Foodie's Guide to Adventure in Tulum

Fora Advisor Kayla Zimmerman wearing white dress
Curated By

Kayla Zimmerman

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  • Mexico

  • Tulum

  • Beaches

  • Food & Wine

  • International Travel

  • Tropical Vacations

  • Coastal

  • Foodie

Ruins in Tulum, Mexico
Curator’s statement

I planned a girls trip here for myself, my mom and sister. It was a trip I will always remember! We ate the best food, zip lined, swam in cenotes, had a spa day and biked everywhere — we made the best memories! Here are my recs for eating and adventuring your way around Tulum!

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Where to stay

Azulik Resort

Wellness and oneness are at the heart of this new Tulum hotel on the beach.

Arthouse Tulum

A chic apartment complex with a pool in downtown Tulum, just over a mile from the white-sand beach.

Fora Advisor Kayla Zimmerman wearing white dress

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Day 1: Arrive in Tulum & Dinner at Hartwood

Pink drink on wooden table with green plant in background

Your first day in Mexico is all about arriving and settling in. Upon arriving in Cancun, book a private car to your group up from the airport. I used Cancan Airport Transportation - I highly recommend!

Once you arrive at your hotel or rental, take some time to settle in and get ready for dinner. We stayed at Arthouse in the “town” of Tulum, but there are so many hotels to choose from.

For our first night, we had dinner reservations at Hartwood on the “beach side”. This amazing restaurant allows you to have dinner in the jungle! It was an amazing meal to kick off the trip. I made the reservations 1 month in advance, which is a must do.

After dinner, we walked the streets and explored a bit before heading back to Arthouse for tequila sampling and drinks at the bar.

Day 2: Mayan Ruins, Azulik & Italian Dinner

Blue and pink bikes parked under trees in Tulum, Mexico

Wake up bright and early for your first full day in Tulum! Hop on bikes and head to breakfast. We had a 3-mile bike ride to Tulum's "beach side". Head to the Mezzanine Hotel, the views are amazing and the food is incredible. It was one of the BEST meals of the trip. After breakfast, coffee and LOTS of water, you're sure to feel fueled up for the day.

Next, hop back on your bikes and head to the Mayan Ruins, a couple miles down the road. Explore the Mayan Ruins and then headed to the beach for some relaxing (tacos and piña coladas are a must!) That afternoon, head back to your hotel for some pool time.

For pre-dinner drinks, you must try Azulik. This was by far one of my favorite parts of the trip! Azulik is a beachfront hotel but also has a few different restaurants and bar. The bar we went to was called KinToh.

Spend a few hours here before heading to dinner at Posada Margherita: a beachfront restaurant serving Italian food in Mexico. I was SOLD. You can feel the ocean breeze at your table and the atmosphere is amazing. We ordered a few pasta and fish entrees before ending the night with wine at our rental!

Day 3: Cenotes, Tacos & Dinner at Arthouse

Woman in water walking towards stairs in Cenote in Mexico

On day 3, wake up bright and early for a "Cenote Adventure”! We booked through AirBnB and I highly recommend the exact tour we booked Carlos, our guide, picked us up from Arthouse and we drove about 30 minutes to the first cenote while he explained the history of cenotes. This day was MAGICAL! I can’t begin to explain how amazing our guide Carlos was.

There are 3 cenotes on the agenda and we planned to end the day with lunch. We arrived at the first cenote (Pet Cemetery) and put our wetsuits on (this was the only cenote we wore wetsuits- the water was freezing since we were snorkeling in caves). We spent at least 2 hours at the first cenote. After the cave snorkel, we headed to the second cenote. This one was completely different! We jumped off the bank into the water, zip lined and ate fresh mango. The third cenote was breathtaking! The water was crystal clear. After the third cenote, we were exhausted and hungry.

After swimming, head to town for lunch at a local spot. Carlos gave us his recommendations. We had tacos called "basket tacos” which means they are steamed in wicker baskets. They are delicious! It was served with a glass of fresh orange juice. We headed back to Arthouse and spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool. We decided to have dinner at the Arthouse restaurant and stayed for our own private Magic Show after dinner (the owner of Arthouse is a magician).

Day 4: Spa Day & Dinner at Gitano

Tulum magazine with bed in background

Day 4 - and your final day - is a spa day! We woke up and headed to Maya Tulum Resort for breakfast and massages. The breakfast was buffet style and SO fresh and delicious. Make sure you sit outside at a table by the ocean. We enjoyed coffee and a slow, relaxing morning. After breakfast, we walked to our individual huts for the “Honey Massage”, which was UNREAL! I highly recommend. Afterwards, we walked around Tulum and shopped and ate lunch. Dinner was at Gitano, which had a great atmosphere!

Fora Advisor Kayla Zimmerman wearing white dress

Travel Advisor

Kayla Zimmerman

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