Tulum Travel Diary, Part 1

Posada Margherita Tulum
Ahhhh, Tulum. You are nothing short of pure magic. After hearing of Tulum’s white sand beaches and crystal clear water in a tropical jungle paradise, I was dying to see it for myself. Once a sleepy beach town, Tulum has grown in popularity as a beach destination for many years now, largely thanks to fashion bloggers and New Yorkers looking to escape the winter. After visiting, I can say that pictures simply do not do it justice. If you’re thinking about visiting, read on for everything you need to know about this magical place.
ocean and the shore for Tulum Travel Diary
welcome to paradise sign
sunrise view for Tulum Travel Diary
Tulum Travel Diary

Tulum Travel Diary, Part 1

When to go:

We visited in the middle of June, which is technically the beginning of the rainy season. Given that Tulum is in the jungle, you’re always taking a chance with rain. It stormed heavily for a day and a half when we visited, but then cleared up for the remainder of our trip.

On the days it didn’t rain, the weather was hotter and more humid, but nothing terrible. I wouldn’t shy away from returning in June – off-season means fewer crowds and cheaper accommodation.

Winter is the most popular time to visit, with tourists peaking in December and January. Be sure to book accommodation months in advance if you’re planning on visiting then. But, there really isn’t a bad time of year to visit Tulum. I’ve heard February through April are some of the best months to go.
Fronds Tulum
The Luxi Look blogger Amy Zhang at Kiini Tulum

How to get there:

Fly into Cancun Airport, then take a car, bus, or private shuttle to Tulum. Tulum is about an hour and a half outside of Cancun.

We flew in on a red-eye from LAX and hopped straight onto an air-conditioned private van. The hassle free convenience of this experience made it totally worth the extra cost. You can easily book this through your hotel.

You can also rent a car – it adds up, but may be worth it to you, especially if you plan on doing day trips outside of Tulum.
Beach-Tulum-Ocean
Free Coqui Coqui for Tulum Travel Diary

Where to stay:

Stay by the beach! There are so many charming, intimate boutique hotels lining the ocean where you can fall asleep to the sound of waves and walk to shops and restaurants along the main road.

We stayed at The Beach and loved it for its central location. The staff was beyond kind and wonderful, even going out of their way to ensure we had a memorable trip despite the tropical storm. We loved Ziggy’s for beachfront breakfasts and spicy margaritas, as well as their new restaurant Fresco’s for fresh and organic cocktails and ceviche.
The Beach Tulum
bed at The Beach Tulum
The Beach Tulum

drinks served at The Beach Tulum

After hearing wonderful things about Coqui Coqui from several friends, we almost booked a room before learning the hotel did not have AC. When we went to visit the spa and perfumeria, we learned that the government had seized 16 resorts in Tulum (including Coqui Coqui) – incredibly sad news.

For future visits, I would revisit The Beach, or stay at Posada Margherita or Be Tulum. IMO, as long as you are by the beach, you will love your experience ; ).

people at La Eufemia Tulum
What I wore
I received a lot of comments on the (few) outfits I packed for the trip. Remember my packing tips? I made sure to pack as light as possible. See below for all the details on what I wore in Mexico.
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look blogger wearing Chloe Oliver Balboa Dress  for her Tulum Travel Diary
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look blogger wearing Chloe Oliver Balboa Dress
dress: chloe oliver | hat: lack of color | sunnies: karen walker
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look blogger wearing Blue Life Island Halter Dress for her Tulum Travel Diary
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look blogger showing the back details of her Blue Life Island Halter Dress for her Tulum Travel Diary
dress: blue life
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look riding a biker for her Tulum Travel Diary
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look wearing Free People Tulum Dress for her Tulum Travel Diary
dress: free people
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look wearing Kiini Swimsuit for her Tulum Travel Diary
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look wearing Kiini Swimsuit while sunbathing
bikini: kiini | hat: etsy
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look wearing red Reformation Dress Tulum
dress: reformation (sold out) | sunnies: kapten and son
Amy Zhang The Luxi Look wearing Spell Prairie Dress for Tulum Travel Diary
Spell Prairie Dress

dress: spell (also in white)

Part two of my travel diary will be posted soon. Stay tuned to read about what to do and where to eat in Tulum!

xx, Amy

Trip map courtesy of Wanderlog, a trip planner app on iOS and Android

27 Discussion to this post

  1. Stylehue says:

    The white beach looks amazing ! I can see why many people visit Tulum during the winter <3

    xo
    http://style-hue.com/

  2. Mariann Yip says:

    Thank you for sharing! I wish I knew about this earlier. I visited Cancun in November and wanted to go Tulum, but didn’t make that happen. Your pictures are amazing and definitely will be keeping your tips and advice for the next time.

    http://WWW.MARIANNYC.COM

    • Amy Zhang says:

      Cancun is fun too! You have to stop by Tulum next time you’re in the area – it’s such a gorgeous destination. Thanks so much for reading Mariann! xx

  3. Lauren Nakagawa says:

    That water is so pretty, I can only imagine 😀 And now you got me itching for a vacay, thanks for sharing your travels Amy!

    You look lovely as always, that Spell dress especially is my favorite.

    xx
    Lauren
    http://www.shoesandsashimi.com

    • Amy Zhang says:

      Aww thank you so much for reading Lauren! I’m so happy you liked the post. The Spell dress is my favorite as well : ) – lmk where you’re going next for your travels! xx

  4. Arin says:

    OMG so stunning! Love the views and you Kiini bathing suit is to die for 🙂

    Arin || http://www.heartofchic.com

    • Amy Zhang says:

      Thanks Arin! Tulum was seriously gorgeous in every way. I love Kiini suits, this one has been my fave for over a year! Super comfy and flattering on everyone. Thanks for stopping by xx

  5. Carolyn says:

    love Tulum! and love all your outfits too!

    http://heyprettything.com

  6. Anna says:

    Wow. These pictures are so gorgeous. I want to go there. I LOVE your hat.

    I’m hosting a giveaway on my blog today. I would love if you could swing by and check it out. Fash Boulevard

  7. Trang Do says:

    Wow!! Beautiful places!! Love all these photos so much!
    Hugs,
    Love from http://www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}

  8. elleselauner says:

    Looks absolutely stunning!! I love you maxi dress as well. Thanks for sharing. XO, Ellese

    Rock.Paper.Glam.

  9. Tamara says:

    Tulum is just gorgeous! I adore your pictures and all your outfit are just amazing!

    XoXo,

    Tamara – LoveofMode.com

    • Amy Zhang says:

      It really is! You have to visit if you haven’t before – you will love! And thank you, it can be hard to dress when it’s super hot and humid out, but beach style is my fave! Thank you for reading Tamara xx

  10. […] Part one of my Tulum trip recap covered all the basics – what you need to know to plan a trip there and what I wore. Honestly it was so nice to spend the better part of a week not wearing any makeup and using the ocean as my hair styling product… seriously dying to go back already. Anyway, let’s get to the good stuff now – what to do in Tulum anddddd very importantly where you need to go eat! […]

  11. Nicole says:

    Amazing – makes me want to go there so badly! Your pics are phenomenal!

  12. […] here are my Tulum recaps in case you missed them:  Part 1 and Part 2. : […]

  13. […] but Tulum completely won my heart over. If you haven’t been yet, you need to go immediately. Part 1 and Part 2 of my trip in case you’re looking to plan a getaway ; […]

  14. […] has been one of my favorite long weekend destinations the past few years – I absolutely LOVED Tulum and Mexico City, and am dying to visit Cabo next. I heard about Sayulita shortly after visiting […]

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