Located on the Yucatán Peninsula, overlooking the cobalt blue waters of the Caribbean Seas, sits the quaint Mexican beach town of Tulum, a chill, vibrant coastal community that stands in stark contrast to neighboring Cancun. Tulum is still somewhat of a hidden gem, though its popularity is growing among vacationers looking for a unique beach experience.
In addition to boasting one of Mexico’s most relaxing beaches, Tulum offers visitors a chance to explore ancient Mayan ruins, get in touch with nature, and immerse themselves in Mexican culture. Tulum is also one of the safest and most affordable coastal areas in Mexico when you book an Airbnb.
To help you plan an unforgettable Mexican vacation, we compiled everything you need to know about Tulum. We even included a list of the top seven best Airbnb Experiences offered by locals in Tulum that you just cannot miss.
Is Tulum, Mexico a Good Vacation Spot?
Tulum is a great vacation spot precisely because it offers a very one-of-a-kind beach experience. You won’t find any mega-resorts here, but that is part of Tulum’s charm.
The town is well-loved for being laid-back and eco-friendly, making it the ideal spot to unplug and benefit from the restorative powers of nature. In addition to the pristine beaches, Tulum is centrally located among several Cenotes, which are water-filled sinkholes that make for genuinely awe-inspiring swimming holes. The numerous wildlife areas, eco-parks, and nature reserves that dot the area are ready to be explored.
Tulum is also a wonderful place to experience and learn about Mexican culture and history. In Tulum, you can wander through the quaint shops of local artisans, visit the galleries of world-class artists, and visit the ancient Mayan ruins that founded the city long ago. You can even enjoy a night out in the clubs if you are up for it after a day in the sun!
The 7 Best Airbnb Experiences
When it comes to deciding what to do in Tulum, there is certainly no shortage of options. Opting for an Airbnb Experience is an excellent option for travelers because it helps you experience the best the area has to offer and allows you to meet and learn from locals.
Tulum has so many memorable Airbnb Experiences to offer, it was hard for us to limit this list to just seven, but these are ones you certainly do not want to miss!
1. Tulum Taco Tour
We recommend booking this Tulum Taco Tour for your first day in Tulum. You’ll probably be hungry after all the traveling involved getting there, and the walking tour gives you a perfect opportunity to get your bearings and learn about the downtown area from a local.
The host, Victoria, is a self-described veteran street food aficionado. If you are lucky enough to end up with a private tour, she is a wealth of information. If you are part of a group, you might have the chance to meet like-minded fellow adventures to spend time with during your stay in Tulum.
Plus, don’t forget, you get to try the mouth-watering tacos on offer in Tulum!
- Rating: 4.95 Stars
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Cost: $18 per/person + charge for tacos at each vendor (bring cash!)
- Host language(s): English, Spanish
- Maximum group size: 10 people
2. Mayan Traditional Experience
If you are curious about Mayan culture and open-minded enough to participate in an ancient Mayan wellness tradition, this experience is set up to share sacred cultural rituals with non-native visitors.
It can be intimidating to open up and truly live a cultural experience, particularly when you are not a member of that native culture. Still, the mother-son hosts, Maria and Mario, are welcoming and warm. They make sure that you are comfortable as you enter the sacred Mayan places where the wellness rituals are practiced.
During your time together with the native Maya peoples, you will experience a Mayan cleansing dance, enjoy a traditional Temazcal steam bath, savor a traditional meal, and meditate in a cenote. There is something truly amazing to be gained from this experience.
- Rating: 4.90 Stars
- Duration: 6 Hours
- Cost: $147 per/person; includes food, transportation, and any necessary equipment
- Host language(s): English, Spanish
- Maximum group size: 6 people
3. Sunrise at the Mayan Ruins
If you are not a morning person, you will want to make an exception for this experience because the sunrise view is worth it! In addition to the chance to see one of the most remarkable sunrises in Mexico, you will also get VIP entrance into the Tulum Ruins before anyone else can enter the site.
Marc, your host, is a Mexican historian and a local tour guide who works with his wife. He can get exclusive access to the site before sunset, allowing you to get a tour of the ruins while the site is still closed to the general public; afterward, you can stay as long as you like.
We recommend eating before you leave because it will be a while before the nearby restaurants open for business, and perhaps bring a snack along to enjoy on the beach after your tour.
- Rating: 4.70 Stars
- Duration: 4.5 Hours
- Cost: $77 per/person includes tickets for the site and the tour
- Host language(s): English
- Maximum group size: 10 people
4. Mayan Backroads Rural Bike Tour
We recommend booking this bike tour after you’ve spent enough time lounging on the beaches of Tulum. This is also a stand-alone experience because it will chew up an entire day.
This tour showcases the diverse ecosystems and Mayan communities that call the Yucatán home. You will ride through various landscapes and make plenty of stops along the way to meet some of the local peoples and learn about their lives and experience their hospitality.
