The town of Tulum sits on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, about two hours south of Cancun. It’s a popular destination for travellers because of it’s beautiful beaches, Mayan ruins, and cenotes. We had an incredible time exploring this part of Mexico, and Tulum was a great example of just how unique the region is. Visiting the preserved ruins of an ancient Mayan city perched on the cliffs of the Caribbean Sea was simply amazing, and swimming through caves in natural sinkholes was such a special experience. If you’re looking for a remarkable adventure in Mexico, keep reading for our lesbian guide to Tulum!
What To Do
Tulum’s Beaches
One of the best things to do in Tulum, is visit it’s stunning beaches. A beautiful stretch of the Caribbean Coast, the beaches in Tulum are incredible, and an absolute must visit. Certain areas of the beach sometimes have a lot of seaweed washed up on the shore and are difficult to swim in, but while we visited, we found that there were still many areas with clear water, and soft white sand that were perfect for swimming. One of the most popular beaches in Tulum is Playa Ruinas, in the archeological zone. The ruins of a Mayan Port City sit on the cliff overlooking this beach, and it can be accessed through the historical park. Other popular spots are Paradise Beach, and Tulum Beach.
Downtown Tulum
Tulum’s city centre is located along the 307 highway, and is developing into a lively area with many cafes, restaurants, and local shops. This is where you will find the most authentic experience in Tulum, with many locally owned businesses, and plenty to explore. The town is definitely still developing and there is a lot of construction happening, but we found it to be really enjoyable to spend some time here! There is a very laid back vibe, and a great welcoming energy.
Tulum’s Hotel Strip
Along the coast, a few minutes drive from the city centre, is Tulum’s “hotel zone”. This strip has resorts, boutique hotels, bungalows, restaurants, and boutiques, and is definitely worth checking out! You can walk, bike, or drive along the strip and discover some great spots to shop and eat, as well as find access to the beautiful beach.
Parque Nacional Tulum
One of the reasons Tulum is such a popular destination, is because of it’s archeological site with incredible Mayan ruins. Located along the Caribbean Sea and just a short distance from the city centre, the ruins sit on a bluff looking over the water, and it is truly an amazing sight to see. You can access the park by car, bike, or on foot, and there is a small admission fee to enter. You can spend a couple of hours walking around admiring the structures, or hire a guide inside the park if you prefer to do a small organized tour of the site. As mentioned above, you can access Playa Ruinas from inside the park, and the views of the water are just incredible. This is a must do in Tulum!
Cenotes
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is famous for it’s cenotes – which are natural swimming holes created by collapsed limestone bedrock. Tulum has many cenotes that you can visit, where you can swim in pools of turquoise water, snorkel with fish and turtles, and explore dark caves with bats. The most popular cenote in Tulum is Gran Cenote, just north of the city centre. The experience is so special, and can’t be missed! Some cenotes in the area charge a small admission fee, and you can hire a locker, snorkel gear, life jackets, etc. while you enjoy the park. Most cenotes are filled with cool groundwater that is amazingly clear, so you can admire the natural plant life in the pools. If you do one thing in Tulum, let it be this!
Where to Stay
Tulum is divided into two distinct areas – the city centre, and the hotel strip. Depending on what you’re looking for, both options are great.
The City Centre
If you’re looking for a more authentic experience, choose to stay in downtown Tulum. There are some small hotels, as well as many great Airbnbs. We chose an Airbnb which was walking distance to everything in town, and cycling distance to the hotel zone and beach. We had no issues with safety, and felt comfortable exploring this area on our own. As mentioned, downtown Tulum is still developing, so there is a lot of construction going on. Businesses and residences are being built, and some streets aren’t yet fully paved. All that being said, it’s a great option for visiting this area, and we highly recommend booking an Airbnb. If you’ve never used Airbnb, click here to save on your first stay!
The Hotel Strip
Tulum’s hotel zone is a great option if you’re looking for a more luxurious stay, and you want to be closer to the beach. There are a lot of accommodations to choose from including resorts and boutique hotels along this stretch of coast. You will be walking distance to a lot of restaurants and shops along the main strip, as well as close to Tulum’s archeological zone. This is a great option if you’re looking to enjoy the relaxed energy of Tulum in an upscale setting. When booking hotel accommodations, our favourite tool is Hotels.com. It’s easy to search within a certain price range, and filter for the amenities that you like. They also have a great reward system – for every ten nights you book, you receive one night free.
