Most of you have heard of tulum the sizzling hot town 90 minutes south
of cancun. While its thousand-year-old ruins are
worth a visit it's not the mayan influence that brought me here.
This town found on the Yucatan peninsula is not only home to great beaches and
historical ruins, but boasts lush jungles, thousands of
cenotes, great restaurants and bike-friendly
terrain. These things and more have made it one
of mexico's hottest spots to visit even during the pandemic. Oh yeah
it is august 23rd 2020 and karel and i we are in Tulum.
say hi Karel. Hi
Anyways we are starving and we're gonna go get some food.
We aren't starving. Oh yeah she actually bought food and egg and do
everything in her room i'm like whoa that's too much for me
anyway um we're gonna go check out this place i think it's called Macha Mama
so we're gonna go check it out and get some food and then start our day off.
Hopefully it doesn't rain because i believe there's like a tropical storm
warning somewhere around here so hopefully we'll
be in for a good day. So let's go eat. For quick breakfast
options and delicious acai bowls in tulum,
head to Matcha Mama. A matcha bar with a fun and tropical personality. Aside from
its pretty decor this cafe is ideal for healthy and
special diet options. On the menu you'll find granolas
smoothie bowls, kombatcha, raw juices, smoothies
and of course matcha teas all made with love.
After breakfast we headed to Laguna Kaan Luum located just south of Tulum.
A part of the beauty of this area can be attributed to how secluded it is
and it is noted to be one of Tulum's most beautiful hidden gems.
Laguna Kaan Luum is a serene and naturally stunning body of water
waiting to be explored. Kaan Luum mayan for yellow earth possibly named so
based on the clay makeup of the waterbed is a pool of crystal clear greenish
turquoise tinted waters perfect for leisurely swimming. Also
within the lagoon but sectioned off from the general swimming area
there is a 262 feet deep cenote which offers the opportunity for
diving and snorkeling in a pristine waters surrounded by
jungle greenery. So Karel what were your thoughts of this place? I
don't know. I have no words. No words? It's
it's a cute little spot it's just the water
is sketchy that's it. Yeah i think like you said it's probably
because of the rain because when i saw the pictures they were like damn
turquoise and look real pretty today it's green so
we're not gonna go in green water today okay yeah so yeah
If you're looking for a quick and inexpensive lunch option then try El
Mariachi Loco located in the heart of the town. A great
place to rest your feet, enjoy some tacos, have a cold drink and
people watch. If you're looking for a more upscale
spot then check out Tora Tulum located on the beach.
Honoring japanese tradition with a rooted respect for nature
the exquisite minimalism reflects in every detail
embracing us in a soothing but sophisticated ambiance.
Karalito, how'd you sleep last night? Good. Yeah you got up made breakfast
as usual in her hotel room
that's why they have pots and pans and a stove
she's utilizing it I'm not.
Alright so we just got here and the cost is 120 pesos per person
to go in. Cenote Suytun is probably the most
insta-famous cenote in the world. To get from Tulum to cenote Suytun will take
you about 80 minutes or 60 miles and five minutes from the
city Valladolid. This distinctive cave cenote features a
perfectly situated break in the cave ceiling
that flawlessly allows the sun beams to shine through
given one of the most majestic and unique visual displays
Whoa. Holy shit we have it to ourselves. Look how pretty that shit is. Karalito is
braving it and she's going in. Oh yeah oh she is scared of the little fishes
The government built a little platform that you can walk out onto
and i have to say it makes for some great photo opportunities.
If your goal is to visit without any other tourists then your best bet is to
visit first thing in the morning when it opens.
This is beautiful. Oh yeah Oh yeah. However if you want the famous
picture with the radiant beam of sunlight shining through
then you will want to visit Suytun cenote sometime around noon
as this is when the sun is directly overhead and produces the
best effect. Just don't be surprised if you have to wait a bit in line
before you're able to take your photo. what was your experience like down
there? Well i was pretty scared of it but we
were happy that you were here and we don't have to do it alone
i was also scared of the bats and the fishes but with him on my side
everything was great. Karalito tell me about your experience honeybun.
it was great. It was awesome. Seriously. Seriously. STOP.
