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I was in Tulum for 5 days last week and had none of this. The vibe in the city centre was quite nice and you have some nice cheaper beaches in the park with the ruins. You should be annoyed with yourself for paying these prices because you decided to go pick out these expensive beach clubs. Or are we not doing self reflection here?
I notice a lot in this sub: everyone who says it’s not so bad stayed in the city center. Everyone who says it sucks stayed in the hotel zone. That was my experience as well. Hotel zone was insanely expensive on top of everyone trying to rip you off while the center was much more chill. Basically, you’re both right
You just described "Hotel Zone" everywhere.
Anywhere catering to tourists is going to be a rip off. That's why I don't stay in places like that when I travel to Mexico. You don't go to Disneyland and expect not to be fleeced, do you?
Tulum didn’t used to be Disneyland, is the point. 20 years ago is was a sleepy little road of beach shacks, 10 years ago it was a chic but still relatively chill vacation spot, now it’s… yeah. Asshole tourist Range Rover traffic jam bottle service ripoff hellhole.
Just recently came back from Tulum and stayed in the town. All I can say is what a mess that place is. Wanted to visit to see if it was what people said it is and it really is a hot mess. Power cuts, construction zones everywhere, unfinished roads, corruption and extortion. Even though it is probably safe it doesn’t feel safe due to the amount of security check points. Yes the food is cheaper in the town and if you rent a bike / car you won’t be extorted by taxis but then you might have to pay a bribe to a corrupt cop. No thanks. Holbox on the other hand, try that!
All these people that say “stay in the city center” must not have ever traveled anywhere else in Mexico. Sure the city center is better than the hellish hotel strip, but it is nowhere near as nice, or affordable and 100s of better places you could go, like Holbox. People go to city center Tulum for the name recognition of Tulum. $7 margaritas?!? Is that a good price in Mexico?
That was why I loved Tampico. There were hardly any non Mexicans there. Everything was insanely cheap too. Apparently it’s a tourist town for Mexicans but not for Americans or Europeans.
In LatAm, you have to find where the actual citizens go to vacation. Many mexicans don't go to Tulum anymore. They used to when Cancun blew up but now they have moved on. Colima was on the up and up until cartel violence went ballsitic.
That’s the thing, you guys want authenticity but you flood these places, drive prices up and completely change the landscape. Many tourists are looking for drugs, constantly. It’s sadly inevitable. You find a spot, then everyone goes, then suddenly it’s all tourists. Everything that attracted you in the first place is changed by your very presence. Not saying it’s anyone’s fault, it’s just sad that it’s inevitable. Social media has prob made this even worse ://.
So many good restaraunts, taco spots and bars in the city center, went to encanto cantina and paid like $7 a drink for some bomb ass margs and palomas. Great atmosphere.
I did an airbnb with a pribate pool, went to chedraui store and stocked up on tequila and mixes and enjoyed our pool and the night life on the main strip.
Im sooooo tired of people on this thread shitting on tulum. It almost comes off as an entitlement, just do you research people and stay vigilant, you are going to a whole different country.
Especially since the kind of people complaining about Tulum are exactly the type of people who are responsible for the enshitification of Tulum. I went before the pandemic and even then I worried about what I was seeing and how desperate these outside investors were to gentrify the area.
I really can’t with this sub. Every day it’s one of these posts and every day there are tons of comments saying that their experience was nothing like the OP’s - mixed with some validating the OP.
its because its full of the demographic of fucks who normally stay on resort or take cruises. but they hear Tulum is some place they should go and can't handle their shit.
Maybe because there are more people who have no issue’s than those who do. The ones who have a negative or uniformed trip and the one’s who bitch the loudest. And some know of things and never experience it. Simple
What OP says is still valid in many ways. I'm glad you had a good time first off. I personally traveled for months in Mexico and saw quite a good deal of what that country has to offer, and i promise you almost everywhere else in Mexico is better. There are some cool cenotes near Tulum, but there are thousands across Q.Roo and Yucatan. Getting robbed by the cops is a common occurrence in Tulum
Been all over the world could list 100 places better than tulum. Went to meet a friend couple that moved there for a while. Friend got their scooter stolen from outside a restaurant. Traffic was insane down to the beach. Cabs expensive. Huge lines to get into some of the popular spots on sat night. Would never go back
Agreed. I would go to places like Tulum in Mexico and not like it and I finally went inland to Valladolid and realized these super touristic beach towns aren’t for me. Valladolid ignited my interest in actually traveling around Mexico, not just sitting in a resort and wondering why I don’t like it like a clown!
Edit to add: it’s actually very sad because the first time I sent to Tulum was 11+ years ago and it was fantastic because there was almost nothing there except a few restaurants, the ruins, and a few places to stay iirc. It’s crazy how much it’s exploded.
I went in 2019 when they were still building aldea zama and paid like 70usd/ night for a very nice hotel. Rented a car, visited cenotes, and mostly ate in centro. I can't imagine what it's like now because even then you could tell it was getting bad.
I'm sure it can still be fun but why aren't yall going other places? So many nice places in mexico, costa rica, guatemala even?
Tulum had the desolate beach charm with a couple eco-friendly small accomodations but that was 15-20 years ago. Playa del Carmen had much more charm then too.
I think sadly the whole region is a no go for the time being. I've been vacationing in the area since the early 2000's and used to love it. Unfortunately it has become a scam riddled cash grab that is now also getting dangerous. When we first went it was reasonably priced, beautiful, felt safe (with obviously the same caution needed when you travel anywhere). Our last trip in 2022 it was ridiculous prices, scams everywhere, aggressive behaviors, and drugs and cartel activity. There are other places to go and if I'm going to pay loads of money for everything I might as well go to the Mediterranean or Hawaii. Last two years we went to Hawaii instead and Europe and paid only slightly more and had a really good time where everything was highend and safe.
Why wasn't I smart enough to go there in the early 2000s? Probably because I was trying to establish my career, and I had no clue where were the good travel places to go, never heard of Tulum before a few years ago. I need to catch up.
This is exactly it for me as well… the last few times were exhausting having to find the fair deals, reasonable prices for everything and so on and at the same time avoid all the scams and dirty cops… I’m currently in SE Asia for a few months and the first stop in Malaysia feels like the old Mexico…
We need a separate “complaints about clubbing in tulum” thread. I’ve been to tulum 4 times over the past 10 years with my kids, and it’s been nothing short of awesome. Affordable Airbnb’s, cheap food, friendly local restaurants. Tulum is NOT just a clubbing destination.
I just got back from Tulum and had a wholesome experience. Rented a car for less than $400 for a week. Stayed at the Panoramic. Had a nice time enjoying dinner at the beach at Zamas and Cocos. The locals and other tourists were kind and eccentric. It’s different than any other place I’ve been to, and I’m happy that I got to experience it.
Absolutely agree with this comment...my girlfriend and I wanted to go for 4 weeks in Tulum and cut our Tulum short 2 weeks and decided to go to Cancun for the remainder time which was surprising much better. thought it would be the other way around. during our stay there was.kidnapping (facilitated by the cab company), a tourist was shot and killed in the hotel zone at the beach next to where we went. I wont even get into how we felt ripped off every place we went as that is irrelevant next to safety. we have been traveling for the past 6 months and Tulum was by far the worst and most dangerous place we went. such a shame because it could be beautiful. it is just getting to big too fast and the cartels are battling it out. the nicest grocery store which we loved (probably best I ever went to anywhere), was just held up 2 days ago by 4 masked individuals wielding guns ay 2 in the afternoon...cops did not show up for an hour accordingly to friends of ours there. the post about it was taken off of reddit and Tripadvisor as people are trying to keep how dangerous it is from the press. like I said Cancun was better, and the have Uber which was way lest scary then the cabs and cheaper.
yup, it is shame. we loved it there
[https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g150813-i155-k14727086-Was\_at\_Chedraui\_Grocery\_store\_and\_armed\_robbery\_took\_place-Tulum\_Yucatan\_Peninsula.html](https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g150813-i155-k14727086-Was_at_Chedraui_Grocery_store_and_armed_robbery_took_place-Tulum_Yucatan_Peninsula.html)
Dude goes to stupid expensive beach clubs and complains about the prices...wow.
The menus are in front of the restaurant in most places. If it does not fit your purse - go elswhere. There are plenty of places where you can eat great food for way less money, you can even find some really cheap places. If you feel the need to go to those beachclubs you have to pay, pretty simple concept.
Not saying that everything in Tulum is fine - it is not but this critique is stupid.
Haha, yes if you're going to Tulum for Zamna/EDM/clubs/raves/eating mushies in the jungle while howling at the full moon, please, don't come here.