With Alejandro to guide you, you will enjoy a homemade farm-to-table meal, learn how to extract honey from a local beekeeper, cool off in a pristine lake, and connect with the natural world. This is a highly active experience that includes biking, paddling, and a little hiking. So, make sure to carbo-load the day before and get a good night’s sleep!
- Rating: 5.0 Stars
- Duration: 9 Hours
- Cost: $135 per/person; includes food, drinks, transportation, and equipment
- Host language(s): English, German, Spanish, French, Italian
- Maximum group size: 8 people
5. Weaving Workshop in Tulum
This experience is an excellent activity for art-lovers. At the end of the workshop, you will have your very own unique piece of art to take home with you.
Karen, your host, is a professional Mexican textile designer and artist with her very own studio. Here she teaches traditional Mexican weaving from a meditative approach, turning the creative process into a relaxing experience.
Leaving the creative process up to you, Karen will guide you as you create something functional or decorative to remember your time in Tulum by. This is not one of those art classes where everyone leaves with the same thing.
- Rating: 4.98 Stars
- Duration: 4 Hours
- Cost: $45 per/person; includes art materials, equipment, food, and drinks
- Host language(s): English
- Maximum group size: 4 people
6. Discovering the Best Insta Cenotes
Let’s be honest, if we don’t get a few shots that make our Instagram followers jealous, did we even take the vacation? That’s where this experience comes in. Cenotes, as you may recall, are water-filled sinkholes formed by underground rivers. They are natural wonders, plain and simple. (If you want to learn more about cenote diving in Tulum, check out that article!)
Guided by local expert and photographer, Fernando, you will be whisked away to three fairytale-worthy cenotes. Once you are there, Fernando gives you a chance to explore the magical landscape and take photos to savor long after the experience.
- Rating: 5.0 Stars
- Duration: 6.5 Hours
- Cost: $134 per/person includes food, transportation, photographer
- Host language(s): English, Spanish, French
- Maximum group size: 10 people (You must have at least 3 people to book)
7. Mexican Cooking Class from Scratch
This is cooking class is a fantastic lunch-time experience guided by a team of culinary experts. You will learn how to make traditional, authentic Mexican food from scratch! You’ll be using traditional utensils, local ingredients, and ancestral recipes.
This joy-filled experience is designed to recreate the fellowship that is commonly felt in Mesoamerican kitchens. And when all is said and done, you will get to sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor while sharing the meal you made with your hosts.
- Rating: 4.97 Stars
- Duration: 3 Hours
- Cost: $79 per/person includes food
- Host language(s): English
- Maximum group size: 8 people
Now that you know what to do in Tulum, let us go over some more important information that may help you to plan your Tulum vacation.
Is it Safe to Walk Around Tulum at Night?
Yes, it is safe to walk around Tulum at night! Tulum has a vibrant nightlife, and you certainly do not want to miss out on the cafes, boutiques, and clubs that are open late. That said, it is best to get to know your way around during daylight hours first.
Tulum, like most cities, can have instances of petty crime, so standard traveler safety rules apply:
- Use situational awareness to make sure you aren’t being pick-pocketed.
- Avoid walking down dark, residential, or uninhabited streets at night.
- Don’t talk to strangers and never accept drinks you didn’t order.
It is also good to note, the tap water in Tulum is NOT SAFE for drinking. It is best to stick to bottled water.
How Much Money Do I Need Per Day in Tulum?
You will need approximately $60 per day for your vacation in Tulum. This equates to about 1,200 Mexican Pesos per day and does not account for the cost of any Airbnb experiences you may choose to pay for.
That means, if you were going to budget for a week-long trip for two, you should be able to enjoy a luxury vacation on a $1,000-$1,200 budget.
Get Ready for Your Next Tulum Vacation!
If you’re planning a getaway to Tulum, don’t miss out on the incredible AirBnB Tulum rentals with a private pool for the ultimate relaxation experience.
Due to its vibrant Mexican culture, breath-taking natural surroundings, and world-class beaches, we highly recommend visiting Tulum on your next Mexican vacation.
You can visit Tulum any time of year; the weather is always warm, but the locals will tell you the best time to visit is from the end of October to the beginning of December. Keep in mind, the tourist season peaks in January-March, and the area can get oppressively hot during the summer months. It is also better to avoid traveling to Tulum in early autumn because that is hurricane season.
Getting to Tulum is quite simple. It is best to fly into Cancun International Airport (CUN), especially if you come from abroad. From there, you simply need to take a bus or rent a car and travel to Tulum, which is about an hour-and-a-half south of Cancun. Tulum has no shortage of adorable and affordable Airbnb stays; though, these need to be booked in advance due to the increasing popularity of the area. If you are still questioning whether you should stay in a Tulum Airbnb or hotel, we’ve got you cover with that article! We’ve also got a list of the best hotels in Tulum for you to check out as well!
We hope we’ve provided you with more than enough information to feel confident venturing out of Cancun, and now all that is left for you to do is, book the trip!
For your next trip, you should check out the best AirBnb experiences in the US!