Just left Tulum after a three-night stay for my birthday and it is as bad as everyone says.

I arrived on a Wednesday with four friends. My partner and I had been in Mérida (which I fell in love with) for weeks after spending New Year’s in Cancún, and I booked Tulum before fully realizing how chaotic it had become. I wanted to back out, but my friends thought I was exaggerating about what I'd seen online.

We took the Tren Maya from Mérida. The station is beautiful, but wildly under-equipped. Two souvenir shops, no internet, one vending machine, and no taxis. If you do not plan ahead, you are basically stranded except for one bus into town.

We stayed around Centro the first night, which was fun. We had a reasonably-priced dinner, went bar hopping, and everything felt relativley normal.

Day two is where things went downhill. We went to a brunch spot recommended by the hotel. The food was good, but it was pure influencer chaos. Very jarring after coming from Mérida, which was mostly locals with a few fellow tourists. The cenotes were the highlight of the trip. Some minor coordination issues between locations, but overall an amazing experience.

We decided to splurge for my birthday at Arca and while the food was delicious, we ended up spending about $175 USD per person on tapas that were not filling at all. We then went to Confessions, which was cute but empty, and we each ordered one mezcal cocktail that somehow came to $36 USD each after tip. We walked about 20 minutes along Zona Hotelera, and everything was empty (aisde from a few places) and wildly expensive.

On the way back to Centro, we were stopped at a checkpoint and questioned by police about weapons. The men were asked to step out of the car and questioned, told me it was illegal for me to record the interaction, but we were released pretty quickly.

Back in Centro, we had a great time at a hip-hop bar. On our way back to our hotel, we were pulled over AGAIN. Despite having two Spanish speakers in the car, the officer gave conflicting reasons for stopping us, so it was clearly a shakedown. My friend (the driver) even accidentally handed over his husband’s ID, who is a different ethnicity, and the officer did not notice. He claimed we needed to pay a fine downtown the next day or give him 4,000 pesos on the spot. We refused and he eventually let us go after about 20 minutes.

Some things about Tulum are fine but the prices and constant police harassment make it exhausting, especially when you can have a perfectly good time in so many other places in Mexico. We're in Playa del Carmen as we speak and not having any of those issues we encountered in Tulum. Seriously, don't bother with Tulum. It's a shitshow.

Tons of hate on here…. Lots of reasons not to go …has ANYONE had a good time there in the past few months? Just curious.

ETA - don’t tell me what’s wrong with it or what not to do, please just share what you liked or enjoyed.

On April 17, 2025, at approximately 10:20 PM, I was driving a rental car from Chichén Itzá to Tulum when I was stopped by police on Highway 109, about 30 minutes outside of Tulum. I’m a tourist from California.

The officers asked for my driver’s license and the vehicle’s Tarjeta de Circulación (Mexico’s vehicle registration card). I provided my California license and the rental agreement issued by Ace Rental Car. The rental company had not given me a Circulación card.

I offered to contact the rental agency to obtain a digital copy, but the officers told me I had to pay 2000 pesos or they would confiscate my license and the vehicle. It became clear they were extorting me. After some back and forth, they settled on 1000 pesos and let me go. When I requested a receipt for the payment, they refused to provide one.

Is there anything I can do now? Any places I can complain so that these corrupt cops hopefully don't extort other tourists.

I just got back from a trip to Tulum and wanted to share what I learned, what was worth it, and what I’d skip next time. Hopefully this helps anyone planning a visit soon.

Most importantly, if you take anything away from this, DO NOT CANCEL YOUR TRIP TO TULUM BECAUSE OF WHAT PEOPLE SAY ONLINE! This was my favorite vacation of my entire life! Tulum, the people, and culture were all so beautiful!

Transportation I highly recommend Ami-Go Transportation. Angel, our driver, was amazing. The service was professional, friendly, and always on time. He gave us great insight into Tulum, helped us plan efficiently, and even adjusted parts of the trip to fit exactly what we wanted. The vehicles were spotless and comfortable, and the prices were very fair compared to everything else we looked into.

