Best Things To Pack For Tulum, Mexico

Planning A Trip To Tulum, Mexico And Need Some Suggestions On What To Wear And What Things To Pack For Your Trip?

I’ve visited the Riviera Maya area of Mexico a few times, and my last visit here included a stay in Tulum, but I feel like I could have come more prepared for a few things, so here are some of the best things I think you can pack for a trip to Tulum depending on when you’re going and what you might plan to do here.

⏩ Things To Pack For Tulum, Mexico

Getting to Chichen Itza from Tulum on a guided tour will also usually include a trip to a cenote.

⭐️ Top Things To Pack For Tulum, Mexico:

📸 Best Electronic Thing To Pack – GoPro (for all the beach and cenote activities)

👙 Most Important Clothing Items To Pack – Swimsuit, Hat, & Light-Colored Breathable Clothing

☂️ Best Heat-Related Thing To Pack – Umbrella (helps a lot with the sun) or a portable handheld fan (for the heat)

🩴 Best Shoes To Pack – Water Shoes (for the slippery cenote floors)

🧳 What To Pack For Tulum, Mexico

My last visit to the Riviera Maya area of Mexico, and Tulum in particular, did not go very smoothly and I feel like I could have come better prepared so here are a few of the things I think are helpful to pack for a trip to this jungle area:

What To Wear In Tulum

No matter what time of year you visit Tulum, Mexico, it’s hot. About the only non-hot thing you can do here is jump in the cool water of a cenote, but literally everywhere else is hot and humid, like a jungle.

With that in mind, here are some suggestions on what to wear and pack for a trip to the jungles of Tulum, Mexico:

👕 Breathable & Light-Colored Clothes – light colors help with the heat of the sun, while breathable, eco-friendly, and sustainable clothes also help keep you healthy
- my favorite shirt brand is Onno, but I also have some Pact and Boody stuff, and have heard good things about Fair Indigo, Organic Basics, OuterKnown, and Mon Chou

🧢 Hats – whether you’re going to the beach, checking out Chichen Itza, or doing any other outdoor activities in the Tulum area, hats are definitely really helpful here
- I’m very particular about the feel and fit of hats so when I find one I like, I wear it until it breaks down, but if you’re not that particular, find any lightweight hats, sun hats, or just plain baseball caps and bring them with you to Tulum

☀️ Sun-Proof Clothes – if you get too much sun out at the beach or just like to cover up more, sun shirts are super helpful to avoid the harmful rays and not have to bathe yourself in so much sunscreen

🕶️ Sunglasses – very helpful with such a sunny destination; my favorites are the Oakley wayfarer style sunglasses

👟 Shoes – because Tulum, Mexico is a more rugged and rural area, I’d say pack:
- flip flops for the beach (my favorites are Roxy)
- water shoes for slippery cenote visits
- closed-toed shoes for all your other explorations (my favorites are New Balance)

🧳 Extra Clothes – for however long you plan to visit Tulum, Mexico, I’d suggest packing extra clothes because if you spend any time outside, you’ll likely be drenched in sweat and I know I would have liked to have had a few extra changes of clothes with me

👙 Swimsuits – since it’s so humid here, I would suggest packing at least 2 swimsuits since they might not dry out overnight and putting on a damp swimsuit doesn’t feel great
- I’m still searching for my perfect swimsuit combo, but I do like my O’Neill top

You probably won’t need anything like pants or jackets because almost everything is very outdoorsy here (even restaurants and hotels) and air conditioning is not common, but for the plane and because I like to be prepared, I would bring a lightweight jacket just in case.

Activities For Tulum

Chichen Itza is definitely still worth it if you love history and archaeology.

To be prepared for all the adventurous and outdoorsy activities in and around Tulum, Mexico, here are a few helpful things to pack:

📸 Waterproof Camera – I know most of the phones these days can stand getting a little wet, but since so many activities in the Riviera Maya include water (whether it’s from the beach or the cenotes), if you have one or would like to get one, I think a GoPro is a great thing to pack for Tulum, Mexico

🎒 Small Bag – take it from me after walking around for a few hours at Chichen Itza with a large backpack, it makes you so much hotter and sweat so much more so I definitely suggest the smallest bag you can get away with
- if you don’t need much space, a hidden money belt is perfect for any place in Mexico
- if you need a little more space, I personally prefer a small-medium sized backpack with pads on the shoulders
- if you still need more space, a lightweight, easily packable, and water-resistant backpack might work better
- some safety zipper clips to keep people from easily getting into your bags are also very helpful in Mexico

🔋 Fast Portable Charger – depending on your plans for your Tulum trip, you might use up a lot of your phone battery and not have time or a place to charge it, so I definitely recommend a quick charging portable charger to take with on all your exploration days

🧴 Non-Toxic Sunscreen – because I believe we should always use cleaner, healthier options, but also because Mexico does not allow toxic sunscreens in their waters, you should definielty pack some non-toxic, reef-friendly sunscreen

Weather-Related Things To Pack For Tulum

The weather in Tulum, and this whole area of Mexico, is always very hot and humid no matter what time of year you visit, so here are a few things you might want to pack for a wet and sticky trip to the jungle:

☂️ A Sun-Blocking Umbrella – although the average rainiest months in Tulum are June through September, I suggest bringing an umbrella not necessarily for the rain but more for the oppressive sun, especially when out exploring places like Chichen Itza or the Tulum Ruins

🪭 A Portable Fan – since it’s so incredibly hot and humid here, I think a small but powerful portable handheld fan is a great idea for Tulum

🧖 Cooling Towels – it shouldn’t dry out too fast because of the humidity so a cooling towel might be really helpful here

🦟 Bug Repellant – I highly recommend not using any of the toxic bug repellents out there but instead trying to find a cleaner, healthier, and more non-toxic option

📆 How Many Days Do You Need In Tulum, Mexico?

It also depends on how many days you plan to stay to determine what things you should pack for Tulum, Mexico.

Although I spent a few days in Tulum, Mexico, 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 there are a number of tours that will take you here).

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

🔁 Sum Up: Things To Pack For Tulum, Mexico

Although it may seem like a pretty straightforward place to plan and prepare to visit, because of the oppressive weather, various activities, and type of rugged destination it is, there are a few extra things you might want to pack for a trip to Tulum, Mexico so you don’t have quite as unprepared of a trip as I did on my last visit here (especially the ever so helpful sun blocking umbrella or portable handheld fan).