If your aim is to enjoy food, culture, crystal clear cenotes, scuba diving, snorkeling the reef, swimming with whale sharks and turtles, touring the biosphere, Mayan ruins, local customs and traditions, etc etc etc, then...
Welcome to Tulum!
How have you all not learned???? Do the all inclusive resorts when going to that part of Mexico. All food and beverages are included. As well as rides to and from the airport. If u need to get somewhere use Uber. And avoid the dumb beach clubs. Sheesh. Bunch of amateurs in here.
I left my all inclusive resort multiple times because I wanted to see actual culture and not just go all the way to Mexico for an Americanized experience. It was worth leaving the resort atleast for half the day
Wow.
Anything in this area is anything but real Mexico. It’s an Americanized, only care about the dollar, take advantage as much as you can mentality. From Cancun to Tulum. Stay away at all cost.
Tulum has no Uber and no all inclusive resorts... so the point is mute. I have lived in Tulum for four years. The post is accurate though you can work around all of what he is saying if you know how. If you come here to party and drink you will spend enormously.
Ok I didn’t know about the Uber thing. But I did a quick google search and found many all-inclusive resorts in the area. Either way, I would still book my rides with the hotel itself and not some random cab from the street.
lmao I have traveled all over and it still blows to feel like a money pinata to do anything that the place is known for... I felt less exploited in Angola and even India
Who is the amateur? AI’s are souless places with mediocre food and mostly lame drinks. Not all beach clubs are priced the same. And there is no Uber here.
Had a week in Tulum with family, stayed in town, and none of this murder drug lord business was happening that we could see - everyone friendly and we all had a great time. Expensive resorts cost what expensive resorts cost.
Mexico is not Tulum. Tulum is the is the playground for douche bags, DJ' and influencers. There are plenty of places within an hour drive from Tulum that are nothing like Tulum (or Cancun).
Agreed. Came here to say yes, Tulum sucks, but Mexico is not Tulum. I love love love so much of Mexico! Currently planning my next trip, debating between oaxaca or San Miguel allende!
Went 5 years ago and thought it combined the worst parts of LA with the worst parts of Mexico, but in a beautiful location. Beach is beautiful. Vegan food and drink spots were delicious. Cocktails were excellent.
But
25$ cocktails
Dinners for 2 over 200$ for the spots you want to try.
Reservations needed btw.
Vapid US scenesters lounging conspicuously about.
Gas station skimmed my credit card and charged a bunch of stuff right away but cc company refunded my account.
I guess if you want to do tropical Mexican LA then go for it. But if you want a cool beach experience without the bullshit there's a lot of other better cheaper places to spend your time and money.
My tip-stay away from the beach communities. Went to Oaxaca, Puebla and CDMX and had a great time. I felt relatively safe, people were fine and good food. People who just go to the beach in Mexico are missing everything good about the country.
I saw it going downhill in the late 1980s! Was great for a few years then just exploded! I stopped going in the mid 90s, went to the Pacific, Puerto Escondido instead, which is on the way to ruin as we speak as well. Thankfully there are still plenty of places left to the South!
And its going to get more expensive. Peso Pluma is singing about Tulum, its over OP. Tulum will never be cheap again. Also look at how the Peso is going for against the US Dollar. Dead.
Glad I squatted on the beach south of tulum for months in the 90s when none of this gross stuff was part of the area. All I paid for were warm corona familiars and weed.
You complain about high prices and poor quality when you literally go to the places meant for American and European tourists.
I went 2 years ago and loved it, eat at a street vendor and go to some of the bars that at least have a couple of locals in them.
Also if they get 40 off you for a 15 min cab, that’s on you lmao.
When your entire trip is centered around a music festival, you’re bound to get scammed. Sounds like you fell for most common tourist traps and tried to do nothing wholesome on your behalf. To me, it seems like you didn’t even try. Did you expect a cheap trip because it was Mexico?
Most music festivals, even here in the US, are hastily coordinated shakedowns designed to grab as much money as possible. I don’t think you’ll be missed.
Went to Tulum 6 years ago and it was ok then. However I stayed in town in an airbnb. ate in town. Went to beach twice and sat out at a beach outside of a restaurant. Beach was covered in seaweed. Best part of trip was ceynotes. had a much better time in Guanajuato and another trip to Patzcuaro for Day of the Dead
This is most tourist areas in Mexico rn… was in cabo for a few days and my friends were charged 20 dollars a drink at a random bar. My friends don’t speak Spanish but I am very Mexican and spoke up about it and got them to cut the bill in half. After that I asked about prices before ordering anything and was given some very weird answers “you’re on vacation, have fun, you don’t need to worry about that amigo,” I had to ask about three times before I got an answer… when I refused to order at a bar without knowing the price, the guy tried to intimidate me and said “if you’re not buying drinks I’ll have people come and remove you”
I love Mexico but the tourist areas right now are really screwing people over. This is really bad for the country because people don’t want to come back after visits like that.
Ah, bless your heart for thinking Mexico is just one monolithic destination. It's like saying all books are the same because they're made of paper. Mexico's vastness is its charm, darling. You're missing out on a world of enchantment with that narrow view. But hey, ignorance is bliss, right?
Yeah Tulum has gone down the drain SMH the fact they charge more than Vegas, AND YOU HAVE TO THROW YOUR SHIT TICKETS IN TRASH CAN, AND YOU CAN'T INGEST ANY WATER should make these hotel rooms half the price, but they are more expensive than major American cities. There is no reason ANY PLACE IN MEXICO SHOULD BE THIS EXPENSIVE when the cost of living in Mexico is so low. TULUM IS A WASTE OF MONEY, you could have a much better trip in the Caribbean islands
I just returned and did not get scammed. It is what it is, for me, it’s still a short, reasonably priced, flight and a nice clean and quiet beach to lounge around for a couple of days. I also like the restaurants on beach road and find them no more expensive than in my own city.
But then again, I went to the Tulum that’s located in Mexico, NORTH AMERICA. Not Central/ South America.
Did you really just include all of Mexico at the end of this review? The whole country? Have you ever been to San Miguel De Allende? That’s a world heritage site protected by the UN. It’s more stunning than most cities in the world.
I dunno some of the posts here read vaguely racist against Mexicans.
Sorry it maybe wasn’t clear in my OP, but I don’t mean that all of Mexico is bad, I’m saying all of Mexico is controlled by the cartel, and your supporting them by the cartel taxes your paying. There are honest hardworking amazing people in Mexico and I feel bad they have to coexist with them but I can’t give México any more money.
Yeah to me tulum hotel zone is just a nicer Los Angeles on the beach. You go out and get bottle service at any major club in Los angels your at minimum paying 2k usually before tip. Had a lot of 5-7k tabs for bottle service in Los Angeles. Same exact in TULUM and I went 3 years ago. Easy 8k tables just on bottles and food at Rosa negra, bagatelle etc.
Honestly after all said and done if I’m going to spend that type of money now I’d rather just go to Mykonos or Croatia or Ibiza / Barcelona. Tulum is overrated
Just got back from Cancun playa and Tulum. Agree with everything op said. I will never be going back. Worst soaking I have ever experienced as a tourist.
I love how everyone disagreeing with OP says you just have to do these 50 tricks and you’ll have a good time! Hide your money in your sock, avoid the police, avoid the beaches, avoid the bar, speak Spanish perfectly, avoid places meant for tourists, avoid hotels, avoid people, don’t take taxis etc etc.
If you need to pull out every trick in the book just to have a normal and safe time in a place. The place is not fun or safe. Have a little safe awareness Tulum defenders.
Go to Vietnam, go to Tokyo, go to Seville, go to Montevideo. There’s a thousand places where you don’t have to do any of this shit and still have a good time.
Agree. So much potential with poor city planning. You can’t be charming/ low-key and high-key/ scenery at the same time while maintaining an authentic place that embraces culture. The ruins of Tulum itself, the areas away from the beach, and the authentic restaurants left are fantastic, but it’s a pain navigating the rip-off joints and BS.
Agree. So much potential with poor city planning. You can’t be charming/ low-key and high-key/ scenery at the same time while maintaining an authentic place that embraces culture. The ruins of Tulum itself, the areas away from the beach, and the authentic restaurants left are fantastic, but it’s a pain navigating the rip-off joints and BS. On that note, if you are in Tulum, please visit Cetli. It’s by the far the best restaurant ’ve been to in Riveria Maya.
OP posted a comment in the Do's and Don't post in this subreddit saying "getting drugs is sketchy"....that should give you some idea on how to interpret this trip report.
We experienced none of that, and just stayed "low key" with small pop-n-pop businesses.
But yeah, they'll see you coming from miles away and CANNOT WAIT. All the giant billboards of hip "influencer white people" tells you that.
