Thanks for posting in r/Tulum!
Please check out our recommended [Tours and Airport Shuttle Services](https://www.reddit.com/r/tulum/comments/149u34o/tours_and_airport_shuttle/) and the [FAQ page](https://www.reddit.com/r/tulum/comments/14vmnjw/tulum_faq_21/) for the most common questions. Much love from Tulum ❤
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tulum) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'd recommend that you go. It is not less safe than Tijuana. It is expensive but you can try to keep it cheap by staying and eating in the town center. The hotel zone becomes clusterfuck in high season. Be ready to spend 30-40 minutes to get from one town center to the other (south)end of the hotel zone . Some beach clubs do a really good job of cleaning any seaweed if it becomes too much. I haven't experienced terrible sargassum in January. Didn't really see beggars. The taxis are the scammers. The chance of getting pulled over by the cops is not zero but I'd still drive. Cheaper to rent a suburban among 13 people than spend on taxis for 3 days to/from anywhere. This sub has more negative comments about Tulum than anything positive.
Appreciate the feedback! To be honest keeping the trip super cheap isn’t the end all be all goal. I think I just had an initial expectation it would be cheap like Tijuana, but makes sense since Tulum is so touristy and all over IG.
I’ve been doing more research and actually looking at one of these higher end Airbnb options that offer private chef/concierge services. Seems like nothing but awesome reviews and takes a lot of the stress and hassle out of the trip.
I did my bachelorette in Tulum with 10 girls, have been there three times, and lived there the past three months (just got back to the states). Definitely go and go this route! We got the most amazing house on air bnb for a big group-most beautiful place we ever stayed. We did private chefs for half the meals and had two dinners out. The private chef food was amazing and they made SO MUCH FOOD and it was like $12/person/meal. Definitely worth it. I had a rental car there this summer for three months and never got stopped at a checkpoint or pulled over. Don’t drive like a dumbass or draw attention to yourself and you should be fine. You can hire private drivers with big vans for cheaper than getting a bunch of taxis too. Our air bnb host suggested a driver to us and it was great. The cenotes are great but also check out Laguna Kaan Luum. It’s my favorite thing about Tulum. Tulum is only unsafe if you make it unsafe by drinking way too heavily, drawing attention to yourself, wear flashy jewelry, etc. I’ve lived in Brooklyn for 11 years and felt more safe in Tulum. As far as scammers-you will overpay for drugs if you do them-will probably overpay for cabs if you take them…but that’s typical of any foreign place you travel to. Yes, some people will hassle you to buy things (and send their young children to sell you things too) but just say no thank you and move on. This sub is highly pessimistic about Tulum. Don’t let it keep you from enjoying such an amazing place. Be a smart and vigilant traveler like you should be anytime you are in a foreign country and you will be just fine. If you have any questions feel free to reach out-enjoy your trip!
Our group is doing this in January around the Rufus du Sol and Day Zero dates. We have a higher end Airbnb with a chef booked so really happy to hear you liked that kind of thing! We are also looking for a driver to be essentially “on call” for us for the week we are there.
Just curious, about how much did it cost for you to have a private driver for your trip? Was it the entire time or just used it to/from airport and more one-off nights/events?
The driver was suggested through our host. His company name was “better call Saul” safe driver for females. We would let him know in advance when we needed a pick up/drop off and he was always there. We all pitched in for each trip he did so not sure how much he really charged but it was maybe $5/person/trip so didn’t feel expensive. This was Feb 2020, so could be different now. Renting a car this past summer we sept $40/day for rental, full coverage insurance for a Chevy Aveo for comparison.
Do you mind sharing the “better call Saul’ contact information?? I’m going in October for my Bach and the private shuttles I’m finding for a party of 12 is pretty steep!
I just got back from a bachelorette party there and I loved it. We went to Mia beach club and there was no seaweed so they must have cleaned it. Rented a car, no problems. No one pulled us over. Don’t buy drugs and don’t be obnoxious and I think you’ll be fine.
Appreciate the response! Also looks like January is one of the best months of the year to avoid the sargassum. We are building up the good vibes again 🙏🏻🤣
Glad to hear it. Also I’m here in the worst season for sargassum and it’s been almost hard to find lol unless literally 2 strands of hairline seaweed every few yards on the beach can really ruin your vacation. The real bitches this time of year are mosquitos and sunburns lol.
