Planning your 3 day Tulum itinerary? How exciting! This bohemian beach town in Mexico, located on the Caribbean Sea in the Yucatan Peninsula, makes the perfect weekend or quick getaway.
In fact, Tulum is a pretty small town, so three days gives you the perfect amount of time to see everything in town, and even explore the immediate surrounding areas.
If this will be your first time visiting Tulum, make sure to read the additional info and Tulum FAQ below, so you learn everything you need to know for an epic Tulum, Mexico vacation. After that, check out the 3 day Tulum itinerary, so you have an epic Mexico beach vacation.
How do you get to Tulum?
The closest airport to Tulum is Cancun International Airport (code: CUN), located about 75 miles or 1.5 hours north of Tulum. From Cancun Airport to Tulum you have a few travel options: rental car, private transportation, or the ADO bus.
All three are easy and safe options, and in fact, most hotels and Airbnbs in Tulum offer round-trip airport transportation for an additional cost. To drive, you’d just take one toll road south from Cancun Airport to Tulum, the Carretera Cancun-Chetumal (Highway 307).
Taking the ADO bus is the least expensive option, at about $40USD round-trip. It is the largest bus company in Mexico and you can take a direct ADO bus from Cancun Airport to Tulum. These buses are large and comfortable, with recliner seats, AC and power outlets at all seats.
**Tulum Travel Tip: Take out cash at the Cancun Airport. In Tulum, you’ll need to have cash for most businesses. There are ATMs, though to be on the safe side, just grab some cash in Cancun before heading to Tulum.
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Where to Stay in Tulum
There are plenty of amazing accommodations around Tulum. I would recommend checking for discounted hotel deals on Booking.com. I have also seen some cool vacation properties on VRBO. In this section, I particularly recommend these 4 budget chic accommodations.
La Tulumeña is located in the heart of Tulum Town, right near the ADO bus station. It offers the Tulum aesthetic look, without the typical Tulum price tag.
Mimosa Tulum is a hostel and hotel, with private room, shared spaces, and even teepees, for those who like a unique stay.
Holistika is the best place for people who are headed to Tulum more to align their chakras than party, with on-site yoga classes, healing rituals, and a vegan cafe.
If you are looking to rent a Luxury Boho-Chic Villa, this one has 3 bedrooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a patio, and more wonderful amenities. A terrace is available on site and cycling can be enjoyed within close proximity of the villa. The nearest airport is Cozumel International, 42 mi from the accommodations, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.
Booking.com
Is Tulum expensive?
When comparing Tulum to other beach towns in Mexico, yes, Tulum is on the expensive side. However, Tulum on a budget is possible by saving money here and like, as mentioned with taking the ADO bus from Cancun to Tulum.
Another great tip is to stay in Tulum Town (AKA Tulum Pueblo or Downtown Tulum) instead of staying on the beach. In fact, eating, drinking and shopping all cost less in Tulum Town than on the beach, as it’s much less touristy.
Below is an explanation of the neighborhoods in Tulum, so you can determine which one works best for you.
Tulum neighborhood
Tulum is a small town, at only about five miles from one end to the other. On one end, there’s Tulum Town, and on the other, Tulum Beach, with Aldea Zama inbetween. There’s only one road that goes through Tulum Town, and one road on Tulum Beach, so it’s easy to navigate.
-Tulum Town: This is the downtown area, where many Tulum’s locals live. It has a charm all it’s own, but this is definitely not the Tulum you’ve seen on Instagram — that’s Tulum Beach. However, you can always stay in Tulum Town to save some money, but still hang out at the beach.
-Aldea Zama: Inbetween Tulum Town and Tulum Beach, you’ll find Aldea Zama. Besides its central location, Aldea Zama has a lot of newer construction apartment buildings, so you can find many of the best Airbnbs in Tulum in this area.
-Tulum Beach: If you know about Tulum, Mexico from social media, you’ve probably seen photos or videos of Tulum Beach. This is where you’ll find all the beautiful beach resorts, large-scale art installations, high end restaurants, cool bars, and all the Instagram worthy places in Tulum.
What’s the best time to visit Tulum?
The dry season lasts from about November to April, but this is also the busy/high season, so expect higher price tags. As Tulum is in the tropics, it will rain a good amount from May to October, and in fact, June 1-November 1 is Hurricane Season and tulum is susceptible.
Tulum weather
As mentioned, Tulum has a tropical climate, so plan for hotter weather year round. Tulum temperatures average about 75-85°F in the fall/winter and 85-95°F in spring/summer, though summers can be very humid and it will often feel 5-10°F hotter.
What to pack for Tulum
In Tulum, anything goes, and you’ll see everything from boho chic hippie-style, to the beach town equilivlant of Las Vegas-wear. However, to stay stylish and cool, think flowy sundresses, cute sandals, a sunhat and shades; bonus points for anything that hides sweat!
Getting around in Tulum
Since Tulum is on the smaller side, it really only makes sense to rent a car if you’re doing a lot of day trips — and with just 3 days in Tulum, you’re likely not. What most people do is rent a bike from one of the many shops in Tulum Town, or use taxis to get around.
