10 Essential Tulum Tips: What to Know Before Visiting Tulum
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Planning a trip to Tulum? You’re probably picturing swaying palm trees, snorkeling in the turquoise sea, jumping into cenotes, and spending your days with a green juice in hand. Essentially, paradise.
The first time I visited Tulum, I left feeling extremely confused because it wasn’t at all what I expected. The second time, I stayed for two months as a digital nomad in Tulum and got to see more of its underbelly.
It was during this time that I discovered that the Tulum you see on social media often leaves people feeling blindsided.
Instead of a perfect, paradisical beach destination, many visitors leave disturbed by the lack of harmony with both nature and the local people.
When planning a trip to Tulum, it’s important to do a bit of research first for tips on what to know before you go.
One of the best things we can do as travelers is to go prepared. This doesn’t mean following an itinerary “to a T” (although, feel free to read my Tulum itinerary recommendations), as much as it means traveling aware.
So, to help you make the most of your trip, I’m sharing a dozen essential Tulum tips in this guide!
Read more below to discover what you should know before you visit Tulum.
10 Essential Tips for Traveling to Tulum
1. Don’t buy into the greenwashing
While social media projects Tulum as an eco-friendly destination, that’s not exactly true.
One of the biggest problems the community of Tulum is facing is greenwashing.
Greenwashing is, in short, a false way of advertising that a business, product, hotel, etc., is sustainable when it’s actually a facade to draw in unsuspecting travelers.
Tulum’s greenwashing is harmful, so it’s important to question the things you see marked as “eco-friendly.”
For instance, many of the hotels located along the beach—the coveted “Hotel Zone”—will look, feel, and advertise eco-conscious values. In reality, many of these hotels run on diesel generators because this part of town isn’t connecting to the central Tulum Pueblo.
While there are some exceptions (e.g. Papaya Playa Project ) many of the hotels in Tulum’s boho-chic Hotel Zone falsely claim to be sustainable.
I’ve done my best to round up true eco-friendly hotels in Tulum, in case you are looking for sustainable accommodation for your trip!
In short, my first Tulum tip is to stay aware of greenwashing and do your best to travel ethically and responsibly.
You can learn more about the underbelly of Tulum in this very insightful documentary — well worth your time!
Click play to watch it here:
2. Protect your trip with travel medical insurance
My second tip for Tulum is to make sure you have travel insurance. Specifically, travel medical insurance!
Whether traveling to Mexico or elsewhere, having travel medical insurance is essential in the event of illness or an emergency.
Most plans cover $100,000’s in care and will even repatriate you back to your home country in the event of a natural disaster or serious injury.
I personally use and recommend SafetyWing travel medical insurance (I’ve been insured since 2018!).
It costs just $56/4 weeks and will cover your life and your trip to Tulum in case of emergency.
The perks of SafetyWing are plentiful but, essentially, it’s a nomad-friendly travel medical insurance that is cheap and versatile.
Signing up takes just under five minutes (I counted when my sister got it for our trip to Costa Rica). So don’t wait, get insured now.
Be wary of which travel insurance you choose, and be sure to read the fine print. Some options won’t cover activities like riding motorbikes or have limited coverage for experiences like scuba diving.
3. Avoid renting a car, unless you have to (bike or scooter around instead)
This next Tulum tip might be a little controversial, but I’m here to tell you how it is!
Bike, don’t drive, in Tulum!
While getting to Tulum from Cancún via rental car is easy, navigating around Tulum is (or can be) a headache.
Depending on when you visit Tulum, traffic backup is awful.
Many unknowing tourists who rent a car for their Tulum trip end up sitting in traffic for well over two hours—all just to get to the beach zone for dinner or back.
It’s not just that traffic is terrible for car pile-ups, but cars are awful for parking. Parking in Tulum’s Hotel Zone is extremely limited.
If you’re a solo traveler or a couple, skip the car rental and get around by renting a scooter or by renting a bike.
However, if you are traveling with friends or family, I understand those options aren’t very convenient. In that case, a rental car might not be avoidable.
You can try to avoid the traffic and parking headaches by going early to attractions and avoiding peak travel times (e.g., sunset).
Taxis, while a good alternative, still involve waiting in traffic and can be pricey.
This is why scooters and bicycles are great alternatives for saving both time and money (not to mention biking is more eco-friendly), but it all depends on what activities in Tulum you wish to see and do.
Feel free to drop me a comment below if you have a special circumstance and aren’t sure what would be best for your group! 👇
4. Not all cenotes are created equal
Tulum’s cenotes are probably one of the reasons you’re planning a trip here in the first place. And I don’t blame you!
The cenotes around Tulum are some of the best and most beautiful in the Yucatán Peninsula.
That said, not all are created equal.
In fact, some of the most popular cenotes are far from the best. They can be costly and crowded, spoiling your experience.
I highly recommend getting off the beaten path and visiting the lesser-known cenotes.
Guided cenote tours might be a good option if you want to visit a mix of popular and off-beat cenotes, and transport is included.
You can also check out my cenote guides below if you wish to visit on your own:
- 🌿 Cenotes Cristal y Escondido in Tulum
- 💀 Jumping in Cenote Calavera (Temple of Doom) in Tulum, Mexico
- 🦇 How to Visit the Coba Cenotes: Exploring the Mayan Underworld
- 🐊 Diving in Casa Cenote with “Pancho” the Crocodile
⚠️ No sunscreen—even biodegradable sunscreen—is allowed in the cenotes. The cenotes of Tulum (and the Yucatán Peninsula) are becoming increasingly polluted and contaminated with chemicals from our body products (and even human feces due to pollution). Please respect local regulations and RINSE OFF before entering the cenotes.
