How to spend 3 days in Tulum, Mexico

As a lover of margaritas and tacos, Mexico has been high on my travel list for some time. When an opportunity came to travel to Central America, I just had to go! Here’s your guide for 3 days in Tulum. 

While in Whistler, Canada, I met some friends who had plans to head south to Central America after their ski training. Keen to jump on the bandwagon, I got to planning a trip of my own. The next thing I know, I’m at Cancun airport meeting my friend, Coral, who’s just flown in from the UK. 

Our trip began with 3 days in Tulum, before moving on to Isla Holbox for 24 hrs. We continued our travels heading south to Belize and then on to Costa Rica for 2 weeks, picking up friends along the way. It was an epic trip! 

If you’ve ever thought of visiting Mexico, I’d highly recommend a trip. It’s rich in culture, has stunning beaches and the food is incredible!

How to get to Tulum from Cancun

Upon exiting the airport, visit an ADO bus kiosk and book one of the regular buses heading to Tulum. Make sure you select the correct time for your departure as they’re very specific on which bus you get. 

The journey will take roughly 2 – 2.5 hours to get to Tulum. It stops at Playa del Carmen on the way, another popular beach resort. 

Where to stay

Coral and I stayed at Aruma Hotel & Boutique in Tulum. It’s perfectly situated on the main street (Quintana Roo) in town which is ideal to use as a base. The bedrooms are clean, well air-conditioned and breakfast is served from 8:30am – 11am every morning, which is included in the price. There’s a nice variety of breakfast choices from Chilaquiles (fried corn tortillas with egg), granola, French toast with fruit & scrambled eggs on toast.

There’s also a rooftop pool and bar. It gets very lively in the evenings, especially with its themed nights and cocktails. There’s a welcome free shot for guests and you must try their blood bag sangria. However, best to bring earplugs if you want an early night! 

Where to eat 

You can’t go wrong with any of the food options here – There are many delicious places to eat! With 3 days in Tulum you can try a good selection of the burritos, tacos and margaritas on offer.

We ate at a taco shack on our first night and quickly scoffed the spiciest food of our lives! The self-serve unlabelled condiment lineup was to blame. But, it wasn’t our finest moment as Coral & I were both red-faced, crying and sweating all within minutes of arriving in Tulum. Note to self, check the spice levels before dosing all over your food! 

Burrito Amor

A couple we met when visiting the Cenote dos Ojos recommended Burrito Amor, claiming they had been almost every night of their trip. I’m happy to say it lived up to the expectations. The restaurant is just on the edge of the town’s main strip and hosts tasty burritos in an idyllic setting. It’s a popular spot so get there early.

Sabor de Mar

This fish-focused restaurant creates delicious burritos and tacos that you just have to try! The main restaurant is up one floor and hosts a great view of the sunset come dinner time. I’d recommend getting the marlin or shrimp burritos – both worth a taste! 

What to do with 3 days in Tulum

Tulum Ruins 

On our first morning, we rented bikes from Aruma for a small fee and headed toward the Tulum Ruins. However, upon arrival, we found out the entrance fee of 80 MXN pp (£3.50pp) can only be paid in cash, which we sadly didn’t have. So, we aborted our plans and came back the next morning. Once in the ruins, we wandered for 30 minutes taking in the remaining buildings and information sheets. There are tour guides available if you want more in-depth information, but we were happy to take ourselves around independently. 

Papaya Playa Project 

After our failed first attempt at visiting the Tulum Ruins, we headed straight to the Papaya Playa Project Beach Club. To secure a day bed, you have to spend 1000 MXN (roughly £35pp) on drinks and food – this is easily done by ordering a few margaritas and tacos. It was well worth the expense and no better way to start our travels! 

Cenote dos Ojos 

We grabbed a Colectivo (local’s bus) to the Cenote dos Ojos on day 2 of our trip. Flag them down anywhere on the street and hop in for a cheaper ride. 30 minutes out of town, we were dropped opposite the entrance and then made the 3km walk to the start of the Cenote tour. I wouldn’t recommend doing this in the midday sun, as we did – It was an incredibly hot walk! It is doable, but best if you’ve got a car or Uber to take you to the actual entrance.

The tour is 200 MXN pp (£8) and worth a visit! Cenotes are natural deep-water wells (sinkholes), which are fed by the filtration of rain and by the currents of underground rivers. This tour takes you snorkelling your way through the 3 of the water caves. Look out for birds, bats, fish and scuba divers in the depths. 

Coba Ruins 

On day 3 of our trip, we headed to Coba. Grab an ADO bus from the bus station to Coba for an hour’s drive west to visit the Coba Ruins. Either walk your way around the route, as we did, or rent bikes for a small fee. It’s quite the walk, so I’d recommend the bikes, particularly if it’s in the midday heat. I found these ruins more impressive than the Tulum Ruins as some of the structures are large, well intact and more typical of the Mayan culture you’d expect. 

Coba Cenote

Once finished wandering the ruins, rent bikes or grab a taxi to the Coba Cenotes. The bike ride is roughly 5km / 20 – 25 minutes and easy enough if you’re not cycling the midday heat. (Sensing a theme with our activities? We commonly did our main attractions during the midday sun which I wouldn’t recommend!)

There are 3 Cenotes to choose from; Tankach-Ha, Choo-Ha, and Multum-Ha. We opted for Choo-Ha as it was the closest to the entrance. Climbing down the wooden steps into the cenote cave and immersing ourselves in the cool water was a welcome relief after the cycle! 

Returning to Tulum can be a bit tricky with a more unreliable return bus. However, keep an eye out for the Colectivo and you’ll find yourself back in the town in no time.

If you’re after a beach-club vibe, Tulum is definitely a great place to visit. It also works well as a base for travelling the local area and tourist options. I’d love to go back and explore further around the Yucatan area and more of Mexico. It’s such a huge country that 3 days in Tulum are just not enough to fully appreciate the variety of the culture and life here. 

Next, we moved on to Isla Holbox for a 24-hour visit. Read on for the full low down.

Catch up on all the travels by following me on Instagram @ellielwilliams. For more wanderlust, check out my travel tips and highlights here.

Els x