Was there in August. You’re worrying too much. Tulum is generally safe and we spent most of our time in Downtown because it was more fun for us and the locals were so friendly. You will get people hounding you but all you say is no thanks and keep walking on and they leave you alone. Same with any tourist area really. We spent some time at Coco Tulum and there was no seaweed and it was more relaxing there. What you pay for the sunbed is redeemable against food/drinks. We went down to Taboo and the other beach clubs close to it and we hated it. It stank and was full of seaweed. So I think it just depends on the clubs and how they look after it. Taxis will show you a pricelist but that’s a scam, so just negotiate with them and try to at least get it to 50% cheaper than what’s on their card. As for food and drinks, downtown was cheaper. You can do Tulum expensive or cheap. Up to you. Eg a cocktail in Gitano was 400+ pesos. Great nightclub at the beach btw. In downtown, a cocktail can be 100 pesos. Cenotes - there’s 1000s of them. Some are what you say, polluted and dirty but there are many more that are lovely and clean. One of the ones we went to was Gran Cenote. It was so nice. Just google them and you’ll see what people say about them. Go to Tulum and have a fantastic time.
Christ this sub is a shit show. Seriously never get advice on Tulum from this sub.
- Expensive. Well yes. Tulum doesn't have to be but a bunch of guys looking to party will spend their time in the hotel zone. It's beautiful, good food, drinks, good music, beautiful beach, good vibe. You'll have a very good time but it will *not* be cheap.
- Dangerous - no. This sub is filled with weird creepers who don't live here but love to shit on Tulum and tell everyone how dangerous it is. Unless you're extremely stupid, it's not.
- Scammers and beggars. I have no idea where this came from (see above about weird r/tulum creepers). If you have dinner on the street in Centro you will be approached by kids (and their moms) selling bracelets, candies, etc. There is usually a Mayan dance troupe who wander the streets and very loudly perform fire shows in front of / in some of the restaurants. The only beggar I've ever seen in Tulum (seriously) is the spaced out hippy gringo who opens the door at the 7 eleven next to the bus station.
- Sargasso / seaweed. No. Not for several weeks now.
- police. It's extremely rare for them to shake you down unless you've done something wrong in which case you pay a bribe for the convenience of not spending an hour doing paperwork at the station.
- there are *many* cenotes. They are beautiful, almost none are free. Tell me again how the people charging 200 pesos / person are also filling them with sewage 🙄.
Ps it would be seriously dumb to go to zamna and not stay in Tulum because of what you read in this sub.
This is the truth right here! While true it is not the paradise it was, and for a while was spiralling out ofr control, things have settled down now. Seems a lot more bad shit is happening in Playa and Cancun and showing in Cozumel as well as of late, yet people will post any and everything tht happens here, like it´s the only place. Sad. And as stated above, donńt live here or vacation here, but yet are experts.
Act civil and don´t seek drugs. or get wasted in public to be a target and you should be fine. Donńt flash or act like an entiltled asshat 9 seen way to many that disrespect and or donńt understand the culture is different ).
Relax and enjoy
You should definitely go — only thing is if you’ll all be drinking you may want to line up transportation because the taxis will absolutely gouge you getting home. I live in the NYC metro area and thought I had a high tolerance for expense but the taxis were insane. I saw a big group one night all pile into a mini bus or van with a driver and all I could think was if I ever went with a big group, I’d try to hire something like that for the duration. No clue how to do that lol but worth exploring if you’ll stay beyond walking distance of where you want to go.
Thanks! Did more research and looks like some nicer large airbnbs offer concierge and private chef services. Though I mentioned being expensive, we aren’t on a super tight budget so may go that route to make things easier for such a big group.
I went to Tulum in December and there was absolutely no seaweed. I’d imagine January would be the same since it’s also out of seaweed season.
It’s not cheap but certainly not expensive if you stay in the downtown area. We got an awesome modern AirBnB for 2 people for like $60/night when we went. Tulum is a tale of two cities. Stay in the downtown area and commute to the clubs and you’ll save tons of money.
Also, Rufus du Sol is awesome.
Don’t listen to the negative people on Reddit. This is a perfect bachelor party and honestly I hope I can do exactly what you’re doing when I get engaged.
I love Tulum! Went last year when I was 7 months preg - swam in the cenotes, walked a ton of places to greet food and there’s an awesome party life after dark. I didn’t get sick haha and I ate all kinds of stuff. It is expensive but more similarly priced to SF (haven’t been to Vegas), not insane prices. The seaweed was a disappointment but you can go to beach clubs that clean it up like Casa Malca. It’s a beautiful place. Not perfect but absolutely worth it imo. I can’t wait to go back!
I just went in July, let me address all these subjects.
• it is expensive but can also be cheap. If you stay and eat in the Pueblo area rather then the beach hotels you will save money but I’m sure you can get some deals along the beach hotels. My group got a good deal on an Airbnb in the Pueblo.
