Tulum and Playa Del Carmen - 8 Day Trip
One Week in Tulum and Playa Del Carmen: A Mexico Vacation Guide
With a mission to relax, I set off on a Tulum vacation in May 2021. I spent time on the beach, ate some great food, and also made a stop in Playa Del Carmen.
Check out how I spent my week in Mexico. I’ll also share some things I learned along the way and tell you about some of my favorite spots.
Flying to Tulum
If you’ve ever flown, especially internationally, you know it isn’t always a breeze. I flew out of LAX and planned accordingly with high hopes that everything would run smoothly. I scheduled an Uber the night before and they were right on time.
Travel tip: Always have a backup plan for getting to the airport. I’ve had to drive myself to the airport at the last minute because my Uber didn’t show up.
Back to my flight to Tulum – I arrived at LAX at 5 AM and the airport was CRAZY. As many times as I’ve been to LAX, I had never seen it this chaotic. It could’ve been because Uber dropped me off at the domestic terminal when I needed to go to the international terminal. Regardless, the lines were long to check baggage. Luckily, one of the airline employees rescued me and expedited the process.
Since security was a breeze (remember, precheck for international flights is always as you’re exiting the country), I was able to take advantage of the Delta Lounge. Even though the lounge isn’t the way it was pre-COVID, they were still serving up food and drinks.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had begun their journey at the wrong terminal, because several of us were shuttled to our correct destination. Once we arrived at the international terminal, we found that it was pretty empty with only a few flights out to Mexico. In any case, my flight to Cancun (where Tulum travelers fly into) was full with every seat taken for the flight. There was a full menu including beer which made my flying experience better, of course.
Arriving in Cancun
As I mentioned, you’ll fly into Cancun International Airport when you’re taking a Tulum vacation. While the flight there was fairly smooth, there was some turbulence when landing in Cancun. Once inside, the immigration line was fairly straightforward. With about twenty people in each line, it only took about twenty minutes to get through.
Unfortunately, leaving the airport was more hectic. I had booked a van through a company the airport provided, but it was difficult to find them. Since many drivers wait outside to sell travelers on a ride, this may have been the better decision. Not to mention that once I found the company I booked with, it took about half an hour to get a car. Fortunately, everything was smooth sailing once I got situated with my ride. Of course, it helped to stop at a convenience store to grab some beers and energy drinks for the hour and forty-five minute ride to Tulum.
Note: If you get into Tulum during rush hour, expect to add at least half an hour to your travel time.
Where to Stay in Tulum
Personally, I stayed in the hotel zone of Tulum beach and was very pleased with that decision. It somewhat reminded me of Tamarindo, Costa Rica.
While the hotel I stayed at was GREAT, it wasn’t one of the top ones. There are tons of hotel options in Tulum. You can expect to pay $500+ for big-name hotels and $1,500+ for top-end hotels. The hotel I stayed in was around $270 per night and it worked just fine for me. The room was clean and offered air conditioning which is really all you can ask for after a hot day.
Daytime Activities in Tulum
Given that Tulum is known as being a tropical paradise, it’s the perfect beach vacation spot. There’s public beach access, beach resorts, and beach hotels for spending your days by the ocean.
Tulum is also known for its cenotes, limestone sinkholes. While visiting some was on my list of things to do, relaxing on the beach is what I needed and did for my Tulum vacation.
Nightlife in Tulum
When I visited Tulum in May 2021, the town was FILLED with people at night. With catching sunset views, cocktail lounges, and bars – there’s plenty to do at night. When I was heading in for the night around 10 PM, people were off to the clubs and restaurants.
Tulum is a great place to go out in the evening if you’re in your 20’s and 30’s. I was happy to spend my evening enjoying a good meal before resting up for the next beach day.
My Best Meals in Tulum
Not only is Tulum known as an incredible beach vacation destination, but it’s also known for its delicious food. Here are the restaurants I ate my best meals at.
Atila
After walking up and down the beach road on my first night in Tulum, unable to decide where to go, someone recommended Atila to me. Even though it had been a long travel day and I really just cared about having some food, I was definitely not disappointed. I went with a lobster pizza and it was perfect. The cocktails were also top-notch.
Kitchen Table
I made a reservation for my dinner at Kitchen Table. Although I was thirty minutes late, the kind staff held my reservation. While the cocktails were insane, the meal was even better.
Bak
I actually ate at Bak twice. I was so grateful that the air conditioning was good once I got there because getting there was insanely hot. I enjoyed a few old-fashioned and ordered a black onyx steak that tasted amazing. I also had a side of mac and cheese equally as delicious.
Arca
I read that Arca was the place to go to in Tulum and rightfully so. Even though I made a reservation and there were tables available, I sat at the bar to enjoy my meal.
Tulum Pros
Perfect vacation destination for relaxing
Chill daytime atmosphere
Friendly locals
Great beach
WiFi offered at most hotels and restaurants
Tulum Cons
Possible scenarios of being ripped off: asked to pay in cash only, being upsold, servers not allowing me to charge to room when it was allowed
Taxi situation was tough: paying the same rate no matter where you’re going
Rough cell service throughout town
Stopping Through Playa Del Carmen
Again, you fly out of Cancun when leaving Tulum. I decided to spend my last 3 nights in Playa Del Carmen to cut the drive to the airport in half. I stayed at Thompson Beach House in Playa which was excellent. It was contemporary and had Ocean View Suites.
The only downside to my stay was the music heard from 5th avenue all night long. I’m no prude, but music until 4 AM didn’t allow for much rest. 5th Avenue is where a lot of life occurs in Playa with many restaurants, bars, and shops. It’s always crowded and while you may come across people asking for drugs, I never felt in harm’s way.
I actually spent most of my time at the Beach House. Staying here meant I had access to the pool which offered incredible views and a day club. Since the beaches were covered in seaweed, I decided to spend my days by the pool.
My Meals in Playa Del Carmen
Since it was the tail end of my trip, I wasn’t up for venturing too far away from my hotel. However, there are plenty of places to eat around town and especially ones for authentic Mexican Cuisine. Here are a couple of spots I dined at.
Harry’s Steakhouse
Harry’s is owned by the same company that owns Bak in Tulum, so I knew I had to stop in. It’s located in a shopping center and was packed when I went. However, I was able to grab a spot at the bar which was ideal. I wasn’t up for a heavy meal so I went with the lobster tacos and a caesar salad. Though they weren’t as good as Bak’s, I had a few old fashioneds with my dinner.
Porfirio’s
Porfirio’s serves up Mexican dishes. This place is extremely busy at night. However, you can make a reservation or potentially grab a seat at the bar.
Heading to the Airport and Flying Home
I decided to use the same company I did when I arrived and this time it was easy. The van was waiting for me right on time. The ride to the airport confirmed that Playa was out of my league as people were still out partying on the streets at 4 AM when I left. This may have been my style when I was younger, but it went to show that Playa is the spot for partiers.
Pro Tip: Arrive at Cancun International Airport early as it was pretty busy when I arrived.
While you should have your COVID test results on hand just in case, no one asked for mine. Maybe this was handled at the place I got it done at, I’m not sure.
Arriving in LAX and making my way outside was effortless. With that said, the Uber process at LAX is another story. You need to take a shuttle to where the pick up service is located. When I arrived on a Sunday morning around 10 AM, they were charging 200-300%. I did it since I was tired and ready to get home, but a taxi may have been the better option.
Final Thoughts
Overall, my 7-day trip to Tulum and Playa del Carmen, Mexico was great. I could have explored more, but this vacation was meant for time to kick back and decompress. Mexico’s beaches are a great place to do that!
