Travel Diary: Tulum

Each anniversary, George and I travel to a new destination so that we can explore & experience it together. To celebrate our 4 year anniversary, we decided to go to Tulum, Mexico . Tulum is located on the coastline of Mexico along the Caribbean coast of the Riviera Maya. The pace in Tulum is very relaxed & the vibe overall is like a jungle oasis. The architecture and woodwork was like nothing I had ever seen before. So much detail & wonder!

Accommodations: In the past, we’ve always stayed at all-inclusive resorts, but this time we got an Airbnb Condo (which was a steal for $70 a day by the way) and had a native and immersive experience.

Airfare: We secured Free flights by saving Amex points which was a win. Flights to Tulum fly into Cancun International Airport. When you arrive to Cancun, the commute into Tulum is about an hour. We got a shuttle round trip to make the process easy.

Airfare tip: If you live in CLT, Flights out of RDU are half the price. It’s worth the 2 hour drive. For example, our flight valued at $1,200 from CLT & $600 from RDU.

Weather: Sunny entire trip 90 degrees entire stay. Very humid!

What to wear: Swimwear: Most Days I had on swimwear and a cover up. Shop my swim looks here & here!

For dinners, I rocked cute 2-piece sets and sundresses.

Mosquito Repellent is a must because the Mexico mosquitos don’t play games and Zica is still a concern.

Currency: Pesos. Some places are cash/pesos only and don’t accept credit cards, so come prepared or go to atm or covert upon arrival.

Transportation: Since we stayed in a Airbnb condo, we used the local taxi service to get around which was very affordable usually $5-$10 per ride. Most drivers take pesos or cash only.

Connectivity: We had no issues with WiFi or cell signal because Mexico is in included in Verizon service.

Places to Eat:

My Favorite restaurant from the trip: Rosanegro. They served Latin cuisine and had the best flavors, ambiance & service. We had 3 waiters assigned to our table who treated us like kings and queens. Order the ceviche and the Caribbean lobster and you won’t be sorry.

Fine Dining Restaurant – Kin Toh. Beautiful restaurant thats elevated into the sky like a tree house. They also have treehouse style hammocks in the sky. Fine Dining pricing. Reservation recommended.

Casual Dining – Mateo’s: Get the coconut shrimp & Puro Carazon: Get the chicken mole.

Italian – Pesado Margherita. Fresh made pasta with amazing flavor. I ordered a lobster pasta and it was fresh and delicious.

Amazing Brunch – Del Cielo. Fresh smoothies, amazing French toast and breakfast sandwiches for affordable price.

Healthy açaí bowls: Raw Love Tulum & Matcha Mama. We tried both and loved them. Raw Love is by the beach and has chill vibes. Matcha Mama has cute swings to sit on while you eat.

Things to Do:

Cenotes are a rainwater network of underground caves and rivers. We did a 4 Cenotes tour at Casa Tortuga which was amazing. It includes cave Cenotes & open Cenotes. 

Casa Malca is Pablo Escobar’s house that is now an hotel which has lavish decor and an amazing beach club.

Beach Clubs allowed us to rent a cabana and enjoy food & drinks by the pool without having an all inclusive resort pass.

Mayan Ruin Tour was recommended by the locals, but we didn’t get a chance to go.

Travel Tips: Most of the locals are bi-lingual and know English, but I used google translator for those moments that I needed to catch a taxi with a Spanish only speaking driver and it was super helpful.

Overall I really enjoyed Tulum and would recommend it for anyone looking for a relaxing retreat with amazing food.

Watch Vlog of my Tulum Trip Here!