The Ultimate Tulum Itinerary: How to Plan the Most Epic Tulum Trip

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Looking for the perfect Tulum itinerary to help you plan your Tulum vacation, bachelorette, or solo trip?

I’ve got you covered!

After living in Tulum for many months, I curated multiple itineraries to help you make the most of your time (and money) in and around this beloved Riviera Maya town.

Whether you plan to spend three days, five days, or one week (or even more) in Tulum, you’ll have all the best things to do curated into itineraries right here at your fingertips!

If you’ve already booked your flights and car rental, you’re one step closer to sticking your toes in the sand at Playa Paraiso and exploring Tulum Town’s buzzing food scene.

All that is left to do is map out what you want to do and see during your time in Tulum.

In just 3 to 5 days, you could easily check off all of Tulum’s highlights, splash in a handful of cenotes, and include a fun day trip from Tulum to the nearby Coba ruins and other incredible Riviera Maya destinations.

With one week in Tulum (or even longer), you’ll have plenty of time to fully explore this vibrant city in the Riviera Maya and go on at least a few day trips a bit further afield in the Yucatan Peninsula.

From a quick 3-day trip to two weeks in paradise, this is your ultimate Tulum itinerary!

The Ultimate Tulum, Mexico Itinerary

Practical Tips & Resources for Tulum:

✈️ Find affordable flights to Cancun, Mexico on KAYAK from $99+

🚗 Rent a car from Cancun to Tulum on Discovercars.com

🏠 Stay at one of these eco-boutique hotels in Tulum 

🎒 Pack water, a cute day backpack, and wear comfy walking shoes (psst… they’re sustainable!)

📸 Bring your SonyA7iii and all-around 24-70mm travel lens for epic shots!

🛡 Insure your Tulum adventures with SafetyWing, the global travel medical insurance for nomads (starting at just $56/4 weeks)

🖼 Book with GetYourGuide for fun activities in Tulum and beyond

How Many Days in Tulum Do You Need?

Deciding how many days you’ll need in Tulum is difficult. This is because you could spend months here and not see everything!

How many days you need in Tulum depends on your “can’t-miss stops” and the things you’re okay with skipping.

If you plan to spend most of your time exploring the center of town and the beach strip, I recommend spending five days in Tulum.

Within that time, you can explore and float the Muyil canals “lazy river” inside the beautiful Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, hit up Tulum’s beautiful beach, and eat your way through plenty of fish tacos.

With a 7-day itinerary in Tulum or more, you’ll have plenty of time to do all that and tack on some incredible day trips like swimming with sea turtles off Akumal beach or going on an exciting mini road trip across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

You could even plan to spend a day on a nearby island like Cozumel or Isla Holbox!

What’s the Fastest Way to Get to Tulum?

The best way to get to Tulum and start soaking up every minute of your itinerary is to fly into Cancun and then take a bus for $25 or rent a car.

Buses from the Cancun Airport will cost around $25 USD ($440 MXN) one way, while rental cars start at $24 USD per day.

I’d recommend renting a car depending on how long you stay and what you want to do in Tulum. This will give you more freedom to take day trips and is an even better option if you have friends with whom to share the cost! 

Another option is to take the bus to Tulum, and then, to avoid the hassle of parking a car, you could rent a bicycle or a scooter in Tulum.

Where to Stay to Make the Most of Your Days in Tulum

People often come to Tulum and stay in the Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera — aka the beach strip), but unless you want to spend LOTS of time at the beach, I’d recommend you stay in Tulum Pueblo, the city’s downtown.

Another option is to stay on the outskirts of this area in the up-and-coming expat neighborhood of La Veleta. There are lots of neat Airbnbs and well-equipped digital nomad coworking spaces.

I recommend you stay in Pueblo or nearby simply because the beach area of Tulum feels so far away from most of the other activities.

Also Read: 9 Best Eco Boutique Hotels in Tulum 🌿

Many people don’t realize it’s a good 20-minute drive from Tulum Pueblo to the beach zone and that, once you’re there, traffic is often a nightmare. You could get stuck for 2 hours just trying to get to and from your hotel.

