Paleo Travel Guide to Tulum, Mexico

Tulum is a magical place filled with so much healthy food, beautiful beaches, yoga resorts, healing spas, and active culture. My boyfriend and I have been twice, simply because we craved going back the second we left. It’s a tiny resort town just 1.5 hours south of Cancun. The reason Tulum is so great is because it’s been somewhat untouched by tourism so far, but still has enough resources to make it a comfortable and safe place to visit. The main road is half beach and half jungle, filled with eco-friendly hotels and restaurants that use solar powered energy and only cook food from local fishers and farms. The food of the Yucatán is fresh, vibrant, and flavorful, while still being healing. I was able to eat a strictly paleo diet the entire time I was there! Since dealing with chronic illness, this is by far my favorite place to visit because of the long list of incredible restaurants I could eat at, and healing activities I could do.

Places To Stay:

I’d highly recommend staying in an Airbnb! They have air conditioning, a kitchen, and typically have guards to some buildings! We spent $60 a night on a brand new apartment only 8 mins from the beach that had a rooftop hot tub! 

Places To Eat:

On The Beach Street:

-Hartwood: This is the most popular restaurant in town and is even worth it to eat there twice. Best meal I’ve ever had in my whole life. The restaurant is deep in the jungle completely lit by candlelight and the open kitchen in the back. Make a reservation ahead of time via email.

-The Real Coconut: We eat here more than anywhere else in Tulum. YES, their menu is almost entirely paleo, but it’s also at one of the most popular hotels, Sanara, that is entirely designed with healing in mind! They have the most gorgeous yoga studio overlooking the ocean for $20 a class. They have an amazing breakfast and lunch menu, and everything I’ve eaten there is INCREDIBLE. Their wait staff is always so kind and the owner, Daniella Hunter, would love to talk about autoimmune disease and all the natural ways to heal the body if you run into her.

-Posada Margherita: Try to arrive before sunset to get a good spot overlooking the beach. They serve freshly made pasta and poached fish with homemade breads and fabulous margaritas and wine. Pricy, but worth it. It’s cash only! Definitely the most romantic setting where you could relax and listen to the waves all night long.

The view from our table at Hartwood during a jungle sunset.

Fish N Chips, Caesar salad, and shrimp tacos at The Real Coconut.

-Macondo at Nomade: A little eclectic, but it’s a cool spot for a breakfast/lunch if you’re lounging on the beach one afternoon. They have pillows you sit on around tables low to the ground with a wide variety of vegan entrees. My fave was the fiesta quinoa bowl and homemade complimentary chips & dips. They have a really yummy chili hot chocolate there too.

-Casa Jaguar: We actually have never been, but it’s supposed to be one of the best restaurants in town for tacos and authentic mexican cuisine. They have a DJ on Thursday nights that starts at 11 pm. They also have a Chai House in the back of the restaurant that has the best Chai in Tulum (this is a must).

-RAW Love at Ahau Tulum: Vegan spot for smoothie bowls and raw avocado chocolate ice cream sundaes. It’s easy to park here and lounge on the beach for the day. There’s a tea house called Namaste Casa de Té as you walk into the hotel that you can stop into. They sometimes have these little chocolates that were SO good. I insisted we go back multiple times for those chocolates.

-Matcha Mama: A picture-perfect shack on the main road that serves delicious flavored matcha, coconut ice cream, and snacks.

ON THE Main Street

-Burrito Amor: This is our favorite little lunch spot to stop into after diving into cenotes. Their guacamole is the best I’ve ever had. They have a wide variety of burritos, and offer a coconut tortilla instead of corn! They will also specially make you coconut tortilla chips if you ask! They even have a grain-free granola that they serve with coconut milk!

-Encanto Cantina: One of Tulum’s best kept secrets. The food is amazing, drinks are popping until early morning, live music plays, a beautiful back patio, and everything is very reasonably priced! They have a spicy salsa sampler, if you dare, and yummy shrimp soup. My favorite entrée was their salmon with plantain and sweet potato.

-Chamico’s: It’s a bit of a drive North from the main road, but it’s a shack on the beach that serves whole lobster tails and ceviche! It’s a beautiful sight and a cool experience. It’s a bit pricy, but such a fun memory. It started raining on the beach the afternoon we were there, and is one of my favorite memories.

The disco ball filled Mescal bar, El Gitano, next door to Hartwood.

Matcha and vanilla ice cream at Matcha Mama

Bars:

-Kin Toh: Tulum’s most popular photo spot. This is a restaurant, but you can also just go up for drinks. It sits above the trees and has a spectacular view!

-El Gitano: Mezcal bar with a DJ and dance party night on Fridays. You’re greeted by a big disco ball as you walk in. It’s located right next-door to Hartwood, so it’s a must visit after dinner. Walk around inside, this place is big, and really cool.

