Greetings from Tulum

2 days ago, I progressed to Tulum from Cozumel Island - only a short trip further south. I have already heard that it is super touristy 🫤 and thus I wanted to stay only briefly to see the Maya Ruins at the beach as well as AZULIK - a museum with artistic installations.

When I arrived in Tulum, I checked in at Mama‘s Home - my hostel for 2 nights. It is very cosy and has a good vibe. The cat Diego (actually a female) 🐈 gave the place an even more homey feeling. It is not close to the beach as other hotels and hostels but I didn’t mind the commute. Instead, it was a lot cheaper than the alternatives. So, the hostel was exactly right for me. 😅
After check in, I tried to see the ruins but I was too late. I missed the last admission to the ruins by approximately 15 min. 🤦 (not that I would have been aware of the time tables). However, the ruins are located inside the Archeological Zone of Tulum which is also a national park with a lot of beaches and hotels. As I wrote earlier, Tulum (actually the entire east coast of Mexico) is very touristy and heavily commercialised - so much so that almost any access to the beach 🏖️ is privatised. At least in Archeological Zone of Tulum the entrance fee is quite low (only 60 Pesos = 3 EUR). So, I rented a bike 🚲 and cycled to Playa Mangle (the most remote beach in the archeological zone, I believe). I won’t lie - Tulum is expensive but the beaches are incredibly nice. The white sand is one of the finest I have ever seen and the water is so nice and blue … see for yourself on the photos! 🤩 I had a beer and later some fresh coconut on the beach before I drove back and returned the rental bike.
In the evening I wanted to buy some ingredients for a self-made guacamole in a supermarket but I didn’t find one that was close. On the way I bumped into a lively area with food trucks 🛻 serving street food and changed my mind. I had tacos 🌮 instead. 😅
On the next morning, I went to the AZULIK facilities that I have read about in this blog: https://insiderstulum.com/azulik-uh-may-tulum
Actually, I wanted to go to the AZULIK city of arts near the small town „Francisco Uh May“ which is located 30 min. northwest 🧭 from Tulum. But somehow I took the wrong collectivo and ended up at the AZULIK luxury Ressort which was only 15 min. to the southeast and close to Tulum beach. They also had a museum 🎭 that exhibited installations from Colombia-born artist Cristina Ochoa. The three-part exhibition explored Mayan traditions through visual art and installations. The place was pretty small though. I took my time but I had seen the entire museum in only 30 min. In hindsight, the 400 Pesos (approximately 20 EUR) entrance fee was a bit much but art is priceless, I guess 😇
I didn’t expect to „be done“ with my excursion to AZULIK so early in the day, but this gave me at least time for a 2nd try to visit the Maya Ruins of Tulum. This time I was there in time and got in. 💪
Tulum means “wall” in Yucatec Maya, a reference to the city’s fortifications. It served as an important port town, controlling maritime commerce along the Caribbean coast to Belize from the 13th century till the arrival of the Spanish 🇪🇸 who brought all sorts of European diseases that decimated the Mayan population. It is kind of crazy to think that for hundreds of years after the Spanish arrival and conquests in the 16th century, nature has reclaimed this sublime city, and it was forgotten by the outside world until the middle of the 19th century. 🤔
The structures themselves are modest in comparison to the other Mayan cities I had already seen but the ruins sit on seaside cliffs, high above turquoise waters that extend as far as your eye can see. The views are just spectacular. 😎 In my opinion, this sight is a must see when you are in Tulum!
It was super hot that day and the ruins provided little to no shade. My water bottle that I took with me was emptied in no time. I was so thirsty 🥵 on my way back that I bought 2 Victoria beers at the nearest OXO convenience store and immediately drank it as soon as I was in the hostel (it is not permitted to drink on the streets in Mexico - if you get caught, you pay a hefty fine).
In the evening, I met Lucy (from the UK) in my hostel room. She had just arrived and hadn’t seen anything of Tulum yet. So, we walked 🚶 approximately 20 min. along the main strip to the next big supermarket and bought the ingredients for our dinner we would prepare together: tuna, rice as well as avocado 🥑, tomato 🍅, onions 🧅 and lime 🍋 for a self-made guacamole. It was only the second time in my entire 3,5 month journey that I actually used the kitchen of a hostel 😂
After dinner I chatted with many other travellers at the dinner table. The hostel had a leakage of their water tank so that some people that came back in the evening were not able to shower 🚿 until the water tank was filled up again. I was lucky though since I was back early enough to take mine. But as compensation, we had free beers 🍻 on the hostel. When I checked out today, they even gave a 25% discount, which was neat ☺️

Now I am leaving the Caribbean beaches 🏝️behind me. After been on Cozumel for a long time and for a few days in Tulum, I have seen enough. It is time for a change. Therefore, I am heading to Bacalar in the south of Mexico close to its border with Belize 🇧🇿
Stay tuned!Read more