It’s me… hi! Yes, it’s been quite a while since I’ve written a blog post but no time like the present. We took a vacation to Tulum a few weeks ago and this was actually my first time to Mexico. Y’all know I love writing travel content so I’m sharing all the details from our trip- where we stayed, restaurant recommendations, outfit details and more. We went with another couple and had a blast, can’t recommend it enough!

Tulum Travel Guide

Where we stayed

Tulum is different from a lot of tropical destinations because instead of large resorts they have a lot of smaller boutique hotels to choose from. We ultimately chose Kanan based on location and are so happy we did. It’s located in the central area of Tulum Beach in the middle of all the action. There is a smaller strip as you drive in (where Azulik is located) and we are glad we didn’t stay in that area because there definitely wasn’t as much going on and you would have to drive/bike to all the main restaurants.

Kanan was unlike any hotel we’ve stayed in. Mostly everything in Tulum has “natural” and bohemian vibe as it is very eco friendly and Kanan was just that. Everything is made out of wood/bamboo and you’re surrounded by lush greenery- it truly feels like you’re in a treehouse. I was constantly amazed at how this was built. We had a tray of coffee and cookies brought to our room every morning and I loved to enjoy this in the hammock outside our room. One thing to note, there is not a ton of light in the room so I did find myself doing my makeup by the window, so a travel mirror with a light may be a good idea!

Kanan has its own beach club with tons of comfortable daybeds and even elevated beds that give you a great view of the ocean and are perfect for people watching. They do have a DJ on the beach that started around 1pm so there will be some constant beats but I don’t think it was too loud.

There is a small pool with a grotto where we spent our last day. It has a swim-up bar and feels like a lagoon. Not as many people hung out here as the beach but it was nice to have the option. We had lunch at the beachfront restaurant every day whether it was at a table or in our daybed. Highly recommend the fish tacos and macho (sampler of guacamole, tzatziki and hummus).

What we ate

Let me start off by saying all of the food in Tulum was amazing! The beauty of not staying on a large resort is having so many unique local restaurants just steps away. The first night we did the “Nest Experience” at Kanan which I highly recommend. You dine on the rooftop of the hotel in “bird’s nests” which look like they sound, made out of wood and you get 360 degree views of Tulum and the ocean. It was the perfect way to kick off our trip without having to leave the hotel. A bonus was the Full Moon ceremony that followed in true Mayan fashion.

For breakfast I have two recommendations. Fresco’s was a few blocks away from our hotel which served amazing avocado toast (on black brioche!) and the most amazing smoothies. They had a great menu and was located just off the street but you can eat with your toes in the sand!

Our other two mornings we ate at Raw Love, a hut located on the beach behind Ahau Tulum. They have the most delicious smoothie bowls- we liked it so much we went back again the next day! It was a quick walk on the beach and they kept us pretty full until lunch time. My pick is the Berry Love smoothie bowl.

The dinners were definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip. Our second night we went to Bak’ Prime Steakhouse and if you pick one restaurant in Tulum, make it this one!! The food, the music, the service, the fire show… everything was incredible. There’s a live DJ and he was playing some of our favorite jams and the whole restaurant was treated to sparklers and a cotton candy treat for dessert. Highly recommend the lobster risotto and the lamb was also great- they also serve the rare Kobe beef if you want to splurge on a fancy steak. Note that the fire show happens around 9:45pm so I would do a later dinner here, our reservations were at 8:30 and it worked out perfectly.

Our last night we enjoyed dinner at Ilios, a greek restaurant with the most beautiful decor. We loved the food here as well and they also did a fire/acrobatic show later in the evening, but with a Mediterranean flair.

The Outfits

Blue crop top & multicolor skirt from Ivy & Leo (dress version here) // Sam Edelman wedges

straw hat // I-sea sunglasses // fringe crochet cover up // straw tote bag

Montce crinkle bikini // I-Sea tortoise sunglasses (under $30)

Summerful purple bikini // White fringe sarong // Ray-Ban sunglasses

Saltwater luxe crochet midi dress // Sam Edelman wedges

What We Did & Miscellaneous Things to Note

Tulum Jungle Gym

One day we strolled down the beach to Tulum Jungle Gym which was fun to check out, even if you only do a quick workout. But let’s be honest, I was just there to take the photos! The guys loved it though. It’s an open air gym located right on the beach where you can work out caveman-style! All the weights are either made of wood or rocks, you can bench press a giant log and they have gymnastics rings out front. My personal favorite was when Ryan did rows to lift me up in a basket! It costs about $33 USD to get in but luckily our hotel hooked us up with free passes.

Bagatelle Beach Club

There are beach clubs all over Tulum so one day we had some drinks over at Bagatelle. It’s a French beach club that’s also located in hot spots like Mykonos, Cabo, St. Barths and Miami. Every time we walked by it on the beach they were playing great jams (different from the house-ish music at our hotel) so it’s definitely worth a stop. Some of the workers were dressed like the Alice in Wonderland characters when we went… random, but fun! Initially we were going to spend the day there, however it was a $100 minimum per chair and we didn’t feel that was worth it since our hotel was steps away. You can also eat in the restaurant inside and it gets very lively at night, definitely a hot spot!

Other things to note

To get to Tulum you fly into Cancun which is super easy from Charlotte (2.25 hour flight) then it’s about a 2 hour drive to Tulum Beach. It’s a big highway so at least that makes it easy. I do wish there was a closer airport BUT I always say the best places aren’t always the easiest to get to! We booked private transportation through our hotel which made things super easy.

We arrived on Cinco de Mayo (which FYI isn’t really a thing in Tulum) and found that it wasn’t as busy as we expected. I read that the peak season is December-April so May is the beginning of the off-season. There were still plenty of people around but it wasn’t crowded by any means. Weather was absolutely perfect too!

Drinks at Parole

The only other thing was the seaweed. Obviously this is nothing Tulum can help but I think it can be a pretty common thing in Mexico and I’m sure it depends on the time of year. I’ve traveled to a lot of Caribbean islands and have never seen this much. I’m sure the time of year is a factor too because one of my girlfriends went in the fall and told me it was completely different. They do have workers cleaning it up but there’s only so much they can do. Once we walked past the seaweed the water was super clear and felt amazing, sand was great as well so I wouldn’t let it deter you from the destination, just know the beaches aren’t “pristine”.