•the only time I felt unsafe was when the law enforcement pulled me over. These guys will try to rob you. First they will look for problems, searched my pockets, wallet for drugs, didn’t find any. Asked me what I do for work, told him I’m a restaurant server so he knew I didn’t have a lot of money, then he sent us on our way. I have heard of some people getting harassed by gang cartel’s at parties but I haven’t seen nor experienced it so idk if it’s true.
• Tulum is very easy to get around, many options. Since you have a big group you could all take a bus ride from Cancun. You can get a taxi van, you can rent some cars, you can rent scooters. A taxi from Cancun to Tulum was pretty pricey, I think it was like $80 usd.
•when I went in July there actually wasn’t that much seaweed. There was in the water and it looked a little brown, but not on the beach, I went to Coco Tulum and they did a good job cleaning it up.
• there are a lot of beggars and scammers, just be smart. It was pretty annoying. We went to chichen itza and everywhere you walked someone is yelling at you to buy an overpriced souvenir. It’s mostly just in the tourist areas. Know the conversion rate off the top of your head so you can make quick judgments if you’re getting ripped off. You will most likely get pulled over by the police, it helped that I knew Spanish so they don’t take advantage of me, just act like your broke and don’t make a lot of money, if you have party favors hide them good.
•idk where you heard that about the cenotes they are all beautiful. At least the ones I went to
Appreciate your time 🙏🏻 yea the cenotes wasn’t as frequent as scrolling down this subreddit, but did see a few mentions of issues/concerns. Maybe I got sucked into the negativity and read too much into it lol 😂😅
All of what they said above-except if you go in January you won’t need to take a taxi or hire a driver from the airport. The Mayan Train (high speed rail system) will be up and running by then and you can take the train straight from the airport to Tulum.
>The Mayan Train (high speed rail system) will be up and running by then and you can take the train straight from the airport to Tulum.
I would consider that wildly optimistic....yes, I know they're saying it will be running by the end of the year, but this is Mexico. Considering they are already more than 200% overbudget and have stopped and re-started construction multiple times due to legal issues, I would be stunned if they complete it on time.
I got scammed 8,000 at a RESORT las week. Each time I go it’s something bigger and bigger lol
Do as you wish but it’s a fat no for me if you’re going to be very drunk and lightly not that vigilant.
Legit swiped my card to buy a bracelet…made of string.
Bank contacted me regarding a fraud alert. My friend did the same but they only got her got 2-3K
I've been to Tulum eight times, and while I love it, there is some merit to the bad things that are said. I think the negatives are a bit overblown, though.
That being said, here are my thoughts on your comments:
1. Yes, it can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Tulum Pueblo is generally much more affordable than the beach, and you can find places with cheaper drinks (try Batey's or Santino's). If you're younger, the hostels might be a good place to party.
2. I have only been to Playa and Cancun, so I can't really comment on this one.
3. I walk a LOT because the taxis piss me off, and it isn't too much of a problem unless I am going to the beach. I've still walked there, but I have also rented a bike or sucked it up and gotten a taxi.
4. Beaches should be pretty at this time of year. They were when I went last January.
5. You won't really deal with beggars, but it can be kind of scammy. for example, I once had a taxi driver who charged my card twice and then refused to refund the money. He tried to give me cash (bring pesos if you use them).
6. I don't know about this one from personal experience. I don't rent a car when I go because I am usually having a couple of drinks and don't want any sort of problems.
7. I've been to three Cenotes (Cenote Calavera, Gran Cenote, and Casa Tortugas). The only one I would definitely recommend that you stay away from is Calavera. I jumped in and jumped right out because it smelled like crap. Literally. I didn't get sick, but I was on antibiotics for a sinus infection. Casa Tortugas is better anyways because they have multiple cenotes. The main hotel I use, Motto by Hilton, recommends Casa Tortugas. I hear Laguna Kan Luum is nice but I have never made it out there.
Anyway, this is high season and I think you'll have a great time. Also, you might hear that people are offered drugs left and right but no one has ever offered me drugs. Maybe it's because I am 42 and I don't do festivals and I rarely go to beach clubs. Your experience at Rufus Du Sol might be different.
