3-Days Tulum Itinerary
Planning a visit to Tulum soon, or contemplating booking a trip? Tulum is honestly a magical place with so much to see and do, more than a few great restaurants, and amazing people.
While it’s definitely possible to experience a good amount of Tulum in a long weekend, there’s enough to keep you busy with new experiences visit after visit.
If you’re looking for guide on how to fit the most in day by day, scroll down for my 3-Day Itinerary:
DAY 1:
Get to the beach. Check out a beach club; read more on Tulum’s Best Beach Clubs.
Relax and have lunch. Aside from Amansala’s healthy eats, Be Tulum and Nômade are a couple of splurge options. They have the same owners, and while the styles are very similar, they each have their own flair when it comes to design, and very different food menus. Step out of the sun for lunch by grabbing a bite at Nômade’s restaurant on the beach, La Popular.
Go for a walk on the beach - get moving after your flight! You an hire a kayak at Amansala and paddle along the coast or to the reef, where you can plunge into the waters away from the waves. Take a snorkel with you (you can rent them at the restaurant of Amansala), as the waters are so clear all the way to the reef, especially on a sunny day.
Spend the afternoon at a Tulum lagoon. Laguna de Kaan Luum is hotspot for photos, while the one near Muyil’s archaeological site, though farther away, is divine and tranquil in its natural beauty.
Have dinner at one of Tulum’s many great restaurants. Meze is the place to be, especially on Wednesdays when they have a DJ adding some groove to the night with just the right music, unlike the establishments that overdo the party music. Arca and Hartwood are two of the most popular ones and harder to book. You will need a reservation for both, but each take walk-ins and your chances of getting in are much higher if you arrive early.
Go out for drinks at Gitano, which is essentially next door to both Arca and Hartwood. If you’re looking for Reggaeton/Popular Hits/dancing, then grab a drink at Rosa Negra (across the street from Gitano). Casa Jaguar is also a great nearby spot for cocktails.
More on Where to Drink in Tulum
Day 2:
Start the day with a run on the beach or with a yoga class. There are so many great places to check out. Authentic Tulum staples are Amansala, Sanara, Holistika, Nômade etc. View Amansala’s full schedule of yoga, dance, and fitness classes here. They also have weekly ceremonies, tours and rituals including the Temazcal Sweat Lodge, Sound Healing, Mayan Clay Meditation (a full body mask on the beach), and Ice Bath with Wim Hof Breathwork.
Visit a cenote. There are more than a handful of these underground caves and rivers, including Calavera, Casa Tortuga, Encantado, etc. The most popular is Gran Cenote, and Amansala holds weekly guided tours departing from the hotel lobby or hotel zone, including a professional free diving guide, snorkels and transportation.
You will want to arrive early to avoid the crowds. Most open at 8am and close at 5pm.
Check out another one of Tulum clubs on the beach or save a few pesos and visit the public beach, Playa Paraiso.
Check out Azulik’s Sfer Ik Museum for around US$10 and meditate to take in the beautifully designed space.
Have dinner at Posada Margherita or Habitas. If you’re already up at the north end of the beach and may want to avoid the traffic of going deeper into the Hotel Zone, Habitas is an authentic and community-focused Tulum spot, while Posada Margherita beside Amansala is just the cutest and a very romantic spot.
DAY 3:
Get to the Tulum Archaeological Zone (Zona Arqueológica de Tulum) to see the Tulum pyramids. Learn a bit of Tulum history while you’re here. The ruins near Tulum are just outside of town, so it’s very easy to catch a taxi from your hotel or Airbnb. I’d recommend going any day other than Sunday because that is the day local residents can go for free - so it’s usually packed. A guide will usually cost MXN$500 per group, so if you can find other people to join you, you can split the price among you.
Spend the afternoon at the beach. Choose another beach club. Gitano Beach (different from Gitano Jungle) and Hotel Panamera are good place for sunset drinks; they also host outdoor cinema nights sometimes.
Have dinner at another great restaurant like Casa Banana (Argentinian steaks), Saikuk (Moroccan), or Ilios (Greek).
More options on Where to Eat in Tulum here.
Certain days are better for some places than others. For example:
Tuesday: Live salsa music nights at the open-air food court Palma Central in town. They have events and markets almost every night of the week if you're looking for a truly local and fun experience that won’t break the bank.
Thursday: Plan for a 9pm dinner reservation at Casa Jaguar
Friday: There’s a beautiful flamenco show at Gitano Beach some nights, which you can enjoy while having dinner, or get an invite to Treehouse. Or go to straight Gitano for Gypsy Disco before 9pm to avoid the line and cover.
Saturday: If you are looking for a day party, you’ll want to make a reservation for a table at Taboo’s beach club. You’ll also likely end up at Papaya Playa Project’s evening party.
In Tulum for longer? Read more on this list of What to See & Do in Tulum. Think we missed out on something? Feel free to leave it in the comments below, so that we can add it on here!