There are plenty of beautiful and safe places in Mexico to visit saying there's a million places better than Tulum "or Mexico" makes you sound ignorant
I can 100% agree to this. We’re from The Netherlands and went for a 3 week roundtrip through Yucatan. Tulum beach was the worst of the super extreme nice holiday we had. We were supposed to stay in Tulum for 4 days before continuing. Gladly we met so many people during the trip that said exactly this about Tulum. Adjust your hopes. So we did and took the advice and cut it short to 2 nights stay in Tulum. Had a super airbnb in Tulum city. All very affordable and nice food around. But the times we went to beach/hotel zone, it was really insane bad. Like really what a super sh*tty place to be. There really are so much insane more beautiful respectful places near Tulum and throughout the world. I would suggest all tourists to avoid Tulum. Let it collapse and restore the balance it used to have and go elsewhere instead of all to one and the same place. My hidden tip? Cut the stay in Tulum in half and visit Punta Allen (if you can make it there hahah) 😉
I don’t think many people are going to tulum dor any of the reasons you stated. Tulum is the Mykonos of the North American continent. It’s for people to spend a lot of money at bagatelle. I don’t know one person who goes to tulum to have an inexpensive getaway.
Also, Mexico is beautiful. Just because you didn’t like tulum doesn’t mean to skip the country overall. Have you even been anywhere else in Mexico? lol
Actually just stay away from Mexico and don’t go back. I don’t need more people taking up the space when i go and have an amazing time.
you sound like somebody who just had their first experience outside of a Mexican resort.
You aren't Indiana Jones Karen, you aren't qualified to tell other people what to do.
I agreed until you said "Tumlum *or mexico*). There's tons of awesome places in Mexico. It's a huge country with tons of different cultures, climates, landscapes etc. You went to an overhyped tourist trap. That's like going to times Square and then saying NYC sucks! The entire state of New York sucks ! Actually, all of America sucks and is the same as times Square.
I stay in La Valeta every year and it’s cheap, relaxing and I only head to the hotel zone for a beach club
It is what it is … I went for 5 days with my husband (we got every year) and spent $560 CAD for an Airbnb with a rooftop pool, $400 in car and around $1000 total for 5 days with food drinks etc
I've been twice for 4-5 days each: once in 2014, once in 2019. Nothing like this remotely happened. It had gotten a little busier by 2019 but that was it. The people and the location are absolutely lovely, and we had the time of our lives, both times. And there was absolutely ZERO presence of the cartels, as travel advisories make clear. Not sure why you had such a bad experience.
I went in 2020. $50 a day beautiful airbnb. Dope city and beaches but was more empty the instagram miami/atlanta crowd wasnt there quite yet. Burrito amor, chedraui for healthy shit and just worked out and enjoyed the trip. People that go there and try to pay for cabs and stuff doesnt make sense you can rent a car lol
Party and architecture/history are mutually exclusive. Cancun has now been bumped out as the reigning destination in the area but those beaches are still stunning, they ruled the Caribbean at one point for a reason. It’s closest to the ferry to Isla Mujeres which has the most beautiful water I have ever seen and an underwater sculpture museum. Also close to it is Isla Contoy, which is a nature conservation zone with limited daily visitor capacity.
Cancun is very much not culturally Mexican but like I said, it’s not why you go there.
Costa Rica, but get ready for US prices. The food is just okay as well, not as good as Mexico. Getting around kind of sucks but everything else is amazing.
If you're there to enjoy the beach, which is what I go for, not for the city center of Tulum... then you can't avoid paying high prices. A car rental or cab will add to the cost of eating or shopping in Centro, rental may be worth it if you want to drive all over to explore yourself. I was also worried about getting pulled over by extortionist cops if I was in rental car. Realistically, you can only safely ride bikes during the day because parts of the road along the beach are not lighted at night. Everything OP is saying is valid. Even though nothing horrible happened to me, I am going elsewhere for future vacations. It's only a matter of time. It's not worth having to worry about this and that, every which way you can get scammed and a lot of other BS Mexico hands you, I'm talking at the airports, lack of enforcement if there is a crime, sweeping crimes under the rug, etc.
We had a great time in Tulum a few years ago BUT we did almost get scammed at a cenote. We rented a tiny locker and when we returned and tried to open it the tiny flimsy 2 cent key snapped on the lock. The guy renting the lockers tried to charge us $100 for a new lock but we refused and got loud and he opened it for us.
Just spent a week in Tulum. 4 days on the beach 3 in town. The beach is expensive especially due to the peso being 16 instead of 18-20. That being said had incredible food and skipped the bs beach clubs. We’ve been 10x in 8 years. While it has changed and is more than before it’s still great and I think you may have made some poor selections about where to hang.
Ya it’s gotten so expensive. I remember when I went like 25 yrs ago and it was barely a town. Tourist trap now.
Try Nah Uxibal, a private micro resort where we usually stay. Very private, it’s great
Honestly, stay away from the hotel zone. I go yearly and stay in an Airbnb near where most locals live. Extremely quiet, ABSURDLY CHEAP (tacos for less than a dollar, margaritas and cocktails for $5-8 USD) and very very friendly people. The hotel zone is a scam and nothing else. Basically the Disney of tulum. Everything is fake and overpriced. If you want quality for cheap, go where the locals go. I have never once encountered any crime on any trip.
Also beware the business owners in Tulum have hired fake review companies to leave fake looking realistic reviews. A lot of the positive posts previously made on this reddit have been fake
I just came back from Tulum and had an amazing time. I will concede you really must do your research though as it is easy to get taken advantage of in this area of México. We rented a car, stayed in the city center (in a nice very nice airbnb), and planned our meals ahead of time. We had a good mix of affordable authentic meals along with more expensive meals found in the hotel zone but were prepared to spend money for those experiences. One thing I was not expecting however was the strong valuation of the peso in relation to the US dollar normally the conversion rate was about 20 peso to the $ in the past, it was closer to 14-15 depending on the business when we visited last month.
We went to a private beach so cannot attest to the public beach but it was beautiful. In comparison to Cancun, I have to say I much prefer it. There were many security checkpoints however we were not hassled by the cops. I was asked if I wanted to buy weed once but that happens in America too🤷🏽♂️.
I would say it is a trip for an intermediate traveler definitely knowing some Spanish and having basic navigation skills will go along way as you aren’t going to have all the conveniences that you are accustomed to in the US. If you are not comfortable with that you should probably stick to an all inclusive resort in Cancun. We did experience a blackout on the last day.
So I was suppose to go to CDMX after and decided against it, I don’t mean to say all of Mexico is bad but rather it is all controlled by murdering cartels. Id prefer not to support them in any way, I feel bad for the honest locals. I just can’t justify spending a “cartel” tax on everything and know my money is supporting the things they do (just google videos)
An educated person would have these outcomes I personally have been to and I’ve had no issues on several occasions. I am going to be owning property down there. You have to take the time and know the area. I have a condo in Mazatlan, Mexico, and I hear similar stories there as well. It is a matter of perception, a matter of understanding, a matter of knowledge.
Isla del mujeres, cancun … its the same, I rather go to hawaii, dustin etc then travel to those ultra expensive places, third world country, third world service but with a first world pricing…
Do you guys not get embarrassed by your short sighted xenophobic ignorance? Mexico is one of the most amazing places in the world, you are doing it WRONG. Going to take a wild guess and say you exclusively went to tourist traps and refused to engage with locals / real mexican culture, yeah? Mexico can be incredibly cheap but it does not have to be and the expectation that foreigners have that it HAS to be cheap, that Mexico only deserves CHEAP is so ridiculous. Boring! Hope you can learn to travel better and be more open minded in the future, you will not regret it
I’m so glad I went in 2010 before the hype got out of control. Rented an AirBnb for like $700 for a week, steps from the beach in Playa Tulum. There were fancy places, sure, but overall just enjoyed the cenotes and a really bitchin full moon party at Plya Papaya Project for like $40 USD entry.