5. You can eat street food, but don’t drink the water
So many first-timers to Mexico wonder if they’ll get sick eating street food.
The answer: Maybe? But it depends.
Have you ever eaten street food before? How sensitive is your stomach? You might want to ask yourself these questions ahead of your trip.
From what I have seen, the street food in Tulum (especially at night in Tulum Pueblo/the street food market) is pretty sanitary. I typically avoid meat, which may help.
You might want to stick to restaurants and cafes if you have a sensitive tummy!
Talk to your doctor before your trip to see if they have any tips for keeping your stomach happy on the road.
The water in Tulum, like most other parts of Mexico, is not safe to drink. There’s a very high likelihood that you’ll get sick if you drink it.
Tulum already has a massive plastic waste and garbage problem, leakage from which is seeping into the underground cenotes. Please carry your own water bottle instead of buying single-use bottles when out exploring.
Your hotel should have free water fill-ups, and you can also ask restaurants when you go out for “safe” tap water, which actually comes from the big blue jugs.
6. Stay in Tulum Town if you are on a budget (or want a more local experience)
I think the actual town of Tulum (Tulum Pueblo) is way more interesting than the Tulum Beach Zone.
This is where most of the locals live and has arguably the best restaurants in Tulum.
This area is also cheaper to stay in versus the Hotel Zone. Everything is less expensive, actually—the food, hotels, rentals, shopping, taxis, etc.
If you want a mix of boho-chic vibes but want proximity to town for activities and adventuring, check out TerraNova Boutique Hotel, located in the La Veleta neighborhood (0.9 mi from Tulum Centro).
There’s also lots of interesting Tulum street art in the town, painted by local artists.
There’s also lot’s of interesting Tulum street art in the town, painted by local artists.
7. The best time to visit is during the shoulder seasons
Which one would you prefer avoiding—crowds or hurricanes?
Tough choice, right? 😉
The best time to visit Tulum is between November and May. Avoid the holidays if possible.
Tulum is crazy popular as it is, but the holidays are insane.
Avoid visiting Tulum in December and January for less crowds and better availability of activities and accommodation—and cheaper prices.
The end of October and beginning of November offer a quieter experience of Tulum. Unfortunately, you do risk experiencing a late hurricane (as we did when living there).
Tulum starts to get warmer and more pleasant in the spring, and crowds will come and go. Avoid the Easter holidays, too, if you can.
While summer will probably be a less crowded time to visit, it’s also the most humid, hottest, and rainiest time of year as it’s Tulum’s wet (and hurricane) season.
8. Visit the public beaches or get a beach club day pass
Private beach clubs own most of the beaches in Tulum. This means it can be very expensive to stick your toes in the sand! 👣
Luckily, Tulum also has a large public beach, which actually blends into three different beaches.
For simplicity’s sake, pop Playa Paraíso (Paradise Beach) in your GPS and head there.
It takes about 20–25 minutes by bike from Tulum Pueblo to Playa Paraíso or 15 minutes by car.
I would also recommend visiting the public beach after a morning spent exploring the Tulum Archaeological Ruins because they are close together.
For beach club passes on the opposite end of the Tulum Hotel Zone, where the luxury resorts are, you can expect to pay upward of $100–$200 a day.
Ziggy’s Beach Club is the least expensive (at around $50 USD for entry), but that doesn’t include food, and reviews are mixed.
🏖 If you’re going to splurge on a private beach club pass, I recommend treating yourself at either Habitas, Papaya Playa, or Alaya by Ahau.
9. Avoid wandering into unfamiliar streets alone and at night
Tulum is generally safe, but like anywhere in the world, you should always equip yourself with the best safety practices.
To stay safe in Tulum, I recommend:
- Staying aware of yourself and others, always
- Keeping in touch with the local situation/news on the ground
- Not walking alone at night
- Telling a friend where you are/what you are doing
- Not getting super drunk in public
- Hiding your valuables
- Asking for help from locals inside shops/restaurants if you need assistance
- Taking guided tours if you feel insecure about exploring on your own
- Getting a Mexican SIM card if you need data, and are traveling solo or for an extended period
- Not leaving anything valuable in your car rental or vehicle
- Trusting your gut and intuition — it’s usually right
Lastly, it’s wise to keep note of emergency numbers in Tulum.
- Tulum General Hospital: +52 (984) 871 2271
- Touristic Police: +52 (984) 849 7133
- Firefighters: +52 (984) 871 2055
- Traffic police: +52 (984) 802 5459
10. Don’t purchase drugs off the street (teens will offer)
Tourists in Tulum are easy targets for drug tourism.
Don’t be shocked if a teenager whispers things like, “ Quieres weed ” or “ Coca, amigo? “
If you can buy cocaine in the middle of the busiest street in Tulum Pueblo, in front of dozens of other people, then you know the illegal drug trade is rampant.
Tragically, this illegal drug trade is what brought bullets into Tulum and caused multiple deadly shootouts in 2021 and 2022.
Don’t buy or support this harmful trade that’s corrupting the community and killing locals and tourists alike.
And stay away from illegal jungle parties.
If you want to party in Tulum, do so mindfully back at your hostel or at legal events.
Of course, this is just a tip and message to be careful!
Please have fun and enjoy Tulum to the fullest.
More Tulum guides to help prepare for your trip:
- What to Wear in Tulum: The Perfect Packing List
- The Complete Guide to Scuba Diving in Tulum, Mexico
- 12 Epic Day Trips From Tulum You Can’t Miss
- What’s the Cost of Living in Tulum Mexico?
If you have questions about what to know before visiting Tulum, please leave your comments/thoughts below.