New Years In Tulum

Happy New Year friends!!! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday season and a wonderful New Year. I can’t believe we are finally in 2020, where did the time go!? One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is travel.. especially for NYE. My boyfriend and I decided a couple years ago that we would ideally like to ring in the New Year on vacation somewhere. Last year we did New Orleans with my sister and her BF and this year we decided on Tulum, with 4 of our other friends. We had booked this trip about 8 months in advance because everything gets booked up much earlier in the year. If you have never been to Tulum, all the hotels are boutique style, with only a select number of rooms, so if you’re looking to travel there during high season (right now), then booking far in advance is a must!

This was my second time in Tulum – I visited for the first time two years ago, right after New Years and if you’re interested in that blog post, you can read it HERE! I go into details about everything I learned going there for the first time. I will be sure to overlap some of the context in this post but give you guys an updated version of what to expect when visiting Tulum as well as answer some of your FAQs!

• Best time to visit Tulum/weather in Tulum:

  • The best time to visit Tulum, and pretty much that entire area of Mexico, is during their high season. High season begins in December and goes on until about April. During this time you can expect more crowds and pricier hotels. I would say December and January are the most popular times, and the hotels can be extremely pricy during those months. The weather during this time is great during the day. It is TYPICALLY dry and warm, however, during this trip it was much more humid and warmer than expected. You also get the occasional showers here and there but that is expected with anywhere tropical. During our trip, the highs were in the mid to high 80s and lows were in the mid 70s. It was perfect for me, however the humidity was a bit much. It also resulted in LOTS of mosquitos! Also, if you visit in the winter months, you won’t experience much seaweed. However if you go in the summer, you can expect the beach to be filled with seaweed so we always try to coordinate our trips to this part of Mexico in the winter!

• How to get to Tulum:

  • The best way to get to Tulum is to fly into Cancun Airport. From there, you will take a shuttle, taxi, car service etc. and head down south, passing Playa Del Carmen, Akumal, and eventually will hit Tulum after about a 2 hour drive. The transportation system from the airport can be confusing and overwhelming so I HIGHLY suggest booking your transportation before your trip, from a reliable and well reviewed company. I also think this is the most safe way to go about, because let’s be real, tourists are easy targets for any sort of crime so plan ahead of time!!

• What to do in Tulum:

  • Tulum is not just limited to the long strip that goes along the beach, but that is honestly where we spent most of our time! That is where you can find all the beautiful boutique hotels, the gorgeous white sand beach, and all the fun shops and restaurants. The entire strip is gorgeous and I would recommend spending a day exploring the entire area so you get to see everything! It is full of character and I love it so much. You can also rent bikes for about $5 bucks a day and bike everywhere! If you’re staying in the area, your hotel should offer bikes free of charge to get around. There are also taxi’s everywhere along the strip that can take you from one end to the other and in between. When I was there a couple years ago, we weren’t paying anymore than $5 bucks a way, however, this past trip we were paying around $15 each way and a premium on NYE. They have definitely increased their prices but you can always try and negotiate with the drivers. If you want the cheapest form of transportation, I suggest hoping on the Colectivos. These are little vans that you hop on and off wherever you want along Tulum for just a few bucks.
  • Aside from the main strip, I recommend doing day trips to visit any Cenotes, Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (Coba), The Tulum Ruins, or Chichen Itza. I visited Chichen Itza a few years ago, along with Cenote Ik Il and it was such a great experience. I highly recommend it!! See my post here from a few years ago in regards to that trip. You can also swim with turtles if you go closer to Akumal beach. During this trip, we visited the Tulum Ruins and Cenote Dos Ojos. The Tulum Ruins were cool to see and a great place for beautiful photography, however it gets very busy and hot and you walk A LOT. If you don’t enjoy sight seeing or history, I would skip this. We also visited Cenote Dos Ojos and it was beautiful, however, it is more of a place to visit if you are looking to scuba dive or snorkel. We didn’t do our research before so we were a bit disappointed with this because we weren’t doing either. If you’re looking for a beautiful Cenote to swim and take photos, I recommend Casa Tortuga. I wish we had a chance to visit it!
    