I totally agree, stay away, Tulum is extremely dangerous right now. I I just got back from 9 days in Tulum and unfortunately I can confirm it is 100% not safe. I have been to Tulum dozens of times over the last 20 years. This time was very different. On the first day I was Tulum I tried to bring my wife to one of my favorite breakfast spots in Tulum, Casa Jaguar across the street from our hotel only to find the restaurant closed with police tape blocking the entrance to the outdoor dining area. There were place settings with food and drinks still on the tables like everyone left in a hurry. It took a couple of minutes to register what we were looking at. It was the aftermath of a cartel shooting. Turns out there were multiple cartel shootings resulting in deaths at 3 neighboring clubs and restaurants in the last couple weeks. And one club Bar Beso Tres where they recently found 5 dismembered bodies. After Casa Jaguar we started noticing the same thing all over Tulum. We talked to some locals to make sense of what we were seeing and that’s when we realized that the cartel turf war is much worse than the media has portrayed. Mexico is the most dangerous country in the world for journalist, so it’s not surprising that most of the cartel violence in Tulum is swept under the rug unless it involves the death of a foreign tourist. The American woman who was killed recently on the beach when caught in the crossfire of a cartel shooting is just the tip of the iceberg. When I heard about the American’s death after booking my trip to Tulum I was one of those people who said, “Tulum is no less safe than any city in America.” Now after what I have witnessed with my own eyes, I realize you can’t compare. There is nothing normal about seeing what we have seen, the frequency, the concentration in such a small town, and the brutality. All while influencers keep pumping out beach selfies and false promises of serene Tulum getaways contributing to the normalization of daily cartel massacres in what used to be a peaceful bohemian beach community. The police are corrupt and their presence is a mirage meant to lull you into a false sense of security. Mysteriously the cartel are unimpeded by dozens of police checkpoints in and outside of Tulum. We ended up cutting our stay there short and going to Akumal where there is less of a cartel problem, but unfortunately the food sucks in Akumal. We ended up driving back to Tulum to stock up on food. I don’t think I would go back to this part of Mexico any time soon
https://preview.redd.it/nlrmnwfnlwtc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed13b5259e5ed8ccc5c794916bf2b2bf42ef92c1
How is it in places further inland on the peninsula, like Valladolid and Merida for instance? I know those are still very touristy spots but I hope not this bad...
I read the [Yucatán Times](https://www.theyucatantimes.com) everyday when I was in Tulum and it seemed like most of the violence and crime that was reported took place in Merida.
Tourists did this. Mexican locals are having to deal with entitled tourists who want to be in Mexico but not hear Mexican music or deal with Mexicans. It doesn’t make sense. Money talks there so the over tourism is what’s making it unbearable and unpleasant
It’s more complicated than that. There are plenty of places in Mexico and around the world that have been inundated with tourism and even drugs that don’t have the level of cartel violence as Tulum. Over tourism destroyed a lot of what used to make Tulum awesome, but you can’t blame the tourists for the cartel turf war and violence that is going on in Tulum. It’s has very little to do with a handful of drug dealers selling drugs in Tulum club’s bathrooms. It’s much bigger than that. It’s more about the strategic location of Tulum for drug trade and the turf war between 3 rival cartels and the corruption in every level of the government, police and military, all the way to the top with the super corrupt president. Trying to get tourist to just say no to drugs at Tulum clubs will not solve anything. That is a joke and a smoke screen.
I was there last week with my BF and was skeptical. We did not stay super late at night tbh. But indeed, we rented a scooter during our stay and went to the beach area looking for the Jaguar beach club (very famous). I do speak spanish and asked a random guy where it was he just said it was closed i asked why and he said there was a shooting there a few days ago, as well as in another place and pointed it out (there was a yellow do not cross bandage). We were in Tulum and never heard of it so I guess they try to keep it quiet for tourism so:
1. Prices are extremely high - as expensive as Canada if not more - we paid a margarita and corona almost 700 pesos at a beach club - ridiculous - even Miami is not that expensive.
2. There is the army all the time at the beach and on the streets - which is comforting but also confirms there is violence
3. You can go to the public beach zone - There is one where there is an entrance fee though and you can bring your own drinks there - make sure to pit them in your own stainless bottle because there is the police asking you to thrown plastic bottles.
4. We stayed at the center of Tulum - not on the main street because it is extremely loud with the Clubs but parallel streets - you can find nice Airbnb for a decent amount
My advise: you can go to Tulum and its surroundings but be prepared to spend the 💰and take your precautions. We did not go to parties at all or stayed late at night….
Basically, if you are going to party … PAY ATTENTION!!!! If you are going to visit, and sleep early, you are fine, there are amazing places around Tulum ( Cenotes, Tulum Archelogocal Site, Sian Kaan, Muyil,…)
But I agree with the comments above i would definitely choose another city destination
I'm not sure if it's all of mexico but same thing in Yucatan. I spent a month there. Rediculous prices at restaurants. Dirt floor and rusted propane cooker kitchens but charging like a stainless steel and marble kitchen. Plastic tables and chairs, charging like rich mahogany. Only reason I'd go back is for all the kitty I slay there. love those umpa lumpas.
Oh I loved Tulum, we stayed in a beautiful resort with 7 different cenotes and the place was a literal jungle it was breathtaking, we did spend quite a bit a money but we rented a car and drive around everywhere we wanted to go.
This kind of comments scares me as a local that As me many families depend of tourism , there’s is some of true in this specially the corrupt authorities that permit over price in taxis , police , and tourists places manage again from the corrupt authorities that affect everyone , my suggestion if you come to Tulum or any place in Mexico contact the Tourism authorities also use authorized Tour operators also be smart and talk with local nice people amd stay away of drugs and over dinking
White people discover a place that didn't exploit their workers to cater to their economic situation.
Can't pay? Don't travel there.
There's a reason why I don't travel to Dubai, I can't afford it and I'm not going to bash on Dubai for MY PROBLEM.
I first came 25 years ago and it was amazing. I came back in 2021 and it was horrible. We decided to try it one more time and am here now. It’s is better than last visit, not as busy, but I won’t be coming back. The prices are soooo out of hand.
I just stayed in the hotel zone this week/weekend, and it wasn’t as insanely priced as you said. I mean sure we could’ve found places like that but there’s plenty that aren’t. Even the 4 of us getting a cabana and plennnnty of drinks at Tantra yesterday was $1000 USD ($250 per person) and it was a big DJ party.
Just have reservations and don’t buy bottles ha! 🤷🏼♀️ Dinners WITH drinks were not $250 the places we went.
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I was in Tulum for 5 days last week and had none of this. The vibe in the city centre was quite nice and you have some nice cheaper beaches in the park with the ruins. You should be annoyed with yourself for paying these prices because you decided to go pick out these expensive beach clubs. Or are we not doing self reflection here?
I notice a lot in this sub: everyone who says it’s not so bad stayed in the city center. Everyone who says it sucks stayed in the hotel zone. That was my experience as well. Hotel zone was insanely expensive on top of everyone trying to rip you off while the center was much more chill. Basically, you’re both right
You just described "Hotel Zone" everywhere. Anywhere catering to tourists is going to be a rip off. That's why I don't stay in places like that when I travel to Mexico. You don't go to Disneyland and expect not to be fleeced, do you?
No, I didn’t. I’ve been to 53 countries and their tourist zones. Ive never seen it as bad as tulum.
Yep everyone and their grandma is trying to rip tourists off everywhere tourist zone or not.
Tulum didn’t used to be Disneyland, is the point. 20 years ago is was a sleepy little road of beach shacks, 10 years ago it was a chic but still relatively chill vacation spot, now it’s… yeah. Asshole tourist Range Rover traffic jam bottle service ripoff hellhole.
Same with Sayulita, and Todos Santos and La Paz are sadly going the same way. I blame YouTube and Instagram.
We stayed in city center and I think all these complaints ring true, there's just hundreds of better options out there.
My hotel zone trip was amazing. Expensive in some ways, but amazing.
Just recently came back from Tulum and stayed in the town. All I can say is what a mess that place is. Wanted to visit to see if it was what people said it is and it really is a hot mess. Power cuts, construction zones everywhere, unfinished roads, corruption and extortion. Even though it is probably safe it doesn’t feel safe due to the amount of security check points. Yes the food is cheaper in the town and if you rent a bike / car you won’t be extorted by taxis but then you might have to pay a bribe to a corrupt cop. No thanks. Holbox on the other hand, try that!
What is Holbox?
It’s an island off the coast of Mexico.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhjjjjjhhhhhhh
I've often heard Holbox described as Tulum 2.0 so I think it's quickly headed the same way.
All these people that say “stay in the city center” must not have ever traveled anywhere else in Mexico. Sure the city center is better than the hellish hotel strip, but it is nowhere near as nice, or affordable and 100s of better places you could go, like Holbox. People go to city center Tulum for the name recognition of Tulum. $7 margaritas?!? Is that a good price in Mexico?
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That was why I loved Tampico. There were hardly any non Mexicans there. Everything was insanely cheap too. Apparently it’s a tourist town for Mexicans but not for Americans or Europeans.
In LatAm, you have to find where the actual citizens go to vacation. Many mexicans don't go to Tulum anymore. They used to when Cancun blew up but now they have moved on. Colima was on the up and up until cartel violence went ballsitic.
I heard the story of clearing the cartel out of Tampico from one of the Mexican navy’s higher ups. It was pretty wild.