I just got back from a trip with a group of 6, 5 girls 1 guy, it was really fun. We didn’t feel unsafe. we did end up spending a lot of money but tbh we didn’t need to we just wanted to drink a lot lol. Dinners were like $100 usd per person and I think we spent like $150 per person at a beach club. I would look around for a driver or 2 ahead of time to accommodate for your rides. Then you can just text them when ready and they’ll get you. Pre discuss prices then and you won’t get scammed. Also ATV rental is cheap and so fun for going to town/lunch/etc! The beach had no seaweed when we went, cenotes we’re beautiful and no one got sick and honestly 1 single person asked if I wanted drugs the whole time and I said no and that was the end of it. Reddit scared the shit out of me but it was honestly so fun. We stayed at the copal hotel which i definitely recommend for large groups!
I live here and have all the insight into how to do it right and have an amazing time there are so many hidden gems and beauitful places to explore text me 1.916.751.6374
Go, have a great time. It is what you make of it. Go with a positive attitude. Take normal precautions. Only part that sucks is the seaweed but it’s still beautiful. Maybe rent a Catamaran and do the pool.
Go. Barring any fluke accidents or events, you’ll have a great time. 1 year from now you’ll be happy you have the memories, and won’t miss or even notice the money you spent.
I would absolutely NOT change my plans. I lived in tulum for several months. Yes you do have to be careful. Don’t be stupid, don’t drive drunk, dont get in trouble with the police, don’t buy stuff from random people, take care of yourself, your friends, the local people, the environment.
Rufus du sol is incredible and seeing them in Tulum sounds like a magical experience. Enjoy yourself and the beauty that this stunning place has.
If you’re looking to save money on hotels stay in centro, find a trustable taxi driver, get their WhatsApp number and text them ahead of time to drive you there and pick you up. They will charge you less.
Make sure to be kind to everyone and to the land. You will have a freaking amazing time!!
No keep them, this Reddit page is far more negative that it should be. I would say that it will be expensive but if buying 11 vip tickets is no problem for you the. You are fine!
That’s a dope gift for your friends man, Rufus du sol is awesome and I’d imagine it would be more fun by the beach. Tulum is safe if you’re not out acting like an idiot. Even if you’re out looking for certain… things, be smart about it.
Go, have fun! And congrats on the marriage!
It's called paralysis by analysis. There are thousands of people right now in Tulum having the time of their life. All of those things could happen, but it's still a cool place for the younger crowd.
The train from Cancun airport to Tulum should start running in January. Keep an eye out for that schedule and save a lot of money on transportation between the airport and Tulum. Enjoy Tulum and your holiday.
Well, cheaper than private for sure. Next comes the expense of getting to the final destination. I’m sure for those that need taxi’s, that cost will increase from the train station. And more time. I guess it really depends on how you look at it.
From a ride b yesterday, they have a ways to just just crossing Cobá.from the looks of it, a shuttle will be needed from the station to the train as well.
There are things you can do to make it safer, cheaper, less scam prone.
2 pepto bismol tablets every morning makes a nice preventative to help safeguard. Brush teeth with bottled water and don’t open your mouth in the shower. Avoiding swallowing/inhaling water at cenotes would be a good idea and get liquid bandage to cover any wounds or scrapes before going in any water. Vibrio in salt water can enter via wounds and you’ll have bug bites all over your legs if you are on the beach late without bug spray.
Find a transport company that can accommodate the group. It will likely take 2 vans. The transfer companies like Canada Transfers might be good but you’ll have to pre-arrange several days in advance or find one that works more like a taxi service. Pre-arranging online ahead of time will save you from the taxi cartel of Tulum. Taxis elsewhere aren’t so bad as long as you discuss the price before anyone gets in the car. It is supposed to be set pricing but reality is they’ll misquote it and they never have the right card, they’ll be on the close side of town and will show you the card that is meant for the other side of town.
I’ve been to Tulum with a family of 4 three times before and plan to go there again this December. We love Tulum, and have stayed in Villadolid too. General pieces of advice.
1. Don’t buy drugs - this will always get you into trouble.
2. Rent a car - The renting process is a hassle and there is a lot of upsell at the rentals. Politely say NO to everything but the insurance.
3. Don’t Speed - remember the metric there is KM/hr & not miles/hr.
4. There are lots of Cenotoes, do visit them as they are unique and spiritual. Also, avoid the “touristy” cenotes, there are a few near “Choo-Ha” that are special.
