Tulum, Mexico is a town on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula,
about 90 minutes south of Cancun and 60 minutes from Playa del Carmen. Originally
known for its well-preserved ancient Mayan ruins,
Tulum is increasingly known for its gorgeous sandy beaches, fabulous restaurants,
and trendy new-age vibe. Most travelers to Tulum stay in one of two main areas, the Pueblo or
the beach. It's about five kilometers from the Pueblo to the main stretch of beach in Tulum.
The beach is where the luxury hotels, fine dining restaurants, outdoor nightlife,
and boutique shops are. One advantage of staying on the beach is waking up to see
the sunrise over the ocean or walking along the beach in the early morning hours, which is
simply wonderful. We go into greater depth about areas along the beach later on in this video.
The Pueblo is the lively downtown area of Tulum brimming with great restaurants, bars,
and shopping. Hotels tend to be in the budget or moderate range though there is an increasing
number of boutique hotels at a fraction of the cost of the beach resorts. Most hotels
in the Pueblo have 24-hour air conditioning, whereas some hotels on the beach have limited
hours. The Pueblo is easily walkable and bikeable with a grid layout, sidewalks,
and street lamps in most parts. Food in the Pueblo is more authentic and affordable than what you'll
find at the beach with lots of different options. Walking just a block or more off the main streets
you'll encounter more locals, less tourism, and cheaper food and accommodation. At night,
the sidewalks are alive with outdoor dining and vendors, and there are a number of venues
with live music. There are also loads of great murals decorating the Pueblo.
While there are a variety of small markets, pharmacies, convenience stores, and ATM's along
the beach road, as can be expected the prices are higher for everything and all items can be found
in town for cheaper. Near the intersection between the main highway that runs through
town and the road to the beach are two large supermarkets where you can find most anything
you'll need. It takes about 20 to 45 minutes to cycle from the heart of the Pueblo to the beach,
depending on your exact starting point and destination. If you're walking,
this can take an hour or two. There is a designated pedestrian and bicycle path
that runs along the main road that connects the Pueblo and the beach. Many hotels offer
free or cheap bicycles to guests. And there are loads of places to rent bikes, scooters,
and other electric options, making it simple, to stay in one spot and enjoy the other.
There are no streetlights or bike lanes on the road that runs alongside the beach. So,
cycling there is best during the day. If you have your own vehicle,
free parking along the beach road is limited. Hotels along the beach have private parking and
there are small paid parking lots available. But towing of vehicles parked along the side of the
beach road is common in some sections, so it's best to pay for parking to stay on the safe side.
The beach is wide and mostly sandy and goes on for miles,
though there are a few rocky patches and secluded bays. The beach zone is roughly
divided into four areas. The North, which is closer to the ruins and can be quieter,
the Beach Town and Middle zones with many restaurants, beach clubs, and nightlife,
and the South as more family-friendly with lots of yoga, wide sandy beach and closer to the Sian
Ka'an Bio Reserve. All sections of the beach are beautiful and welcoming. Along the beach road,
most of the restaurants and shops are on the jungle side and the hotels are on the beach side.
The North Beach zone is the strip of beach running along the edge of Tulum National Park,
where the Mayan ruins are. This generally means from the ruins in the north down five
kilometers south along the beach road to its intersection with Avenida Coba the
road to the Pueblo at the Tourist Police Station. While this is one of the most
popular publicly accessed sections of beach, including by locals. It's also one of Tulum's
least developed stretches of coastline with fewer hotels, restaurants and beach clubs.
Most hotels are on white sandy beaches. Though there are a few areas of rocky coastline. Beach
Town is a cluster of hotels, restaurants, and shops from kilometer four to about kilometer
5.5 between the North and Middle Beach Zones, the beach's sandy and swimmable
in the north end with rocky patches for the southern 500 or so meters. In general dining,
drinking and shopping are more affordable here than in the other beach areas.
There's a small Cove beach with public access directly across from Tunich cafe and Mateo's
restaurant, in this area there are a few bars and restaurants with levels up in the treetops
providing amazing sunset views out over the jungle. The middle beach zone is the heart
of beach area with upscale dining, high-end boutiques and stylish open-air nightclubs.
Outside of the party scene, there are a plethora of ambitious restaurants serving
fine dining and creative menus, including some of Tulum's best-known restaurants,
plenty of yoga studios, and casual beach clubs also dot the strip. The Middle Beach
Zone sits roughly between kilometers 5.5 and eight on Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila from the
narrow rocky Sunset beach at the north end to just past ARCA restaurant in the south end.
The beach's long, wide, and mostly Sandy though there are some rocky patches. Though there are no
streetlights sidewalks or bike paths, most people get around this area by walking or cycling. It's
fairly easy to flag down a taxi along most of the beach road. The South Beach Zone is the best for
families with a long wide stretch of sandy beach with no rocky parts. Located near the Sian Ka'an
Biosphere Reserve, hotels in the south end tend to be more eco-conscious than hotels to the north,
which is reflected in the Bohemian vibe and abundance of yoga and wellness studios here.
The South Beach Zone tends to be quiet, away from the central party zone, but still within walking
or cycling distance to fantastic restaurants and nightlife. This is a great place to stay
for active families and couples who want to explore more of Tulum's natural wonders from
beaches to jungles to Cenotes days. There's also some great food to be had in this zone.
Both the Pueblo and the beach zone are completely surrounded by jungle with lots of nearby nature
to explore and enjoy. Amazing Cenotes are within a five to 25-minute bike ride along any Avenida
Coba away from the beach and both toward and away from Cancun on the main highway.
This Sian Ka'an biosphere can be reached heading further south on the beach road,
as well as on the main highway heading south away from the Tulum Pueblo. There are loads
more Cenotes and natural adventures to be had, a short taxi or car ride away in all directions.
The Tulum ruins are accessible in two places from the highway, which is the main entrance,
and via the beach road. We've got lots of other useful videos about popular destinations around
the world on our YouTube channel and throughout our website, SantoriniDave.com. Follow us on
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