Located about 80 miles southwest of Cancun, in the Yukatan Peninsula of Mexico, Tulum is a small enchanting town nested in pure and unadulterated nature, known for its deeply rooted history, interesting culture and bohemian atmosphere.
Tulum in the Mayan language means wall, which refers to the surrounding stone walls constructed by the Mayan people who inhabited the region during the ancient civilization. These walls served as defense and security for the city against possible hostile invasion, at the same time they played a significant role in reinforcing the Mayan’s cultural and spiritual ceremonies and rituals.
This archaic town has undergone a remarkable transformation through the course of time, evolving from what used to be a sleepy little village to one of the most vibrant and popular tourist hot spots. But despite its birth into modernization, Tulum managed to preserve its authenticity and old-world charm, making it a unique and fascinating choice destination for travelers.
Our trip started with a 1.5-hour journey from the Cancun International Airport to our hotel, the Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya. It’s a one year old all-inclusive resort situated at a beach front property, featuring 735 rooms and suites. The impression is utterly modern with a very minimal hint of Mexican vibe. It offers ample all-inc perks and amenities like a variety of restaurants and bars, a family zone, a fitness center, a relaxing spa (shared with the Conrad), wellness activities, pool and beach service, music and nightly entertainment and event venues. It shares the same gates with its sister hotel, The Conrad and guests are free to access both properties by requesting for a buggy service. There’s more to mention but that would be another story to tell.
One of the highlights of our holiday was a day trip at the Yellow Nest, a boutique hotel tucked in an oasis of wilderness and unspoiled natural wonders. The day, which was meant to memorialize an anniversary, commenced with a refreshing welcome drink, followed by a brief orientation and tour of the property. The centerpiece of the trip was a scrumptious floating breakfast, beautifully laid out on a neat round wicker basket and gently set to drift onto the cenote-watered pool. Unfortunately, a brief rain shower prevented us from doing the temazcal, a Mayan ritual that involved a hot therapeutic healing meditation meant to relieve aches and stress and rejuvenate the body. Overall, it was still a remarkable and worthwhile experience, made possible by the beautiful and very welcoming staff. I would highly recommend this to everyone visiting.
A fascinating and mystical attraction that the Yukatan Peninsula is known for are natural sinkhole pools located beneath the ground, called cenotes, which the ancient people believed to be windows of the underworld. It is said that an estimated 10,000 cenotes can be found all around the region, many of which are accessible by paying an entrance fee, usually $15-$20, as most of them are privately owned and operated.
From the Yellow Nest, our driver took us to one close by called Cenote Taak Bi Ha. The path going down was a bit slippery with steep, jagged and uneven steps, so visitors need to be very careful or they can easily trip and fall. Inside is a cavern-like structure surrounded by huge rock formations, stalactites, stalagmites and a few harmless bats in the ceiling. The water is blue and crystal clear and it was really tempting to go into it, but we were all cleaned up and were too lazy to get back to our swimsuits so we decided to just enjoy the view while taking some really good snapshots of the incredibly fascinating scene. We liked how it was not too crowded and had all the chance to comfortably explore it.
Because of the many horrible stories we’ve heard about renting a car in Mexico, we decided to pass on it and hired a private taxi instead. One of the staff at the Yellow Nest was kind enough to hook us up with a really nice and patient driver who drove us around every place we had on our list, at a reasonable fee that was less than half of what we would have been charged if we did it through the hotel. On top of that, Aaron was a great photographer which saved us time on having to set-up our tripod each time. Communication was a bit of a struggle, but with Google’s help and our limited Spanish, we managed to survive and accomplish our goals, yay! If you plan to travel to Tulum and would like to hire his services, just hit me up and I'll send you his contact information.
Some notable remnants of the Mayan civilization are the ruins. These are various archeological sites, each representing a specific purpose and significance in their daily lives and religious practices. The place is considered sacred so it’s important to be respectful when visiting. Follow the rules, keep off restricted areas and never attempt to remove any artifact. Be sure to pack up with water and wear comfortable clothing and shoes as this involves a lot of walking in unpaved and rocky pathways, not to mention that the temperature could get really scorchy, especially during summer months.
Probably the most Instagram famous spot in Tulum is the Ven a la Luz and it’s a crime not to see it, let alone not have a photo in it. The Ven a la Luz, which translates to “come into the light” is a giant wooden sculpture of a woman opening her chest cavity to reveal a lush of greenery and an archway to walk through. A few additional art displays were on the side for visitors to enjoy some extra photo ops. There’s a 60 MXN Peso fee to get in and a line to endure to be able to take photos. Our timing was not too bad as it was non-peak, but I could tell that on peak months, it could get extremely and irritably busy.
Tulum is also known for its vibrant beach clubs which are typically found along the white sandy coastlines, providing guests with scenic views and a direct access to the ocean. They offer a wide range of amenities and services like food, drinks, live music, water sports activities and lounge areas with sunbeds and umbrellas. Everyone is welcome to enjoy and take part in the experience.
While Tulum is renowned for its powdery sands and charming beaches, an ongoing challenge it faces is the excessive influx of seaweed that pollutes the coastlines. And as the monsoon season was about to kick off, the waves were starting to act up, becoming less calmer than usual. Fortunately the Riviera Maya region is surrounded by a myriad of stunning beaches that are within driving distance. So, not quite a deal breaker after all.
Bacalar is an adorable little town located about 2.5 hours from Tulum. It is primarily known as the “Lagoon of Seven Seas” because of its distinctive shades of blue in the water. The crystal clear turquoise blue water and its breathtaking beauty is almost comparable to the Maldives, earning its title as the “Maldives of Mexico”. The presence of living fossils called stromatolites act as filters and keep the lagoon clean and fresh. Using sunscreen is strictly off limits as it can alter the water’s PH level. We spent a good two hours just basking in the pureness of the water and the serenity of the view. We were so immersed in the moment that it was so difficult to disconnect.
Despite it’s small size, Tulum is packed with a wealth of wonders, activities and places of interests. One week may not be enough to explore and fully experience it, but the limited time we had, made way for a wonderful and fulfilling adventure that will become a valued addition to our collection of cherished memories.
Tulum lived up to the hype, at least in my opinion, and with its reasonable distance from LA, I wouldn’t mind coming back if another opportunity comes knocking sometime in the future.
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