Tulum and the Mayan Riviera is always on our short list of destinations for a long weekend to get away. The beaches are varied and beautiful, the water pristine, there’s lots to do in the area, it’s easy to get to [fly direct in to Cancun] and well, it’s Mexico, one of the most culturally rich countries on the planet.
For us, the main attraction when in the Yucatan is always swimming in the ocean and the countless cenotes but we love the town of Tulum and its charm and fortunately, good food aboun
ds. Anytime we travel, we want to know where the locals hang out what gems we can explore that are off the beaten tourist path. Naturally, our first mission was to find the best secret beaches. We rented a car so we would be free to explore the area. Here are a couple of our faves that can be easily accessed off the main road – Carretera Tulum – Cancun.
Caleta Tankah (located at Km. 233) offers a serene day on a white sand // turquoise water beach beneath the palm trees with great service and tacos served beachside. In addition to the gorgeous + mellow beach, there are two cenotes on site. 
One is where the underground river meets the ocean and the result is a crystal clear dreamy wave pool. The second is inland, accessed via a quick walk thru the jungle and then you see this tranquil oasis. Get wet, ya’ll!!
Xpu-Ha is a fave among locals and is located at km 265. If you are looking for a little more action you will find it here. The water is perfect and shallow with great sand and just a few rocks. This spot is definitely more of a party vibe, a little larger crowd (meaning there will likely be a few others here, where there may be no one else at Caleta). There’s even a groovy little boutique on site.
If waves are what you seek, I would suggest hanging at the beach in the Tulum beach strip – the beaches here are all public. You’re not going to wax up your board and ride but you can bob abound hop over the white water. We’ll post about Mexico surfing in a later post.
There really are two Tulum’s – and each has two distinctly different personalities. Downtown Tulum, which is based off of the main highway and the Beach Area that’s a bohemian, jungle-y beach strip with boutique hotels and spas.
Both certainly have their charms but what you’ll find is that when you’re on the beach, you could almost be at any beautiful Caribbean destination, whereas in town you get all the character and culture of small town Mexico.
There are numerous options for food and drinks on the beach. We really dig Ziggy’s Beach Club. Located in the hotel zone, this spot is an amazing place to camp out for the day. They’ve got a great set-up for hanging on the beach, either on lounge chairs under umbrellas or on waterside beds. You can pull up and sit on a swing at the bar or spread out at table under a large palapa for lunch or snacks. In our case, there was a whole day of tropical rainstorms and this palapa gave us the shelter needed for a day of margaritas and comida Mexicana without losing a great view of the Caribbean and the sand between our toes.
Another fave spot of ours on the beach strip is Posada Margherita. This quaint little restaurant/hotel is on the ocean side of the strip as well and serves up a variety of fresh pastas and seafood along with some great wine options. Its all open air, covered and up from the sand with a view. To get to the restaurant from the street you weave your way down a zen pathway of tropical plants and décor before catching a view of the water. It’s a perfect choice for passing a couple of late afternoon hours after swimming.
Downtown Tulum has a great small town Mexican vibe despite having a highway running through itJ It has some great restaurants and bars. If you need a little caffeine jolt, there is a great little coffee shop on the main drag called Babel Café and there is shopping there too if ya need.
After an afternoon of roaming around this area, we highly recommend spending a little evening time on Centauro Sur.
Start by grabbing an authentic Yucatan dinner at La Malquerida and then over to Batey (mojito and guarapo bar) for after dinner drinks, great conversation among the local crowd with live music on the back patio. You may have to share your table with the resident rooster but he’s completely chill. The vibe here is warm and friendly, all beautifully created by the northern Italian family owners.
A must do when in Tulum is a trip to the O.G. city of Tulum – Mayan Tulum. These are the ruins of what remains from the Mayan city built during the thirteenth century. Throwing a little historical excursion into the mix to offset the lounge time adds depth to a trip like this.
You’ll be blown away by how well preserved this site is and the magnitude of what this civilization accomplished here. You can easily hop on a guided tour or just pick up a cheap history book in the gift shop before going in to create a self-guided tour at your own pace. The combination of these large structures and the beauty of the surrounding water is stunning.
Exploring the Mayan Riviera with Tulum as your home base for water fun, lazing around, great food and drinks, and history too is a trip that you can’t pass up.