Tulum beach is beautiful. There is no denying that. However, I also want to make sure I talk about the reality of Tulum and what to expect if you’re considering visiting. In this post I will answer a question that many people have – is Tulum worth visiting?
Tulum, Mexico is becoming more and more popular over the years as a beach vacation destination. It’s the “Miami” of Mexico and you can really get a sense of that with the lavish hotels, restaurants, beach clubs, and parties on Tulum beach. This is one of the reasons why Tulum is considered expensive, compared to other areas in Mexico.
There are two main areas in Tulum, Tulum town (known as el pueblo or el centro) and Tulum beach. They are about a 15-20 minute drive away from each other.
Tulum Beach
The beach itself in Tulum is great, and the overall jungle aesthetic on the beach is beautiful. But if there is one thing to know about Tulum beach, is that it is expensive.
Most of the hotels and restaurants on the beach are luxurious and pricey, although you could find some hotels that are more in the mid-price range. There are even some glamping and hostel options if you’re looking for more budget places to stay.
If you’re looking for cheap eats on the beach, unfortunately you won’t find it. Everything on the beach is pricey – hotels, restaurants, drinks, beach clubs, etc. During my last visit I met people from Switzerland and Paris and everyone agreed that Tulum was more expensive than their hometowns. Crazy to think that Mexico is more expensive than NYC, Switzerland and Paris!
If you’re visiting Tulum, be prepared to spend a lot if you’re spending your time on the beach. Don’t get me wrong, I love an upscale restaurant, hotel, or swanky beach club from time to time, but I also don’t want to pay that price every day of my vacation. There are certain sections of the beach that are open to the public so if you’re looking to just relax on the beach and bring some snacks or your own lunch, then your beach day will definitely be much more affordable. I’m a digital nomad and travel quite a bit so I always make sure I try to incorporate less expensive days into my travels.
Visiting Tulum Town
Tulum town, or Tulum Pueblo, is where you will have more of an authentic local experience and overall more affordable hotels, Airbnbs, bars and restaurants. Here is where you will find authentic Mexican food and in my opinion this is the best part about Tulum town. Read here for my top recommendations for best authentic Mexican food in Tulum.
It’s interesting but you can’t actually get authentic Mexican food on Tulum beach. One thing to note is that there is also a lot of development in Tulum town as the area starts to get more popular and more foreigners are investing in property. For those who can work remotely, Tulum is also a great spot for digital nomads. Read my Tulum Digital Nomad Guide for tips on the remote work life in Tulum.
Getting Around Tulum
Whether you’re looking to stay on the beach or stay in town, you need a way to get around. There isn’t any public transportation other than small vans called colectivos. You’ll need to ask where you can pick these up closest to your location. Aside from colectivos, your options for getting around in Tulum are cabs, renting a car, bicycle or scooter. Trust me when I tell you, do not get cabs in Tulum. They are ridiculously overpriced and charge more than a cab would in New York City. While there should be set prices they should be following, none of the cabs do unfortunately. They set their own prices and it’s really unfortunate for the tourists. There are stories where cabs can easily charge $50-150 going from the beach to town area. The cabs are rumored to have ties with the cartel and for that reason are ‘protected’ from any consequences. One cab driver I spoke to told me that they should generally be following the prices listed here. It helps if you are a native Spanish speaker because you then have a step up to try to negotiate with the cab drivers.
Culture in Tulum
If you’re looking for a true authentic Mexican experience, Tulum is generally not the place you’re going to get it. On Tulum beach, it feels very “American” in many ways and I think there is reason for that. It wants to appeal to the tourists since it’s a highly touristic area. You will not hear Mexican music on Tulum beach because it doesn’t appeal to the tourist. It’s very common for a tourist to greet a Mexican worker with “hello” and not a word of Spanish is ever spoken. Yes, if you visit other countries you will likely interact with most hospitality workers in English but it’s also common to greet someone in the country’s native language. The closest you will get to authentic culture is in Tulum town, where you will find great local food.
All of that to say, is Tulum worth visiting?
Yes. Tulum is worth visiting at least once. The beach is beautiful, the local food in town is great, there is a big nightlife scene, and it’s a great escape especially during the winter months. As a digital nomad, I would consider going again but next time I would only stay in town, rent a car, and have some weekend visits to the beach. If you’re visiting Tulum for a vacation, I would suggest splitting up your time and staying both in town and on the beach. Rent a car and visit the cenotes, try the local food in town, and have some beach days in between.