**Tulum Travel Tip: There is no Uber in Tulum, so you must use taxis. With taxis in Mexico, you have to agree on a fare before getting in, as they don’t use meters. Finally, make sure you have enough cash (in pesos) to cover the fare.
With all of that out of that way, you’re basically a Tulum travel pro now! Since it seems the only thing left is to get to this 3 day Tulum itinerary, let’s do just that.
The Perfect 3 Day Tulum Itinerary + Insider Tips
Tulum Itinerary Day 1: Tulum Town & Cenotes
Start your day with some local Mexican coffee and breakfast at Ki’Bok Cafe, one of the best cafes in Tulum. It is located just off the main road in Tulum Town, and has great pastries, fruit/yogurt plates, omelets and Mexican breakfast favorites, like chilaquiles.
**Tulum Travel Tip: Depending on your style, you might want tacos for breakfast, and there’s a great place in Tulum for that. Join the locals and head to Taqueria Honorio, a beloved no-frills restaurant for tacos and agua fresca (fruit water).
From here, you’ll want to grab a taxi and head to the cenotes, located just north of Tulum town. If you have a rental car you can go on your own, but if not, you can usually hire a taxi to stay with you for the day and they will take you to a few cenotes.
From Tulum Town, the taxi will head north on Highway 109. On this road, you’ll have many cenotes to visit, including many of the Instagram worthy cenotes and best cenotes in Tulum.
-Cenote Calavera: This is the first cenote you’ll pass, and it makes sense to stop here first because this one is very popular and also quite small. If you get here before the rest of the crowds do, you’ll get some really nice photos of this cenote.
The word “calavera” means skull, and this cenote has three circular holes to jump into, so it kind of resembles a skull shape if you see if from about. You can jump in all three to access the water beneath, or use the ladder in the largest hole.
-Gran Cenote: A bit further down the road, you’ll be at Gran Cenote, which means “big cenote.” This is a larger site with several cenotes that all connect to one another by meandering wooden walkways. It is another one of the more Instagram famous Tulum cenotes, so expect crowds.
-Cenote Santa Cruz: Keep heading down Highway 109 until you get to Cenote Santa Cruz. This is an open, swimming pool style cenote, that isn’t as popular for photos, so it will be a lot more chill than the last two.
-Cenote Zacil-Ha: This is another swimming pool cenote, but much more popular than Cenote Santa Cruz. If you’re getting hungry again by now, Cenote Zacil-Ha has some nice onsite amenities like covered areas, bathrooms and snacks for sale.
-Cenote Car Wash: This one goes by two names, Cenote Aktun Ha and Cenote Car Wash, but they refer to the same place. Cenote Car Wash is super chill and has a nice lagoon vibe.
–Cenote Tankah: Located just next to Cenote Car Wash, Cenote Tankah is famous as the Tulum cenote with a zipline. This one is quite popular and very well maintained, so excerpt to share the water with a bunch of other visitors.
If you hired a taxi driver, they may know of some other off the beaten path cenotes in the area, or if you’ve had your fill of cenotes, head back home to shower.
After freshening up, head back to Tulum Town for dinner at Burrito Amor, which has the best burritos in Tulum. They have meat, seafood and vegan options, so everyone will love this outdoor place for delicious cheap eats in Tulum.
After a burrito, check out Batey Bar, known as one of the best bars in Tulum. They have live music and a festive atmosphere most nights, but are really known for their amazing mojitos. If you’re hungry after Batey, walk over to Antojitos La Chiapaneca for late night street tacos.
Tulum Itinerary Day 2: Tulum Ruins & Tulum Beach
After a long day of cenotes, you’ll probably want to take it easy with a beach day. Head to Instagram-worthy Match Mama on Tulum Beach for a matcha smoothie and acai bowl, and to take photos on their famous swings next to the I Love Tulum So Matcha sign.
After eating, go and check out the Tulum Ruins Archeological Site. These beachfront Mayan Ruins overlook the beautiful Caribbean Sea, and are a must see in Tulum for most visitors. The site is small and gets crowded, so the earlier you visit the better.
After touring the ruins, take the staircase down to the beach cove beneath. It’s super beautiful and worth checking out, even if only to jump in the sea and cool down. However, there’s not really amenities, so you’ll want to head to a Tulum beach club.
Tulum is famous for its beautiful boho beach clubs, so you’ll want to check out at least one of them. For the most part, they all charge to get in, but that is your “minimum spend,” and will be applied to your food and drink tab.
In other words, you pay about $1,000 pesos ($50USD) to enter the hotel the beach club is associated with. You’ll then have access to all the pool and beach area facilities, including showers, bathrooms, etc., and a $50USD credit to use to buy food and drinks.
If this price seems steep, it is, and that’s why you might only want to check out one beach club. On Tulum Beach, prices are much higher than in downtown, so that $50USD may only get you two drinks and a ceviche, but hey, you’re on vacation!
For some of the best beach clubs in Tulum, check out Casa Malca, Nomade, Papaya Playa Project and La Zebra. There’s also CoCo Tulum, the beachfront bar with the Instagrammable white swings, and Ziggy’s Tulum.
