Headed to Tulum? Check Out These Can’t-Miss Spots

A vacation in Tulum would not be complete without a visit to the Mayan Archaeological Site at Tulum National Park, which was built on a 12-meter cliff overlooking the Caribbean sea in the 13th-century (one of the earliest major ports in Mexico). Today, the ruins can be visited in isolation or with a guide– just avoid going at peak hours, as day trippers from Playa Del Carmen and patrons from visiting European cruise ships tend to flood the area on the weekends. Be sure to check out El Castillo, the iconic clifftop watchtower, which is one of the most photographed destinations in all of Mexico. Also of interest is El Templo de las Pinturas, which once housed religious ceremonies and now boasts a partially-restored mural of the building’s original red paint.

The Mayan Ruins of Tulum also overlook what has been described by travel critics as “the world’s most perfect beach”— a beautiful grotto of turquoise water and white sand, reachable only by a narrow wooden staircase drilled into the side of the cliff that overlooks it. Visitors can look down on locals swimming in the cerulean waters from the overlook– or they can hike down and go for a swim themselves.

Creeping vines pervade the lush, botanical jungles of Tulum. Go for a hike in the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka’an— a famous, protected wilderness– or hire a boat and swim with dolphins for an indelible look at a vast array of flora and fauna unique to the Mayan Riviera.

Iguanas are a staple of wildlife in Tulum; they say you have to see one before you leave the area, or else you’ll be cursed with bad luck! Be sure to keep an eye out for a lucky iguana at the Tulum ruins– they blend into the stones the temples are built from.

Sitting under a cabana on Tulum Beach is as close to paradise as one can get. One of my favorite ways to be more “active” on the beach is to work out with a trainer (many of the hotels offer private yoga classes) or to go for a long walk. The beautiful and rustic Alma Tulum Hotel has wooden swings for guests to enjoy right next to the botanical cocktail bar. There’s nothing more enjoyable than swinging with your boyfriend and a fresh-made, locally-sourced piña colada!

It wouldn’t be a visit to Tulum without relaxing in a hammock! Yucatan artists are are known for creating some of the finest hammocks in the world, and in Tulum they are best enjoyed in the late afternoon, when the sun starts to wane. Seek out a hamaca on Tulum Beach or lounge in your hotel’s private rest area under a banana leaf. If you get a chance to make it into town for a traditional mutalenos breakfast (which I’d also recommend doing), be sure to stop buy a (somewhat kitschy, but no less authentic) Mexican craft shop to buy a double-thread hammock, a craft staple of the area. They function beautifully in any indoor or outdoor space!

Hartwood Restaurant is one of the coolest restaurants in the world, hidden on the side of a quiet jungle road in the middle of nowhere, which is part of the charm. Eric Werner and Mya Henry founded the restaurant on a sleepy beach road in Tulum in 2011, and since then, it’s become a mythic and oft-whispered about destination among the foodie elite, famous for its jungle-foraged produce and fresh-caught seafood. There are pineapples strung like tiki lights and buckets of fresh sugar cane sliced at the bar. Heaps of watermelon, lime, and jicama adorn the prep table in front of the wood-fired kitchen– try Hartwood’s signature habanero margarita, the wood-fired wild chamomile beets, or get the Punta Allen octopus (a local delicacy that tastes like duck crossed with lobster). There’s no electricity at Hartwood, either; food is cooked on an open flame and ice is delivered 3 times a day for refrigeration.

Shopping on Beach Road in Tulum is lovely at night. This is a great place to buy bags, dreamcatchers, high-quality knitted clothing, and other artisanal goods emblematic of the region– but really you can’t go wrong just by walking around after dark and taking in the convivial atmosphere. Window shop the goods laid out on the porches in front of each shop, or find a place to grab a drink and enjoy live music until the sun comes up.

Tulum’s own Origami Icecream sells locally-sourced, regionally-flavored gelato in captivating flavors like Jungle Banana, Mexican Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Tulum Coconut (all sourced, as you can imagine, from the nearby jungle). Grab a seat in one of their street side beanbag chairs or hop on their complimentary WiFi for a brief reminder that the outside world still exists.