How was it? It was good i mean it's a little scary when you walk in at first
once you relax a little and scare away the fishes you're great um
great pictures, great water, go with a group of people don't go by yourself
that's about it
So we're at the Gran Cenote. 300 pesos to get in here
and you can't bring camera so i had to sneak mine in here
so definitely note that. The Gran Cenote is located three miles from Tulum.
As you may have guessed from its name El Gran Cenote
is big. It's actually made up of multiple cenote caves
but don't expect something huge. It's gorgeous right? Very
um how cold is it? It's not that cold
you know we got here kind of early it's like eight o'clock in the morning so we
were like the first set of people here but
it's not bad once you're submerging it you're pretty good. The area that's not
underground is not that big. If you want to
experience the Gran Cenote without a crowd
it is best to go as early as possible. Thankfully
i met Sydney and Davis there as we were the only ones there when it opened
and they helped in capturing some of my memories. It's really
quiet right now because there's no one really here but we had a
hard time getting in with our gear a little bit tricky
because they only really let gopro and phone in
there's quite a few excuses too yeah there's quite a few mosquitoes
and but there's it's really quiet and there's nobody here which is perfect
time and it's really cool about this cenote
is that they actually have turtles that are swimming around as well so it's
really quite magical. Yeah that's pretty much it for the Gran
Cenote man. Very nice here come early in the morning
um. The sun isn't out but i figured i'd beat
the crowd anyway so that's about it.
Gonna go check out cenote Calavera and see what this one is all about. The
last cenote i visited in Tulum was cenote Calavera which is also known as
The Temple Of Doom. It's about a five minute drive from Gran Cenote
and about 1.8 miles away from Tulum town center.
The scary sounding name reflects the ominous feel of the cenote
and its large underground cave. After walking 100 meters along the trail
you come to a hole in the ground with a 10 meter circumference.
Have you jumped into a Cenote before? No Naw. You can swim right?
Yeah. Okay. Photographer what's happening?
It takes some guts to jump off the edge to clear water three meters below.
For those less courageous a ladder is available to lower yourself
Despite being one of the closest cenotes to town cenote Calavera is relatively
off the radar, less busy than other tourist spots and a
bit quieter. This equates to more time for peaceful
exploring.
You simply can't visit Tulum and not go to the beach.
Playa Ruinas is set on the dramatic cliffs atop which you'll find the famous
ancient Maya Ruins of Tulum. The beach is lined with swaying palm trees
rooted in silky sands and overlooks a glittering turquoise ocean
If you're looking for a picture-perfect setting this is it.
So we're gonna go riding. I need a big bike because i'm a tall girl.
Yeah we need one with a lot of air in the tires for her.
One of the inconveniences of visiting Tulum is the constant need to shuttle
yourself between the beaches and the town.
While there are plenty of taxis that run that route, a
fun and affordable way to get around Tulum is to rent a bicycle
and power yourself with your own feet. Nearly every hotel
in town will rent you bikes. There are several large bike paths in Tulum
that make biking the best way to get around and one of the most
popular activities in Tulum. I take a picture nah i'm okay
no i don't have no money no cash okay no pictures
all right
Tulum is the destination everyone wants to visit now
partly because it's one of the few countries accepting visitors
especially those from the United States due to the current pandemic.
In recent years Tulum has rightly established itself as one of the world's
premier beach destinations and you'd be
hard-pressed to find a spot anywhere in America's with so many
instagram worthy locations. Thanks for having us Tulum. What's your
name? Cole. Cole we're you from Cole? From Seattle. Seattle. First time in Tulum?
Second time as well second time how you liking it it's very good yeah man it's
awesome. What's your name? Cassie Cassie yeah
Cassie is her good boyfriend? Yes he is. You sure? Yep. Look at me look at me
you can do this. You could do this oh come on you could do this. Alright
we're waiting. On three. One, two,
three. So tell me your name and where you're from!
oh no. Come on i don't want to do it hey listen this is memories you're not going
to have a better memory than this. Maria from New York. You like her? Of
course she's beautiful yeah i wish i could but
she's yours. You could have her.
you