For one of the most globally trendy vacation destinations, Tulum can be extremely stressful! From figuring out where the best (slash affordable) places are to stay, to finding all of the MANY photo spots!

Not to mention, staying sane and confident amongst the hundreds of “influencers” constantly snapping shots (yes, I’m guilty of it, but I swear it’s my full time job of 7 years). Plus the constant worry of being denied entry into a beach club without a hefty fee!

In fact, I have to admit, that although I love how visually alluring Tulum is…that’s pretty much all that I love about it. Not only is it stressful because of its secluded layout and constant crowd, but wildly expensive (although barely any of the money goes to locals), and not at all as eco-friendly as it boasts to be!

So before you decide you love Tulum and start planning a trip there with my tips, please read Tulum’s Eco Secrets and How to Be a Conscious Traveler, or watch the documentary The Dark Side of Tulum!

Regardless, if you visit Tulum, PLEASE be respectful of the environment and the locals! DO NOT bring or leave ANY plastic. Don’t flush toilet paper or anything else down the toilets. Try not to use electricity a lot since it’s all run by diesel generators.

How to Get to Tulum:

Now on to what you’re really here for:

This will depend on how long you plan on staying. For stays less than a week, I would suggest renting a car from the airport. I usually use Firefly and it’s 300 pesos/day for the cheapest car, and they don’t ever charge extra for hidden fees or extra insurance. It comes with minimal coverage, and they don’t have a full coverage option, but if you book with certain credit cards, they will cover you anyway.

*UPDATE: It appears as though the deal I get above is only at the Playa del Carmen office, and likely because I talk in Spanish and say I live there. Someone recently used Firefly at the airport and they were charged a much higher amount for mandatory insurance! If you want to save money, you may want to consider taking the bus into town and renting from there!

If you’re planning on staying longer, you’ll want to first try to pre-arrange transportation with your accommodation. Taking a taxi from the airport will likely cost you one hundred USD or more, but there aren’t many other options.

You can take a bus for only about 265 pesos (about $13) which is your cheapest option.

How to Get Around

Having a car is necessary if you’re staying in Downtown or La Valeta and you plan on going to the beach area a lot. The only downside is the nearly non-existent parking. If you do find parking at the beach, be prepared to pay between 200-400 pesos ($10-20).

If you have a car and you’re staying in the beach area, make sure your accommodation includes parking! Then, regardless if you have a car or not in the beach area, you can opt to rent a bike (or even a quad or motorbike).

You can also of course walk. However the beach road is extremely long, and would probably take a couple of hours! This isn’t a problem during high season (November-January) because it’s a bit cooler, but any other time it’s sweltering hot and humid!

Powered by Froala Editor