I decided to take a trip to Tulum from Cancun on the 4th day of my trip and then went back on the 5th and 6th day because I loved it so much. Looking back, I should probably just have stayed in Tulum since I vibed with the energy there so much more than the party scene in Cancun (Check out my guide to Cancun!). But if you only want a day in Tulum, I am going to give you the perfect itinerary to make sure you experience the whole thing.
Are you also planning to visit Cancun? Then checkout my guide to the Top 12 Things to do in Cancun.
Morning
8:00 am – Journey to Tulum
First off you want to get an early start so you can get the best out of your day trip to Tulum. This includes grabbing breakfast at one of the small cafes on the beach so better get going. Get a collectivo from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen and then another collectivo from Playa Del Carmen to Tulum City Centre. The whole journey takes about 1.5 hours.
From there you can take another bus or a cheap taxi to the beach strip which is 1 mile from the city center where the collectivo will drop you and where most of the hotels and cute Instagram spots are located.
10:00 am – Matcha Mama for Breakfast
Once you get to the beach strip, I recommend you rent a bike which can be found all throughout the strip. They are a safe and easy way to travel up and down the strip. Now head over to get your breakfast at the famous Matcha Mama. This is the cute Acai bowl shop that you have probably seen all over Instagram by now.
It has a couple swings outside of it and you will see a continuous stream of people waiting to take a picture by it. If you go early enough though, its quieter and you can enjoy one of their very divinely crafted Acai bowls. I chose a mango Acai bowl which comes with a million toppings including pollen, papaya, mango, almonds, nuts and coconut shavings and tasted delish. They have an exotic variety and I really hope to go back and try the chocolate one soon.
11:00 am – Shopping Along The Beach
After breakfast, bike up and down the beautiful coastal road with tiny shops everywhere. They offer everything from clothes to souvenirs and whatnot. I walked this strip all 3 days and still discovered new shops that were so interesting. For a single day trip to Tulum you will be able to explore a good amount of shops in a single morning.
Afternoon
1:00 pm – Tacos for Lunch!
Come lunchtime you want to head to Piedra Escondida. I found the most delicious tacos I have ever tasted at this hotel. I was walking down the strip and randomly decided to stop at this tiny hotel to get lunch.
It was the best decision of my entire trip haha. The tacos are spicy and filled with sautéed vegetables with just the right amount of spices. You have to try each of them with the different sauces and pickles that accompany the dish to get the full flavor. They were absolutely out of this world and the sun hits the beach just right at around 3pm to get absolutely sexy pictures.
2:00 pm – Sunning On The Beach
After lunch I recommend you walk along the beach and grab a day bed at one of the hotels nearby. Multiple hotels along the beach offer massages out on the sand. You can stay at sip at a martini until sunset and then it’s time to head back to the main city center.
The main city will be filed with people by now. The environment turns electric when everyone comes out for dinner.
4:00 pm – Visit the Tulum Mayan Ruins
The Tulum Mayan ruins are beautiful and another example of the great Mayan architecture that can be found around the region. The archaeological site has a huge area you can explore. It also has an amazing overlook over the ocean.
For a complete guide checkout the Tulum Ruins Guide.
Evening
6:00 pm – Dinner at Pamparius
For dinner you will go to Pamparius! I have gotten so many messages when I posted my Pamparius pictures that it would be a crime not to mention this gem. The owner of this vegan café in the main Tulum city is the beautiful @samsruig on IG.
She is insanely creative, and this place is an Instagram heaven. For all my Insta hoes out there, this is the perfect place to get dinner. The best part was the amazing food and the cold apple quiche I had.
It looks like heaven and tastes like your best dreams. If there is one place, I recommend you go to in Tulum then it would have to be this café.
7:00 pm – Drive Back to Cancun
Once you’re done with dinner, to get back you have to wait at one of the collectivo stops. The collectivo will pick you up and take you back to Tulum within 1.5 hours. In no time at all you will be tucked in bed having spent an amazing day in Tulum.
Tulum is truly a beautiful city and I bet a single day wont be enough to satisfy you either. It kept me coming back for 3 days once I visited it. I would love to hear in the comments how your day to Tulum went and what all you guys decided to do! Don’t forget to checkout the Ultimate Tulum Travel Guide by The Blonde Abroad. She has documented places to stay, the currency and everything you could need to plan your trip to Tulum. This helped me plan my amazing trip so much better!
SAVING this for when I go to Tulum! What was the highlight of your trip? How were the people!
The people are so kind and helpful, I never felt unsafe even though I was traveling alone at night many times. The highlights were definitely the cenotes you can find everywhere!
I’ll definitely be saving this post for later! I have always wanted to go to Tulum!
Tulum is amazing! you should definitely go sometime
I have been wanting to go to Tulum for a while now. It looks so gorgeous! Renting a bike and having tacos for lunch sounds like a perfect day.
It was, and the tacos were honestly the best I have ever had anywhere!
I can completely understand why you kept returning to Tulum on your visit to Cancun – it’s such a beautiful place to visit and the food is sublime. I didn’t know about the vegan restaurant you’ve mentioned and will be sure to visit it when we plan our next trip to Tulum.
Yes exactly! I felt like it was much more my vibe than Cancun. The restaurant I loved the best was Pamparius, you should def check it out when you go!
sounds like fun!