These are both beachfront restaurant /bars, though don’t have the full service you get at beach clubs — but they also don’t have a “minimum spend” entry cost. However, this is Tulum Beach, and drinks still average about $150-200 pesos ($7-10USD).
To keep costs even lower, head to a grocery store, fill a cooler with ice, drinks and snacks, grab your towel, and head to the best beaches in Tulum on your own. These include Playa Paraiso, Playa Pescadores, Playa Las Palmas, and Playa Santa Fe — and will cost you $0.
**Tulum Travel Tip: All beaches in Mexico are technically free. When you pay to go to the beach clubs, it’s so you have access to service staff, beach chairs, bathrooms, etc., however, if you don’t need anything but the sun and sand, skip the beach clubs.
After a nice shower, head back to Tulum for dinner and drinks. To keep it budget friendly, head to I Scream Bar for tacos, drinks and vegan “nice” cream, and just wait for the party to pick up as it gets later in the night.
For those looking to splurge on dinner, there’s Arca Tulum, Hartwood and Gitano, some of the best restaurants in Tulum. If you’re hedging to Gitano, they also have a great mixology cocktail menu, and it’s the best place to go on Friday nights in Tulum.
Tulum Itinerary Day 3: Tulum Photos, Kaan Luum Lagoon, Shopping & Sunset Cocktails
Tulum is one of the most Instagram worthy Mexico destinations, so you’ll want to get some photos in all the iconic spots. Head to the beach in the morning — the earlier the better for both better lighting and less people.
Start with a photo at the famous Follow The Dream sign, located outside of the Lolita Lolita shop on the Tulum Beach Road. Next, head to Casa Malca, the mansion once owned by Pablo Escobar, which is now a luxury hotel. Just outside the lobby, you’ll find their famous hanging couch at Casa Malca, which the staff will usually let non-guests snap a quick photo on.
From there, make your way to Azulik Tulum, one of the most Instagram worthy hotels in Tulum. You can take some photos on the property, but only with your phone camera. There’s also the SFER IK Museum, which costs $200 pesos ($10USD) to enter, but makes for great photos.
This last stop is perhaps the most recognizable of all Tulum photo ops, the Ven a la Luz (Come to the Light) sculpture. Located at the entrance to Raw Love Cafe and Ahau Tulum Resort, this giant wooden man sculpture by artist Daniel Popper, is one of the original Tulum art pieces.
After a long morning of photos, head to Tunich for their jungle brunch. This popular spot on Tulum Beach has a huge menu of smoothies, juices, coffee and tea drinks, kombucha, egg dishes, pancakes, quinoa bowls, salads, tacos and even more.
After eating, grab a taxi for the 20 minute drive to Kaan Luum Lagoon, one of the best hidden gems in Tulum. This large lagoon, more popular with locals than tourists, has a huge cenote in the center, which makes the lagoon water show in a spectacular array of colors.
When you visit the lagoon, you can lather yourself up in the mud produced by the cenote for a mud bath — and which some locals claim has healing properties. There’s not much at Kaan Luum, just a long dock going out over the water, so wear your sun hat at all times.
**Tulum Travel Tip: Wearing sunscreen or lotion in the Tulum cenotes and lagoons is forbidden. For now, there’s no distinction made about eco-friendly sunscreens, and you’ll just see signs forbidding sunscreen entirely.
After some time in the lagoon, you might be ready to eat again. In that case, have the cab drop you off at El Camelo on the way back to town. This is one of the most popular restaurants in Tulum for ceviche and fresh seafood.
If you want to do some shopping before the end of your trip, skip the pricey shops on the beach and check out all the locals’ run shops in Tulum Town, like Mixik. At these small shops, you’ll find everything from colorful leather sandals to handmade Mayan hammocks.
After shopping, head back to Tulum Beach to Mateo’s Mexican Grill for happy hour drinks from 5pm-7pm on their rooftop deck. This is one of the best places to see the sunset in Tulum, as you listen to a live band or DJ.
From here, you now have a good idea of if you prefer Tulum Town or Tulum Beach nightlife, so you can decide on how you want to spend your last few hours in Tulum!
3 Day Tulum Itinerary Final Thoughts: Tulum, Mexico Vacation
We’ve reached the end of this Tulum travel itinerary! Hopefully, you have a better idea of this bohemian beach town in Mexico. As it’s a small town, you can pretty much see everything, from end to end, in just three days.
For your second trip to Tulum, you might want to do a few day trips and venture to some of the other nearby places in the Yucatan Peninsula. These include Akumal Bay, Puerto Morelos, Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel Island, and even Cancun.
Did you learn any Tulum travel tips from this article you’ll use? What places sparked your interest from this 3 day Tulum itinerary?
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AUTHOR’S BIO: Shelley is a former Miami travel magazine editor who ditched the office for the world! After traveling solo to half the states in Mexico, she now lives in Merida, Mexico, full time. Shelley now helps other women cross Solo Travel and Mexico Travel off their bucket list through her Travel Mexico Solo blog and Dream To Destination podcast.
Follow her on Instagram @TravelMexicoSolo or on Facebook Travel Mexico Solo.