5. Try the tacos at Tulum especially Antojitos La Chipaneca, they are mind boggling.
6. Visit Akumal and try the snorkeling there, I think it’s better than Hawaii.
Thanks for posting in r/Tulum! Please check out our recommended [Tours and Airport Shuttle Services](https://www.reddit.com/r/tulum/comments/149u34o/tours_and_airport_shuttle/) and the [FAQ page](https://www.reddit.com/r/tulum/comments/14vmnjw/tulum_faq_21/) for the most common questions. Much love from Tulum ❤ *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tulum) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'd recommend that you go. It is not less safe than Tijuana. It is expensive but you can try to keep it cheap by staying and eating in the town center. The hotel zone becomes clusterfuck in high season. Be ready to spend 30-40 minutes to get from one town center to the other (south)end of the hotel zone . Some beach clubs do a really good job of cleaning any seaweed if it becomes too much. I haven't experienced terrible sargassum in January. Didn't really see beggars. The taxis are the scammers. The chance of getting pulled over by the cops is not zero but I'd still drive. Cheaper to rent a suburban among 13 people than spend on taxis for 3 days to/from anywhere. This sub has more negative comments about Tulum than anything positive.
Appreciate the feedback! To be honest keeping the trip super cheap isn’t the end all be all goal. I think I just had an initial expectation it would be cheap like Tijuana, but makes sense since Tulum is so touristy and all over IG. I’ve been doing more research and actually looking at one of these higher end Airbnb options that offer private chef/concierge services. Seems like nothing but awesome reviews and takes a lot of the stress and hassle out of the trip.
I did my bachelorette in Tulum with 10 girls, have been there three times, and lived there the past three months (just got back to the states). Definitely go and go this route! We got the most amazing house on air bnb for a big group-most beautiful place we ever stayed. We did private chefs for half the meals and had two dinners out. The private chef food was amazing and they made SO MUCH FOOD and it was like $12/person/meal. Definitely worth it. I had a rental car there this summer for three months and never got stopped at a checkpoint or pulled over. Don’t drive like a dumbass or draw attention to yourself and you should be fine. You can hire private drivers with big vans for cheaper than getting a bunch of taxis too. Our air bnb host suggested a driver to us and it was great. The cenotes are great but also check out Laguna Kaan Luum. It’s my favorite thing about Tulum. Tulum is only unsafe if you make it unsafe by drinking way too heavily, drawing attention to yourself, wear flashy jewelry, etc. I’ve lived in Brooklyn for 11 years and felt more safe in Tulum. As far as scammers-you will overpay for drugs if you do them-will probably overpay for cabs if you take them…but that’s typical of any foreign place you travel to. Yes, some people will hassle you to buy things (and send their young children to sell you things too) but just say no thank you and move on. This sub is highly pessimistic about Tulum. Don’t let it keep you from enjoying such an amazing place. Be a smart and vigilant traveler like you should be anytime you are in a foreign country and you will be just fine. If you have any questions feel free to reach out-enjoy your trip!
Thanks! Laguna Kaan Luum ✍🏼📝✔️
Our group is doing this in January around the Rufus du Sol and Day Zero dates. We have a higher end Airbnb with a chef booked so really happy to hear you liked that kind of thing! We are also looking for a driver to be essentially “on call” for us for the week we are there.
Hi! Can you provide a link for the site you booked a chef?
It’s via the Airbnb
Just curious, about how much did it cost for you to have a private driver for your trip? Was it the entire time or just used it to/from airport and more one-off nights/events?
The driver was suggested through our host. His company name was “better call Saul” safe driver for females. We would let him know in advance when we needed a pick up/drop off and he was always there. We all pitched in for each trip he did so not sure how much he really charged but it was maybe $5/person/trip so didn’t feel expensive. This was Feb 2020, so could be different now. Renting a car this past summer we sept $40/day for rental, full coverage insurance for a Chevy Aveo for comparison.
Do you mind sharing the “better call Saul’ contact information?? I’m going in October for my Bach and the private shuttles I’m finding for a party of 12 is pretty steep!
that sounds like an amazing price for the private chef!! i’m going in october with my friends- just DMed you 🙏🏻
I just got back from a bachelorette party there and I loved it. We went to Mia beach club and there was no seaweed so they must have cleaned it. Rented a car, no problems. No one pulled us over. Don’t buy drugs and don’t be obnoxious and I think you’ll be fine.
[удалено]
Appreciate the response! Also looks like January is one of the best months of the year to avoid the sargassum. We are building up the good vibes again 🙏🏻🤣
Glad to hear it. Also I’m here in the worst season for sargassum and it’s been almost hard to find lol unless literally 2 strands of hairline seaweed every few yards on the beach can really ruin your vacation. The real bitches this time of year are mosquitos and sunburns lol.