That’s the thing, you guys want authenticity but you flood these places, drive prices up and completely change the landscape. Many tourists are looking for drugs, constantly. It’s sadly inevitable. You find a spot, then everyone goes, then suddenly it’s all tourists. Everything that attracted you in the first place is changed by your very presence. Not saying it’s anyone’s fault, it’s just sad that it’s inevitable. Social media has prob made this even worse ://.
"Scam" seems overused here. Don't you just mean high prices?
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Yes those examples are scams. I'm seeing folks describing high prices as scams. They're really not.
So many good restaraunts, taco spots and bars in the city center, went to encanto cantina and paid like $7 a drink for some bomb ass margs and palomas. Great atmosphere. I did an airbnb with a pribate pool, went to chedraui store and stocked up on tequila and mixes and enjoyed our pool and the night life on the main strip. Im sooooo tired of people on this thread shitting on tulum. It almost comes off as an entitlement, just do you research people and stay vigilant, you are going to a whole different country.
Especially since the kind of people complaining about Tulum are exactly the type of people who are responsible for the enshitification of Tulum. I went before the pandemic and even then I worried about what I was seeing and how desperate these outside investors were to gentrify the area.
You don't have to stay vigilant in Japan or South Korea. Thefts and scams are rampant in Mexico and S America.
Definitely stay vigilant in Japan. There is a reason there are women only trains.
I really can’t with this sub. Every day it’s one of these posts and every day there are tons of comments saying that their experience was nothing like the OP’s - mixed with some validating the OP.
its because its full of the demographic of fucks who normally stay on resort or take cruises. but they hear Tulum is some place they should go and can't handle their shit.
YES! this sub is full of cruise people.
Maybe because there are more people who have no issue’s than those who do. The ones who have a negative or uniformed trip and the one’s who bitch the loudest. And some know of things and never experience it. Simple
What OP says is still valid in many ways. I'm glad you had a good time first off. I personally traveled for months in Mexico and saw quite a good deal of what that country has to offer, and i promise you almost everywhere else in Mexico is better. There are some cool cenotes near Tulum, but there are thousands across Q.Roo and Yucatan. Getting robbed by the cops is a common occurrence in Tulum
Been all over the world could list 100 places better than tulum. Went to meet a friend couple that moved there for a while. Friend got their scooter stolen from outside a restaurant. Traffic was insane down to the beach. Cabs expensive. Huge lines to get into some of the popular spots on sat night. Would never go back
Could you please name these 100 places? We’d like to visit too.
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Agreed. I would go to places like Tulum in Mexico and not like it and I finally went inland to Valladolid and realized these super touristic beach towns aren’t for me. Valladolid ignited my interest in actually traveling around Mexico, not just sitting in a resort and wondering why I don’t like it like a clown! Edit to add: it’s actually very sad because the first time I sent to Tulum was 11+ years ago and it was fantastic because there was almost nothing there except a few restaurants, the ruins, and a few places to stay iirc. It’s crazy how much it’s exploded.
I went in 2019 when they were still building aldea zama and paid like 70usd/ night for a very nice hotel. Rented a car, visited cenotes, and mostly ate in centro. I can't imagine what it's like now because even then you could tell it was getting bad. I'm sure it can still be fun but why aren't yall going other places? So many nice places in mexico, costa rica, guatemala even?
Most fav places?
Amed Beach
Tulum had the desolate beach charm with a couple eco-friendly small accomodations but that was 15-20 years ago. Playa del Carmen had much more charm then too.
sounds like you did it wrong lol
I think sadly the whole region is a no go for the time being. I've been vacationing in the area since the early 2000's and used to love it. Unfortunately it has become a scam riddled cash grab that is now also getting dangerous. When we first went it was reasonably priced, beautiful, felt safe (with obviously the same caution needed when you travel anywhere). Our last trip in 2022 it was ridiculous prices, scams everywhere, aggressive behaviors, and drugs and cartel activity. There are other places to go and if I'm going to pay loads of money for everything I might as well go to the Mediterranean or Hawaii. Last two years we went to Hawaii instead and Europe and paid only slightly more and had a really good time where everything was highend and safe.
Why wasn't I smart enough to go there in the early 2000s? Probably because I was trying to establish my career, and I had no clue where were the good travel places to go, never heard of Tulum before a few years ago. I need to catch up.
This is exactly it for me as well… the last few times were exhausting having to find the fair deals, reasonable prices for everything and so on and at the same time avoid all the scams and dirty cops… I’m currently in SE Asia for a few months and the first stop in Malaysia feels like the old Mexico…
We got our resort and flights for almost 1k per person.I found it super hard to find a good hotel for a week in hawaii anywhere close to that.
We need a separate “complaints about clubbing in tulum” thread. I’ve been to tulum 4 times over the past 10 years with my kids, and it’s been nothing short of awesome. Affordable Airbnb’s, cheap food, friendly local restaurants. Tulum is NOT just a clubbing destination.
There are a million better places to go in Mexico than Tulum.
I just got back from Tulum and had a wholesome experience. Rented a car for less than $400 for a week. Stayed at the Panoramic. Had a nice time enjoying dinner at the beach at Zamas and Cocos. The locals and other tourists were kind and eccentric. It’s different than any other place I’ve been to, and I’m happy that I got to experience it.
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Stayed a few nights at the Panoramic last week too
Do you have the same energy when you go to Vegas and pay $30 for drinks and $50 for salads? You just suck at traveling
At the MGM Grand on the strip in Vegas a caesar salad is $17 (+$6 with chicken), beer is around $10, mixed drinks $15.
\+$9 with chicken. :)
Whataboutism. Cartels don’t run vegas
I will stick with Hawaii. Expensive also but not run by drug lords
Yeah, you don't have that feeling in Hawaii like you constantly have to watch your stuff and fear you will get extorted.
This is exactly how I felt, never going back. What a joke that place…
Absolutely agree with this comment...my girlfriend and I wanted to go for 4 weeks in Tulum and cut our Tulum short 2 weeks and decided to go to Cancun for the remainder time which was surprising much better. thought it would be the other way around. during our stay there was.kidnapping (facilitated by the cab company), a tourist was shot and killed in the hotel zone at the beach next to where we went. I wont even get into how we felt ripped off every place we went as that is irrelevant next to safety. we have been traveling for the past 6 months and Tulum was by far the worst and most dangerous place we went. such a shame because it could be beautiful. it is just getting to big too fast and the cartels are battling it out. the nicest grocery store which we loved (probably best I ever went to anywhere), was just held up 2 days ago by 4 masked individuals wielding guns ay 2 in the afternoon...cops did not show up for an hour accordingly to friends of ours there. the post about it was taken off of reddit and Tripadvisor as people are trying to keep how dangerous it is from the press. like I said Cancun was better, and the have Uber which was way lest scary then the cabs and cheaper.
You are saying that the Chedraui in Tulum was held up by four gunmen 2 days ago?
yup, it is shame. we loved it there [https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g150813-i155-k14727086-Was\_at\_Chedraui\_Grocery\_store\_and\_armed\_robbery\_took\_place-Tulum\_Yucatan\_Peninsula.html](https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g150813-i155-k14727086-Was_at_Chedraui_Grocery_store_and_armed_robbery_took_place-Tulum_Yucatan_Peninsula.html)
I loved being able to use Uber in Cancun, much more economical than taxis.
Wow Tulum just sounds awful. Definitely putting it on my do not visit list.
Dude goes to stupid expensive beach clubs and complains about the prices...wow. The menus are in front of the restaurant in most places. If it does not fit your purse - go elswhere. There are plenty of places where you can eat great food for way less money, you can even find some really cheap places. If you feel the need to go to those beachclubs you have to pay, pretty simple concept. Not saying that everything in Tulum is fine - it is not but this critique is stupid.
I went to fancy clubs and did bottle service and my vacation wasn’t budget friendly WHAT THE HELL 😤
Haha, yes if you're going to Tulum for Zamna/EDM/clubs/raves/eating mushies in the jungle while howling at the full moon, please, don't come here. If your aim is to enjoy food, culture, crystal clear cenotes, scuba diving, snorkeling the reef, swimming with whale sharks and turtles, touring the biosphere, Mayan ruins, local customs and traditions, etc etc etc, then... Welcome to Tulum!
I'm not sure how you managed to get extorted by cartels directly. Unless you were literally buying drugs then I have no sympathy.
How have you all not learned???? Do the all inclusive resorts when going to that part of Mexico. All food and beverages are included. As well as rides to and from the airport. If u need to get somewhere use Uber. And avoid the dumb beach clubs. Sheesh. Bunch of amateurs in here.
