From pocketing pesos to tips on transportation, read on to get the definitive Tulum travel guide – it’s EVERYTHING you need to know before visiting Tulum, Mexico!

Tulum is a truly unique location to visit in Mexico. With nearby landmarks like the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, lush jungles, and sprawling ocean vistas, Tulum is a beautiful and exciting destination. The city of Tulum also offers a variety of accommodations, markets, food, and activities to keep you engaged throughout your trip. But for first-timers, it might be intimidating to visit and difficult to know best practices for this specific destination. To maximize your experience and feel prepared to book your trip to Tulum, follow my Tulum travel guide tips and recommendations to have an unforgettable experience!

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When planning a trip to Tulum, make sure that you book early! If you plan on visiting during the high season (December – April) you’re going to want to budget more, as the cost of accommodations and rentals will be higher. Visiting in the shoulder season (July – August) will reduce costs while avoiding most of the weather seen in the off season.

Regardless of the time you visit, be sure to bring three key things: a good rain jacket, reef safe sunscreen, and mosquito repellent. Tulum is a tropical destination with lots of sun and bouts of heavy rainfall regardless of the season. Tulum’s proximity to lush forests means that beautiful adventures abound, but so does a healthy mosquito population. The diversity in weather, and environments found around Tulum means that the surrounding area can vary greatly with regards to temperature and humidity. In general, Tulum will be hot and relatively humid, but wind and rain can bring the temperature down to be somewhat chilly. The key to having an enjoyable trip is to pack a variety of clothes appropriate to the possible weather conditions.

One major difference if you are traveling outside of the U.S. for the first time is the currency exchange. In Mexico, the standard currency is the peso, whose value is much lower than the U.S. dollar (around 1 peso for every 5 cents) or the EU euro (around 1 peso for every 0.05 euros). In many places they will accept either U.S. dollars or Mexican pesos, however in most cases it is more cost-effective to use pesos whenever possible.

Another difference that may throw off some travelers is that cash is king in Mexico, especially in Tulum, with most locations preferring cash and many not accepting cards. So make sure you have cash on hand when you want to go out on your adventures. There are a few ATMs in Tulum, but they tend to run out of money or have long lines on weekends, so be prepared with cash ahead of time!

Tulum is located in Mexico, in the state of Quintana Roo, just south of Cancun. If you’re looking to plan a trip to Tulum, you’ll want to book your flight through Cancun International Airport (CUN) as it is the easiest airport to fly into & has the most connections. From there you will need to rent a car or, a more affordable option, ride the ADO bus south to Tulum. Either way it’s about a 2 hour ride to Tulum from the airport. You can also fly directly into the new Tulum Airport (TQO), but it is more expensive and you’ll likely have to transfer through Cancun anyway. 

Once you are in Tulum there are a variety of transportation options, such as rental cars, rental ATVs, rental bikes, and public transportation in the form of buses, depending on what your budget is and what your planned activities are. As always, be careful of your belongings whenever taking public transportation. I make sure that all of my suitcases and travel bags are air tagged for my own peace of mind. It’s also always a good idea to purchase trip insurance, just in case something happens.

If you plan on renting a car and driving while visiting Tulum, there are a few things you should expect. First, you are going to have to pay for local car insurance while in Mexico – so make sure to plan for this extra expense. It doesn’t matter what your credit card or home coverage is, they will insist on you buying the local car insurance. Something that may be a bit different for many U.S. drivers is that gas stations are not self service, but will have attendants who will gas up your car for you. This is a great opportunity to practice a bit of Spanish, or whip out Google translate.

This is something that I try to tell everyone interested in travel, regardless of destination; be wary of scams. It is unfortunately common for travelers to be the target of a variety of scams as they are less familiar with the location and local customs. To avoid becoming a victim of one make sure you google “local scams in (location)” to get a general idea of what to look out for. In general, always take whatever means you need to feel safe and secure while traveling.

One specific scam to be aware of is one that happens at local gas stations – make sure the pump starts at zero before you are gassed up, and know EXACTLY what bill you are handing the attendant. Make sure to say the bill amount out loud or even film yourself handing over the bill. This will help avoid a situation where the attendant flashes a DIFFERENT (but visually similar) bill that is LESS in value, and try to convince you that you paid less than you did and demand more money. As a note – I personally only encountered this scam a single time, and it was OUTSIDE of Tulum, but it’s always good to be aware of local scams regardless.

