Tulum refuses to be put in a box. For some, it’s the Vegas of Mexico. For others, it’s akin to a wellness retreat, its hippie roots yet to be smothered completely by the influx of wealth and influencers. For us - it was a little bit of everything. We did the influencer thing, at Azulik (overrated). We did the detox juices and the smoke cleansing (usually after a night out when our hangovers left us begging for any sort of reprieve). We did the cenote hopping, bike rentals, and beach lounging (exactly what you come to Tulum for).

It is a fascinating place - defined by contrasts. The beachfront strip, or hotel zone, can be an overt show of wealth, where people pay thousands of dollars for a weekend of debauchery, show up wearing exclusively Cult Gaia, and presuming they are soaking in “Mexican” culture only to end up at “jungle-themed” parties at restaurants that share sister locations in Miami or New York. Don’t get me wrong - this version of Tulum is fun too. Just please don’t show up, see the dirt road and stretch of jungle, and assume this is the real Mexico.

The real Mexico is just a short drive up the road from the beach. It is tucked between Centro and the rapidly expanding developments of luxury condominiums like Aldea Zama. Here, you’ll find multi-generational families living together, cooking outside on charcoal-fired makeshift grills, hawking fresh cut fruit to visitors like me and my friends who wander the back roads from Aldea Zama up to Pueblo (town). My suggestion: if you go to Tulum, try to get a taste of both versions of it, if only to understand the true dichotomy of Tulum. The intention for this list is to reflect a little bit of that mix as well.

The Food

Bal Nak

If you’re looking for a nice spot for a dinner along the beach, the top options provided are usually Rosa Negra and Hartwood. They are the stand-by classics of Tulum. But if you are looking for a luxe night out that is slightly less expensive (especially if you are travelling for a longer-period like we were), Bal Nak offers all the same atmospheric benefits of the beachfront restos at a much more approachable price. We also met the owner that night and she was lovely, glam, and warm - so that reflected back on her beautiful restaurant too.

Restaurante Estrada

Estrada was a recommendation that came from our lovely driver, Henrique, who mentioned that he loves to go there with his friends for fresh seafood. It was one of my favourite meals. We got fresh fish, lobster, octopus, ceviche, and some delicious pina coladas and margaritas - Tulum classics but for a true fraction of the price and from a restaurant that felt much more accessible to locals.

La Negra Tomasa

La Negra Tomasa was our last meal in Tulum - we sat around that table, half the humans that we were when we arrived. But we were brought back to life by the seafood towers, sashimi, aguachiles, and tostadas. A lovely spot with lovely service (and around the corner from Batey’s so that could make for a nice little evening). The Mar y Tierra tostada blew my mind and I remember the sashimi de salmón o atún being quite notable as well.

Cetli

In most restaurants in Tulum, you will find the same sort of menu. Seafood-heavy, usually octopus as the feature. While delicious, if you have the chance - Cetli offers a different type of Mexican cuisine, closer to the Oaxacan style. You’ll feel like you’ve stumbled into a true Mexican home when you walk into this restaurant. The walls are decorated with knick knacks from across the country and you can peek into the kitchen from the dining room to see chefs cooking up various types of mole (which you should definitely try). Enjoy the appetizer plate as well, which includes fresh oranges topped with chili garnished crickets and other delicacies.

Rossina Cafe 

We stayed in the Aldea Zama neighbourhood which is still newly developing. While there weren’t a ton of restaurants in the neighbourhood (that were open in the off-season while we were there at least!), there were some cute little brunch spots like Rossina. Definitely leaning more American-style in terms of the brunch selection, but with some delicious fresh-juices and smoothies.

DelCielo 

Do yourself the biggest favour and go to DelCielo to get the Tropical Breeze smoothie. Mango, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit goodness. It is a sweet, sweet nectar for literally $6. I don’t even think you can get a coffee for $6 in Toronto anymore.

Taqueria La Chiapaneca

Get the classics here - tacos, tortas, gringas, tostadas, empanadas, quesadillas… all the various types of Mexican food which equals some form of meat in some sort of tortilla wrapping. On hot nights, there is nothing better than this meal paired with an ice cold orange Fanta, Coke, or Sol. And if you’re lucky, a mariachi band or local singer might just pop in for a performance.

