5 Things to Know Before Visiting Tulum

Tulum is a vibrant destination located in Quintana Roo, Mexico.  Here are 5 things to know before visiting Tulum.

We recently visited Tulum on our very first international trip.  I did a lot of research before the trip to make sure I knew what to expect when we arrived and throughout our trip.  Here are 5 things I wish I had known.

1. Cancun International Airport is chaotic.

Cancún International Airport is the largest airport in Mexico and one of the busiest.  When we got off the plane, we stood in a line for over 30 minutes before we could even see Immigration.  Then we waited in line for another 45 minutes to get through.  Getting our bags was easy, but took awhile.  Walking out of the airport, we were met by multiple people asking if we needed a taxi or a rental car.  It was all a little overwhelming.  However, going through the airport to fly home was a much better experience.

2. Exchange money before your trip and get more than you think you’ll need.

We exchanged our money before our trip, so we wouldn’t have to in Tulum.  The foreign exchange rates are a lot higher in Mexico.  We didn’t quite factor in the amount of money we’d be spending on things like parking each day.  While most restaurants accept credit cards, a huge fee is added.  If you plan on doing any activities like visiting cenotes, most only accept cash.

3. Avoid the public beach.

We learned this one the hard way after walking to Playa Paradiso.  This beach is not the most accessible, and it is extremely loud and crowded.  If you want to spend time at the beach, we would recommend purchasing a day pass from a beachfront resort.  We spent the day at Amansala Resort and had access to their private beach, lounge chairs, pool, towel service, and food service.  Parking is also included in the lot across from the resort.  If you’re visiting Tulum in the spring, expect the public beaches to be covered in seaweed.  The beachfront resorts maintain the beach, and you won’t have to see or smell the seaweed.

4. Find out before your trip if where you are staying has filtered/purified water.

We knew not to drink the tap water in Mexico, so we bought pricey water bottles to take with us.  When we arrived at our Airbnb, the host let us know that there was a separate faucet with filtered water.

Read More: The Best Stays in Tulum

5. Prepay for gas when you pick up your rental car.

Returning our rental car was a bit of a mess.  Cars could not be returned “after hours”.  We realized that we needed to be at the airport hours before the rental car place opened for the day, so we returned it the night before, rode the rental car shuttle to the airport, then took the hotel airport shuttle back to our hotel.  So maybe add that to the list-make sure you can return your rental car “after hours”.  But also, go ahead and pay the fuel charge, so you don’t have to worry about getting gas before returning it.  I’m not sure if the guy was telling the truth or trying to scam us, but the first gas station we went to, they said they only accepted cash.  We went to the same type of gas station a mile down the road and paid with card.  Also the gas is pumped for you, so pay attention to the pump beforehand.  Make sure it’s at 0 before they start pumping.  Also they will clean your windshield without asking and add it to your fuel charge.  Just things to be aware of.

We hope this post was helpful for your upcoming trip to Tulum!