Tulum is quickly becoming one of Mexico’s most popular destinations. In this blog, I share the BEST Tulum 7 day itinerary of exactly what to do, as well as get other helpful information for visiting Tulum.

Tulum is MAGIC – known for its artsy, youthful vibe, where travelers flock to do yoga and spend time at beautiful beaches. If you haven’t heard of this adventure hotspot on the east coast, it’s located just south of Cancun in the state of Quintana Roo. One of the reasons I love it for adventure travel is because it has a little bit of everything – Mayan ruins, jungle hikes and ziplining, cenotes to swim in, atv tours, and of course, plenty of beaches to relax at. I spent two and a half weeks as part of my year-long solo world trip but I’ve condensed my activities into a 7-day itinerary to maximize your vacation time and get everything in.

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Begin your trip by flying into Cancun International Airport. If you have more than seven days, feel free to spend a few days enjoying Cancun. Otherwise, jump right onto a bus to head south to Tulum. The ADO Bus will take you right from the airport to Tulum downtown in about 2 hours (or more) depending on traffic. Alternatively, you can book a private transfer from the airport right to your hotel.

Drop off your things and get settled into your accommodation (see where to stay in Tulum above). Before it gets too late in the afternoon, get your bike/car/scooter rental (see how to get around Tulum above and pick the option best for you). If you have some extra time, enjoy some shopping and light sightseeing in downtown Tulum.

Finish the evening by enjoying your first taste of Mexican cuisine – I would highly recommend grabbing tacos for dinner on your first night. Some of the best taco stands include: Taqueria Honorio (where you can try Cochinita Pibil – tender Yucatan-style pulled pork), Mercado Tulum, Tamales Don Taco, and Parque Dos Aguas. Optional: enjoy some of Tulum’s vibrant nightlife & dance clubs, or get an early night to prepare for a full day of exploring tomorrow.

Today we’re heading into the Tulum beach zone! Get an early start to beat the crowds – especially if you need to park a car/scooter/ATV. Otherwise, it’s not too long of a bike ride or walk from downtown Tulum (if you’re not already staying in the beach zone). Bike parking is pretty easy to find, just make sure to always lock it up. There is SO much to do in the beach zone so it’s up to you to pick your favorite activities: sightseeing, shopping, eating, relaxing at the beach, or all of the above! 

I recommend starting the day out sightseeing while it’s a bit cooler in the morning – Tulum beach zone is FULL of incredible art galleries and displays, such as Escultura “Ven a la Luz” in the Ahau Tulum Sculpture Park (there is a small fee to enter but it’s so worth it!), the Blue Wings at Plaza Kapen Ha, and more. When you start to get hungry, stop for a smoothie bowl at Matcha Mama.

In the afternoon, enjoy some shopping such as at Lolita Lolita Tulum (also a great photo spot – that’s where the “Follow That Dream” sign is), try a local food tour or take the rest of the afternoon off to relax at the beach – that is one of the big draws of the beach zone after all! Unfortunately, public access to the beach is extremely limited here, so your best bet is to enjoy one of the many Tulum beach clubs. The beach clubs require an entrance fee or minimum spend, but if you get some late lunch and drinks it might just pay for itself! I loved the white swings at Coco Tulum Beach Club (swings are THE thing in Tulum), but Dos Ciebos Beach Club, Vagalume Tulum Beach Club, and the Papaya Playa Project are all excellent beach clubs as well. Grab dinner in the beach zone to enjoy fresh seafood (fish tacos are always a great option!) before heading back to your accommodation for the night.

Start your morning with breakfast in town to get ready for a packed adventure day – enjoy another smoothie bowl (Matcha Mama has locations in both downtown and in the beach zone, or a different place), tacos (Burrito Amor has great breakfast options), or whatever you’re feeling like! 

After breakfast, head to a cenote early to avoid the crowds. Cenotes are a MUST-enjoy, unique geological feature of Tulum – a cenote is an underground chamber/cave or natural sinkhole filled with water, oftentimes where the ceiling of the cave has collapsed. There are scores of cenotes in Tulum and they are AMAZING to swim in on hot days! If you want to maximize the number of cenotes you see, try this four cenote tour to get the best of everything!

For your first cenote, check out Cenote Dos Ojos, which is a bit outside of Tulum (a bit far to walk but not too far for a scooter/ATV/car). If you are a certified diver, I HIGHLY recommend you do this guided dive! But if you want to stay close to town, Gran Cenote is one of the most popular in the area for swimming. Both options have two different areas to swim at and both will require entrance fees. Check online to get the most up-to-date cost information but expect to spend somewhere around 300-500 MXN ($21-25). Both Dos Ojos and Gran Cenote have changing rooms, bathrooms, and lockers to store your things (but still try not to bring valuables or leave anything in your car). Enjoy a few hours of swimming and relaxing, maybe even rent a snorkel, and then if you’re up for it, head to a second cenote in the afternoon!