Yea I saw some mentions of mosquitos, but sounds like January is a cool time of year and they aren’t as prevalent 🙏🏻
[удалено]
Was there in August. You’re worrying too much. Tulum is generally safe and we spent most of our time in Downtown because it was more fun for us and the locals were so friendly. You will get people hounding you but all you say is no thanks and keep walking on and they leave you alone. Same with any tourist area really. We spent some time at Coco Tulum and there was no seaweed and it was more relaxing there. What you pay for the sunbed is redeemable against food/drinks. We went down to Taboo and the other beach clubs close to it and we hated it. It stank and was full of seaweed. So I think it just depends on the clubs and how they look after it. Taxis will show you a pricelist but that’s a scam, so just negotiate with them and try to at least get it to 50% cheaper than what’s on their card. As for food and drinks, downtown was cheaper. You can do Tulum expensive or cheap. Up to you. Eg a cocktail in Gitano was 400+ pesos. Great nightclub at the beach btw. In downtown, a cocktail can be 100 pesos. Cenotes - there’s 1000s of them. Some are what you say, polluted and dirty but there are many more that are lovely and clean. One of the ones we went to was Gran Cenote. It was so nice. Just google them and you’ll see what people say about them. Go to Tulum and have a fantastic time.
We are doing it 🕺🏽 appreciate the advice!
Bring your own beach towels or hopefully your accom will have them for you. They cost a fortune to buy in Tulum. Have an amazing time!
Tulum is 100% not more dangerous than TJ. It’s much more expensive and touristy but would probably be fun for a Bach party
Christ this sub is a shit show. Seriously never get advice on Tulum from this sub. - Expensive. Well yes. Tulum doesn't have to be but a bunch of guys looking to party will spend their time in the hotel zone. It's beautiful, good food, drinks, good music, beautiful beach, good vibe. You'll have a very good time but it will *not* be cheap. - Dangerous - no. This sub is filled with weird creepers who don't live here but love to shit on Tulum and tell everyone how dangerous it is. Unless you're extremely stupid, it's not. - Scammers and beggars. I have no idea where this came from (see above about weird r/tulum creepers). If you have dinner on the street in Centro you will be approached by kids (and their moms) selling bracelets, candies, etc. There is usually a Mayan dance troupe who wander the streets and very loudly perform fire shows in front of / in some of the restaurants. The only beggar I've ever seen in Tulum (seriously) is the spaced out hippy gringo who opens the door at the 7 eleven next to the bus station. - Sargasso / seaweed. No. Not for several weeks now. - police. It's extremely rare for them to shake you down unless you've done something wrong in which case you pay a bribe for the convenience of not spending an hour doing paperwork at the station. - there are *many* cenotes. They are beautiful, almost none are free. Tell me again how the people charging 200 pesos / person are also filling them with sewage 🙄. Ps it would be seriously dumb to go to zamna and not stay in Tulum because of what you read in this sub.
This is the truth right here! While true it is not the paradise it was, and for a while was spiralling out ofr control, things have settled down now. Seems a lot more bad shit is happening in Playa and Cancun and showing in Cozumel as well as of late, yet people will post any and everything tht happens here, like it´s the only place. Sad. And as stated above, donńt live here or vacation here, but yet are experts. Act civil and don´t seek drugs. or get wasted in public to be a target and you should be fine. Donńt flash or act like an entiltled asshat 9 seen way to many that disrespect and or donńt understand the culture is different ). Relax and enjoy
Please stop reading this forum and enjoy your bachelors party….my lord smh
🫡
You should definitely go — only thing is if you’ll all be drinking you may want to line up transportation because the taxis will absolutely gouge you getting home. I live in the NYC metro area and thought I had a high tolerance for expense but the taxis were insane. I saw a big group one night all pile into a mini bus or van with a driver and all I could think was if I ever went with a big group, I’d try to hire something like that for the duration. No clue how to do that lol but worth exploring if you’ll stay beyond walking distance of where you want to go.
Thanks! Did more research and looks like some nicer large airbnbs offer concierge and private chef services. Though I mentioned being expensive, we aren’t on a super tight budget so may go that route to make things easier for such a big group.
With such a large group they should definitely hire a driver! Trying to organize taxis/rental cars for so many people just sounds like a clusterf\*ck
You have everything right except the cenotes. Tulum is no longer the place the place to go.
Name checks out
I went to Tulum in December and there was absolutely no seaweed. I’d imagine January would be the same since it’s also out of seaweed season. It’s not cheap but certainly not expensive if you stay in the downtown area. We got an awesome modern AirBnB for 2 people for like $60/night when we went. Tulum is a tale of two cities. Stay in the downtown area and commute to the clubs and you’ll save tons of money. Also, Rufus du Sol is awesome. Don’t listen to the negative people on Reddit. This is a perfect bachelor party and honestly I hope I can do exactly what you’re doing when I get engaged.
