Bagintravel
Download
Tulum

Mexico travel guide

What to see in Tulum

Mayan ruins above the Caribbean, cenotes and white-sand beaches.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 6 must-see places
  • Best time: from December to May
  • Stay in Aldea Maya / town centre
  • Typical food: Sopa de lima (lime soup)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tulum highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Tulum Ruins

    A Mayan city on a Caribbean clifftop.

  2. Gran Cenote

    An open cenote for snorkelling near the highway.

  3. Dos Ojos Cenote

    A system of crystal-clear caverns; guided diving.

  4. Playa Paraíso

    White sand below the ruins.

  5. Sian Kaʼan

    A biosphere reserve to the south; boat tours.

  6. Coba

    The Nohoch Mul pyramid in the inland jungle.

Where to stay in Tulum

The handiest areas for getting around and going out.

  • Recommended areas

    Aldea Maya / town centre · Beach hotel zone · La Veleta

Day trips from Tulum

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Tulum

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Tulum are from December to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with strong warnings
  9. Sep with strong warnings
  10. Oct with strong warnings
  11. Nov with warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • from June to November

    Hurricane season

    Hurricanes can form from June to November; August, September and October are the riskiest months. There are almost always days of heavy rain and humid heat.

    What to do: Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

Typical food of Tulum

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Tulum from your kitchen).

Sopa de lima (lime soup)
Photo: Aome7937 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Sopa de lima (lime soup)

The soup of the Yucatán Peninsula: chicken broth scented with Yucatecan lime, served with strips of fried tortilla. Light and refreshing for the Caribbean heat.

  • Serves 4
  • 1 h

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1.5 l chicken stock
  • 1 onion
  • 1 green pepper
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 3 limes (plus another to serve)
  • Oregano, coriander and salt
  • 4 corn tortillas, cut into strips and fried

How to make it at home

  1. Poach the chicken breasts in the stock for 20 minutes, take them out and shred them.
  2. Fry the chopped onion, pepper, garlic and tomato.
  3. Add the sofrito to the stock with the oregano and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Add the chicken, the lime juice and a few lime slices, and simmer for 2 minutes more (no longer, or it turns bitter).
  5. Serve with the fried tortilla strips and coriander.

The trick: Yucatecan lime is more aromatic; ordinary lime with a little grapefruit gets you close.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: the fonda (family-run eatery). The dishes you can’t miss are in the Mexico guide.

  • Hartwood

    Beach

    Open-fire cooking.

  • Arca

    Around the area.

    A wood-fired kitchen in the jungle.

Frequently asked questions about Tulum

What to see in Tulum?

Tulum Ruins, Gran Cenote, Dos Ojos Cenote, Playa Paraíso, Sian Kaʼan and Coba.

What to see in Tulum in one day?

Don’t miss Tulum Ruins, Gran Cenote, Dos Ojos Cenote, Playa Paraíso, Sian Kaʼan and Coba. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

Where to stay in Tulum?

The handiest areas to stay are Aldea Maya / town centre, Beach hotel zone and La Veleta.

What’s the best time to travel to Tulum?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Tulum are from December to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).

What day trips can you take from Tulum?

Cenotes, Cobá and Sian Ka’an.

What is the typical food of Tulum?

Sopa de lima (lime soup). The soup of the Yucatán Peninsula: chicken broth scented with Yucatecan lime, served with strips of fried tortilla. Light and refreshing for the Caribbean heat.

Bagintravel · We travel together

Shall we plan your trip to Tulum?

Tell us where and in under a minute you’ll have your day-by-day route, with places to stay, transport, expenses and tips. And we go with you in your pocket, offline too.

The app is currently available in Spanish.

Download Bagintravel See how it works

More in Mexico

Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.