You’ll want to remember this when planning and booking your stay in Tulum!

Read More: The Ultimate Digital Nomad Guide to Tulum 💻

The Perfect Tulum Itinerary for 3 to 5 Days

From jumping in Tulum’s cenotes to relaxing on a white sand beach, here are the best things to do if you have 3 to 5 days in Tulum.

Day 1: Explore Tulum Pueblo & Its Street Art

If you’re looking to take it easy after your flight and drive, I recommend spending your first moments exploring the downtown area of Tulum Pueblo.

One of my favorite ways to explore is by renting a bike in Tulum (cost $150-200 pesos) and riding around town. There are easy, bike-friendly streets and even a bike lane that crosses downtown. Hop on and off to check out the shops and restaurants.

One of the best things to do by bike is go on a unique DIY Tulum street art tour.

Not only will the colorful murals lead you down some of the coolest streets in town, but you’ll also get to witness tidbits of local life that you don’t get to see in the Hotel Zone.

If you arrive at night, there’s a sprawling street food market you can hit up to taste authentic Mexican fare, or head to the touristy streets where you’ll find gastropubs and mezcal bars.

👉 Read more essential Tulum tips here!

Where to eat for lunch or dinner on Day 1: La Hoja Verde (outdoor vegetarian/vegan restaurant) or TU (cozy Mexican gastropub)

Day 2: Tulum Ruins + Beach

You can’t possibly come to Tulum and NOT want to splash in the turquoise-blue Caribbean Sea!

While some visitors might want to make a beeline for the beach on your first day, I recommend saving it for your second.

You’ll want to arrive early to beat the crowds, and who likes to feel rushed on your first day? Instead, wake up early and head straight for the beach on day two! 

The best beaches in Tulum are the accessible (free) public beaches near the Tulum Ruins.

Playa Paraiso, Playa Santa Fe, and Playa Pescadores merge to form one very long white sand beach.

You’ll need a car, scooter rental, or bicycle to get there, as walking would take well over an hour.

After swimming and sunning on these beautiful beaches, head for the Tulum Ruins. 

A self-guided tour of the magical Tulum Ruins will take around 2 hours.

This archeological site is quite large, so you’ll be walking a lot (wear a hat or sunscreen since there isn’t much shade). Starting at the ruins and then cooling off at the beach isn’t a bad idea either! 

When you do head for Playa Paraiso, grab delicious fish tacos at La Villa Pescadores, a beachfront restaurant and hotel with amazing views. 

You can chow down on your food with your toes in the sand. There’s no better way to debut your Tulum itinerary!

To finish the day, I recommend exploring Tulum’s famous—yet often overcrowded—Hotel Zone.

Check out the free museum in Azulik and head up to the rooftop nests at Kin Toh to watch the sunset.

Day 3: Cenotes!

Another activity you absolutely can’t miss out on in Tulum is jumping in the Tulum cenotes.

Cenotes are flooded limestone sinkholes. There are over 6,000 cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula!

To enjoy your time in the Tulum cenotes, my most important tip is to GO EARLY! Right at opening time is best. Cenotes aren’t as enjoyable when you must share them with dozens of others. 😉

Some of my favorite (and highly recommended) cenotes to include in your Tulum itinerary are:

• Cenote Calavera
• Gran Cenote
• Cenotes Cristal y Escondido
• Casa Cenote

We actually did a Discovery Dive in Casa Cenote and got to see Pancho, the crocodile, and lots of freshwater and saltwater wildlife like crabs, lobsters, and barracudas! 🐊

It was amazing, and I highly recommend it! (Also, you can go snorkeling or just swimming here—the cenote is so beautiful and cuts through the mangroves in the jungle.)

Note: If your Tulum itinerary ends here on Day 3, you could hit up 2-3 cenotes in the morning and then rent a bike and cruise down Tulum’s Hotel Zone so you can fit in more experiences like taking pictures at the beautiful Ven A La Luz art fixture. You could also tuck a mini-tour of the Hotel Zone at the end of Day 2, depending on how long you want to stay at the public beaches.

Day 4: Muyil Ruins + Sian Ka’an Lagoon Float

For your fourth day in Tulum, head for the stunning Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.

