Five Things to Consider Before Visiting Tulum

I had the pleasure of visiting Tulum, Mexico in July 2022 for a Girls Trip. After seeing the location online for so long, I knew I had to visit. If you're ever planning to visit and don't know where to start with planning, I made a detailed travel itinerary highlighting where I stayed, restaurants to consider, and all of my activities outlined step by step. The itinerary is extremely detailed, mentions things to consider, and also includes images of my stay. Here is the link: Tulum Travel Itinerary.

Tulum really caught me by surprise because I didn’t completely know what to expect, regardless of the hundreds of Tik Tok videos I watched. For those of you looking to visit anytime here, here are a couple of things I think you should consider before visiting or deciding to plan a trip.

1) Bring Mosquito Spray

The way I got chewed up on this trip was truly unbelievable! I would highly recommend bringing mosquito repellent when visiting Tulum. The tropical nature and the heat attract a bunch of mosquitoes. If you will be partaking in excursions like I did (bike riding in the jungle and visiting cenotes), the mosquitoes will be sure to appear as well. Better to stay prepared!

2) Expect to Spend Money

If you are staying in El Centro and Uber-ing to The Hotel Zone like I did, know that you will be racking up some spending dollars ordering an Uber back and forth between two locations. From what I remember, it was about 30 USD round trip, & the restaurants in the Hotel Zone were also pretty pricey. I know affordability is subjective, but I would not say that Tulum is a really cheap or the most affordable travel destination on a list - be prepared to spend!

3) El Centro & The Hotel Zone Offer Different Vibes

There are two very popular areas in Tulum: El Centro, and The Hotel Zone. El Centro is more local while The Hotel Zone is where all of the beachfront restaurants and clubs you see on social media are located. This zone is a large strip surrounded right by the waterfront with a bunch of beachfront restaurants, lounges, and clubs. El Centro has a more local, community based feel. Go here if you want to experience the more authentic part of Tulum, and get out of the nature of the partying in the Hotel Zone.

4) Save The Number of One of Your Cab Drivers

If you are not planning to rent a car and will be relying on taxis, you can initially have your hotel call a cab for you to get to your first location. If you feel comfortable with that driver, I would highly recommend saving their number and having them be your driver for the duration of your stay there. Even if you don't use this suggestion, there are a bunch of drivers in The Hotel Zone awaiting a next customer so its pretty easy to catch a ride!

5) Seaweed Season Impacts Water Color

As mentioned previously, I visited Tulum in July of 2022 and there was so much seaweed in the water that we could not get in - the water was not really blue either, and I would say there was much less seaweed in the Cancun beach I visited. Seaweed season in Mexico spans from April - October, so plan your trip accordingly!

Visit @stampedbyhaby on Etsy or on my website @stampedbyhaby.com to shop my travel itinerary to Tulum as well as other places I have visited!