When you journey the 80 miles from Cancún and reach a single road that runs along the water, where one side meets the jungle, the other the sea, you’ve arrived in Tulum. We put together a few travel tips to get you here—and into peak relaxation-mode—as soon as possible.
You’ll need an active passport to travel to Mexico. If you don’t yet have a passport, processing takes around 6 to 8 weeks. Don’t forget to check your passport’s expiration date. It needs to be valid for at least six months after you return home and should have two or more blank pages.
You’ll fly into Cancun International Airport (CUN) which is a simple ~2.5 hour flight from the North East. Ticket prices can vary from $200 to $550 a trip, so we recommend setting up a flight alert to see if you can get a deal. Buying your flights as early as possible never hurts either.
We’ve found it works well to book shuttles through your hotel so they can coordinate your shuttle’s arrival and departure based on your flight times. If you’re staying with friends you can coordinate shuttle rides together. It’s around an hour and a half drive from the airport to Tulum. If your hotel doesn’t have a shuttle recommendation, try Tucan Kin. You can book them online here.
The average shuttle cost is around $200 dollars for a roundtrip rate, not including tip. We’ve tipped an additional 10% per ride, $20 dollars per couple, and tipping in US dollars is acceptable. Each shuttle company’s process is slightly different but we’ve found that your driver will be at the airport waiting for you when your flight gets in. They’ll greet you with a sign that has your name on it.
Mexico’s national currency is Pesos. You can check the current exchange rate here, but the simplest way to estimate cost it is to think about 1 USD as 20 pesos. That way you can take off a zero and divide your 250 pesos cocktail by 2 to know that it’s about $12.50 USD.
We recommend taking out cash and bringing it with you to convert to pesos upon your arrival. WiFi is spotty in Tulum and most establishments prefer to skip the credit card reader and receive payment in cash. There are a few ATMs at restaurants along the road, but unpredictable WiFi leads to unpredictable ATMs. Restaurants, shops, and taxis accept both pesos and US dollars but note that if you pay in dollars you’ll receive change in pesos. Pesos are much preferred by local businesses and you’ll be charged less.
There are several options to exchange money. You can ask your local bank before your trip. You can exchange cash at the airport which is convenient, but not always the best deal. You can use an ATM in Tulum and receive pesos, although you may incur an ATM fee. Or, you can exchange at the local grocery, Super Chedraui, which is our preferred method.
Super Chedraui is the “Walmart of Tulum,” a large grocery store conveniently located near the main entrance to Tulum. Chedraui has reliable WiFi so you can use the ATMs to take out pesos or you can exchange your US dollars. You can ask your shuttle to make a stop at the grocery store, here’s a map of the closest location.
We’ve got you covered for most of the weekend. The amount of cash you take out for personal spend is up to you, estimate an amount you’ll need to cover tourist sites like the ruins, or meals out on your own.
You can do Tulum very inexpensively and grab beach tacos on the go, or add in elevated moments, like dinner at Arca—we recommend a mix of both. Save some cash for the local boutiques and the occasional beachside margarita, or two.
Let your bank know that you’re traveling to Mexico and this will prevent any unforeseen fraud alerts. You can set travel alerts for your travel dates through your bank website.
Although you won’t be using your credit card often, when you do charge items, like your hotel balance, you may incur a foreign transaction fee. Check with your credit card provider to learn your exact fee. We recommend Chase Sapphire which has a a 0% foreign transaction fee.
Check your phone plan to see if international travel is covered within your current plan or if you need to allocate for roaming data and call and text services while you’re abroad.
For most of the weekend you’ll hop in and out of short cab rides up and down the one-lane road. For these short trips the local taxis are always waiting to pick you up and take you to your hotel, to dinner, or to your daytime adventure. For shorter trips the fare is around ~100 to 150 pesos or $5 to $6 dollars. Tulum is extremely walkable and many hotels offer complimentary bike rental.
Tulum is off-the-grid and did we mention that WiFi is spotty? Feel free to use this as an excuse to give yourself a digital detox and leave your work worries behind.