Here, you can float down ancient Mayan canals on the Muyil float, cross turquoise lagoons by boat, and explore Maya ruins. 

Drive 15-20 minutes south of Tulum until you reach the Muyil Ruins.

These are another Mayan archaeological site, but unlike the Tulum Ruins, these are hidden under a leafy forest canopy.

The real highlight of this miniature day trip from Tulum, though, is taking a boat tour and skirting across the lagoons inside Sian Ka’an before jumping out to float down an ancient Mayan trading route!

👉 Book a tour to Sian Ka’an on GetYourGuide  

👉 Book it on Viator

To have the whole experience—exploring Muyil, taking the boat tour, and climbing the watchtower—you’ll need around 3 hours. It’s best to start your day around 8-9 AM and finish up at noon so you can head back to town and grab lunch.

Day 5: Ancient City of Coba (+ Cave Cenotes)

No 5-day Tulum itinerary is complete without a visit to the nearby ancient Mayan city of Coba and its underground Coba cenotes.

Coba is a bit further away from Tulum (45-50 minutes driving) but is doable for a day trip.

Here, you’ll get to walk or ride a bike around one of the most mystical Mayan ruins sites. You’ll get to see an ancient, well-preserved Mayan ball court and hieroglyphics, and even climb atop one of the pyramids for an epic look out over the jungle.

After grabbing lunch in the village, head to the underground cave cenotes of Multum-Ha, Choo-Ha, and Tankach-Ha.

Day 6: Fly Home or Rest Day

If you only have five days in Tulum, your trip will end here.

You’ll likely head back to the Cancun Airport and be on your way, so I hope the above itinerary helps plan your trip!

If you’re staying longer than five days in Tulum, read on for more adventures!!

Since Days 1-5 are packed with activities, I suggest taking day 6 to breathe and chill at the pool or beach.

Consider it a “free” day!

An Extended Tulum Itinerary for 7-10 Day Trips

Day 7: Laguna Kaan Luum & Cenotes

Laguna Kaan Luum is a gorgeous and massive lagoon just outside of Tulum.

It has incredible, picturesque views and a deep cenote at its core, similar to what you’d see in Belize’s “Blue Hole.”

You can swim here, sit on the dock, or take epic drone pictures of the swings in the water. I believe you are no longer allowed to swim “over” the hole since it’s so deep, but you’ll still be able to swim around it.

Also, close to Laguna Kaan Luum lie hidden two of my favorite cenotes: Cenote Cristal and Cenote Escondido.

Both are well worth visiting if you enjoy swimming in jungly, oasis-like open-air cenotes that don’t attract the same size of crowds as Grand Cenote or Dos Ojos.

They are also much cheaper to visit ($300 MXN total for entry to both or $150 MXN each).

Day 8 in Tulum: Scuba Diving or Snorkeling

Few places in the world rival Tulum’s scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities, given its incredible underground cave cenotes and the Mesoamerican Reef just off its shores.

Feeling adventurous?

I highly recommend doing a discovery scuba dive in Casa Cenote. Y

ou can also combine a cenote dive with an ocean dive, even without your PADI, and it’s simply a fantastic experience to include in your Tulum itinerary.

If you don’t have your PADI Open Water, you should consider getting it while in Tulum. I took a private course with a Dive Instructor and got mine over the course of two to three days.

Also, if you don’t feel comfortable diving, know that you can still go on snorkeling excursions to the reef and some of the cooler Tulum cenotes (like Dos Ojos).

Day 9: Day Trip to Chichen Itza & Valladolid

If this is your first time visiting the Yucatan Peninsula, you should consider driving the 1.5 to 2-hour trip to Chichen Itza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

This Mayan archaeological site is famous for good reason; it’s one of the most significant and most well-preserved Mayan cities to visit in Mexico.

On your way, you will also get the chance to stop by the charming colonial city of Valladolid.

Depending on your time, it’s worth spending a few hours here.

As you just cross over state lines from Quintana Roo to Yucatan, you should wander around the town and eat in a traditional restaurant to taste the staple dishes from the region, like cochinita pibil and sopa de lima.