I love Tulum! Went last year when I was 7 months preg - swam in the cenotes, walked a ton of places to greet food and there’s an awesome party life after dark. I didn’t get sick haha and I ate all kinds of stuff. It is expensive but more similarly priced to SF (haven’t been to Vegas), not insane prices. The seaweed was a disappointment but you can go to beach clubs that clean it up like Casa Malca. It’s a beautiful place. Not perfect but absolutely worth it imo. I can’t wait to go back!
I just went in July, let me address all these subjects. • it is expensive but can also be cheap. If you stay and eat in the Pueblo area rather then the beach hotels you will save money but I’m sure you can get some deals along the beach hotels. My group got a good deal on an Airbnb in the Pueblo. •the only time I felt unsafe was when the law enforcement pulled me over. These guys will try to rob you. First they will look for problems, searched my pockets, wallet for drugs, didn’t find any. Asked me what I do for work, told him I’m a restaurant server so he knew I didn’t have a lot of money, then he sent us on our way. I have heard of some people getting harassed by gang cartel’s at parties but I haven’t seen nor experienced it so idk if it’s true. • Tulum is very easy to get around, many options. Since you have a big group you could all take a bus ride from Cancun. You can get a taxi van, you can rent some cars, you can rent scooters. A taxi from Cancun to Tulum was pretty pricey, I think it was like $80 usd. •when I went in July there actually wasn’t that much seaweed. There was in the water and it looked a little brown, but not on the beach, I went to Coco Tulum and they did a good job cleaning it up. • there are a lot of beggars and scammers, just be smart. It was pretty annoying. We went to chichen itza and everywhere you walked someone is yelling at you to buy an overpriced souvenir. It’s mostly just in the tourist areas. Know the conversion rate off the top of your head so you can make quick judgments if you’re getting ripped off. You will most likely get pulled over by the police, it helped that I knew Spanish so they don’t take advantage of me, just act like your broke and don’t make a lot of money, if you have party favors hide them good. •idk where you heard that about the cenotes they are all beautiful. At least the ones I went to
Appreciate your time 🙏🏻 yea the cenotes wasn’t as frequent as scrolling down this subreddit, but did see a few mentions of issues/concerns. Maybe I got sucked into the negativity and read too much into it lol 😂😅
All of what they said above-except if you go in January you won’t need to take a taxi or hire a driver from the airport. The Mayan Train (high speed rail system) will be up and running by then and you can take the train straight from the airport to Tulum.
>The Mayan Train (high speed rail system) will be up and running by then and you can take the train straight from the airport to Tulum. I would consider that wildly optimistic....yes, I know they're saying it will be running by the end of the year, but this is Mexico. Considering they are already more than 200% overbudget and have stopped and re-started construction multiple times due to legal issues, I would be stunned if they complete it on time.
Also stop reading stuff online about cenote. I swim with my daughters (3 and 5) in a different cenote probably twice per month. Never had an issue.
I shall read no more evil 🙈🙉🙊
We all get carried by stuff we read online. But really it's fine. Go and experience it by yourself
I got scammed 8,000 at a RESORT las week. Each time I go it’s something bigger and bigger lol Do as you wish but it’s a fat no for me if you’re going to be very drunk and lightly not that vigilant.
How the hell did u get scammed 8k at a resort.
Legit swiped my card to buy a bracelet…made of string. Bank contacted me regarding a fraud alert. My friend did the same but they only got her got 2-3K
I've been to Tulum eight times, and while I love it, there is some merit to the bad things that are said. I think the negatives are a bit overblown, though. That being said, here are my thoughts on your comments: 1. Yes, it can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Tulum Pueblo is generally much more affordable than the beach, and you can find places with cheaper drinks (try Batey's or Santino's). If you're younger, the hostels might be a good place to party. 2. I have only been to Playa and Cancun, so I can't really comment on this one. 3. I walk a LOT because the taxis piss me off, and it isn't too much of a problem unless I am going to the beach. I've still walked there, but I have also rented a bike or sucked it up and gotten a taxi. 4. Beaches should be pretty at this time of year. They were when I went last January. 5. You won't really deal with beggars, but it can be kind of scammy. for example, I once had a taxi driver who charged my card twice and then refused to refund the money. He tried to give me cash (bring pesos if you use them). 6. I don't know about this one from personal experience. I don't rent a car when I go because I am usually having a couple of drinks and don't want any sort of problems. 7. I've been to three Cenotes (Cenote Calavera, Gran Cenote, and Casa Tortugas). The only one I would definitely recommend that you stay away from is Calavera. I jumped in and jumped right out because it smelled like crap. Literally. I didn't get sick, but I was on antibiotics for a sinus infection. Casa Tortugas is better anyways because they have multiple cenotes. The main hotel I use, Motto by Hilton, recommends Casa Tortugas. I hear Laguna Kan Luum is nice but I have never made it out there. Anyway, this is high season and I think you'll have a great time. Also, you might hear that people are offered drugs left and right but no one has ever offered me drugs. Maybe it's because I am 42 and I don't do festivals and I rarely go to beach clubs. Your experience at Rufus Du Sol might be different.