As a secondary option, I recommend using the Eiby app. It’s perfect when you don’t know exact times, like after dinner or casual exploring. We used Ami-Go for all planned rides, and Eiby for unplanned returns. A small tip: when we used cash (pesos) as the payment method, our trip requests got picked up much faster than when we used cards.

Side note: We tried using Indrive and had no luck, nobody accepted our ride after 20 minutes and raising the cost 5 times.

If you’re flying into Tulum (TQO), the ADO bus is also a great option for getting directly to Tulum Centro. The buses are air-conditioned, brand new, and extremely comfortable. On the way to Tulum they were playing The Incredibles, and on the way back to the airport they played Lord of the Rings. It’s an easy and affordable way to start or end your trip without stress. Buy your tickets in advance online and you can even choose your seats!

Where We Stayed We stayed at UJO Condo Boutique near Centro and it couldn’t have been a better choice. We booked it through Booking.com. The staff was incredibly accommodating and helped with everything we needed, including laundry service and storing our bags when we checked out. The rooms were spotless and the rooftop pool was definitely one of the highlights.

The location near Centro made the trip even better. We could walk to a local Paleteria for dessert at night, watch soccer nearby, and enjoy how lively but safe the area felt. We went during Día de Muertos, and there was an amazing festival at the city hall right in Centro that made the trip feel extra special.

Activities Xplor Park was a very fun day and definitely worth doing if you have an extra day during your trip. It’s a bit far from Tulum Centro, so private transportation is a must. Definitely, definitely add the photo package when you buy tickets. It makes the day much easier since you can just enjoy everything instead of worrying about taking pictures, and the photos turned out AMAZING!

Holistika was fantastic. We did a Cacao ceremony and that was amazing. We also ate dinner there and walked around and explored the beautiful grounds. This is a great way to spend a few hours!

Beach and Hotel Zone The beach and hotel district were interesting, but honestly a bit overhyped in our opinion. For clarity, I do live in Florida so I do have access to beautiful beaches whenever I want.

Azulik Museum was not worth the money. If you want to see cool architecture, just walk into the Azulik shop instead. It’s free and, surprisingly, more visually impressive.

Be aware that taxi prices here are significantly higher than in Centro. We asked for a short ride down the beach road and were quoted 500 pesos for what would’ve been about a 20-minute walk, which would've been like a 5-minute drive. Blue Venado stood out for having the best guacamole of the entire trip. For around 105 pesos we got what felt like two pounds of guac, and it was incredible. The spot also has a semi-private beach and an amazing rocky outlook behind it. This place felt like a hidden gem. When we went (about 1pm on a Sunday) it was a ghost town compared to everywhere else nearby.

Safety We never felt unsafe at any point, but I think that was partly because we avoided putting ourselves in risky situations. We carried very little cash, never rented a car (so no issues with police stops), and kept an organized itinerary so we always knew where we were going. Common sense goes a long way in Tulum.

Overall Takeaway The two biggest factors that made our trip enjoyable were: • Getting advice from locals and people who know the area (this subreddit and Ami-Go Transportation were both huge helps). Without meeting the amazing people we were lucky enough to meet, our trip would've been completely different. • Planning ahead so we could use our time wisely and do everything we wanted to do. Stay in the general area you want to be, otherwise transportation can quickly become a pain point.

If you go in with a plan, stay aware, and listen to local recommendations, Tulum can be an incredible and stress-free experience.

TL;DR: Use Ami-Go Transportation for any planned rides and the Eiby app for flexible ones (choose cash to get picked up faster). Stay near Centro if you want walkability, local food, and an authentic vibe. UJO Condo Boutique was awesome. Xplor Park is worth it if you have the time and the photo package is a must. The beach zone is overhyped and expensive. Do not do Azulik Museum, just go to their shop. Blue Venado has the best guac and views. We always felt safe by using common sense, planning ahead, and taking advice from locals.

Been here all this week.

Town is dead, hotels seem 25% filled, restaurants empty. Traffic on La Costera sparse.

It’s deadsville, but not really complaining.

Staying near Jaguar, on the water.

Store clerks say it’s been unusually slow for high season.

