Tulum is a place of myth and mystery, also known as the ultimate place for an unplugged
and stylish beach vacation. It is laid-back and eco-friendly. Along the stretch of Tulum's
gorgeous beach and nearby areas, you would find historic Mayan ruins, Sian Ka’an Biosphere
Reserve, visionary art community and world-class shops and restaurants. However, the changes
and impacts on the environment are real, we hope to raise awareness for sustainable tourism
and share the future potential of this special place.
We settled in our home away from home at Casa Malca, located at the most exclusive southern
end of Tulum Beach. It is an artistic wonderland with top notch contemporary art, nature, and
understated luxury. The property retains its grand legacy of Pablo Escobar’s old mansion,
combines it with a new contemporary approach and an alternative reality that art, design
and decoration can create. It offers maximum privacy and exquisite experience in the middle
of the jungle.
The Mayans believe that the night air is filled with dreams, both good and bad. The bad dreams
would get tangled within the dream catcher and perish with the first light of the new
day.
On a fresh day, we arrived at the ancient Mayan city, Coba. The site contains a group
of large temple pyramids and many sculpted stela that document ceremonial life and events.
We climbed 130 steps up to the top of the pyramid for the remarkable view of the area
and traced the series of elevated stone causeways, sacbe”, radiate from the central to various
sites, including Tulum that used to serve the city as the main port. The civilization
was estimated with 50,000 inhabitants or more at its peak, and so far, only 5% of the site
has been rediscovered.
At the other side of the jungle, we came back to the modern time for a unique art experience
at SFER IK. Previously known as IK LAB, the organic architecture, winding lines and intricate
patterns at the spaces in Tulum and Uh May inspired us to explore from external to spaces
within, but also ourselves, through art.
From Azulik to Sfer Ik, the founder and creator, Roth has a cohesive vision to connect indigenous
and contemporary communities demonstrating the nature and the Mayan culture could seamlessly
coexist.
SFER IK is like an Art City that showcases some of the world’s finest artists and artisanal
workshops which link ancestral practices with avant-garde techniques and visionary design.
It has a profound effect on those who visit, both from local and from afar.
The Tulum experience could not be complete without a stylish night out. We followed the
neon sign and the giant disco ball to Gitano Tulum, sipping mezcal cocktails in the colonial
style jungle room and enjoyed smokey vibe in the cactus garden. The modern Mexican cuisine
done with open fire grill tasted just as good as it looked. It was beyond fabulous celebrating
the jungle living along with lively music and the dramatic setting.
With a nice buzz, we woke up from a beautiful dream in the chandelier room at Casa Malca,
enjoying the glamour and exotic beauty from every corner. Then the sunrise came through
from the horizon and lead us to the breakfast on the beach at Philosophy restaurant.
It was the perfect laid-back moment with a big gourmet breakfast and the beautiful scenery.
The seasonal ingredients and the outdoor setting married so well together that you forgot the
existence of time. In the meanwhile, we could not ignore the seaweed problem that has become
a huge issue across Caribbean sea.
Then it was time for us to embrace the eco living, ditched the car and jumped on the
bicycle for a day to explore the town and jungle.
We came to Dos Ojos area in North Tulum, discovered a series of Cenotes that are pristine and
secluded. Coming from an ancient Mayan word, Cenote is natural sinkhole filled by rain
and water flowing from underground rivers through the limestone rocks. The Yucatan Peninsula
in Mexico has more than 6000 different cenotes and is the largest underground river system
in the world.
Followed the cenotes and lagoons, we headed south to the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve.
Sian Ka'an is home to thousands of species and was declared as World Heritage Site by
the UNESCO in 1987, remained as the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean. The
best way to experience the reserve is to float in the Mayan Canals, learning the history
and ecosystem at the same time. Then we joined together with Bushman Photography Team for
a private tour on the speedboat.
Sian Kaan is definitely one of the most spectacular and ecologically diverse places on earth,
and we hope it would stay that way for many generations to come.
At the end of our stay in Tulum, we met with a Mayan shaman for our first Temazcal experience.
Originated from the Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica, Temazcal is a type of sweat lodge
used for purification or healing ceremony. Started around the fire, we thanked the earth
and nature for everything they provide us. The shaman uses herbs like sage to aid the
cleansing process for body and soul. Followed the chanting, we entered the dome like sweat
lodge where hot volcanic rocks were placed in the center with water poured over to produce
steam. The mindfulness session was a re-birth and self-reflecting experience that helps
you re-unite with the world with a clearer vision and inner peace. At the end, we are
already part of the tribe for the spiritual journey and mission in the land of Tulum.