Top 5 Tulum Truths | Shocking Facts of Tulum, Mexico | Helpful Tips to Lessen the Surprise

We visited Tulum, Mexico for our anniversary and didn’t know what to expect from this flourishing tourist destination - just a two-hour drive south of Cancun. Is it worth all the hype? Well, we were shocked - and learned 5 things about this coastal town. But we also came up with 5 helpful tips to take the surprise out of these Tulum Truths.
CONTENTS
00:00 Teaser & Intro
01:00 Fact1-Be Weary
01:22 Tip1-Embrace the Vibe
02:55 Fact2-Transportation Hell
04:26 Tip2-Car & Scooter
06:15 Fact3-Food Price Choice
06:45 Tip3-Try the Spectrum
08:34 Fact4-Americans Don't
09:13 Tip4-Bring Pesos
10:37 Fact5-It Gets Crowded
11:13 Tip5-Visit Off Season
Fact #1: You need to be weary of the people. When I say this, I mean the tourists that sometimes suck away Tulum’s positive spirits. They can hide away in an all-inclusive pool, all-you-can-eat buffet or spend lavishly on overpriced drinks at the beach clubs before complaining about poor internet reliability or lack of big screen televisions.
Tip #1: Embrace the chill vibe of the locals. Learn some Spanish and converse in the native tongue. The effort will be welcomed. Eat and hang out where the locals do. The local taquerias are legendary. Street vendors will capitalize on opportunities created by visitors, but I never had anyone persist after a simple, “no gracias.”
Fact #2: Transportation in Tulum is hell. There is one main road that connects the beach hotels, clubs, and restaurants. The road is narrow with no appreciable stretch of sidewalk for pedestrians. The paved path is filled with potholes and wrought with a variety of speed bumps. The roads from the beach area to downtown Pueblo are wider but too long to be traveled by foot. Once in El Centro things slow down, but the traffic is still heavy and pedestrians fill the area.
Tip #2: Rent a car to travel to/from Tulum; a scooter to travel in Tulum. Depending on your length of stay, we found renting a small car from Avis in Cancun to be beneficial. For travel within Tulum’s hotel zone and El Centro, however, a car can be frustrating. Our suggestion: rent a scooter.
Fact #3: You choose how much to spend on good food. There are world class restaurants in the hotel zone and foodie worthy taquerias in El Centro. And the price tags can range from $40+ usd plates at the beach to $1 usd tacos in the Pueblo. Each well-chosen meal has merit and can infatuate your taste buds.
Tip #3: Try the spectrum of foods if your means allow it. There are excellent dining options with modest price tags. While taquerias deliver important, mouth-watering food deserving of your attention, they lack diversity and innovation. Mid-price point restaurants can be found at the beach and downtown. They serve up some of the best values around, ranging from healthy, vegan specialties to local seafood. But if you have deep enough pockets, experience some of the incredibly creative dishes from a top-notch eatery at the beach. The international cuisine within Tulum is legendary.
Fact #4: Most Americans can’t buy a meal in Tulum. This is because they don’t carry cash. The dining in Tulum is exquisite - and the restaurants don’t take American Express - or any other credit card for that matter. Cash pesos are preferred and often required, even at the finest restaurants, stores, and local sites.
Tip #4: Be prepared to spend in cash pesos. We brought Mexican pesos that we ordered from our local U.S. bank - giving us a competitive exchange rate. Be weary of restaurants and stores that accept U.S. dollars because they typically do so at an exchange rate favorable to them. For example, they may give you credit for 17 pesos for every U.S. dollar when the going exchange rate is 20 pesos.
Fact #5: Tulum can be very crowded and expensive. It is true that Tulum is no longer a hidden gem. Over the years, the treasures of Tulum have been shared with the world through quickly spreading social media. It has been touted as the #1 travel destination in Mexico. And from 2000 to 2020 the resident population has exploded by five times - to support the tourism growth. Has Tulum outgrown its initial appeal?
Tip #5: Visit Tulum in the off-season. Tulum is blowing up with popularity - and can be one of the most expensive places to stay in Mexico. But its initial appeal can still be captured. The peak season is from December to April due to the outstanding weather conditions. During these times, consider staying in the Pueblo downtown area. There is good reason that non-peak months have lower demand. In May temperatures start to peak. June marks the start of the rainy season as well as hurricane season. These three negative conditions continue through September.
We believe that late October through November is best. At this time, the seaweed, rain, and threat of hurricanes are drying up, while moderately warm temperatures are prevalent. This is all before the peak season crowds and high prices set in.

[@melodyedwards2416]

Great video!! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@csgyuricza]

Nice video! Question: How was the sargassum situation in Tulum when you went, and when was that?

[@criscale3667]

Thanks for the feedback. We went on October 22 and there was no issue with sargassum. The beaches and water were clear. But I got the feeling that it hadn’t been clean for long. It sounded like early October still had some. We hope that helps.

[@csgyuricza]

@@criscale3667 It does. Thanks!