Beat the afternoon heat by enjoying the cool waters of another cenote – try Cenote Calavera for a swing and jump-offs, Cenote Car Wash to stay close to town but still enjoy a swing, Cenote Azul for cliff jumping and a large area to swim, or Cenote Chukum to see stalagmites and snorkeling views. You pretty much can’t go wrong with any cenote in Tulum, they are all so gorgeous!

Head back to town in the afternoon or early evening – check out some more shopping if you still have energy, or grab some gelato and espresso for a pick-me-up at Campanella Cremerie. But be sure to save room for dinner – Tulum has so many incredible food options (including a whole host of vegan & vegetarian options) so be sure to try something new this evening! Cetli has incredible moles (a MUST try of Mexican cuisine). Doña Paty Tacos de Guisado has tacos de guisados, Mexican stews ladled into fresh corn tortillas, La Negra Tomasa has ceviche, and Succulenta Tamaleria has tamales (and is vegetarian!). Head to a dance club to work off dinner, grab a drink or cerveza at a local bar, or rest up for tomorrow’s activities.

Today is the earliest start of the week but it’s worth it – we’re exploring Chichen Itza! Chichen Itza is one of the Seven Modern World Wonders, a large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people. The crowning feature is El Castillo, or the Temple of Kukulcan. Chichen Itza is located in the neighboring state of Yucatan, so book a tour or drive yourself (just be sure to double check the opening time – Yucatan is one hour off from Quintana Roo!). If you book a tour, a bus or shuttle will pick you up from your hotel or the bus station. If you drive yourself, I’d recommend still purchasing a ticket in advance to skip the worst of the line, and you can easily still hire a tour guide on-site. 

Chichen Itza is a large site so be sure to explore it fully past the main temple – you’ll find a cenote, platforms covered in beautiful carved reliefs, a Ball Game Court, and more. The Mayan ruins here are some of the most impressive in the world so give yourself at least a few hours to enjoy it all.

After a few hours of walking around Chichen Itza, you’re probably starting to really feel the heat of the Mexican sun, so spend the afternoon at another cenote to cool off. Cenote Ik Kil and Cenote Oxman are both near Chichen Itza and are STUNNING with roots hanging down from the ceiling – it’s such an incredible experience to swim underneath. If you booked a bus/shuttle tour for Chichen Itza, chances are they include a cenote visit, and might even stop at Valladolid, a stunning city that is well worth a visit if you have time in the afternoon. Suggested itinerary: grab lunch and shop at Valladolid before your cenote visit to finish the day all cooled off. If you want to do all of the above, this is the exact tour I did to explore Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and a cenote swim!

Back in town, enjoy some happy hour drinks and tacos to wrap up a fun-filled day. If you’re in the hotel zone, check out I Scream Bar for ice cream, tacos, and drinks, or Kin Toh for wine and locally sourced food. In downtown/cental Tulum head to Batey Mojito and Guarapo Bar for epic mojitos, Caribe Swing drinks on classic Tulum swings, or Nana Rooftop Bar for drinks with vegetarian food options. If you want a photogenic spot along with your drink, check out Cerveza Tulum – known for their blue Tulum sign!

Enjoy a well-deserved sleep-in today – you’ve been doing a ton of adventuring! If you want a bit of gentle activity, head to a yoga studio – yoga is one of the things Tulum is best known for! To rest up after all the activities so far, spend the bulk of the day relaxing at the beach. Rent a beach chair for the day at Playa Paraiso and enjoy fish tacos for lunch at Paraíso Beach Club (you can also rent a chair for the day here too!), or check out of the other beach clubs you didn’t yet spend time at. Some have live music and dancing so if you want to party it up more that’s an option too! 

If you have a car and want to explore beaches outside Tulum beach zone, take a quick drive up north to Akumal – you might even see some sea turtles if you join in on this guided swim! Other amazing beach options include Xcacel Beach and Paamul. If you want a mini day-trip, try Playa del Carmen, where you can also shop and check out the Frida Kahlo Museum. From Playa del Carmen, you can also take a ferry to Cozumel Island – known for its diving hotspots.

For dinner check out a restaurant right on the beach – might as well enjoy the ocean views for as long as you can! Mezzanine Thai, Mi Amor Restaurant, and El Pez Restaurant & Cocktail Bar all have stunning views in addition to yummy food.

There are two beaches at Tulum Ruins, Playa Ruinas and Playita Tortuga, which are now closed to protect sensitive turtle species, but make sure to stop by the viewpoint overlooking the beaches regardless – they are gorgeous! Bonus: you might see an iguana nearby so keep an eye out! 

After the ruins, spend the afternoon at a different beach than yesterday and enjoy some cool ocean waves. For a more active option, check out the trendy new La Veleta neighborhood in Tulum for shopping, clubs, ice cream, and amazing dinner options such as Tres Galeones, which specializes in seafood tacos or La Taquería Tulum, which has delicious tacos as well as top-tier mixed drinks.

Wake up and cry that it’s your last day in magical Tulum! When you’ve recovered, get packed up and drive or take the bus back up to Cancun to fly out in the afternoon or on the next day.

Have a bit of extra time? Check out the Coba Ruins, which are on your way back to Cancun – either by driving or with a tour that will drop you in Cancun at the end of the day.

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