How to Spend One Week in Tulum, Mexico

I just recently came back from a trip to the hippie town of Tulum, located on the Mexican coast. Tulum has been an upcoming vacation spot for many backpackers, nomads, and tourists and now I can understand why. This town has so much to offer and there are a ton of things to do and see. I was absolutely blown away by the scenes of this place and I definitely could have spent more time exploring Tulum’s backyard. Below I have laid out my entire itinerary for the week to help guide you in planning your next adventure!

GETTING THERE

I flew from the Philadelphia International Airport with American Airlines. I found a round-trip flight to Cancun for just under $200. It was a short four hour plane ride to get there. Once arriving in Cancun, I met up with my friend and then we hopped on an ADO bus (you can buy your ticket once you get there, or online ahead of time) to Tulum. The journey from Cancun to Tulum is about a two hour drive and it cost about $20. We found that this was the cheapest and safest option. Once arriving in Tulum, we had about a ten minute walk to our hostel which was located right in downtown Tulum.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed in the heart of Tulum at a hostel called Che Tulum Hostel & Bar. I booked it on HostelWorld and only spent about $100 for my week’s stay ($14 a night). Since traveling, I have found hostels to be the cheapest and best options when it comes to a place to stay, especially if you are solo traveling. It is a great way to meet people from all over the world! My stay here was the absolute best hostel experience I have ever had. They offer a ton of group outings every day and different activities every night. There was always something going on! Che is known to be quite the party hostel, so if you are looking for something more quiet on your trip, I would consider looking elsewhere. As many of you know, I do not drink anymore but I still found my stay at Che to be amazing. The workers were great and understanding of my sobriety and they really made me feel included when it came to the drinking activities. Only having a week to explore Tulum, we decided to join in on all of the group outings that they offered every day! Of course, you can visit these places on your own time as well, but we decided to do it as a group to meet more people and not get lost along the way.

EXCURSIONS

Cenote Jardine del Eden

A cenote is a natural watering hole where you can swim, cliff jump, snorkel or scuba dive. The Yucatán Peninsula is home to around 6,000 centoes, so this is just one of the many located near Tulum. The cenotes can get pretty crowded so I suggest getting there early to beat the crowds.

Entry fee: 200 pesos ($9.86)

Laguna Kaan Luum

A true hidden gem in Tulum. This lagoon was the perfect spot for a relaxing afternoon. They had swings and hammocks in the water, you could kayak or paddle board there, or simply just lay out and enjoy the breathtaking views.

Entry fee: 300 pesos ($14.78)

Xpuha Beach

One of the many beaches located near Tulum. White sand, clear blue waters, and good company is all you need for a perfect day spent here.

Entry fee: 50 pesos ($2.46)

Ven a la Luz

A sculpture that has become very popular in Tulum is located at Ahau Tulum Beach Club. She is made out of wood and rope and is opening her heart for those who visit. The name of the sculpture translates to Come Into The Light.

Entry fee: 60 pesos ($2.96)

Tulum Beach

Located near many of the beach clubs and restaurants, this was another beautiful beach to spend the day at.

Entry fee: free

Caleta Tankah Beach Club and Cenote

This was a private beach that had a restaurant/bar, beach games, a natural rock pool, and a jungle cenote. What more could you ask for?

Entry fee: 300 pesos ($14.78)

Akumal Beach

Also known as Turtle Beach. Just as beautiful as the other beaches, but with the added bonus of swimming and snorkeling with turtles here!

Entry fee: 120 pesos ($5.91) - Extra if you want to swim/snorkel with the turtles!

EATS

Restaurants:

CoConAmor- vegetarian/vegan

Botanical Garden- organic food with vegan options

Raw Love Cafe- heart healthy foods

Prieto- brunch foods

Burrito Amor- the best burritos in town

Las Margaritas- authentic Mexican

Street Food:

La Cordobesita- vegan Mexican

Las Miches- smoothies

Monkeys Juice Bar- organic and healthy food options

Palma Central- every type of cuisine you can imagine

NIGHTLIFE

Che Tulum Hostel & Bar - different events every night (beer pong tournament, karaoke, salsa, sunday funday pool parties, etc.) and they’re open until 12am

Strawhat Hostel - rooftop bar that’s open until 2am

Santinos - three levels of partying that’s open until 3am

Romero - after hours that’s open until 6am

Palma Central- along with the street food vendors, they do Salsa night every tuesday until 11pm

OTHER INFORMATION

The hostel also had a pool, so I spent time swimming and reading by the pool in the mornings. Being located in downtown Tulum, we were just short walking distances away from everything: street food, restaurants, bars, and shopping. To get to the excursions, we took a collectivo (public shuttle bus) or taxis-both of which are located all around Tulum. Some places do accept USD, but I would exchange your money to pesos before arriving for your trip. Mexico did not have any restrictions upon arrival and since I am a US citizen, all I needed was a negative test one day before flying back home. Tulum has many testing centers and a rapid test is just $35.

As I mentioned before, these are just the places that I visited while in Tulum. There were still a plethora of things I wanted to see and do so its safe to say that my first trip to Mexico will certainly not be my last. I hope you find my itinerary helpful when planning your next adventure to the beautiful town of Tulum, Mexico!