Where to Eat & Drink
Tulum is well known for being laid back, health conscious, and very vegan friendly! We found a lot of great cafes and restaurants in Tulum’s city centre, and were happy to see so many plant based options. The best smoothie bowls can be found at Matcha Mama, an adorable cafe in town with swings and very insta-worthy food creations. The most amazing vegan tamales are at Suculenta Tamaleria, and a great lunch spot is El Vegetariano. Perfect spots for dinner include La Hoja Verde, Fruto Mistico, and Co.Conamor. There are also a ton of great spots for drinks along Tulum’s hotel strip, if you’re craving a beverage with an ocean view. The food scene in Tulum is amazing and you won’t be disappointed!
Lesbian Friendly
This area of Mexico is very laid back, open minded, welcoming of travellers, and ultimately LGBTQ+ friendly. We had zero issues exploring Tulum as a lesbian couple, both in the popular tourist areas, and everywhere else. We felt very welcomed by the locals, and we didn’t receive any unwanted attention. We felt extremely comfortable and safe in Tulum, as well as everywhere that we visited in the area. We walked around holding hands, showing affection, and in no way felt the need to hide our relationship. We referred to one another as our wife, and were out and open at all times.
Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Mexico for nearly 150 years, and they’ve had discrimination protection nationwide since 2003. Tulum is located in the state of Quintana Roo, which legalized same-sex marriage in 2012, and it’s a popular destination for LGBTQ+ travellers due to it’s laid back nature. Click here for more on how lesbian friendly Mexico is.
While there isn’t a prominent lesbian “scene” in Tulum, we found that the area in general is very inclusive and safe. It feels like a very welcoming destination for all people, and lesbian travellers can definitely feel comfortable here. There seems to be some LGBTQ+ owned accommodations and businesses, but there aren’t any specifically gay venues like there are in nearby Cancun or Playa del Carmen.
How to Get Around
Rent a Car
Depending on what you want to do in Tulum, renting a car could be a great option. We rented one on our last day so we could zip around to the archeological site and a nearby cenote, and it made things really easy! Parking in this area seemed safe and we had no issues driving around. Renting a car gives you more freedom, but of course you need to determine your own comfort level and only do what you feel is safe and comfortable for you. We recommend doing your own research and deciding what is the best option! If you do rent a car, be sure to find out how much liability coverage is included in the rental. Unlike renting a car in Canada or the US, the minimum liability coverage required by law in Mexico is quite low, so often the coverage that’s included in the rental rate is only for a few thousand dollars. We opted to pay for supplemental liability insurance, because the base coverage would definitely not be enough to cover us in the event of a serious accident. You can purchase supplemental liability insurance through the car rental company itself, often for around $20 a day, or you can get coverage through a third party insurance company in advance. If you are using collision damage waiver (CDW/LDW) insurance through a credit card or other third party, confirm that it covers you internationally and in Mexico specifically. We brought a letter from our credit card insurance provider that stated we were covered in Mexico to avoid issues when picking up the vehicle. The roads around Tulum are fairly well maintained and easy to drive on. Do some reading about driving in Mexico and be sure you feel confident with the local rules, but we found things to be orderly and easy to manage. When we filled up with gas, we were sure to be attentive and assertive, and didn’t have any problems there either. All gas stations are full serve in Mexico, so we ensured the pump was set to zero before the attendant started pumping. We also made sure that the amount we were asked to pay matched the amount on the pump, and we thoroughly counted our change. Please note that it is customary to give a small tip to attendants in Mexico, especially when they provide an extra service such as washing the windshield.
Taxi
For shorter trips around the area, taxis are a great option. There is no Uber in Tulum, but you can easily flag a taxi if you need one. We found drivers to be friendly and taking taxis felt very safe. Know where you’re going, know how much it should cost, and you should have no issues.
Walk
Downtown Tulum is quite walkable, although a lot of the roads aren’t fully paved and there aren’t always proper sidewalks. Most streets aren’t busy with car traffic, so exploring on foot is still a great option. The hotel strip is also quite easy to walk, and you can see quite a bit without a vehicle.
Bike
It’s very popular to cycle in Tulum, and it’s a great option for getting around! A lot of hotels and Airbnbs will include bikes with your stay, so you can cycle around the area easily. Keeping in mind that a lot of the roads aren’t fully paved, sometimes it’s a bumpy ride, but you can still get where you’re going! You can also cycle to the archeological site, as well as to some nearby cenotes, but be sure that you are a confident rider and will feel safe doing so. There aren’t proper bike lanes everywhere, so you will want to determine your own comfort level.
Has anyone else fallen in love with Tulum, Mexico? Let us know in the comments!
