Tulum is located on Mexico’s Caribbean coast and is home to white sand beaches, Mayan ruins and a large number of stunning cenotes. Tulum consists of three areas – Tulum town, Tulum beach and the Tulum ruins, that each has its own charm. I loved the fact that you can bike pretty much everywhere, and wherever you go, you are surrounded by palm trees. Four days will allow you to see the highlights of Tulum, but if you want to allow for more beach days – do add in some more days. Here is your four day Tulum itinerary!
You might also want to read: How to Get to Tulum
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Where to stay in Tulum
One thing to be aware before visiting Tulum, is that the beach is about 5km from Tulum town. The traffic can be a nightmare so I’d recommend renting a bike or a motorcycle instead of a car. Unless you won’t to spend a lot of time on the beach, I would suggest to stay in the Tulum town. This is because the hotel zone (the beach) is so far away from everything else.
If you’re on a budget and want to stay in a hostel, I’d recommend Lum, Mimosa or Maka. Note that Mimosa and Maka are also hotels! All three are great, the main difference is that Lum is located very close to the ADO bus station, which is convenient if you’re arriving there. While the other two are about 20 minute walk from the bus station. Mimosa and Maka have pools, while Lum doesn’t. Lum has much more of a hostel vibe than Mimosa and Maka, as the latter two are also hotels.
Your Four Day Tulum Itinerary
Day 1: Take it slow, eat local food & explore the Tulum town
Just to start things off easy, I’d recommend spending your first day exploring the Tulum town and eat some local food. Take a stroll through the town, browse through the shops and admire some of the street art. If you arrive early – rent a bike and head a few blocks from the main road to witness the local life.
For dinner – head to Calle Geminis Sur/Calle Geminis Norte for some street food! You will find lots of tacos and guacamole, as well as burgers and sushi. There are vegetarian and vegan options available, my favourite ones are La Cordobesita Tulum and Perro No Come Perro. They have vegan tacos, burgers and even hot dogs – and yes they’re delicious! Most street food trucks only take cash, so make sure to bring some.
edited with the Film preset pack/photo filters, available here
Tulum Itinerary Day 2: Tulum ruins & beach time
the view from the ruins! edited with the Wanderlust preset pack/photo filters, available here
Grab a breakfast at either Botanica Garden Café, Prieto or Matcha Mama. Then exploring the Tulum ruins (Zona Arqueológica de Tulum). These are Mayan ruins, located on a cliff next the ocean. Walking would take about an hour, so you’re gonna need a car, bike or a scooter. Make sure to get there early, with plenty of water in an insulated water bottle, as it gets incredibly hot and humid during the day and there is just about no shade. The ruins open at 9am, try to be there as early as you can. The entry fee is 85 pesos and can only be paid in cash. Try to have the exact amount as they don’t always have change.
the views are incredible! edited with the Ocean Blues preset packs/photo filters, available here
After exploring the ruins, which should take just under two hours, it’s now time for some lunch and beach time. There are three public beaches in Tulum – Playa Santa Fe, Playa Pescadores and Playa Paraiso, but essentially it’s just one beach as they all merge together. If you’re in the mood for some Mexican food – Casa Galeones is your place. If you’d prefer something fresh & cold, head to Matcha Mama or Raw Love. Casa Galeones is located at one of the three public beaches in Tulum, Playa Pescadores. Matcha Mama and Raw Love are both located in the hotel zone, about a 20 minute drive from the ruins and have vegetarian/vegan options. If you decide to go with the latter two, you can access the beach at Raw Love.
the beach access at raw love – so pretty! edited with the Ocean Blues preset pack/photo filters, available here
For those that want to take a photo with the “follow that dream” sign, this will be your day to do that. It’s located just a few minutes from Matcha Mama, search for “Lolita Lolita Tulum” in your google maps – that’s where that sign is!
For sunset – I would highly recommend heading to Ciel Rose: a sunset bar with a stunning 360° views of the jungle!
Day 3: Cenote day
edited with the Wanderlust preset pack/photo filters, available here
You can not visit the Yucatán Peninsula without exploring a few cenotes! Visiting a cenote is probably the most unique activity in this Tulum itinerary. To get the day started, I’d suggest grabbing a breakfast at either Botanica Garden Café, Prieto or Matcha Mama. Then it’s time to head to explore the cenotes! As there are over 6000 cenotes in the Yucatán Peninsula, it can be hard to choose which ones to visit. Try to go early as the later it gets, the more crowded they tend to be – and it’s just so much more magical to explore them when it’s not filled with a bunch people 🙂 The Gran Cenote opens at 8am, while most of the other ones open at 9am. I would recommend visiting Gran Cenote, Cenote Calavera and Cenote Car Wash. The cenotes are roughly a 20 minute bike ride from Tulum town, so again, you’ll need a bike, a scooter or a car.
After visiting a few cenotes – it’s time for a late lunch! For tacos I’d recommend Taquería La Rivera Costena, for vegetarians/vegans I’d recommend La Hoja Verde.
In the afternoon (anytime after 4pm, cause that’s when they open) I’d suggest grabbing some churros from Don Churro Tulum! The best churros in Tulum in my opinion, you won’t be disappointed.
Day 4: Laguna Kaan Luum
If you only have four days in Tulum and you need to leave early, then your trip ends here. But in case you still have time and don’t leave until later, spend the morning exploring Laguna Kaan Luum. It’s a beautiful lagoon, hidden in the jungle, about 8 km (5 miles) from Tulum. You will need to take a taxi or have a car/scooter. Technically you could also bike, but for whatever reason it’s not recommended to bike on this road.
It’s not your average lagoon, as in the middle of it, there is an 82m (270 feet) deep cenote! Despite its proximity to Tulum, it hasn’t really been discovered yet, so it’s mostly visited by locals. It’s the perfect spot to swim, relax and enjoy nature. Paddle boards are also available for rent, so that’s another thing you could do. The entrance fee is 100 pesos (about 5USD) and must be paid in cash.
I hope you find this four day Tulum itinerary helpful! If you have more days in Tulum, I would recommend having a look at these top rated day trips, that will allow you to discover more of the surrounding areas.
If this is going to be your first time in Tulum, you might want to read this detailed post on how to get to Tulum.
If you are planning a trip to Mexico, you might also want to check out:
- How much you can expect to spend per day in Mexico
- How to get to Tulum
- Five must visit places in Mexico
- Visiting Izamal: The yellow city in Mexico
- Where to eat in Bacalar
- Your guide to visiting Isla Mujeres
- 10 Things to do in Mexico City
- San Cristóbal de las Casas Travel Guide
- Best cafés to work from in Cancún
- How to get from San Cristóbal to Guatemala
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