In recent years Tulum has become a popular destination in the Riviera Maya. And it has definitely gained ground on lively areas like Playa del Carmen. Already in the article on where to stay in the Riviera Maya I talked about Tulum, as a quiet area to stay and with a price environment.
Tulum is popular for its archaeological zone, but what else can you do here? In this post I talk about 6 essential things to do in Tulum.
6 ESSENTIAL THINGS TO DO IN TULUM, MEXICO
1. Visit the archaeological zone of Tulum
There is no doubt that the archaeological zone of Tulum is one of the essential places to visit in the area.
The archaeological zone is located 3 kilometers from Tulum. The cheapest option to get there is by bicycle, if you arrive by car, you will have to pay between 100 and 180 pesos.
You can also get there by hiring an excursion, especially if you are staying further away and do not have a rental car.
If you go for free, as soon as you arrive at the ticket office you can buy the tickets. Even if you want you can sign up for a guided tour.
The location of the archaeological zone next to the Caribbean Sea makes the experience truly incredible. It's worth a visit!
If you need to hire an excursion that picks you up at the hotel (roundtrip transportation) with a guide and entrance included, you can see more information from these links:
2. Walk the main street of Tulum
On the main street of Tulum you will find several restaurants, hotels, hostels, souvenir shops. It is the ideal place to buy a souvenir and walk. In addition, it is one of the liveliest areas with a very youthful but calm atmosphere.
It is also a good area for cycling. It has a bike lane and from there you can take several paths. There are bicycle rentals in the area and there are even hotels that have this service, sometimes for free.
3. Get to know the church of Tulum
In downtown Tulum there are no large buildings to visit. It is a hotel zone, where you will find a main shopping street. But in general they are hotels.
Going by bike we found a small yellow church with white details and a large bell tower. It is located in the vegetation, but it is very visible and if you ask anyone from the town they will tell you how to get there.
4. Visit the Kaan Luum Lagoon
Kaam Luum means yellow land and is a freshwater lagoon. In the center of the lagoon there is a cenote 82 meters deep and in it you can practice diving or apnea with an extra cost. The landscape is beautiful and the ideal environment to disconnect and enjoy a few hours.
We arrived by bicycle, it is not very far from Tulum, but you will have to pedal for a while. But you can also get as far as possible by car and then you will have to walk a stretch.
5. Enjoy the Cenote Escondido and Cenote de Cristal, one of the best things to do in Tulum
This beautiful paradise is located near Tulu, just 3 km. And although they are two cenotes close to a very popular tourist spot, organized excursions in the area do not include a stop there, so a large volume of tourists don't even know it exists. When we arrived we found it just for us.
To access these cenotes, as in the vast majority, you must pay an entrance fee. This entrance is shared, it costs 120 mxn and you can access both the hidden Cenote and the Cristal cenote.
Each one of the cenotes is located a lake from the road and to be able to locate them you must look at the small local sign nailed to a post.
I explain how to get there, what to see and do, prices etc... in the post: Cenote Escondido and Cenote Cristal in Tulum.
6. Enjoy the gastronomy
Mexican gastronomy is an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco. Take advantage of! And try all the traditional dishes.
The most local and traditional restaurants are on the main street. Although many hotels also offer options, but I advise you to go out, walk around and find a more local restaurant, or a street stall, to try its delicacies.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Mexico a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!