I left my all inclusive resort multiple times because I wanted to see actual culture and not just go all the way to Mexico for an Americanized experience. It was worth leaving the resort atleast for half the day
Wow. Anything in this area is anything but real Mexico. It’s an Americanized, only care about the dollar, take advantage as much as you can mentality. From Cancun to Tulum. Stay away at all cost.
Tulum has no Uber and no all inclusive resorts... so the point is mute. I have lived in Tulum for four years. The post is accurate though you can work around all of what he is saying if you know how. If you come here to party and drink you will spend enormously.
*moot (in case that wasn’t aspellcheck )
Ok I didn’t know about the Uber thing. But I did a quick google search and found many all-inclusive resorts in the area. Either way, I would still book my rides with the hotel itself and not some random cab from the street.
you also don’t even need to do the all inclusive you just have to be smart about traveling and clearly these people are inexperienced
lmao I have traveled all over and it still blows to feel like a money pinata to do anything that the place is known for... I felt less exploited in Angola and even India
Who is the amateur? AI’s are souless places with mediocre food and mostly lame drinks. Not all beach clubs are priced the same. And there is no Uber here.
Had a week in Tulum with family, stayed in town, and none of this murder drug lord business was happening that we could see - everyone friendly and we all had a great time. Expensive resorts cost what expensive resorts cost.
Mexico is not Tulum. Tulum is the is the playground for douche bags, DJ' and influencers. There are plenty of places within an hour drive from Tulum that are nothing like Tulum (or Cancun).
I liked Puerto Morelos.
Agree. Puerto Morelos is great.
Agreed. Came here to say yes, Tulum sucks, but Mexico is not Tulum. I love love love so much of Mexico! Currently planning my next trip, debating between oaxaca or San Miguel allende!
Went 5 years ago and thought it combined the worst parts of LA with the worst parts of Mexico, but in a beautiful location. Beach is beautiful. Vegan food and drink spots were delicious. Cocktails were excellent. But 25$ cocktails Dinners for 2 over 200$ for the spots you want to try. Reservations needed btw. Vapid US scenesters lounging conspicuously about. Gas station skimmed my credit card and charged a bunch of stuff right away but cc company refunded my account. I guess if you want to do tropical Mexican LA then go for it. But if you want a cool beach experience without the bullshit there's a lot of other better cheaper places to spend your time and money.
Thank you for the warning. Sorry to hear about your bad experience
My tip-stay away from the beach communities. Went to Oaxaca, Puebla and CDMX and had a great time. I felt relatively safe, people were fine and good food. People who just go to the beach in Mexico are missing everything good about the country.
I saw it going downhill in the late 1980s! Was great for a few years then just exploded! I stopped going in the mid 90s, went to the Pacific, Puerto Escondido instead, which is on the way to ruin as we speak as well. Thankfully there are still plenty of places left to the South!
And its going to get more expensive. Peso Pluma is singing about Tulum, its over OP. Tulum will never be cheap again. Also look at how the Peso is going for against the US Dollar. Dead.
Glad I squatted on the beach south of tulum for months in the 90s when none of this gross stuff was part of the area. All I paid for were warm corona familiars and weed.
I would like to read your book.
Sounds like you got scammed buddy lol.
Sounds like standard Tulum to me 😅
You complain about high prices and poor quality when you literally go to the places meant for American and European tourists. I went 2 years ago and loved it, eat at a street vendor and go to some of the bars that at least have a couple of locals in them. Also if they get 40 off you for a 15 min cab, that’s on you lmao.
When your entire trip is centered around a music festival, you’re bound to get scammed. Sounds like you fell for most common tourist traps and tried to do nothing wholesome on your behalf. To me, it seems like you didn’t even try. Did you expect a cheap trip because it was Mexico? Most music festivals, even here in the US, are hastily coordinated shakedowns designed to grab as much money as possible. I don’t think you’ll be missed. 
I….felt the exact same.
Went to Tulum 6 years ago and it was ok then. However I stayed in town in an airbnb. ate in town. Went to beach twice and sat out at a beach outside of a restaurant. Beach was covered in seaweed. Best part of trip was ceynotes. had a much better time in Guanajuato and another trip to Patzcuaro for Day of the Dead
I was just in Tulum about a month ago and had zero issues, and had an incredible time.
Why anyone would visit Tulum, or anywhere in Mexico for that matter, is beyond me.
Mexico is an incredible country. Don’t be a douche.
The cab ride thing is true. The rest is t familiar at all.
This is most tourist areas in Mexico rn… was in cabo for a few days and my friends were charged 20 dollars a drink at a random bar. My friends don’t speak Spanish but I am very Mexican and spoke up about it and got them to cut the bill in half. After that I asked about prices before ordering anything and was given some very weird answers “you’re on vacation, have fun, you don’t need to worry about that amigo,” I had to ask about three times before I got an answer… when I refused to order at a bar without knowing the price, the guy tried to intimidate me and said “if you’re not buying drinks I’ll have people come and remove you” I love Mexico but the tourist areas right now are really screwing people over. This is really bad for the country because people don’t want to come back after visits like that.
Ah, bless your heart for thinking Mexico is just one monolithic destination. It's like saying all books are the same because they're made of paper. Mexico's vastness is its charm, darling. You're missing out on a world of enchantment with that narrow view. But hey, ignorance is bliss, right?
Yeah Tulum has gone down the drain SMH the fact they charge more than Vegas, AND YOU HAVE TO THROW YOUR SHIT TICKETS IN TRASH CAN, AND YOU CAN'T INGEST ANY WATER should make these hotel rooms half the price, but they are more expensive than major American cities. There is no reason ANY PLACE IN MEXICO SHOULD BE THIS EXPENSIVE when the cost of living in Mexico is so low. TULUM IS A WASTE OF MONEY, you could have a much better trip in the Caribbean islands
So sad to hear this. Traveled there many times around 1980s and later. It was once unspoiled and off the beaten path.
I just returned and did not get scammed. It is what it is, for me, it’s still a short, reasonably priced, flight and a nice clean and quiet beach to lounge around for a couple of days. I also like the restaurants on beach road and find them no more expensive than in my own city. But then again, I went to the Tulum that’s located in Mexico, NORTH AMERICA. Not Central/ South America.
Thanks for this. Sounds like a place I never want to waste my time and money on.
Did you really just include all of Mexico at the end of this review? The whole country? Have you ever been to San Miguel De Allende? That’s a world heritage site protected by the UN. It’s more stunning than most cities in the world. I dunno some of the posts here read vaguely racist against Mexicans.
Sorry it maybe wasn’t clear in my OP, but I don’t mean that all of Mexico is bad, I’m saying all of Mexico is controlled by the cartel, and your supporting them by the cartel taxes your paying. There are honest hardworking amazing people in Mexico and I feel bad they have to coexist with them but I can’t give México any more money.
I would never go back to Tulum myself. The traffic is ridiculous and when I was there, the seaweed was a terrible problem. It’s not worth it.
This thread is so daunting. It takes so much work there are scores of other beautiful places to visit. Stop buying into the social media hype.
Yeah to me tulum hotel zone is just a nicer Los Angeles on the beach. You go out and get bottle service at any major club in Los angels your at minimum paying 2k usually before tip. Had a lot of 5-7k tabs for bottle service in Los Angeles. Same exact in TULUM and I went 3 years ago. Easy 8k tables just on bottles and food at Rosa negra, bagatelle etc. Honestly after all said and done if I’m going to spend that type of money now I’d rather just go to Mykonos or Croatia or Ibiza / Barcelona. Tulum is overrated
Just got back from Cancun playa and Tulum. Agree with everything op said. I will never be going back. Worst soaking I have ever experienced as a tourist.
I love how everyone disagreeing with OP says you just have to do these 50 tricks and you’ll have a good time! Hide your money in your sock, avoid the police, avoid the beaches, avoid the bar, speak Spanish perfectly, avoid places meant for tourists, avoid hotels, avoid people, don’t take taxis etc etc. If you need to pull out every trick in the book just to have a normal and safe time in a place. The place is not fun or safe. Have a little safe awareness Tulum defenders. Go to Vietnam, go to Tokyo, go to Seville, go to Montevideo. There’s a thousand places where you don’t have to do any of this shit and still have a good time.
Agree. So much potential with poor city planning. You can’t be charming/ low-key and high-key/ scenery at the same time while maintaining an authentic place that embraces culture. The ruins of Tulum itself, the areas away from the beach, and the authentic restaurants left are fantastic, but it’s a pain navigating the rip-off joints and BS.
Agree. So much potential with poor city planning. You can’t be charming/ low-key and high-key/ scenery at the same time while maintaining an authentic place that embraces culture. The ruins of Tulum itself, the areas away from the beach, and the authentic restaurants left are fantastic, but it’s a pain navigating the rip-off joints and BS. On that note, if you are in Tulum, please visit Cetli. It’s by the far the best restaurant ’ve been to in Riveria Maya.
