HEP Travels: Tulum | February 2018
If you haven’t been to the jungle-chic oasis that is Tulum, you’ve definitely heard of it. An easy 2-hour flight from Atlanta followed by a 2-hour drive from Cancun & you’ve made it — only to be greeted with white beaches, crystal clear waters & (hopefully!) a mezcal margarita on the rocks.
Twenty-five of us gals (Nathan wasn’t invited, so I’ll do my best to channel his inner travel blogger) spent a long weekend celebrating our friend Mackenzie’s bachelorette in the best way possible — under the Mexican sun. Although I didn’t plan this trip (was just along for the ride!), I’ve been asked for our itinerary a dozen times & I’m always happy to share. Here’s how we spent three days!
Where To Stay:
We stayed at Hotel Tiki Tiki in Tulum Town (& by stay I mean we rented out the entire boutique hotel for the weekend because there were so many of us). I couldn’t recommend it more. It can be a little tricky to find but once you arrive, you’ll know it by the teal Ford Falcon parked out front. The entire hotel is a photographer’s dream, from the floors to the ceiling — complete with a pool right in the middle of the courtyard. SO much fun & having it all to ourselves was the cherry on top. Bonus: a healthy breakfast of fruit, yogurt & green juice was provided each AM!
The downside? We were about a 20-minute taxi ride to the area with all of the restaurants & beach clubs. (Unfortunately it was tough finding a spot big enough for all of us in the area!) If I were to go back, I’d like to stay riiiiight on the beach.
What To Do:
Beach / Beach Clubs — Obviously. There are tons of choices when it comes to beach clubs here, & honestly you probably can’t go wrong. We hopped around a little bit & enjoyed every spot. Most beach clubs come complete with lounge chairs / cabanas, beach service for food + drinks & a DJ. Here are some of the spots we enjoyed: Ahau Tulum, CoCo Tulum, Ziggy’s Beach Club, Los Amigos Tulum.
Yoga — I am admittedly not a big yogi, but when in Tulum, right? There are studios everywhere, but we booked our Vinyasa class at Sanara Tulum & it was gorgeous! With it’s floor—to—ceiling windows & prime location directly on the beach it made the 90-minute (!!!!) class worth it. You even get a much-needed juice shot afterwards! Hallelujah. Pro Tip: Don’t drink 6 cocktails the evening before.
Gran Cenote — THIS. As a lover of crystal clear waters & swimming holes, this spot had my name all over it. (Nathan — You would have loved this!) A 20-minute taxi from our hotel, this underground, natural sinkhole boasted waters so clear that you didn’t even need a mask + snorkel to see the schools of fish swimming about. When you arrive, you’ll pay the entrance fee (around $20) & then you get to take an ice-cold outdoor shower before swimming in the cenote. Lockers & snorkel equipment are provided at a small fee.
Ruins — Half of our group checked out the ruins, while the other half (me included) enjoyed the cenotes. While I didn’t experience this first hand, I really wish I could have because the photos looked amazing! Definitely spend a couple of hours here if you have time.
Party on the Beach — Part of our group attended the Full Moon Party at Papaya Playa Project and quite literally partied all night. Snaps for them. It looked so fun! But sleep… <3
Where To Eat:
The food here is amazing. If you’re a seafood lover, you’ll definitely get your fix — fish tacos, tuna poke, ceviche. And it’s all SO fresh. Also, I had guacamole with every. single. meal. & you should too. Here were some of our favorites:
RawLove Cafe (healthy, vegan bowls & smoothies)
Gitano (modern Mexican, farm-to-table)
Hartwood Tulum (didn’t get a chance to go here, but supposed to be AMAZING)
We had the BEST long weekend celebrating our girl Mackenzie & would definitely recommend Tulum for a bachelorette party or girls trip. It truly has it all — beaches, activities (if you can’t sit still like me), great food & a lively party scene. Enjoy!
xo- H