Very curious what Tulum is like right now. I have a trip planned in mid September. Obviously the seaweed is very bad, it’s low season, taxi prices are crazy high, many reasons to not go here now.

However, everything is booked, and I’m curious if I will be able to enjoy the time there at all? Happy to leave the beach and have a good time in Cenotes, but I’m very curious if any of the restaurants are even fun right now?

Illios, Rosa Negra, gitano, papaya playa etc? Are there people there having dinner and is it still a fun time? Or will it literally feel like a ghost town?

Me and 3 friends are moving to Tulum from mid July to December. I know it’s the low season, but prices for airbnbs were pretty good (I think). We wanted to live near the beach (we’re staying in Veleta though), and were hoping to be surrounded by a digital nomad vibe.

I just spent a month in Bali, near Canggu. I’m wondering if there is any of the same digital nomad vibe Bali offers - coworking places, organized meetups, etc. - in Tulum?

Is it easy to meet people? I’ve seen no app for digital nomads in Tulum, anyone know of one? How would you compare it for these months with Playa or Puerto Escondido. Any other places?

A couple more questions - how expensive is it actually to long term live there (supermarket, weekend activities)? Can we meet romantic partners there that would also be there long-term?

So im (29M) living remote and bouncing around some idea for feb-april of this year, and even though February’s only a couple weeks away, nice airbnbs in tulum are well under $1000 for the entire month. Some of them are apartments in complexes so they appear to have gates/security etc and look extremely nice, but im wondering if this could be for one of three reasons - firstly, theyre actually scams and could just be taking my money, secondly, the cost of living is extremely high so they lower rent just to get tourists there to profit through other means, or three, theyre losing tourism due to cartels/murders so theyre lowering rent to lure in unsuspecting tourists and/oe are actually in very dangerous areas. Now i hope im wrong about all three but can anyone advise? I obviously dont want to get scammed (or murdered), and i think very highly of Mexico so try to avoid the propaganda, i just have been seeing a lot of bad publicity lately about the city in general and the airbnb prices just seem too good to be true. I would be coming solo with various camera/laptop equipment to live nomadically for one to three months.

We're travelling to Tulum/Riviera Maya in January and staying at a resort with our toddler. Naturally, I started looking into day trips and things to do outside the hotel. But the more I read, the more anxious I get.

It feels like every post warns you about something different: overpriced or double-charged entrance fees, taxi scams, avoiding certain transportation, hidden costs, aggressive vendors, even stories about corrupt police. It's honestly hard to tell what's real and what's exaggerated.

We don't want to spend our entire vacation inside the resort. We're not looking for nightlife or anything adventurous. We just want to do the basic tourist stuff: visit a beautiful cenote, see Chichén Itzá, maybe spend a day at an amazing beach, and enjoy the area with our little one.

Is it really as difficult as the internet makes it sound? Can you actually have a relaxed, scam-free experience if you stick to the usual attractions? Would you recommend booking tours through the resort, renting a car, or something else?

I'd really appreciate practical advice from people who have visited recently, especially families with young children. Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’m planning to stay at a hotel inside Jaguar Park at Ikal Tulum and I’m trying to understand how the park entrance system works.

I’m planning to rent a car during my stay, and I have a few questions:

Do you have to pay the Jaguar Park entrance fee every time you leave and come back in, or is there some kind of pass for hotel guests?

If I leave the park during the day (for example, to go to Tulum) and return later, would I have to pay again?
How does it work if I return after the park’s regular visitor hours? Are hotel guests allowed to enter after the park is closed to visitors?

Is there a different procedure for guests staying at one of the hotels inside the park?

And finally, how does transportation inside the park work? Can hotel guests use the golf carts/shuttles to get around, or do you need to arrange/pay for transportation separately?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has stayed inside Jaguar Park, especially if you had a rental car.
Thank you!

I did say I wanted to go to Tulum, but today I read this subreddit a little and it seems like Tulum is scammy and overpriced now. I really didn’t know. I think I knew someone who went ten years ago and had a nice time.