                                                                                                  Tulum Ruins

    • Eat and drink! The food is just BEYOND in Tulum. There wasn’t one thing I didn’t like! Everything was so so good (see a list of places to eat/drink below).
    • Visit the hotels if possible. Depending on the time of year you go and how busy it is, you can visit the other hotels in the area. Some are very exclusive, such as Casa Malca and Azulik, and you may not be able to get on the property unless you have a reservation or pay a fee! We spent our last day at Casa Malca because we wanted to see the  property and enjoy their pool + beach. It was around $110 USD minimum spend per person so we layed by the pool and ordered food + drinks till we hit the spend.
    • Enjoy the beautiful blue beaches with the most gorgeous white sand ever. Although the beach everywhere in Tulum is gorgeous, the further south you go, the more beautiful it gets IMO. The beach by Casa Malca, Nomade, and that area further south is unreal. It’s so white and the water is crystal blue!

• Where to stay in Tulum:

  • There are so many boutique hotels in Tulum, and every single one offers something different. There are also some luxury resorts not too far away as well. During this trip we booked a villa at Ana y Jose, because we all wanted to be together in one villa and this was the best option for us. While we spent our entire trip at the boutique hotel, during my last trip, I split my time between a boutique hotel on the strip and a resort about 15 minutes away.
  • If you’re looking for a luxury resort a little outside of the main area of Tulum, you’re going to want to check out the following:
    • Dreams Tulum: an all inclusive luxury resort, about 15-20 min. away from the main area.
    • Unico: Another gorgeous all inclusive resort, about 20 min. away from the main area. The property is brand new and stunning! I’ve heard a lot of great things about it and hope to visit one day. I know a lot of bloggers stay here as well.
    • Secrets Akumal: we stayed here a couple years ago and I’ve been to quite a few Secrets properties all over Mexico and have always been so happy. It is another all inclusive resort. The property is stunning, and huge. This was about 20 minutes away from the main area in Tulum. If you’re not into the eco-friendly lifestyle and want something more luxurious I totally recommend this resort!
  • If you’re looking to stay in the main area of Tulum, where everything is happening, but still want ‘luxury eco-friendly’, I recommend the following:
    • Be Tulum
    • Nest
    • Casa Malca (AKA Pablo Escobar Mansion and probably one of the nicest hotels there with the best beach)
    • Nómad
    • Azulik
    • La Zebra
    • Ana Y Jose: we stayed here during this trip and were very satisfied with the service and hospitality. I wouldn’t say it is as nice as somewhere like Casa Malca, but it was perfect for our group because we were looking for a large villa rather than individual rooms and they offered the best one at the best price during this season. I also liked the location because it wasn’t too far from all the great restaurants and it was walking distance to cute areas where you could get lunch or dinner. They also offered breakfast every morning with our stay and the beach was beautiful.
    • El Pez: this is where I stayed a couple years ago. Overall I thought it was great! El Pez is one of the first hotels you’ll see when you enter the Tulum strip so it is more north, meaning it’s much less crowded. At the time, I prefered that because although it’s not where the “party” is at, it is super exclusive and private. The beach was pretty much hotel guests only.. and they have like 18 rooms so it was so relaxing and calm. The downside is that the beach isn’t as “blue” and pretty compared to further down south. But overall, the service was amazing! They offered free drink coupons to all their properties (about 3-4) and free breakfast every morning.. and this breakfast was SO good. The rooms where very clean and right on the beach so it was so peaceful. The only issue I had was there was no closet haha! Just drawers. But it’s manageable and that is pretty much how all these boutique hotels are in Tulum. Also, the rooms at night aren’t that bright. They have lights but it’s much more dim than your typical hotel/resort.
  • If you’re looking for a more budget friendly and eco friendly accommodation in the main area of Tulum, check out the following:
    • Coco Tulum
    • Kiras Beach House
    • Zamas

***For those of you who have never been to Tulum, I must note that all the boutique hotels in the main area along the Tulum beach are eco-friendly. This means your hotel may not have wifi, warm showers, air conditioning, or even electricity! A lot of the bathrooms are eco-friendly as well which means you can not flush toilet paper down the toilet. It must be thrown out in a trash can. Each hotel is different so just check with your hotel before you book! There are definitely hotels like Ana Y Jose or Casa Malca that are not as “eco-friendly” while others such as Azulik are very eco-friendly***

Casa Malca

Azulik

• Where to eat in Tulum:

  • My goodness, where to I even begin! Tulum has some of the best food I’ve had in Mexico. Here are some of my favorite spots:
    • Matcha Mama Tulum (Breakfast/Snack) – the cutest little matcha bar legit in the middle of the jungle! They have great matcha, acai bowls, and juices. Also, it’s the cutest spot for a photo so yay!
  • Coco Tulum (Lunch) – I feel like I’m just going to keep saying “this was the cutest spot ever” but seriously every spot in Tulum is SO cute, and Coco Tulum is definitely one of them! It’s like straight out of a postcard. The white bamboo structure along the blue beach is just gorgeous. Also, did I mention the food is amazing! Literally the best Aguachile (another version of ceviche) I’ve ever had. Make sure to order the shrimp aguachile and margarita if you go!
    • Posada Margarita – If you want amazing Italian food, you need to go here! Everything from the ambiance, to the food, to the drinks were perfect! It is this cute little restaurant right on the beach. You can either sit on the beach or on the deck at the actual restaurant, but either way the view is amazing! Every corner of this restaurant is Instagramable and of course, the food… the food was SO good! The menu has not changed once since it was opened. Make sure to get the burrata salad and if you like shrimp, get the Al Gambrel e Zucchini!
    • I Scream Bar (Snack) – The best fresh coconuts ever! Along with some other great treats.
    • La Zebra –  (Afternoon Drinks):  We first discovered this spot during our last trip to Tulum and loved it so much because you can customize your own drink based on you tastes. The drinks are delicious and it’s a really cute spot on the beach!
    • Gitano (Dinner/Late Night Drinks) – Talk about the coolest place in the jungle. This place is known for it’s Mezcal and although I’m not a big Mezcal drinker, their drinks were delicious! The owner is some cool dude from Venice, CA who decided to move to Tulum and open up this spot. It is the spot to be on the weekend. They offer live music and after 10 or so it turns into a lounge scene. 
    • Hartwood (Dinner) – This place is another popular spot. We unfortunately weren’t able to experience it but word on the street is you need a reservation weeks in advance, so if you know you’re going to be in Tulum, make sure to make a reservation weeks in advance! From what I’ve heard, this place is all about the meat. So it’s a meat lovers dream!
      
    • Casa Jaguar (Dinner) – We ate here on our last trip and I was so into the vibes! Candles and tea lights everywhere. You’re just casually in the jungle surrounded candles and amazing food. Loved the ambiance! We ordered the tuna tostada and the steak. Both were great!
    • Rosa Negra (Dinner/Late Night Drinks) – DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT miss this spot!!! If you go to one dinner in Tulum, book it at Rosa Negra. This place was not open when we visited two years ago, it’s fairly new, so I was SO excited to experience it. It is more of an asian infused spot but the food was so good! Drinks were amazing and the whole ambiance was just a vibe. We ended up coming back here for drinks on other nights because we loved it so much. Great music, great food, great vibes!! They also have a sparkler show every night around 10 PM. I recommend doing an 8:30-9 pm reservation so you’re there for the show. Everyone gets sparklers and start dancing on tables . It’s so fun and really reminded me of Scorpios in Mykonos! Make sure to reserve early on because this place also gets booked up quick!!! Also request to sit in the main dining area!
    • Taboo (Dinner/Late Night Drinks) – This is the sister restaurant to Rosa Negra. Similar ambiance but it’s more mellow than Rosa Negra. There is still good music and great food, it’s just not as popping. They offer mediterranean infused dishes and everything was so good!! The drinks really stood out to me here because the presentation was amazing!
    • Meze (Dinner) – We did not get to experience this spot because we didn’t have enough time, but it is a Gitano Group restaurant and mediterranean infused as well. I’ve heard great things about it and hope to visit next time!
    • Kin Toh (Sunset Dinner) – This is another spot I really wish we had the chance to go to but hoping I will get to next time! Kin Toh is a restaurant over at Azulik, it is situated in the middle of the forest literally and has the most beautiful views. You can rent out “nests” but they are pretty pricey, or you can dine at the restaurant below the nests. I’ve heard great things about it and it seems to be one of those spots you must visit in Tulum so definitely check it out! I recommend doing an early dinner here so you can see the view while it’s still light out.