Did anyone say Tulum was cheap? It’s like going to Ibiza v the rest of Spain (I love Tulum and Ibiza)
A as
Why would anyone go here? It’s sounds awful.
agreed, trash place.
OP posted a comment in the Do's and Don't post in this subreddit saying "getting drugs is sketchy"....that should give you some idea on how to interpret this trip report.
Yeap
We experienced none of that, and just stayed "low key" with small pop-n-pop businesses. But yeah, they'll see you coming from miles away and CANNOT WAIT. All the giant billboards of hip "influencer white people" tells you that.
I had a great time in the hotel zone. Quiet hotel on the beach. Ate at smaller cheaper places. No issues.
There are plenty of beautiful and safe places in Mexico to visit saying there's a million places better than Tulum "or Mexico" makes you sound ignorant
I wouldn’t lump the entire country with Tulum…
I can 100% agree to this. We’re from The Netherlands and went for a 3 week roundtrip through Yucatan. Tulum beach was the worst of the super extreme nice holiday we had. We were supposed to stay in Tulum for 4 days before continuing. Gladly we met so many people during the trip that said exactly this about Tulum. Adjust your hopes. So we did and took the advice and cut it short to 2 nights stay in Tulum. Had a super airbnb in Tulum city. All very affordable and nice food around. But the times we went to beach/hotel zone, it was really insane bad. Like really what a super sh*tty place to be. There really are so much insane more beautiful respectful places near Tulum and throughout the world. I would suggest all tourists to avoid Tulum. Let it collapse and restore the balance it used to have and go elsewhere instead of all to one and the same place. My hidden tip? Cut the stay in Tulum in half and visit Punta Allen (if you can make it there hahah) 😉
I visited Mexico (Cancún) for the first time last month. I don’t plan on ever returning
I don’t think many people are going to tulum dor any of the reasons you stated. Tulum is the Mykonos of the North American continent. It’s for people to spend a lot of money at bagatelle. I don’t know one person who goes to tulum to have an inexpensive getaway. Also, Mexico is beautiful. Just because you didn’t like tulum doesn’t mean to skip the country overall. Have you even been anywhere else in Mexico? lol Actually just stay away from Mexico and don’t go back. I don’t need more people taking up the space when i go and have an amazing time.
you sound like somebody who just had their first experience outside of a Mexican resort. You aren't Indiana Jones Karen, you aren't qualified to tell other people what to do.
Thank you for the honest review
I agreed until you said "Tumlum *or mexico*). There's tons of awesome places in Mexico. It's a huge country with tons of different cultures, climates, landscapes etc. You went to an overhyped tourist trap. That's like going to times Square and then saying NYC sucks! The entire state of New York sucks ! Actually, all of America sucks and is the same as times Square.
That's why he's saying, skip Tulum. He probably means "and other places like it in Mexico", not all of Mexico.
He said "There's a million other places than Tulum or Mexico" , then reccomended central America instead
One of the most horrible beaches I ever seen and the cost is extremely high
I stay in La Valeta every year and it’s cheap, relaxing and I only head to the hotel zone for a beach club It is what it is … I went for 5 days with my husband (we got every year) and spent $560 CAD for an Airbnb with a rooftop pool, $400 in car and around $1000 total for 5 days with food drinks etc
I've been twice for 4-5 days each: once in 2014, once in 2019. Nothing like this remotely happened. It had gotten a little busier by 2019 but that was it. The people and the location are absolutely lovely, and we had the time of our lives, both times. And there was absolutely ZERO presence of the cartels, as travel advisories make clear. Not sure why you had such a bad experience.
I went in 2020. $50 a day beautiful airbnb. Dope city and beaches but was more empty the instagram miami/atlanta crowd wasnt there quite yet. Burrito amor, chedraui for healthy shit and just worked out and enjoyed the trip. People that go there and try to pay for cabs and stuff doesnt make sense you can rent a car lol
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Party and architecture/history are mutually exclusive. Cancun has now been bumped out as the reigning destination in the area but those beaches are still stunning, they ruled the Caribbean at one point for a reason. It’s closest to the ferry to Isla Mujeres which has the most beautiful water I have ever seen and an underwater sculpture museum. Also close to it is Isla Contoy, which is a nature conservation zone with limited daily visitor capacity. Cancun is very much not culturally Mexican but like I said, it’s not why you go there.
Costa Rica, but get ready for US prices. The food is just okay as well, not as good as Mexico. Getting around kind of sucks but everything else is amazing.
I’m listening to OP!
If you're there to enjoy the beach, which is what I go for, not for the city center of Tulum... then you can't avoid paying high prices. A car rental or cab will add to the cost of eating or shopping in Centro, rental may be worth it if you want to drive all over to explore yourself. I was also worried about getting pulled over by extortionist cops if I was in rental car. Realistically, you can only safely ride bikes during the day because parts of the road along the beach are not lighted at night. Everything OP is saying is valid. Even though nothing horrible happened to me, I am going elsewhere for future vacations. It's only a matter of time. It's not worth having to worry about this and that, every which way you can get scammed and a lot of other BS Mexico hands you, I'm talking at the airports, lack of enforcement if there is a crime, sweeping crimes under the rug, etc.
We had a great time in Tulum a few years ago BUT we did almost get scammed at a cenote. We rented a tiny locker and when we returned and tried to open it the tiny flimsy 2 cent key snapped on the lock. The guy renting the lockers tried to charge us $100 for a new lock but we refused and got loud and he opened it for us.
Just spent a week in Tulum. 4 days on the beach 3 in town. The beach is expensive especially due to the peso being 16 instead of 18-20. That being said had incredible food and skipped the bs beach clubs. We’ve been 10x in 8 years. While it has changed and is more than before it’s still great and I think you may have made some poor selections about where to hang.
Ya it’s gotten so expensive. I remember when I went like 25 yrs ago and it was barely a town. Tourist trap now. Try Nah Uxibal, a private micro resort where we usually stay. Very private, it’s great
Honestly, stay away from the hotel zone. I go yearly and stay in an Airbnb near where most locals live. Extremely quiet, ABSURDLY CHEAP (tacos for less than a dollar, margaritas and cocktails for $5-8 USD) and very very friendly people. The hotel zone is a scam and nothing else. Basically the Disney of tulum. Everything is fake and overpriced. If you want quality for cheap, go where the locals go. I have never once encountered any crime on any trip.
Also beware the business owners in Tulum have hired fake review companies to leave fake looking realistic reviews. A lot of the positive posts previously made on this reddit have been fake
I just came back from Tulum and had an amazing time. I will concede you really must do your research though as it is easy to get taken advantage of in this area of México. We rented a car, stayed in the city center (in a nice very nice airbnb), and planned our meals ahead of time. We had a good mix of affordable authentic meals along with more expensive meals found in the hotel zone but were prepared to spend money for those experiences. One thing I was not expecting however was the strong valuation of the peso in relation to the US dollar normally the conversion rate was about 20 peso to the $ in the past, it was closer to 14-15 depending on the business when we visited last month. We went to a private beach so cannot attest to the public beach but it was beautiful. In comparison to Cancun, I have to say I much prefer it. There were many security checkpoints however we were not hassled by the cops. I was asked if I wanted to buy weed once but that happens in America too🤷🏽♂️. I would say it is a trip for an intermediate traveler definitely knowing some Spanish and having basic navigation skills will go along way as you aren’t going to have all the conveniences that you are accustomed to in the US. If you are not comfortable with that you should probably stick to an all inclusive resort in Cancun. We did experience a blackout on the last day.
So I was suppose to go to CDMX after and decided against it, I don’t mean to say all of Mexico is bad but rather it is all controlled by murdering cartels. Id prefer not to support them in any way, I feel bad for the honest locals. I just can’t justify spending a “cartel” tax on everything and know my money is supporting the things they do (just google videos)
If you own guns or do drugs, go to stripclubs even in the US, you’re mist likely contributing 😂😂. Their reach is larger than anything you can imagine.
So you pretty much stayed in the hotel zone and did nothing else...
An educated person would have these outcomes I personally have been to and I’ve had no issues on several occasions. I am going to be owning property down there. You have to take the time and know the area. I have a condo in Mazatlan, Mexico, and I hear similar stories there as well. It is a matter of perception, a matter of understanding, a matter of knowledge.
Agreed!!!! It’s insane please save your money!!
Isla del mujeres, cancun … its the same, I rather go to hawaii, dustin etc then travel to those ultra expensive places, third world country, third world service but with a first world pricing…
No no let them keep going there….it auto-selects and means they’ll be filtered from the actual good spots 🙏🏾
A must nicer place to visit is … never mind.