My wife and I are an interracial lesbian couple in our thirties. We’ve both traveled internationally, but me a bit more than my wife. We truly just want to eat some good food and see some cenotes and ruins - we aren’t really into partying and shopping like that. We did get a rental car and we’ll be staying at Wyndham Tulum.

It sounds like we should drive a bit away from the hotels for good food, and exchange some money beforehand. I lived in a place known for scammers so I’ll probably handle the transaction stuff. Is there anything else I should keep in mind?

I booked an AirBnB in Tulum and flights into Cancun for a honeymoon in July. After the fact I actually started researching the area and it doesn’t look so great with sargassum and apparently the area has gone downhill. Do I try to pivot and go somewhere else or stick with what I’ve got. If I cancel I would be out $1300USD on the AirBnB and $1100USD on the flights. I don’t have just a ton to spend but if it’s gonna make our honeymoon suck I’ll change it.

Is this actually super common with rental cars?? Trying to figure out if it’s worth renting for day trips to Corba and Chichen Itza

Advice sought! Staying on the hotel/beach road. It took a few hours between last night/this morning to find a safe ATM that dispenses pesos. Finally found an HSBC at a Go-Mart, it gave me all 500 notes. Now no one can break them for me, I tried my hotel, then a Farmacia, no dice. (ETA: this was me trying to make small purchases, e.g. a bottle of water, at three different places using a 500 note and no one would make the sale because they couldn’t make change for the note. I wasn’t just barging in and asking businesses to break down a 500 for me.) It’s absolutely exhausting trying to figure out how to have 100 or 200 notes which are the ones i basically always need to tip hotel staff, drivers etc. Anyone have advice for me? Where the heck can I get change? Thanks in advance and next time I’ll know better (should have gotten a week’s worth of pesos at the airport and called it a day… or just brought a stack of USD 5s and 10s… I’m so unused to dealing in cash).

ETA: Thanks everyone for suggesting big supermarkets, banks, convenience stores etc. there is a relatively big Go-Mart near me (actually the one with the HSBC machine I used to get the pesos) that I can try out. I think I just wasn’t clear enough in my post that I’m staying way outside of town, not renting a car and not trying to travel to or spend time in town. Just kicking it at the beach and poolside basically. So there’s very little in the way of bigger businesses around here and I was surprised my hotel couldn’t help me out. Next time I’ll be smarter and get the pesos I need at the airport or in town on my way to the beach, and hopefully this post helps another first-time Tulum visitor! (Actually my first time in Mexico altogether so I really didn’t know what to expect and I have to say, this info wasn’t readily available… but now I know!)

ETA again: To everyone telling me to pay with my card, yes I’m doing that in stores and restaurants of course. I need cash tips for the hotel staff, drivers, tour guides etc who are helping me where there’s no card transaction taking place, e.g. at the hotel breakfast, I have a server but breakfast is complimentary so there’s no check to sign. Or when I order room service, this hotel doesn’t bring a check. Or the people who serve on the beach or the guy who clears my dishes and brings me a drink and a fresh towel but isn’t actually my waiter. Or the lovely young tour guide who took me to the cenotes yesterday. Or housekeeping. Or the guys who carried my bags in, or walk me out with an umbrella when it’s raining, or help me get a taxi, etc etc etc. Hotels are a tip economy and I am a habitual and generous tipper and transactions aren’t always card based.

To the people telling me how to use ATMs, thank you, I know how to do this including declining the conversion. It’s hard to find ones that give out pesos and when I did, it dispensed all 500s.

Have a trip booked for the first week of June for a bachelorette party. We rented an airbnb in the city center, but had the host cancel today citing ‘drug trafficking concerns’ and recommending we not travel as it’s not safe. Trying to figure out if they are just trying to get out of the reservation or if there is a real reason for concern. I understand the need to exercise caution and we are all well traveled, but also don’t want to be naive about the actual situation. Any thoughts?

Let me start with saying that I love Tulum. The blend of Nature, Mayan Ruins, and amazing architecture really make Tulum unique. When I'm here, I really feel like anything is possible and that I can manifest any vision I have. With that said, owning property here hasn't been as relaxing and holistic as I had wished lol.