-I Scream Bar: An outdoor bar right on the main road. They serve vegan ice cream and have bartenders that sing, dance, and yell “ICE SCREAM BAR” repeatedly at tourists walking by. Best of both worlds for a boyfriend who drinks and little old me who just wanted the coconut ice cream.

Things To Do:

-Cenotes: Incredible cave pools that are filled with crystal clear water! The coolest part is that you feel light as a feather in there due to how mineral-rich the water is! You can see bats flying around and take amazing underwater pictures. These beauties are all-natural and if you don’t want to pay money at the well-kept and easy access Cenotes, you could try driving down the street to follow random street signs to find hidden cenotes in the middle of nowhere. Dos Ojos was my favorite though when we visited. It’s a short drive north from town. DON’T MISS THE EXIT. Try to bring Chaco’s or swim shoes for this kinda thing.

The outdoor pool at Coqui Coqui Coba Hotel overlooking the lagoon.

Dos Ojos Cenote

-Mayan Clay Spa Massage: Pricey, but SO worth the experience. Unlike anything you’ll ever do. I believe it’s $87 for 60 mins. Justin and I got to enjoy a couples massage in the middle of the jungle where we were fully covered in clay from head to toe. You are escorted to an outdoor shower where you get to rinse off after and your skin will never be softer. I swear I had an out-of-body experience on that table because I didn’t realize it was possible to feel that relaxed.

-Tulum ruins: Very cool, but go as soon as they open otherwise it’s WAY too crowded and more stress than it’s worth. If you want something off the beaten path, there’s also the Coba ruins outside of town that cover a much wider spread of land. Parts of the Coba ruins can even be climbed on!

-Coqui Coqui Hotel: A really unique hotel to visit close to the Coba Ruins. It’s at the end of the street, past the lagoon, tucked away in a quiet neighborhood. It’s kind of a tough place to find, but if you are able to stumble upon it….there is a beautiful shop full of handmade perfumes, body oils, mens products, handmade chocolates, and a gorgeous outdoor pool built from the original ruins that were built there.

-El Papaya Playa Project: A hotel in town that does a full moon beach party every month. They also have parties every Saturday night with a DJ if you’re not there on a full moon.

-Lago Bacalar (Lake of the Seven Colors): This was recommended to us by a local but we didn’t have time to go. It is a lake on the southern tip of Quintana Roo. It’s known for it’s white sandy bottom that gives the water the effect of having many different shades of blue.

-Muyil River Float: A river float adventure that takes you through an untouched part of the Sian Ka’an reserve created by the mayans over 1,000 years ago to connect the lagoons. The rivers are filled with ground water that has been filtered by natural limestone which makes the water crystal clear. The entire float is about 40 minutes long and you even get to pass along some of the Mayan ruins.

Plan Ahead:

-Don’t drink the water or use it to brush your teeth. There are 2 convenient grocery stores in town to pick up bulk water to keep in your fridge. Bring a stainless steel water bottle with you on the trip to keep full when you’re traveling around.

-Bring a copy of your license and passport and carry those around with you instead of your real ones. If you get pulled over, there is a possibility they will try to use your real license to bribe $ out of you. 

-The plumbing in Tulum is extremely old. You aren’t allowed to flush the toilet paper in the toilet. All used toilet paper goes in the trash cans next to the toilet. Don’t worry, you get used to it.

-Picking up a rental car will be the most stressful part of the trip. Long lines, frustrated people. Make sure you turn the right direction on the highway heading to Tulum. ARRIVE DURING THE DAY WHEN THE SUN IS OUT! No street signs at night make it extremely difficult to navigate.

-If you’d rather not rent a car, there are plenty of shuttles that will take you from the airport straight to Tulum! There are plenty of bikes to rent around town or even come included with an Airbnb.

Raw avocado chocolate ice cream sundae at Raw Love

Mayan Clay Spa Massage

-Wait until you reach Tulum to exchange your dollars for pesos! Go to a real bank and use their ATM to pull pesos out of a debit card. Don’t exchange at the airport! They rip you off.

-Bring bug spray! Mosquitos can be active, especially at night. Spray the shit out of yourself.

-Your hair will be curly and frizzy due to the humidity, don’t even try to avoid it.

-Wifi is in most restaurants and hotels.

-Parking can be a bitch on the beach street. We will typically park in a hotel’s parking area and tell the guards we are going to the restaurant, go eat there, and then go walk down the beach. It worked every time.

-Pick up a map of Tulum at the airport. Everyone will be handing them out once you get to the exits.

-There are certain times of the year where there is a lot of seaweed that washes up onto shore and blocks the beach from the ocean. April-August is when it is most common, but I would always try to look up the status of the sargassum seaweed before you plan your trip.