TULUM TRAVEL GUIDE

I've found my happy place. Tulum, that is.

I mentioned very briefly in my Wellness Challenge post that I kicked off the new year at a low. And with that said, my trip to Tulum, Mexico couldn't have come at a better time. The week before my trip, I was hosting a family friend's daughter for a week, and while I loved being able to show her around my city and had the best excuse to do all the touristy things, I was mentally and physically exhausted by day 4. So when it was time to pack up and leave for sunny Mexico, I didn't feel ready. I wasn't sure of what I had packed and my heart felt unsettled. 

Fast forward to Thursday afternoon and I was in Cancun! All my uneasy thoughts were left behind in NYC and I was ecstatic to walk out of the airport to 80 degree weather. It's crazy how a little dose of vitamin D can instantly boost your mood. 

From Cancun, my friends and I rented a car through Enterprise and drove about 1.5 hours to Tulum. With the help of GPS on our iPhones, getting to our AirBnB in Tulum was rather painless. (We tried adding "grocery stores" in hopes to find bottled water & food, but instead, Google took us to a couple small, bodega-style shops, but in the end, it only added to the experience.) 

Needless to say, I came back to New York City with a full heart & my thoughts clearer than ever. 

What to know before you go:

• If you get mosquito bites easily, you'll probably get a ton while you're here :(. Bug spray and any mosquito repellant didn't seem to help. But I did notice that most of the hotels/ restaurants offer complimentary bug repellant in their bathrooms. 
• Bring Pesos & USD. I've read on blogs prior to my trip that everyone accepts USD (maybe except cab drivers) but that wasn't the case. A lot places do accept USD and credit cards, but Pesos will take you farther. Each restaurant/shop has their own exchange rate which is to usually our disadvantage. Also, Hartwood (restaurant noted below) ONLY takes Pesos, just an FYI because if you're in Tulum, you must eat there :). 
• ATM machines work, but do be wary of them. There are ATM machines that only give USD and separate ATMs that give out Pesos—keep an eye out for a sign!
• Bring a small flash light! I always forget how dark it gets when the sun goes down, especially since NYC is lit so bright at all times of the day. The iPhone flashlights are just okay IMO. We saw a lot of people carry them at night especially if you plan on going out for drinks and such after dinner. 

Where we stayed:

• We booked a house for 4 on AirBnB (direct link here) - and it was the best decision we made (after renting a car that is—more on this later). Staying in town meant that we were only a 15 minute drive to the beach, 10 minutes away from the Grand Cenotes (where we went snorkeling!) and 10 minutes away from the Mayan Ruins. If we had chosen to stay in a hotel on the beach, we probably wouldn't have opted to rent a car (as it's not necessary if you're staying on the stretch of the beach), meaning we probably wouldn't have done things like go snorkeling, and tour the ruins, and explore the neighborhood of downtown Tulum. 

Where we ate:

• Tierra Restaurant (at Holistika) - Lucky for us, Holiksta Tulum was our next door neighbor. So we ate at Tierra Restaurant for breakfast on our first and last morning in Tulum. Their veggie quiche, green juice & golden milk is a must! (I did not get the golden milk, but my roommate got it every single time!)
• Hermana Republica - This is a local brewery by where we were staying and we loved this place. Great tacos, guac, everything. The portions were big & it was really affordable.
• Ahau Tulum - The beachfront dining immediately drew us in, and the incredibly kind staff is what got us to stay, We were here for breakfast and probably hung out on the beach for a couple hours sipping away on our coconut waters. A++ for food & the views.
• Del Cielo - This breakfast spot is in town (not on the beach) and it was probably one of our favorite meals. We ate here for breakfast after our yoga instructor recommended it to us, and she was spot on. Everything was so fresh, colorful, organic, healthy & delicious! 
• Hartwood - The one restaurant that was highly recommended by anyone and everyone who's recently been to Tulum, and rightfully so. Their menu changes daily, based on what they catch that day. So think super fresh, and delicious seafood. Their cocktails were amazing too! (*They only take Pesos, no credit cards, or USD*)
• Posada Margherita - Pasta in Mexico? That was my initial reaction too, but this is where you'll have some of the freshest pasta you've ever had (perhaps outside of Italy). The restaurant sits on the beach, so if you go at sunset, it's quite the romantic dinner. But this was also probably one of the more expensive meals we ate. 
• Prieto - Cute dessert spot in town for frozen yogurt. They only served one flavor that changed on a weekly basis, but the best part was—unlimited toppings!
• I Scream Bar - Is exactly what their name is. Ice cream & a bar. I'll say that I didn't try their ice cream (they also had vegan options!!) or get a drink at the bar, but I did get a fresh coconut water during the day here and it was delicious! And this place was always crowded with lively staff and guests!

What we did/saw:

• Azulik Tulum - Their yoga space is one of the most stunning domes I've ever seen. To get to the yoga class, you walk through what looks like the most well-kept jungles of Tulum through a manmade bridge. Words and photos cannot do this place justice. 
• Holistika - Again, we were lucky to have Holiksta as our neighbor, making it a no-brainer to go for yoga. Our instructor was incredible and possibly my fave from my time in Tulum! Also, because Holistika is located off the beach and in Tulum town, the price of the class was cheaper. ($12 vs. $20 per person).
• Grand Cenotes - I wish we had time to explore all the cenotes, but this was the biggest one. Entrance was about $10, and $12 to rent snorkeling gear. This is at the top of my must-do's when in Tulum!

• Mayan Ruins - We took a 1 hour tour for $20pp. You can also opt out of the tour guide and go in for free, but we went on a Sunday (day of rest for all of Mexico) so the line was super long. But if you purchase a tour, you get to skip the lines! Our tour guide Julian was quite knowledgable (not sure how accurate any of it was, but he was quoting archeologist left and right). He spoke English pretty fluently and most importantly, made us laugh!

• Casa Malca - You've seen it all over Instagram, so of course we had to find our way to Pablo Escobar's Mansion too. It's not easy to find or get it, but with a little high school Spanish, we were able to get passed the "security" and to the unfinished mansion itself.