Is Tulum Worth Visiting Or Is It Not Worth All The Hype?

Planning A Trip To The Yucatan Peninsula In Mexico And Wondering If Tulum Is Worth Visiting Or If It’s Not Worth All The Hype It Gets?

I’ve visited the Riviera Maya area of Mexico a couple of times, but my last visit to this region included a stay in Tulum and although my personal travel here did not go very smoothly, here are some more details about this famous coastal town so you can decide if it’s worth visiting or if it’s not really worth all the hype.

🛕 Is Tulum Worth Visiting?

There are other better ways to get around Cancun, Mexico than renting a car, which I don't think is worth it.

⭐️ Overall:

✅ Tulum is worth checking out since it’s a great place to stay when visiting the Riviera Maya area to be a little closer to Chichen Itza, to feel like you’re more in the real jungles of Mexico, or to visit some other interesting sites (like the Tulum Ruins)

❌ I enjoyed a few parts of my trip to Tulum, but it is not a place I would personally recommend visiting more than once or visiting for more than a few days, and I would say I did not find it quite as special as all the hype suggests

Continue reading for more details on these and a few other tips for visiting Tulum, Mexico.

✅ Why Tulum Is Worth Visiting

Although my last visit to Tulum did not go super smoothly and I didn’t really see what all the hype was about, I did still enjoy a number of activities (and restaurants) here so you might also find Tulum worth visiting because:

✅ Tulum feels more like the real Mexico since it’s a smaller more rural town compared to Cancun

✅ I personally preferred the beaches in Tulum over those in Cancun because they just felt calmer and quieter (at least when I visited)

✅ Tulum does have a few resort like hotels, but it’s more of a boutique hotel kind of destination, so if you prefer the less touristy feel compared to resorts, Tulum would be perfect (I do not however recommend Airbnbs here)

✅ Tulum is actually located closer to Chichen Itza so it’s a little easier to get to, plus many tours that originate in Cancun will also pickup in Tulum which means you wouldn’t have to get up as early or be on the road as long

✅ Tulum also has a few of its own interesting sites like the Tulum Ruins and nearby cenotes

✅ Tulum has a few organic and healthier food options which I loved (particularly Burrito Amor and Olivia Organic Market)

➡️ Need help deciding what to take with you to Tulum? To be prepared for the weather, activities, and rugged terrain, here are some suggestions on what to pack for Tulum

❌ Why Tulum Is Not Worth All The Hype

There may be a few reasons why Tulum is not worth visiting and why it's not really worth all the hype it gets.

Although Tulum gets a lot of hype and it can be worth visiting for some, here are a few reasons why you might not enjoy a visit to this more rural Riviera Maya town:

❌ although this whole area caters to American tourists so prices aren’t typical Mexico cheap, Tulum is definitely the more expensive place to visit and stay

❌ also compared to other destinations in Mexico, Tulum and the entire Riviera Maya area is a very touristy kind of place to visit

❌ it’s not quite as easy to get around Tulum since Ubers don’t really exist here

❌ it’s also not quite as simple to get to Tulum from the Cancun airport since it’s over an hour and a half away

❌ Tulum is a jungle, so it’s very hot and humid here (no matter what time of year you visit)

❌ because Tulum is more rural compared to Cancun and other Riviera Maya towns, there were constantly blackouts, not many places with air conditioning, and a lot more bugs

➡️ Wondering If Tulum Is Even Worth Visiting Or If There Are Better Places To Visit In Mexico? here is a comparison between Tulum and Cabo San Lucas, and between Cancun and Cabo San Lucas to help you decide

🚗 How To Get To Tulum

Tulum is one of the furthest south vacation towns in the Riviera Maya area so it’s not the simplest place to get to, but it is a popular place most find worth visiting (hence all the hype) so there are a few different options for getting here:

🚗 Renting a car is popular in Cancun, but it’s not something I would highly recommend after experiencing it myself and not loving the road conditions, car qualities, police targeting, rental company overcharges, and gas station scams

🚐 the most stress-free option to get from Cancun or from Playa del Carmen to Tulum is on a guided tour since they usually include multiple stops, are pretty reasonably priced, and keep you from having to deal with directions, driving with these road conditions, or parking

➡️ Trying To Decide Between Staying In Cancun vs Tulum? here is a comparison between these two to help you out

🚌 although public transportation isn’t always safe everywhere in Mexico, there are busses that run all over the Riviera Maya and they can be ok and very cheap; it won’t be the quickest or most convenient option, but it is the most budget-friendly

🚙 Uber is generally safer, but Uber and taxi drivers have had issues here, so even it isn’t always super safe, plus Uber technically “exists” in Tulum (at least on their website), but there really aren’t Uber drivers in Tulum so you might be able to get here, but not get out of here

🚕 taxis aren’t usually very safe in Mexico but sometimes they are necessary, so if you have to use one, make sure to get an official certified taxi and don’t hail them off the street

🌄 How Long Do You Need In Tulum?

This is the best time to visit Tulum, Mexico.

Although I spent a few days in Tulum, I think that it can easily be visited in just a day, so if you want to see the town but don’t want to stay overnight it’s definitely possible and worth visiting this way.

But if you want to only stay in Tulum for your Riviera Maya vacation and check out the hype for yourself, then I think about 3 or 4 days is plenty to see some of the historical sites, go to the beach, and see the town.

🔁 Sum Up: Is Tulum Worth Visiting?

While my personal travels to the Riviera Maya area, and Tulum in particular, haven’t always gone very smoothly, this is still one of the most interesting parts of Mexico to see for the history alone, so I think Tulum is definitely still worth visiting, especially since it’s located a little closer to Chichen Itza, it feels like you’re more in the real jungles of Mexico, and it has some of its own interesting sites (like the Tulum Ruins), but I wouldn’t say it’s quite as special as the hype would suggest so I think a day trip or a few short days is plenty here.