Tulum, With Love: Mexico’s Grooviest Little Secret
It’s become a tradition for me and two of my dearest friends to take a trip for our milestone birthdays. While I won’t confess as to who was celebrating, or which milestone, our most recent birthday jaunt took us to Tulum, on the Caribbean coastline in Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Carmel, Napa, Austin and Puerto Vallarta are just a few of our past locales, and we’ve loved them all. The requirements for our trips are simple: if any combination of sun, beach, food and wine can be had, then sign us up. Our pandemic happy hour Zoom calls had us brainstorming and dreaming of our next getaway, and when we learned of a connection to a condo in Tulum, we decided it sounded perfect for a mid-November escape.
With two of us coming from Oklahoma City and one from Austin, we flew into Houston and then on to Cancun. At the suggestion of the condo owner, we booked our ground transportation to Tulum in advance with a company familiar with the area. An hour and a half and a few Corona Lights later, we were unloading at Tao Tulum Condos in Aldea Zama, a beautiful development in the heart of Tulum.
The first thing we noticed as we arrived was the completely different vibe Tulum has as compared to other parts of Mexico we’ve visited: peaceful, quiet and oh-so-different from the hustle and bustle you get at a resort. Eager to explore—and eat (OK, and drink)—we dropped our bags and headed out.
A five-minute walk from Tao Tulum and we were in the Aldea Zama square. As we explored the area, we noticed some streets were chill, while others were full of construction, clearly making way for more restaurants, bars and shops. We settled on Tòtem Restaurant & Lounge for wine and appetizers and to collect ourselves after a long day of traveling. Rejuvenated, we decided guacamole and margaritas were calling our name and stopped by Safari Tulum. Spicy margaritas, guacamole served with jicama and carrots, yucca truffle fries, ceviche—delicious! By now it was dark, and though we may have found ourselves turned around once or twice, we felt completely safe on the short walk back to the condo.
Though our condo complex had two beautiful pools, we were destined for the beach. After a morning walk back to the square for coffee and a light breakfast, we chose Ziggy’s Beach Club as our spot for the day. (A note on these establishments: While you can stay at the beach clubs, you can also access the club and its amenities by agreeing to spend $40-$50 per person on food and drink, which isn’t hard to do.) A walk to the traffic circle near our condo and we easily caught a cab and headed to Ziggy’s. Incidentally, we had been told in advance the average cost of a ride to the beach road, so if a cab driver quoted us a higher price (which happened) we either negotiated or waited for the next one.
The beach clubs are located along Tulum Beach Road, a 6.5-mile two-lane stretch beginning just south of the Tulum Mayan Ruins. Because November is considered off-season, the trek to Ziggy’s—almost at the end of the beach road—wasn’t bad, but we heard stories about backed-up traffic and long rides to get to even the closest beach clubs during peak season.
A warm welcome at Ziggy’s and a quick explanation of the lay of the land and we were on our padded chaise lounges on the beautiful white sand beach. Cocktails and snacks flowed as we chatted, read our books, napped and soaked up the sun. When an afternoon rain shower came up, our waiter quickly relocated us to the lounge area where we could continue our day sans sun, but with all the other amenities. The food at Ziggy’s was wonderful—ceviche, guacamole and fries became our snack trifecta at least once a day during our trip.
The second day began with breakfast at Safari Tulum and the best avocado toast I’ve ever eaten. After breakfast, we headed to Papaya Playa Project where we were met with a warm welcome, Mayan-inspired architecture and a beautiful beach spot. P3, as we lovingly called it, ended up being our favorite of the three beach clubs. The vibe, the food, the ambiance—it just felt like us.
After a full day of sun, ending with a walk along the beach, we took a cab to one of the many COVID testing locations in Tulum, as a negative test is required within 72 hours of departing Mexico. It was quick and easy, and we had our results delivered via email within 3 hours. Since we were already near the main road in Tulum, we decided to walk back to our condo—a little over a mile—which gave us an opportunity to see other parts of the area.
Our final beach day began with me teaching a quick yoga class in the beautiful open-air yoga space at Tao Tulum. Yoga studios abound in Tulum, and it’s also a popular spot for yoga teacher training. After yoga we wandered to the square in search of coffee and a light breakfast. So many of the restaurants not only offer traditional breakfast fare, but healthy choices like blended juices, acai bowls and an abundance of vegan/gluten-free options.
A sign reading “Beach more, worry less” greeted us as we arrived at La Zebra Beach Club. Of all the clubs, this one seemed to have the largest number staying on the property, as many of the lounge areas were reserved for hotel guests. We still found a great spot and soaked up our last day—until the afternoon rain rolled in. Once again we were relocated to an indoor area, where beach drinks and snacks continued to flow. As the rain let up, we grabbed a cab back to our condo and headed out for our last dinner in Tulum.
The goal of our trip was to relax, catch up and not do anything we didn’t want to, and we absolutely accomplished that during our stay in Tulum. Our travels together over the past 15 years have taught us that we don’t always have to see and do everything in a particular destination; that our time together is just as valuable—if not more so. Were there activities and sights we missed? Absolutely. But we were content with our beach club days, strolls by the ocean and easy dinners back near our condo.
In addition to loving the Zen vibe of Tulum, we found restaurant and beach club staff were always gracious and genuinely happy to have our business. We felt welcomed and safe everywhere we went. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. Maybe I would explore new things, but most likely I’d do exactly what I did on my first trip: whatever I want.
Catching the Vibe
Randy Stuart says Tulum has a vibe like no place else: “People believe special powers flow from the land.” And he should know, he’s found a new home—and calling—in Tulum.
Originally from Southern California, Stuart, the father of two grown sons, worked for over 30 years in school sales and retired in December 2020 as the vice president of sales for Varsity Spirit. “I was ready to ditch the rat race and retire early, which is difficult to do in California if you plan to live there. I’ve seen too many people work toward retirement and then not have the health to enjoy life.”
As 55-year-old Stuart planned his early retirement, he initially concentrated on Panama, Belize and Mexico. “I was looking for a home near a beautiful ocean and close enough to a major airport that could get me anywhere in the world in two flights,” he said. “Mexico is easier for my family and friends to get to, and the Caribbean won over the Pacific. Once I found out owning property in Mexico was a possibility, everything leaned toward me choosing Mexico as my home. I love the food, culture and people, and I look forward to many adventures exploring the entire country.”
To make his retirement dream a reality, Stuart began by setting up passive income through property rentals, and soon fell into connecting people with buyers and sellers in the area. “My plan is to eventually get all my friends and family down here to live, at least part-time.”
Tulum has become a worldwide destination for short-term and long-term travelers, not to mention digital nomads working remotely. “Tulum is filled with hippies, eco-travelers, vacationers, partygoers, electronic music lovers, digital nomads, expats, snowbirds and so many more. That phenomenon, in turn, brings workers to the area to support the economy and cash in on work,” he said. “Workers from all over Mexico, Central and South America and elsewhere come for work.”
Stuart added that much of Mexico’s tourism involves U.S. and Canadian citizens due to ease of travel and abundance of warm locations, not to mention the beach. “Tulum’s beach is one of the most beautiful in the world.”
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