Tulum Beach

Address:Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

In the last 5-6 years, Tulum has started raising its' status within the most exclusive holiday destinations thanks to its’ uncontaminated natural habitats, endless Tulum beaches and the famous Mayan ruins, one of the most fascinating archaeological sites of the entire North/Central America, a must-see for every tourist arriving in this part of the world.

When you reach the vicinities of the "castillo" (the site's biggest and most important building in Tulum), your eyes will be entranced by the stunning countless turquoise shades of the sea directly in front of you. Being normally quite hot, your instinct will lead you down the wooden stairs stairs, allowing you to jump into the sea in this unique atmosphere.

Once you leave Tulum ruins, just 5 minutes’ walk southwards, straight after the lighthouse, there’s a public entrance to Playa Paraiso (Paradise Beach) - a well-deserved name -, 1 mile of stunning white sands. Directly in front of the ocean, you can choose from several little restaurants/bars where, whilst taking a rest, you can order a freshly made ceviche (the Mexican typical raw seafood cooked in lime juice) and a freezing cold beer, with the priceless sensation of your feet in the sand. Don't be concerned about the bill- it will be below 10 Euros each! The whole beach, with its' low hotel density, is about 1 mile long, and absolutely worth a walk and a swim.

Going back to the main road and heading South, after approximately 3 miles, you will enter the "Tulum zona hotelera", where dozens of little hotels (maximum 25/30 rooms) are spread on a breathtaking sandy Tulum beach.

Prices range from 70 USD for a simple beach cabana in the sand, to 700 USD or more for a luxurious ocean front suite with SPA, masseurs and pool available at your fingertips. Just across the road, there are many restaurants, souvenir shops, boutiques and a few cenotes, where you can dive in fresh sweet water surrounded by lush mangroves in an amazing naturally wild setting.

Food is a business which has developed a lot in the past 2/3 years in this area of Tulum. At one time you could only find the typical Mexican seafood and tacos, but now there's a wide selection of excellent restaurants, led by international chefs, which will give you the chance of choosing a different type of cuisine every night, from Thai to Indian, from vegetarian to Italian fresh homemade pasta, from seafood to steak, from sushi to international fine cuisine, often with a well-balanced twist of Mexican tradition.

At the end of the “zona hotelera”, a big arch indicates the beginning of one of the most beautiful places in the whole area of Tulum: the biosphere of Sian Ka'an. For just 27 Mexican Pesos (slightly more than 2 USD) to enter, you have 40 kilometers of South heading white and bumpy dirt road, ending in the picturesque Mayan fishing village of Punta Allen, which allow you to drive through this protected natural reserve, where it's easy to meet iguanas, lizards and countless bird species, especially once you reach the “puente”, the bridge over the lagoon.