Tulum or Not Tulum

Tulum was a perfect romantic get away when I first traveled there in April of 2021, but when I came back in May of 2022 for a girls trip it was a trip from hell! Mostly because I was eaten alive by mosquitoes that cause a very bad reaction. also it was dirty and it wasn’t just the water, which they have no control over, it was the streets too I think that due to the popularity of this destination during COVID it was not the same as what I experienced the prior year.

Here are my quick tips for visiting Tulum:

If you are going to party you have to stay in the hotel zone, that is non-negotiable. it is so expensive to get taxi’s in this area, and while you can bike ride I assume that you won’t after a night of drinking!

If you are not visiting for the parties it is perfectly okay to stay off the hotel zone strip, and bike riding is the most effective way to travel in and out of the zone.

I do not recommend coming in the spring or summer months, the water looks very dirty due to the algae and even the best hotels cannot keep the beaches clean. Also the bugs are worse than normal during these months due to the rain.

Expect European prices, this area of Mexico is very expensive!

Bring bug spray - if you are anything like me and loved by mosquitoes.

Some of my favorite places/things to do:

Casa Banana -restaurant, awesome food and good music

Rosa Negra -restaurant/club, go for dinner stay for sparklers and dancing

Tulum Ruins - take a bike ride there, don’t book a tour it is much nicer and cheaper to do it on your

See a cenote or 2 - again I recommend going on your own and not booking a tour

Bagatelle - extremely pricey but to me the best in the zone, and don’t worry about paying to stay there you can visit their restaurant and beach club without being a guest (bonus tip the little taco joint next door with only outside seating is cheap but delicious!)