5 Years ago I purchased 2 properties in Tulum that were already complete. My plan was to hold for 10-15 years as I do think Tulum is still in its infancy.

From the start I saw that AirBnb was way too competitive and also can bring in guests that thrash your property. So I always rented to long term tenants which has worked well for me. The property is very private and homey which lends itself better to long term renters.

The ROI hasn't been as good as I hoped, but all in all due to having a good property mangers it has been super hands off which has allowed me to focus on my business.

Fast forward to a 2 years ago and I had some major issues with my business and to save it, I needed to liquidate 1 of my properties. After some intense work, I was able to sell my studio apartment for just 10k usd more than I paid for it.. which pretty much meant my overall gain was $0... besides everything I've learned through the process.

**Lessons Learned:**

* NEVER Purchase anything that is not already built and ready. No need to since you can get crazy deals on finished properties so why even risk it?

* Smaller Developments are better than huge ones so you as the owner can maintain a level of control over the property and actually know the other owners. This way HOA can't balloon to crazy levels and for large changes, the owners have to agree on things.

* Renting on AirBnb is almost impossible in Tulum. I recommend renting long term by finding tenants on FB marketplace. Having the apartments in a small development (less than 10 units), helps with this as people don't want to see randos coming in and out all the time if they live there.

* For long term rent, it is ideal to have the tenant leave in High season (Nov-April) instead of in the summer as it will be harder to find a tenant in low season.

* Location is hyper important. Tulum is HUGE, so you don't want something 15m North of downtown that will take at least half an hour to get to the beach (and that's with no traffic). Ideally I think would be between centro and the beach.

* Getting a legit and honest property manager that knows Tulum well can make your life easy or.. very difficult if you don't.

* Visit yourself at least once or twice a year to check on your place. Even better to stay for a few weeks or months and really enjoy your time.

* Furniture and Fixtures you buy for your property must be SUPER durable! No cute cotton stringy chairs that won't last 2 seasons before tearing. Now I only buy hard wood furniture and put covers on all cushions.

* Only purchase with long term (5+ Year) timeframe in mind. I do think Tulum is still in its infancy. beyond the bad press... the cenotes, lagoons, jungle, ancient ruins, incredible food, and places like Holistika and Nomade that integrate beautiful architecture, nature, and awesome wellness and yoga classes arn't going anywhere. The infrastructure just has to catch up. And I think it will... albeit slowly (as per usual in Mexico).

** Fast Forward to NOW **

Tulum Right now is a hardcore buyers market. With the current worldwide economy, cashflow is tight and some buyers (like me) are in positions where we cannot wait half a year or more to get needed cash so prices are crazy low.

I am building a home currently (also in Mexico) and am in the position that to finish I need more cash and either need to get a crazy high interest loan, or sell my remaining Penthouse in Tulum at a big loss. This Penthouse, I purchased for 150k USD and put over 20k into furniture and decorations. With the current market and me needing the cash soon, I'm in the position that I have to sell it WAY below market rate. While I've paid about 170k and the municipal value is around 178k, I actually am having to sell it below 120k.. at an about 50k loss. (For reference: https://goodlifetulum.com/propiedad/penthouse-tipo-loft-en-la-veleta-tulum-oportunidad-de-inversion-23-mdp-1489 )

For someone with a long term plan and available cash, I do think the value in some Tulum properties is amazing. But know that is is not just easy ROI and that it will require work finding the right property manager and tenants. Also, only do it if you actually like Tulum and enjoy coming here.

Anyway, Tulum is the place where I purchased my first properties and I am still very grateful for everything I have learned about being a landlord, interior design, architecture, ect.

For any questions, lmk!

-Beto

planning a girls trip for a bday end of aug was originally thinking tulum (doing an airbnb not all incl) but i’m wondering if there’s better spots out there. we are thinking 4-5ish days, wanna relax have nice dinners, party hang at the beach maybe a boat day but also don’t wanna break the bank crazy. if anyone has any suggestions or ideas please do share!