Once you are in Tulum there are a variety of transportation options, such as rental cars, rental ATVs, rental bikes, and public transportation in the form of buses, depending on what your budget is and what your planned activities are. As always, be careful of your belongings whenever taking public transportation. I make sure that all of my suitcases and travel bags are air tagged for my own peace of mind. It’s also always a good idea to purchase trip insurance, just in case something happens.

Overall, you should expect Tulum to be a bit less expensive than the U.S. in some places, and comparable in others. With regards to accommodations, the “hotel zone” of Tulum is a more expensive and touristy area, as it is close to the beach with ready access to shopping and restaurants. Its pricing is comparable to many U.S. cities and the nearby amenities are similarly priced on-par with the U.S. In contrast, the Tulum downtown area has a more “local” feel, with less expensive accommodations and close access to local shops and markets. In particular, La Veleta is an up-and-coming neighborhood in Tulum with several accommodations and a thriving dining scene.

Tipping is both customary and appreciated in Tulum, as in many parts of Mexico. Remember, locals make a LOT less than their U.S. counterparts, so even a small tip can make a huge difference – the norm is about 10-20%. Make sure to always tip your waiter when you grab a bite to eat, and be prepared to tip in other places as well, such as tipping a bellhop for bringing your bags into your hotel.

The most commonly spoken language is Spanish. Learning a bit of the local language is always going to make a good first impression, even if your accent or pronunciation isn’t on point. There are more English-speakers in the hotel zone of Tulum, but in Tulum town and nearby it’s not uncommon for locals to only know Spanish. If your Spanish is rusty or rough, utilize Google Translate (bonus tip: download Spanish offline in the app so you always have it available!). It’s also customary in Mexico to greet everyone you meet or even passerbys, with a friendly “buenos dias” (good morning).

When out and about enjoying the local vendors and markets, don’t shy away from haggling and bargaining to knock down the prices – it is expected in the markets (but NOT in stores). It’s important to always be polite and respectful when haggling – keep in mind the low wages of locals – those few extra pesos might not make a difference for you, but they certainly do to the locals.

A piece of advice for travelers heading to Mexico is that you may be stopped by law enforcement at some point during your trip – for me, I encountered it when leaving Tulum and the state of Quintana Roo and self-driving to the neighboring state of Yucatan to see Chichen Itza. This can be a very stressful experience, but try to remain calm. Show them your passport and driver’s license, as well as your rental car information and you’ll be good to go. Personally, the stop took under 30 seconds as I had my ID and documents ready to go. They might ask a question or two, so having Google translate is key once more.

While Mexico can sometimes get a bad rap when it comes to safety, by and large it just isn’t true. Oftentimes media outlets sensationalize and distort what we hear. Tulum in particular is generally a safe location to visit. But as with any location that attracts tourists, it is important to keep your wits about you. Be alert for petty theft and take measures against pick-pockets and snatchers by using lanyards on your devices and keeping your ID and money on a money belt under your clothes. As an added measure of security you could leave your valuables at your accommodation in a travel-sized safe or locking bag.

Don’t be afraid to try the local street food! Local fair is very affordable and insanely delicious. Tacos are always a staple for me in Tulum, and generally street food is safe to eat. Check where there are locals or many other tourists eating, wash your own hands before eating, and drink only bottled water.

Make sure you are exercising common sense practices, especially at night, to minimize your risks. Don’t walk alone at night; especially as a woman – it’s always preferable to spend a little money to get somewhere safely rather than risking a lone walk. Make sure your doors are locked and consider getting your own door securing device to ensure your safety.

Many tourists come to Tulum and also wish to visit Chichen Itza and nearby cenotes that are in the state of Yucatan. It’s important to know that Yucatan is one hour off when you are making your plans to visit – otherwise you might be waiting for an hour outside of a cenote for it to open!

A final safety tip is to avoid drinking tap water and to ensure that any food or ice you enjoy was prepared using bottled water. Avoid salads and any raw vegetables or fruits (unless peeled) unless you have washed them yourself with bottled water.

Very few beaches around Tulum are public access beaches, and they can be very hard to find. Most beach accesses are owned by a beach club or hotel, and require you to pay a use fee, a minimum spend amount, or stay at the hotel to access the beach. 

Another thing to be aware of is the presence of sargassum, or dense tangles of seaweed, along the beaches. Sargassum is an abundant form of seaweed that is found in the Caribbean sea, and provides valuable homes and food sources for a variety of oceanic species. There are even sargassum seasons in which these dense briny bundles surge in abundance. Even when it isn’t sargassum season, it’s still good to expect these clumps of salty sea grass along the water’s edge and on the beaches. It’s common for hotels to have beach cleaners moving the sargassum, so you may or may not encounter it, but it’s always good to keep in mind.

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