A Day in Tulum
Visiting Tulum doesn't have to be limited to seeing the ruins, not to say that that's not a wonderful option, but there's just so much more. The fact is that there are tons of things to do for anyone, tourists and locals alike. There are many ways to spend a day in this little corner of paradise, and on this edition I'll take you through some of them.
I'll assume you'll want to come on Saturday; the road trip goes as follows: Wake up, have a cup of coffee, jump in the car, with your girlfriend, boyfriend or family, and head to Azafran for breakfast. (Azafran is on our map, corner of Andromeda Oriente & Orion Sur) There you'll have one of the most delicious breakfasts in town. The restaurant is small, cozy, and it absolutely has the local feel to it. From your table you'll be able to see the chef feverishly working on the next dish, like a mad scientist whipping you up an amazing breakfast. I recommend asking for a cappuccino or a chaya and pineapple juice while you wait for your food. Both are excellent choices.
After enjoying a "Mata Cruda" (Hangover Killer), or a delicious bagel with salmon, head to Grand Cenote, (also on our map, about 3.7 km from our only traffic light on the highway towards Coba). It's one of the highest priced cenotes in the area, at $80 pesos per person, but well worth it. Once there you'll find a gorgeous sinkhole, easily accessible down a well-built wooden staircase to one of three platforms/wooden decks, where you can leave your belongings and dip into the crystal clear waters of this mesmerizing abyss. The depths range from just short of meter deep to areas that seem to go on forever. Definitely bring your goggles, or mask and snorkel. If you don't have your own though, don't worry: you'll be able to rent it all, including fins and life jackets if you need them. And if you don't like swimming in deep water, or would rather lie in shallow water while sun bathing, you're in luck. There's a spot that looks like a beach, in fact it's real powder white sand, under about only 20cm of water. It's absolutely amazing. That "beach" is surrounded by a 6 meter high rock wall. Between scoping out all the crevices and getting out to warm up in the sun, you can easily spend a few hours here.
Once your fingers are nice and wrinkled, get your stuff together and head to the beach. Although there are several beach clubs you can go to, since we're assuming it's Saturday, I recommend Ak'iin Beach Club (reference our map). There are several reasons for this: You'll love the food, the service is great, the overall layout of the place is pleasant, the beach is beautiful, and if after a few margaritas you no longer want to go home, you can stay for the party held nearly every Saturday night. And don't worry about where to stay, with over 70 hotels surrounding you, I'm sure you'll find something you like.
P.S. The experience of going from fresh water to salt water swimming in the same day is absolutely amazing.
To recap, we had: Breakfast at 10am at Azafran, cenote swimming/exploring from 12 to 3pm, and ocean beach from 3ish to whenever. Not bad for a day in Tulum. Rinse and repeat on Sunday or can wait till the next edition to read what I recommend for a Sunday in Tulum.
I'll assume you'll want to come on Saturday; the road trip goes as follows: Wake up, have a cup of coffee, jump in the car, with your girlfriend, boyfriend or family, and head to Azafran for breakfast. (Azafran is on our map, corner of Andromeda Oriente & Orion Sur) There you'll have one of the most delicious breakfasts in town. The restaurant is small, cozy, and it absolutely has the local feel to it. From your table you'll be able to see the chef feverishly working on the next dish, like a mad scientist whipping you up an amazing breakfast. I recommend asking for a cappuccino or a chaya and pineapple juice while you wait for your food. Both are excellent choices.
After enjoying a "Mata Cruda" (Hangover Killer), or a delicious bagel with salmon, head to Grand Cenote, (also on our map, about 3.7 km from our only traffic light on the highway towards Coba). It's one of the highest priced cenotes in the area, at $80 pesos per person, but well worth it. Once there you'll find a gorgeous sinkhole, easily accessible down a well-built wooden staircase to one of three platforms/wooden decks, where you can leave your belongings and dip into the crystal clear waters of this mesmerizing abyss. The depths range from just short of meter deep to areas that seem to go on forever. Definitely bring your goggles, or mask and snorkel. If you don't have your own though, don't worry: you'll be able to rent it all, including fins and life jackets if you need them. And if you don't like swimming in deep water, or would rather lie in shallow water while sun bathing, you're in luck. There's a spot that looks like a beach, in fact it's real powder white sand, under about only 20cm of water. It's absolutely amazing. That "beach" is surrounded by a 6 meter high rock wall. Between scoping out all the crevices and getting out to warm up in the sun, you can easily spend a few hours here.
Once your fingers are nice and wrinkled, get your stuff together and head to the beach. Although there are several beach clubs you can go to, since we're assuming it's Saturday, I recommend Ak'iin Beach Club (reference our map). There are several reasons for this: You'll love the food, the service is great, the overall layout of the place is pleasant, the beach is beautiful, and if after a few margaritas you no longer want to go home, you can stay for the party held nearly every Saturday night. And don't worry about where to stay, with over 70 hotels surrounding you, I'm sure you'll find something you like.
P.S. The experience of going from fresh water to salt water swimming in the same day is absolutely amazing.
To recap, we had: Breakfast at 10am at Azafran, cenote swimming/exploring from 12 to 3pm, and ocean beach from 3ish to whenever. Not bad for a day in Tulum. Rinse and repeat on Sunday or can wait till the next edition to read what I recommend for a Sunday in Tulum.
