Tulum travel guide

Be at the gate of the Tulum ruins for the 8am opening, before the coaches from Cancún arrive, and pack swimwear for the cove below El Castillo.

Then head south. The beach road runs out at Sian Ka’an, a biosphere reserve of empty beaches, lagoons and mangroves, and honestly one of my favourite spots around Tulum. Inland, the jungle ruins of Muyil lead to a lagoon where boats take you to a Maya canal you can float down in a life jacket.

Give an afternoon to Azulik Uh May, a jungle art complex of woven wood and curving walkways, snorkel with green turtles in Akumal Bay with an authorised guide, and look past the big-name cenotes for a quieter swim. Start one morning with cochinita pibil tacos at Taqueria Honorio in town, and end the day by a fire pit on the sand. All twelve of my favourites are in my guide to things to do in Tulum.

Three or four days covers the essentials: the ruins and the beach on day one, Sian Ka’an on day two, Muyil and Azulik Uh May on day three, and a fourth for Akumal or the ruins of Cobá. My Tulum itinerary has the day-by-day plan.

Tulum also works as the start and finish of a longer trip: it’s where my two-week Mexico road trip begins and ends.

Look past the famous cenotes for a smaller one, like the cenote at Nativus near the southern end of the beach road, where the deck over the mangroves was my favourite place for sunset. It’s a small glamping site, so check it’s open to day visitors before you go. Further inland, the Maya city of Cobá spreads through the jungle, and its tallest pyramid, Nohoch Mul, can be climbed again by a wooden stairway.

Dishes to try

• Cochinita pibil: pork slow-cooked in achiote and sour orange until it shreds, best in tacos at breakfast
• Panuchos and salbutes: Yucatecan fried tortillas piled with shredded meat, pickled onion and avocado
• Ceviche and fish tacos: the beach road’s speciality

More in my guide to where to eat in Tulum.

Drinks to try

Rum mojitos made with fresh-pressed sugar cane at Batey in town, mezcal cocktails on the beach road, and an agua fresca or an ice-cold beer with your tacos.

Go to Taqueria Honorio for breakfast tacos (before 11am, as it sells out, and not on a Tuesday, when it’s closed), Hartwood for wood-fired dinners and Arca for open-fire cooking, and book both weeks ahead in high season. For drinks, Batey has live music and sugar-cane mojitos, and Nomade has its fire pit on the sand. Prices and opening hours are in my guide to where to eat in Tulum.

Tulum isn’t cheap by Mexican standards, especially on the beach road. Three tacos cost 60 to 90 pesos in town and 180 to 350 on the beach road. Entry to the Tulum ruins is 265 pesos for foreign visitors (since July 2026), Sian Ka’an charges 225 pesos per person per day and the Muyil ruins cost 145 pesos. Gran Cenote charged 500 pesos in 2026, and beach clubs set minimum spends of around 500 to 800 pesos.

Safety

Tulum is generally safe for visitors who take normal precautions, but there has been violent crime in the area, and the US authorities advise extra caution after dark across Quintana Roo. Watch your drink in bars and clubs, use registered taxis and avoid quiet areas late at night. Check your government’s travel advice before you go.

Health

Don’t drink the tap water: stick to bottled or filtered. Use strong repellent, as the mosquitoes are fierce around Muyil and the lagoons and dengue is present in the region. Never swim in the lagoons of Sian Ka’an, which are home to crocodiles; the float canal at Muyil is the one place to get in.

Tipping

Leave 10 to 15% at sit-down restaurants (check the bill first, in case service is already included) and tip guides and boat crews.

Tips for travelling

Carry pesos in small notes: taquerias, cenotes, reserve gates and colectivos usually want cash, though a few beach-road places only take cards. Use cash machines inside banks or big supermarkets rather than standalone ones on the street. Agree taxi fares before you get in, and expect a minimum spend of around 500 to 800 pesos per person for a beach club lounger. Hire a car for Sian Ka’an, Muyil and Cobá.

How to see the best for free

The beach is free if you use one of the public access points along the beach road rather than a beach club. The coast faces east, so get up for the sunrise over the sea, then hire a bike and cycle the flat road between the town and the beach.

Packing

• Reef-safe, biodegradable sun cream: many cenotes ask you to skip sun cream altogether
• Strong insect repellent, especially for Muyil and the lagoons
• Water shoes and a dry bag for cenotes and boat trips
• Pesos in small notes

Travel insurance

Make sure your policy covers swimming and snorkelling, plus driving if you hire a car for Sian Ka’an and the cenotes. Compare policies with AXA Travel Insurance.

Time zone

Tulum, like the rest of Quintana Roo, is on Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) all year, with no daylight saving, so it’s an hour ahead of Mexico City.

Electricity and adapters

Plugs are type A and B, at 127V and 60Hz.