chairs and umbrellas for the day. Don’t forget to treat yourself to a nice cold coconut too!

El Asadero 

El Asadero Restaurant is the perfect place for dinner in Tulum too. This is a fusion of Mexican and Argentinian food.

It’s steak house and has so many yummy menu items to choose from. They have a variety of meats to choose from including sirloin steak, rib-eye, and T-bone.

Day Two in Tulum

Breakfast at Kin Toh Azulik

Your second day in Tulum needs to have a visit to Azulik Restaurant for a delicious breakfast. The breakfast there is incredible and the views of the jungle make it even more magical.

The concept Azulik is built on is to add to nature. There is no A/C in this restaurant and it’s built using materials from Tulum to naturally keep it cool.

Have a Chill Day at Conestesia

Conestesia is my favorite Tulum Beach Club. Tulum travel always needs to include a day lounging at the beach, eating, drinking, swimming, and being merry. The food is decently priced, and they don’t have a minimum food and drink charge.

Dinner at Casa Banana 

In my not so humble opinion, Casa Banana is one of the best restaurants in Tulum. The food at this popular spot is exquisite.

Everything off the menu is incredible. This is an Argentinian fusion food restaurant. Their specialty is mezcal so take some shots while there!

Day Three in Tulum

Breakfast at Hotel Panamera 

I found Hotel Panamera while I was searching for unique things to do in Tulum. They offer breakfast and have this adorable old-style pool with yellow classic umbrellas.

Matcha Mama

Matcha Mama is a must for your Tulum itinerary. It’s one of the most Instagrammable places in Tulum. They have a variety of smoothies, smoothie bowls, and matcha drinks to choose from. I also love the little swing in the front.

Laguna de Kaan Luum 

A lot of people don’t know about Laguna de Kaan Luum and they should! People don’t realize seaweed season is the summer and this causes the beaches to stink and become overwhelmed by it.

If you want to escape and see beautiful clear waters, you HAVE to come here. It costs about $15USD to enter for the day.

Dos Ojos Cenote 

Dos Ojos Cenote is my favorite cenote in all of Tulum. In fact, I liked it so much, I went twice. The crystal-clear waters are blue and stunning.

In addition, I also recommend getting the pass for all three of the cenotes located in the park. It’s $35USD for the day to go cenote hopping.

This cenote also charges people who bring fancy DSLR cameras an extra fee. If I were you, I would lie and say you don’t have one and you just have your phone to spare yourself the headache and getting ripped off.

Dinner at Kitchen Table

Kitchen Table is a highly rated restaurant in Tulum. The motto of the restaurant is to have an “open kitchen” to welcome all their guests into a culinary experience. There is a variety of food on the menu including a variety of seafood dishes and in season fruits and vegetables.

Day Four in Tulum

On your fourth day in Tulum, I recommend a day trip to the surrounding areas. The Yucatan Peninsula offers beautiful places like Chichen Itza or the Tulum Ruins. You can rent a car and DIY it yourself or you can go on a guided tour.

I personally did it myself because I am familiar with the culture, the way of life, and what to do when I get into a pinch in Mexico. If you’re a little weary of doing it yourself, these are tours I recommend. 

Recommended Day Tours on the Yucatán Peninsula

Recommended DIY Day Itinerary

If going with a tour guide isn’t your thing and you really want to get into the local culture and local cuisine, then this is what I recommend doing. The first thing you should do is rent a car the night before.

You must get up early to go to Chichen Itza and explore before all the tour buses come in. In addition, Chichen Itza and the cenotes mentioned below surround the small town of Valladolid. I also recommend you bring a packed lunch and breakfast because you’re not going to have time to sit down and eat if you want to get to everything. 

Chichen Itza 

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a great place to see how the Mayan people lived. Chichen Itza is an archeological site with rich history many well-preserved buildings give insight into the sophisticated lifestyle of the ancient people.

This gorgeous pyramid is also considered one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World. 

Cenote Oxmán

This Cenote is super fun and they have a swing where you can jump into the Cenote from a platform. Because the water is so deep, you have to use a life jacket at all times. All in all, it’s very fun and I recommend you bring water shoes. It also costs about 150 Mexican Pesos ($8USD) to get in. 

Cenote Suytun

Cenote Suytun is always a good idea! Because the water here is so deep, you must also wear a life jacket. There’s a steep climb to the bottom so be careful and utilize those water shoes!

It costs 120 Mexican Pesos ($7USD) to enter. Go around 1pm when the sun shines through the sinkhole roof to get amazing photos like I did. 

Explore Valladolid

After all that exploring, I’m sure you’re gonna be famished. For dinner, go to the local restaurant El Tigrillo. (Well, it’s more like a food cart with seats around it.) They have some of the best tacos and tortas in the city with meat marinated to perfection!

Valladolid is the ideal spot to spend some free time shopping and learning about the local culture. Go to el Centro de Valladolid Yucatan and get a picture with the beautiful church like I did.

If you want to visit only Valladolid and Las Coloradas, then I recommend this tour here. If you don’t know, Las Coloradas is a pink lagoon on the peninsula. These are man-made salt lakes which have a specific type of algae that gives the very saline water its color. 

Day Five 

Ahau Tulum For Breakfast

On your last day you gotta go out with a bang! They also have a great beach club if you’re looking to just relax on your last day. It also comes highly rated as one of the best places to stay in Tulum! 

Ven a La Luz 

Ven a la Luz is a gorgeous art structure in the form of a woman baring her chest and inside everything is in bloom. This beautiful 33-foot wooden sculpture by South African artist Daniel Popper, meaning “Come to the Light”.

Follow That Dream Sign 

This is another popular landmark in Tulum and is located in front of a trendy boutique called Lolita Lolita Tulum. I love this sign in particular because it always reminds me to follow my own dreams.

Recommended Last Day Trips

Your Tulum adventure is up to you! You can spend another day traversing the beautiful beaches, do a snorkeling tour, or go on another day tour. Also, if you want food for your Instagram, check out my guide on the Most Instagrammable Places in Tulum for great places to take photos. 

I hope you really loved this Tulum travel guide!

This post contains affiliate links which means at no additional cost to you, I make a small commission to help keep Gina Bear’s Blog running. Thanks for your support!

Solo Female Travel E-Book

Want to take that solo trip?

In this book you’ll get access to the top solo female travel tips, safety advice, and three destinations perfect for solo female travelers!

Related Posts

| 0 comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.