2 Girls Who Travel: Take Tulum

By Valerie Jones and Kim Floyd 2 Girls Who Travel

e are such fans of Mexico…it’s become a 2 Girls Who Travel tradition to visit every year – each time traveling to a different city. This past summer, after months of consideration, we opted on visiting Tulum, a small town in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. W

Getting to Tulum

More than likely, if you’re visiting Tulum, you’ll fly into Cancun International Airport, which is about a 90-minute drive to Tulum. There are a few options on how to get to Tulum — private driver, public bus, car rental, etc.

We booked a private driver because our flight landed late afternoon and a bus or any other option that involved multiple drop-offs would have sucked up the remainder of our day.

Our Airbnb host helped us book a driver, but there are many reputable companies that offer this mode of airport transfer. Just do a bit of research. For the both of us traveling from Cancun airport to our Airbnb’s front door, it cost 1,500 pesos (about $77 USD), one-way.

Staying in Aldea Zama

When it comes to accommodations, most people traveling to Tulum will opt to either stay near the beach or in the jungle. Aldea Zama is an area located in the jungle which is full of luxury residential areas – mostly new builds with a ton more being built. Basically, everything is brand spanking new.

We chose to stay in an Airbnb in Aldea Zama. We booked a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath condo with a private pool for just about $120 USD per night (including all associated fees). We were very pleased. There was air conditioning in each room, three televisions, Wi-Fi, full kitchen and even two free bikes to use.

And this was just one of many available Airbnbs in Aldea Zama (some were even cheaper). You’ll typically catch a great deal because of construction and the fact that the area is developing, there’s not as much touristy stuff close by. But there was a pharmacy, small convenience store and a cute cafe all within a few steps of our condo, so purchasing necessities like bottled water and snacks was not a problem. Seriously, Aldea Zama is soooo much more affordable than staying in one of the resorts by the beach. Granted, if you’re going for the whole beachfront, resort-style vacay, then this may be a non-negotiable for you. But for those who aren’t tied to the beach, you could get an Airbnb for half of what you would pay to stay at the beach.

Getting Around in Tulum

Taxis are plentiful in Tulum and we never had an issue getting one. Taxis to/from Aldea Zama into town or the beach ranged from 100-250 pesos (about $5-$13 US dollars) for our entire stay. Most of the time, our taxi rides we re 150 pesos. Uber and Lyft aren’t currently available in Tulum. If you’re feeling froggy, you can also bike around Tulum. We saw several people biking from Aldea Zama into town and it wasn’t odd to see people going to the beach on a bike. However, between the sun and some of the driving we witnessed, we opted not to take the bikes.

Walking is also an option, but probably only into town if you’re staying in Aldea Zama. Walking to the beach would just be too much of a trek.

So, there you have it — what you need to know about getting to Tulum, why Aldea Zama is an attractive option for accommodations and how to get around in Tulum.

Best Things to do in Tulum!

It’s a super cute town with tons of varied experiences for any traveler. • Go to a cenote. Literally every single person in Tulum asked us if we had/were going to see a cenote when they found out we were travel writers. However, we didn’t visit one! But that was mostly due to time constraints. Listen, the cenotes in and around Tulum are gorgeous. We’re sure you’ve seen enough Instagram posts and travel photos to know that. Aside from gorgeous photos, you can dive into and swim in some. Expect to spend about an hour here exploring…oh yeah and a few tips! • Explore independently. They’ll try to get you to book a guided tour with them, but unless you plan on swimming or taking a water excursion, it’s not necessary.

* Arrive early to avoid crowds and while the weather is cooler. * Pack bottled water. There’s nowhere to get water after you pass the entrance, so be sure to pack some in your backpack. * Ruins admission is exact change only. At the time we went, it was 75 pesos.

• Spend a day at the beach. This pretty much goes without saying, but definitely go to the beach. Tulum is known for swanky beachside hotels and resorts and high-end restaurants. We happened to visit the beach on a day where t he weather was beautiful and the beach wasn’t crowded so we laid out and enjoyed some drinks. *Note: a lot of the beach clubs will allow you access to the cabanas if you purchase food or drinks.

• Check out the IK Art Gallery. If you want modern/ contemporary art combined with treehouse vibes, then the IK Lab is for you. It’s located in the seaside Azulik Resort. You must take your shoes off upon entrance (we’re assuming to help preserve the wood) and then you can follow the curves of the gallery. Admission is free, but tips are accepted.

• Sample some amazing food. Plan to visit some downtown restaurants and beachside spots. Some of the best food we had was from a small restaurant called Sabor de Mar. We had amazing shrimp ceviche, shrimp tacos and fresh guacamole. So good!

• Visit the Mayan Ruins. Something we knew we wanted to do while in Tulum was visiting the Mayan ruins there. These ruins are located on high cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

For more pictures, details and tips about traveling to Tulum, be sure to visit www.2girlswhotravel.com and subscribe to our blog so you can keep up with all of our adventures!

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