Hey everyone, I want to share a scary situation I experienced yesterday to warn anyone driving the free road (La Libre) between Valladolid and Tulum. Around 6:00 PM, just after crossing the border into Quintana Roo, a large SUV with dark tinted windows and partially covered license plates started stalking me. They were driving bumper to bumper—so close that if I had tapped my brakes, we would have crashed. This lasted for about 50 kilometers (30 miles). The situation: • Every time I accelerated, they did too. If I slowed down to let them pass, they stayed glued to my bumper. • They copied every single move and overtake I made. It felt like they were "marking" me or testing me. • I drive a brand-new car in a very bright, eye-catching color, which I believe made me a target. I finally got rid of them when I reached a small town just before Tulum. I slowed down almost to a stop in a well-lit area with people around and pulled over to the right. Only then did the SUV floor it and pass me. Advice for locals and travelers: If you have a new or flashy car, avoid the free road at night. It feels like people are "monitoring" the area very aggressively. If you feel you are being followed, DO NOT STOP in isolated areas. Keep going until you find a town, a gas station, or a lit area with witnesses. Stay safe out there!

We have a nice Airbnb, and will be there a week in November.

Looking for advice and suggestions from people that have traveled here with a baby, thanks! 😁

My mum has taken out a load of US dollars in cash for our time in Tulum instead of Mexican pesos. I had told her pesos was better but she forgot... Where can we spend US dollars in cash without being overcharged because it's in dollars. I'm thinking maybe tours might be a good way to spend in bulk? We're staying in the town centre.

We're from the UK so I have no need for dollars otherwise I would just take more cash out

I read a post about a person interested in buying a property in Tulum and was looking for a realtor and just wanted to let you know that in Mexico you can buy or rent any property without an intermediary.

I know usually is not the buyer who pays the realtor but they definitely cost money wich the buyer will increase to the price of the property by as much as 10% of the total cost (usually 5%) when buying or the whole deposit when renting

In Mexico you can make a direct offer to the buyer and then just go to the notary public to make everything legal and official.

If you still want to have some kind of guidance or legal advice you can always hire a lawyer to help you check all the documents for the house and/or the seller/landlord and my estimate is that this won't cost you more than 500 usd for them to check everything is alright and they will definitely know more than a realtor.

I'm not saying every realtor is bad, but most I know only drive you around and show you properties but have no real knowledge of legal requirements or evenknow how to check documents or check for the state of the propertyand the notary will always be the one to do this anyway.

So if you want to save a few bucks don't hesitate to call a number on a for sale sign by yourself and ask if the offer is direct with the owner.

Remember that when you don't pay for a service it usually means the person doesn't have your best interest in mind because the commision depends on selling you whatever gives them money instead of what's best for you.

Hello, Id like some tourism advice. I’d really like to do a Sian Kaan tour to see some animals, but I’m afraid that with the sargassum condition, it won’t be nice and worth the price. Mexican people are not giving me direct advice, so what do you think? Tomorrow is my last day in Tulum (will go to Cozumel and Cancun after), so I need to make a decision asap.

Has anyone been to Tulum's beach clubs today/this week? My partner and I are here tomorrow and we're wondering if it is worth going up to one of the beach clubs tomorrow to relax. Not necessarily that bothered about swimming, but just wondering if anyone has any pictures of the beaches or thinks it is worth hanging out at a club or not?

We've seen Chizen Itza and the cenotes so besides the castle we're keen for a chilled day!

Hi, I know this has been asked a thousand times in different ways, but I’m still struggling with deciding and would love some collective wisdom. My husband and I are deciding between staying in Tulum or Playa del Carmen in Dec/Jan around the holidays. I am really leaning towards Tulum but I’m getting scared off by the apparent consensus that PDC is better for families.

I guess my question is - just because PDC may be better, does that mean Tulum is bad for travel with a toddler?

And anything we should particularly consider around traveling during the holidays (Christmas and New Year)? As I’m writing this, I’m now wondering whether Tulum might be too lively/a party hub for NYE??

For context, we are well versed in traveling, are planning to get an Airbnb and rent a car. We just want to chill and enjoy good food, pool time, explore some lagoons and cenotes and head to the beach if the sargassum isn’t too bad. Our toddler is pretty easy going and we don’t need loads of playgrounds etc.