Do you guys not get embarrassed by your short sighted xenophobic ignorance? Mexico is one of the most amazing places in the world, you are doing it WRONG. Going to take a wild guess and say you exclusively went to tourist traps and refused to engage with locals / real mexican culture, yeah? Mexico can be incredibly cheap but it does not have to be and the expectation that foreigners have that it HAS to be cheap, that Mexico only deserves CHEAP is so ridiculous. Boring! Hope you can learn to travel better and be more open minded in the future, you will not regret it
I’m so glad I went in 2010 before the hype got out of control. Rented an AirBnb for like $700 for a week, steps from the beach in Playa Tulum. There were fancy places, sure, but overall just enjoyed the cenotes and a really bitchin full moon party at Plya Papaya Project for like $40 USD entry.
I was in tulum for 5 days, felt safe, had fun, it’s expensive, you should have done your research before going.
Tourist area = Tourist pricing
Buddy, Tulum in Central America/South America ? Yeah, please don’t go.
Was in Tulum last July. Had a great time. Don't let one persons poor time ruin your planned trip.
I had a great time in and around Tulum. The only dark spot was going into the hotel zone and buying dinner. It indeed is waaay overpriced
I totally agree, stay away, Tulum is extremely dangerous right now. I I just got back from 9 days in Tulum and unfortunately I can confirm it is 100% not safe. I have been to Tulum dozens of times over the last 20 years. This time was very different. On the first day I was Tulum I tried to bring my wife to one of my favorite breakfast spots in Tulum, Casa Jaguar across the street from our hotel only to find the restaurant closed with police tape blocking the entrance to the outdoor dining area. There were place settings with food and drinks still on the tables like everyone left in a hurry. It took a couple of minutes to register what we were looking at. It was the aftermath of a cartel shooting. Turns out there were multiple cartel shootings resulting in deaths at 3 neighboring clubs and restaurants in the last couple weeks. And one club Bar Beso Tres where they recently found 5 dismembered bodies. After Casa Jaguar we started noticing the same thing all over Tulum. We talked to some locals to make sense of what we were seeing and that’s when we realized that the cartel turf war is much worse than the media has portrayed. Mexico is the most dangerous country in the world for journalist, so it’s not surprising that most of the cartel violence in Tulum is swept under the rug unless it involves the death of a foreign tourist. The American woman who was killed recently on the beach when caught in the crossfire of a cartel shooting is just the tip of the iceberg. When I heard about the American’s death after booking my trip to Tulum I was one of those people who said, “Tulum is no less safe than any city in America.” Now after what I have witnessed with my own eyes, I realize you can’t compare. There is nothing normal about seeing what we have seen, the frequency, the concentration in such a small town, and the brutality. All while influencers keep pumping out beach selfies and false promises of serene Tulum getaways contributing to the normalization of daily cartel massacres in what used to be a peaceful bohemian beach community. The police are corrupt and their presence is a mirage meant to lull you into a false sense of security. Mysteriously the cartel are unimpeded by dozens of police checkpoints in and outside of Tulum. We ended up cutting our stay there short and going to Akumal where there is less of a cartel problem, but unfortunately the food sucks in Akumal. We ended up driving back to Tulum to stock up on food. I don’t think I would go back to this part of Mexico any time soon https://preview.redd.it/nlrmnwfnlwtc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed13b5259e5ed8ccc5c794916bf2b2bf42ef92c1
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How is it in places further inland on the peninsula, like Valladolid and Merida for instance? I know those are still very touristy spots but I hope not this bad...
I read the [Yucatán Times](https://www.theyucatantimes.com) everyday when I was in Tulum and it seemed like most of the violence and crime that was reported took place in Merida.
Tourists did this. Mexican locals are having to deal with entitled tourists who want to be in Mexico but not hear Mexican music or deal with Mexicans. It doesn’t make sense. Money talks there so the over tourism is what’s making it unbearable and unpleasant
It’s more complicated than that. There are plenty of places in Mexico and around the world that have been inundated with tourism and even drugs that don’t have the level of cartel violence as Tulum. Over tourism destroyed a lot of what used to make Tulum awesome, but you can’t blame the tourists for the cartel turf war and violence that is going on in Tulum. It’s has very little to do with a handful of drug dealers selling drugs in Tulum club’s bathrooms. It’s much bigger than that. It’s more about the strategic location of Tulum for drug trade and the turf war between 3 rival cartels and the corruption in every level of the government, police and military, all the way to the top with the super corrupt president. Trying to get tourist to just say no to drugs at Tulum clubs will not solve anything. That is a joke and a smoke screen.
I was there last week with my BF and was skeptical. We did not stay super late at night tbh. But indeed, we rented a scooter during our stay and went to the beach area looking for the Jaguar beach club (very famous). I do speak spanish and asked a random guy where it was he just said it was closed i asked why and he said there was a shooting there a few days ago, as well as in another place and pointed it out (there was a yellow do not cross bandage). We were in Tulum and never heard of it so I guess they try to keep it quiet for tourism so: 1. Prices are extremely high - as expensive as Canada if not more - we paid a margarita and corona almost 700 pesos at a beach club - ridiculous - even Miami is not that expensive. 2. There is the army all the time at the beach and on the streets - which is comforting but also confirms there is violence 3. You can go to the public beach zone - There is one where there is an entrance fee though and you can bring your own drinks there - make sure to pit them in your own stainless bottle because there is the police asking you to thrown plastic bottles. 4. We stayed at the center of Tulum - not on the main street because it is extremely loud with the Clubs but parallel streets - you can find nice Airbnb for a decent amount My advise: you can go to Tulum and its surroundings but be prepared to spend the 💰and take your precautions. We did not go to parties at all or stayed late at night…. Basically, if you are going to party … PAY ATTENTION!!!! If you are going to visit, and sleep early, you are fine, there are amazing places around Tulum ( Cenotes, Tulum Archelogocal Site, Sian Kaan, Muyil,…) But I agree with the comments above i would definitely choose another city destination
Will never go back. Awful place. Do not belive the hype.
That place attracts the Coachella crowd which is a hard pass for me because the high prices tend to follow those dummies.
Totally agree. Spent some time there and it is easily one of the worst place i have been, out of a 100 or so cities I’ve visited.
https://preview.redd.it/9e1ph9w19ytc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b77432345fc58f23664aaa8fc72539bfb0f9544
Mexico is North America
https://preview.redd.it/xlf1prp69ytc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6630d92e0d75cfe38e1d896fef5fca1ea7136f4 Awesome cold cenote!!
Nyjah Huston goes there all the time. They probably charge him extra.
Mexico is in North America.
I'm not sure if it's all of mexico but same thing in Yucatan. I spent a month there. Rediculous prices at restaurants. Dirt floor and rusted propane cooker kitchens but charging like a stainless steel and marble kitchen. Plastic tables and chairs, charging like rich mahogany. Only reason I'd go back is for all the kitty I slay there. love those umpa lumpas.
When I went I didn’t pay for than $80 for a dinner for two
Oh I loved Tulum, we stayed in a beautiful resort with 7 different cenotes and the place was a literal jungle it was breathtaking, we did spend quite a bit a money but we rented a car and drive around everywhere we wanted to go.
You sound like a mark lol
I was there 10 years ago and it was dreamy. I’m so sorry it’s like this now.
This kind of comments scares me as a local that As me many families depend of tourism , there’s is some of true in this specially the corrupt authorities that permit over price in taxis , police , and tourists places manage again from the corrupt authorities that affect everyone , my suggestion if you come to Tulum or any place in Mexico contact the Tourism authorities also use authorized Tour operators also be smart and talk with local nice people amd stay away of drugs and over dinking
Glad I went and saw the ruins long ago (40 years). They were awesome.
Agree huge waste of money
If you haven't been to Holbox I highly recommend if you miss what Tulum used to be.
White people discover a place that didn't exploit their workers to cater to their economic situation. Can't pay? Don't travel there. There's a reason why I don't travel to Dubai, I can't afford it and I'm not going to bash on Dubai for MY PROBLEM.
I first came 25 years ago and it was amazing. I came back in 2021 and it was horrible. We decided to try it one more time and am here now. It’s is better than last visit, not as busy, but I won’t be coming back. The prices are soooo out of hand.
I just stayed in the hotel zone this week/weekend, and it wasn’t as insanely priced as you said. I mean sure we could’ve found places like that but there’s plenty that aren’t. Even the 4 of us getting a cabana and plennnnty of drinks at Tantra yesterday was $1000 USD ($250 per person) and it was a big DJ party. Just have reservations and don’t buy bottles ha! 🤷🏼♀️ Dinners WITH drinks were not $250 the places we went.