Writing about Tulum currently could be considered like “A Tale of Two Cities” to some extent. Tulum Pueblo or Town grew up very slowly as both a town supporting the nascent tourist industry created by the Mayan ruins of the same name just outside of town, and a crossroads of traffic up and down the Quintana Roo coast and a major highway that cuts inland towards Cobá and the colonial city of Valladolid in neighboring Yucatan state.
No more than 10-15 years ago, the majority of these places were quite rustic—spotty electricity because a hurricane wiped out the one highline, and a plethora of mosquitos.
Along the beach front 2-3 kilometers away, a long strand of hotels, beach clubs, and restaurants hugs the coast. Here they line the narrow space between the beach and the rustic road until the entrance of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve almost 20 kilometers down the coast. No more than 10-15 years ago, the majority of these places were quite rustic. There was spotty electricity because a hurricane wiped out the one power line, and a plethora of mosquitos. Then gradually, the place started trending with the international tourist set, and places upped their game to be able to be called rustic chic, or bohemian. Now people pay from $200 to $600 US dollars per night to stay there. Admittedly, the beaches are long and wide and the sand is white and soft as sugar, and the water is as blue and clear and stunning as any coastline in the world. So it’s no wonder that Tulum is right now considered Condé Nast’s best beach in the world, but you’ll pay the price to be able to stay there. Just know that the infrastructure there is more than a challenge to keep clean and maintained, and achieving luxury there is a serious undertaking—a real reason why things are so expensive.
This strip of prime real estate has also become prime hunting grounds for eco-chic and bohemian weddings for brides and grooms from around the world. This is one of the few concentrations of such boutique hotels anywhere in the Mexican Caribbean, so it’s no wonder that this is such a great spot for tying the knot.
One development in 2016 putting a wet blanket on all this hype is a serious and well-publicized problem over questions regarding actual ownership of a large chunk of the beachfront in Tulum. Entrepreneurs who thought that they bought property years ago are now having their legal title to the property questioned by several well-connected Mexican families. There are accusations of government interference, and there was even a mass eviction of more than 15 boutique hotels and other properties in the summer of 2016. An article in the New York Times tells more.
With the amazing economic success of the beachfront places luring in people from all over the world, the town of Tulum has steadily been growing into something of a hippie-chic-grows-up vibe all its own. The town still only contains around 20,000 residents, but that’s up from fewer than 2000 in the year 2000. We don’t recommend any of our groups actually staying in Tulum town. However, there is now a good sampling of solid fine dining establishments, along with the usual smattering of good and relatively inexpensive fish and shellfish restaurants.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
HOTELS:
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Hotel Be Tulum
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El Pez
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Hotel Mezzanine
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Hotel La Zebra
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The Beach Tulum
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Hotel Mi Amor
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Las Cabanas Tulum
RESTAURANTS:
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Food and Zine
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Mezzanine
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Kitchen Table
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La Coqueta
ACTIVITIES:
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Tulum Mayan Ruins
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Cobá Maya Ruins
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Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve
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Playa Paraiso
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Playa Largo
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Aquatic sports from Puerto Aventuras or Akumal
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Xel-Ha theme park
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Akumal swim with turtles
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Dos Ojos Cenote
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Other cenotes