Taqueria Honorio 

Full disclosure: my friend’s bag got stolen here and that was a huge drag. So, pro tip: keep that wallet in eye-sight… just for safety’s sake. But, stay with me: these tacos are not to be missed. Delicious. Worth the inevitable wait for a table. Endorsed by Danish Chef Rene Redzepi, of Noma fame. Served on plastic dishes, with no pageantry other than the fact that the suckling pig has been roasting in a hot coal hole-in-the-literal-ground for 12 hours.

La Corriente Cevicheria Nais Tulum

Along the hotel zone beachfront, prices are usually closer to double what you’d pay in the Pueblo (downtown) of Tulum. Finding affordable spots for a quick snack can be tough. This was one resto we found that had affordable options and what looked like a delicious cocktail menu. Unfortunately it was closed for the offseason but fingers crossed it’s open for when you’re there!

The Parties

Batey’s Mojito Bar

The way the parties typically work in Tulum is that each bar has a “night.” Batey’s is an old-faithful of the Pueblo bar scene, not least because they make the most out of this world mojitos (I think like 8 or 10 different types), with fresh sugarcane. They have live music and performances most nights, and typically they kick off the going-out week in Tulum on Wednesdays.

Casa Jaguar

After 11pm on Thursdays, this Caribbean restaurant transforms into a Jungle Party on the terrace. You can often find international DJs stopping by Casa Jaguar on their circuits.

Gitano

I won’t lie, Gitano is expensive and drinks can run upwards of $20 USD. So maybe come a little bit tipsy or just prepared to dance with no extra courage. Fridays are Gitano’s night and the theme is Gypsy Disco (my favourite theme of all time? This is where I rang in my birthday and it could not have been more perfect).

Papaya Playa Project

Papaya Playa Projects bring the weekend parties to their peak, on Saturday nights. They also host Full Moon parties on the Saturdays closest to the full moon each month. Lots of popular DJs roll through PPP - when we were there, we just missed Bob Moses (sad).

Santino

Another fun dance spot in the Pueblo, Santino has several floors including their rooftop which is decked with lasers, fog machines, and a full-on light system. Start your night at Santino with a few drinks and then pop back and forth between there and Straw Hat. Just make sure you are in the mood for dancing - there’s lots of reggaeton, electronic, and pop classics to keep the energy going until the wee hours.

Straw Hat Hostel

Straw Hat is not exactly the spot to go if you are still sober. Think of all the hostel bar crawls of your early twenties meeting the degenerate university parties of your blurry-memories. It is a hotspot for Aussies and anyone looking to make a little ruckus. Beer pong, wheel spin challenges, free shots, classic 2010s electronic music. You should have no problem having fun here.

La Zebra

La Zebra is known for their salsa dancing Sundays where they offer free lessons from 6:30-7:30, then open the floor where beach-goers can dance away the Sunday scaries.

The Activities

Cenotes

Cenotes are swimholes formed thousands of years ago by a meteoroid shower (I believe?) that carved up the face of the Yucatan peninsula and created an underground cave system that extends across the coast. There are lots that have either been taken over by hotels or adventure tourism groups, and some on the land of local families. Either way, most of them have an entry cost between $5-20. We went to Cenote Calavera and Cenote Casa Tortuga, both of which were awesome. I’ve also heard good things about Sac Actun, Dos Ojos, Choo-Ha, and Big Cenote.

Bike and Beach Day

The best thing we did was rent bikes for the week from Ola Bike. It let us get around the neighbourhood, up to Pueblo for breakfast or lunch, and down to the beach easily (and cheaply - getting around by taxi is not cheap in Tulum). We also spent most of our time at Playa las Palmas, which had some good spots to lock up our bikes by the trees.

Other Activities

Honestly, we spent a lot of this trip lounging on a beach or by a pool, recovering from dancing the night previous. But there are lots of activities to be done in Tulum. A few other suggestions - visit the nearby Xel Ha conversation area to go snorkling, take a yoga class at Azulik or Nomade, visit the Sian Ka’an Biosphere, go to the Tulum Archeology zone to see the ruins.