FORGET ABOUT PLAYA DEL CARMEN OR CANCUN, GO TO TULUM (MEXICO) INSTEAD!

Do you feel lost, sad and lonely when you’re not sharing the beach with thousands of other people? Are your days incomplete if you can’t finish them with a big fat drunk party at night? Are you a fan of penis shaped salt shakers or other tasteless souvenirs? Than stop reading and go book a plane ticket to Playa del Carmen or Cancun! Don’t worry, they have boob shaped items too, so there’s something for everyone.

If however, you’re looking for a more relaxing and authentic experience and prefer when it’s just you, a hammock and the sound of the ocean, keep on reading and let me tell you all about Tulum.

I went to Mexico several years ago, when I was still in my let’s-go-to-as-many-places-as-possible-phase. I still don’t know what was going on in my head but for some reason I was afraid I’d get bored if I stayed too long in one place, especially when that place was a beach with nothing else to do than relaxing. So instead of ending the trip with 5 days at the same beach, I decided to go to Tulum for 2 days and head to Playa del Carmen for another 2. My flight back home left from Cancun, so I thought it would be a good idea to go to Cancun the day before and spend the last night over there. I’d booked it in advance so there was not much I could do about it once I was there.

I think it’s safe to say I still haven’t forgiven myself…

Tulum is beautiful. It’s not elegant beauty, there’s nothing refined about it. It’s just nature doing its thing and the further you go from the city center or from the ruins, the more untouched it gets. So that’s exactly what I did. I took one of the last and most basic looking cabañas on the beach, for a private date with this little piece of paradise. Well it actually had more of a quickie than a real date, there’s not much you can do if you only have 2 days, right?!?

Anyway… The cabañas I stayed in don’t exist anymore, but as long as you get as far away from the archeological site as possible, you should be able to find your own little piece of heaven. Bring drinks and cookies, because there aren’t any stores and only 1 or 2 restaurants in the area. But then again, would it still be heaven if it was filled with restaurants and tourists?!? Yep, my thoughts exactly!

Once you’re there, you might never want to move again, but do take an hour or two to visit the archeological site. It’s far from being the most important site in Mexico, as it was built at the end of the Mayan period, but it definitely is one of the most picturesque ones, located right on the beach and with a view on the perfect turquoise water.

Or how about diving or snorkeling in a cenote? These natural swimming holes are located all over Yucatan, and an amazing experience!

Tulum will grant you a glimpse into paradise, and it’s right off the beaten path. If you choose to experience its wonder for yourself, but still want to get in the action, it’s close enough to Cancun for a day trip, but you probably won’t even want to leave.

So how about you, which one would you choose? Touristic Cancun and Playa del Carmen, or heavenly Tulum? Let me know in the comments!

d

Some of the links in this article are sponsored, but opinions are my own and straight from the heart, as always.