  • What to bring:

    • Sunscreen: The UV rays are strong so make sure you bring some strong sunscreen. Also, if you plan on visiting the Cenotes make sure to get some biodegradable sunscreen (reef safe).
    • Bug spray: when we were there the firs time, the mosquitos weren’t TOO bad, but during this trip, they were insane!! I came home 43 mosquito bites. I was so itchy and bitten up. If you get bit easily, make sure you spray yourself up. Especially of you go when it’s super hot and humid! I also recommend bringing some allergy medicine with you to take because it will help relieve the itch and inflammation once you get bit
    • Cash!! Most places in Tulum are cash only and mainly accept Pesos only. Some places accept the US dollar but make sure you have both on you. Most restaurants accept cards but we came across a few like Posada Margarita that do not. It’s also hard to find ATM’s that are trustworthy in the area so come prepared.
    • Comfortable shoes. I pretty much wore sneakers or flat sandals during my time there during the day. At night, I would wear a small two inch block heel, but you can really wear whatever you’re comfortable with! Some people dress up and some don’t, it’s all preference but you will be walking in a lot of gravel and dirt with uneven pavement there.
    • Hand sanitizer/hand wipes: I always carry this around with me whenever I’m traveling, but especially to places where you do a lot of outdoor activities. It is a must!
    • This MAP! This is so helpful when trying to get Tulum. Make sure to download it before your trip because it has the locations of everything from hotels to restaurants to attractions to the ruins and cenotes.

• Nightlife in Tulum:

  • One thing that has always drawn me to Tulum, over any other town in the Cancun area, is the nightlife. There is so much going on at night! I love that you can book a reservation for dinner at a spot like Gitano or Rosa Negra, and then spend your whole night there after because they all have great bars with live music and a great ambiance. We spent our nights after dinner at Gitano, Rosa Negra, and Taboo! You can also visit places like Papaya Playa beach club, Ahau Beach club (we did this one night and it’s super fun), Taboo beach club (we did this on NYE), or check out other restaurants like Casa Jaguar and Meze.

• Safety in Tulum:

  • A few of you asked about safety in Tulum and I always like to highlight this in all my travel guides because it is super important to me. I am the most paranoid person and am always so cautious and alert when traveling. I’ve been to Mexico plenty of times and to Tulum twice now and can honestly say I feel very safe when in Tulum. I never once felt uncomfortable or as if I was putting myself in a bad situation. However, I was with a group of friends and was never alone at any point. I would just state the obvious, don’t get into taxis alone or wander around at night alone (girl or guy). Always be alert of your surroundings and don’t put yourself into situations that you probably shouldn’t. Lock your doors and utilize the safe box at your hotel to store any valuables. I feel as if Tulum is a safe place to be but it’s important to always stay alert of your surroundings regardless of where you are traveling!

• New Years Eve in Tulum:

  • As I mentioned above, my friends and I had booked this trip about 8 months in advance because we wanted to make sure to reserve our hotel for NYE. I loved being in Tulum for NYE because it has such a good night life AND the weather! A couple things to know if you want to celebrate NYE in Tulum:
    • Hotels and accommodation will be much more pricey this time of year. Not only is it the holidays, but it is also their high season, so you can expect to pay a premium on all accommodations.
    • Book months in advance. We booked our stay in April 2019 because a lot of hotels were already sold out at that point and we wanted to make sure we had a place before it was too late. All the hotels we looked at needed payment upfront and everything was non refundable.
    • New Years Eve in Tulum is expensive. If you want to be at one of the hot spots such as Gitano, Rosa Negra, Azulik, Nomade… expect to pay at least $300 USD to gain entry into a place. Some spots such as Rosa Negra include dinner with that (not drinks or gratuity), while others just have an entry fee around that price. Some spots like Gitano offer a cheaper ticket for entry only. There are also some spots that charge no entry, such as Taboo, but it may not offer the same things as one of the ticketed events.
    • The ticketed events SELL OUT! Do not wait till the day of to “figure it out.” Although they are pricey, these events all sell out fast so make sure to grab a ticket and coordinate your plans before the 31st.
    • There are also a lot of DJ sets and music events going on this time of year. Be sure to check out the schedule before going if you’d like to buy tickets for certain shows.
    • You will pay a premium on taxis on NYE. Expect to pay double (up to $50 USD) for a one way ride along the strip.
    • There will be traffic along the strip. The Tulum strip is a very very narrow strip along the beach filled with restaurants, shops, and nightlife. During the evenings it can get pretty backed up, but on NYE it was insane! It could take upwards of 30 mins to just go a little bit up the strip so make sure to give yourself enough time. For reference the strip is about 2 miles long max.

Overall, I had such a great time in Tulum. It is one of those places I know I will always return to because it has so much to offer. Beautiful hotels, great food and drinks, a good nightlife scene, amazing beaches, activities for everyone, and the weather is almost always perfect! It is a good vibe overall! If you have any other questions I missed, please feel free to leave them below and I will get back to them. And don’t forget you can always check out my Instagram Tulum highlight for all the content from my trip!

As always, thanks for reading! xo, Sami