While in Valladolid, you can also take the opportunity to visit Suytun Cenote (with the light beam and platform) or get a rush of adrenaline as you jump into Cenote Zaci!

Day 10: Spend the Day at a Beach Club in Tulum

If you plan to spend a full 10 days in Tulum, I’d recommend hitting up a beach club to chill on your last day (or whenever your final day is).

Beach clubs in Tulum are trendy because they give you access to the “private” beaches located in front of the hotels.

You can normally only access them if you pay an entrance fee or spend enough at the on-site restaurant to count toward your admission price.

Some of the best beach clubs, like Habitas or Papaya Playa Project, have a $100 minimum fee in addition to whatever you spend on food and drinks inside the club.

However, if you’re willing to face the costs, those two will leave you speechless.

The third best beach club I’d recommend is Ahau — the one behind the Ven A La Luz statue and next to Raw Love (a popular organic cafe).

If you’re spending more than ten days in Tulum, below are more recommendations for what to do and see!

How to Spend Your Extra Days (2 Weeks in Tulum)

If your trip to Tulum lasts between 11 and 14 days, then that gives you plenty of time to do more day trips and overnights on a nearby tropical island and harder-to-reach destinations.

Bacalar is my next most recommended trip in a longer Tulum itinerary.

If you love Tulum, you’ll equally love Bacalar.

You may love this gem of a town even more.

This official “Magic Town” is a two-hour drive south of Tulum.

Its main attraction is its vibrant Lagoon of Seven Colors, ideal for kayaking, swimming, and snorkeling. The town itself is rather sleepy but has a few hidden gems, such as organic cafes, eco-glamping hotels, cenotes, and Spanish fort ruins.

Playa del Carmen is another option for spending a day out of Tulum, but one that’s a bit closer to home.

The vibe here is a bit different from that of Tulum. It’s more developed, touristy, and flashy.

From Playa del Carmen, you can also take a quick 30-minute ferry to the island of Cozumel, where you can go scuba diving on the incredible reef or explore the island’s virgin beaches by jeep.

Lastly, if you’re planning on wrapping up your Tulum itinerary with an easy overnighter in Cancun (to get to the airport faster), consider going a day in advance.

This way, you can hop over to the incredible Isla Mujeres, located just off the shores of Cancun’s coastline.

On the island, you can swim with whale sharks, visit a turtle rescue center, rent a golf cart and tour the island for the best scenic lookouts.

With two weeks or more in Tulum, Mexico, I’d recommend all the above, but at a slower pace.

If you’ve already done everything, then I’d recommend also adding to your itinerary either:

• A road trip around the Yucatan Peninsula;
• Visiting Merida (the capital of Yucatan state);
• Spending a few days on the paradisical, hippie island of Isla Holbox, where you can swim with whale sharks, witness bioluminescent plankton, and enjoy evenings of surprisingly awesome pizza and sangria;
• Camping in the Campeche jungle and visiting Calakmul’s ancient Mayan ruins.

Of course, feel free to insert these suggestions into your Tulum itinerary. However, note that the four destinations above are further away and take longer to experience, so copy and paste them into a shorter trip itinerary with caution!

Final Responsible Travel Tips for Vacationing in Tulum

Tulum, Mexico, is undoubtedly an incredible place to visit, but overtourism is becoming overly prevalent there.

Plastic pollution and greenwashing are rampant.

Please be extra thoughtful of your consumption behavior and aware of your impact when you stay in a hotel—especially in the chic Hotel Zone, where many “eco-friendly hotels” use diesel generators 24/7 to power their property and dump their sewage in the mangroves.

For more information about this issue, read my ultimate guide to Tulum and review my recommendations for sustainable hotels.

And be sure to use reef-friendly biodegradable sunscreen for swimming in the ocean so as to not contribute to the detriment of the reef.

To preserve the fragile ecosystem of the cenotes, don’t wear sunscreen (even if it’s biodegradable).

Lastly, support the locals and always consider that what you buy, where you stay, and who you hire for tours all have long-lasting impacts on the community and environment. 🌿

Please pass on this detailed Tulum itinerary with a friend!

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