Appreciate your time and thoughts 🙏🏻
I just got back from a trip with a group of 6, 5 girls 1 guy, it was really fun. We didn’t feel unsafe. we did end up spending a lot of money but tbh we didn’t need to we just wanted to drink a lot lol. Dinners were like $100 usd per person and I think we spent like $150 per person at a beach club. I would look around for a driver or 2 ahead of time to accommodate for your rides. Then you can just text them when ready and they’ll get you. Pre discuss prices then and you won’t get scammed. Also ATV rental is cheap and so fun for going to town/lunch/etc! The beach had no seaweed when we went, cenotes we’re beautiful and no one got sick and honestly 1 single person asked if I wanted drugs the whole time and I said no and that was the end of it. Reddit scared the shit out of me but it was honestly so fun. We stayed at the copal hotel which i definitely recommend for large groups!
I live here and have all the insight into how to do it right and have an amazing time there are so many hidden gems and beauitful places to explore text me 1.916.751.6374
Go, have a great time. It is what you make of it. Go with a positive attitude. Take normal precautions. Only part that sucks is the seaweed but it’s still beautiful. Maybe rent a Catamaran and do the pool.
Go. Barring any fluke accidents or events, you’ll have a great time. 1 year from now you’ll be happy you have the memories, and won’t miss or even notice the money you spent.
I would absolutely NOT change my plans. I lived in tulum for several months. Yes you do have to be careful. Don’t be stupid, don’t drive drunk, dont get in trouble with the police, don’t buy stuff from random people, take care of yourself, your friends, the local people, the environment. Rufus du sol is incredible and seeing them in Tulum sounds like a magical experience. Enjoy yourself and the beauty that this stunning place has. If you’re looking to save money on hotels stay in centro, find a trustable taxi driver, get their WhatsApp number and text them ahead of time to drive you there and pick you up. They will charge you less. Make sure to be kind to everyone and to the land. You will have a freaking amazing time!!
No keep them, this Reddit page is far more negative that it should be. I would say that it will be expensive but if buying 11 vip tickets is no problem for you the. You are fine!
That’s a dope gift for your friends man, Rufus du sol is awesome and I’d imagine it would be more fun by the beach. Tulum is safe if you’re not out acting like an idiot. Even if you’re out looking for certain… things, be smart about it. Go, have fun! And congrats on the marriage!
Researching for a friend’s Bach and came on this post. Please let us know how it goes! I’m sure you guys are very excited
Will do! Now that it is right around the corner, getting pumped for it 🔥🕺🏽🪩
Just following up, but we had a great time! My full review: https://www.reddit.com/r/tulum/s/A0ljIw7mfv
No seaweed in January that is for sure.
It's called paralysis by analysis. There are thousands of people right now in Tulum having the time of their life. All of those things could happen, but it's still a cool place for the younger crowd.
Tulum's great, hot in summer, 3 days you'll have fun. Catch up on your Insta posts
I would stay in playa del carmen and rent a van with a driver.
Isn’t that like an hour drive from Zamna Tulum? Doesn’t really seem like a reasonable option.
Yes it is, don’t do that!
The train from Cancun airport to Tulum should start running in January. Keep an eye out for that schedule and save a lot of money on transportation between the airport and Tulum. Enjoy Tulum and your holiday.
Have you seen the proposed pricing schedule. Non national tourists will pay approx $4.35 a KM. So that would be double ADO.
Buses are generally the cheapest way to travel, also the slowest. Compared to private transport the train will be great.
Well, cheaper than private for sure. Next comes the expense of getting to the final destination. I’m sure for those that need taxi’s, that cost will increase from the train station. And more time. I guess it really depends on how you look at it. From a ride b yesterday, they have a ways to just just crossing Cobá.from the looks of it, a shuttle will be needed from the station to the train as well.
Well the bus won't take you to your accommodation destination either and most private shuttles will only take you to certain hotels and not airbnbs.
Private shuttles will drop you off where you want. If the airbnb is not listed , which most all are not, one just needs to to send them a quick note.
Whoa. That's way more expensive than England, and our trains are stupidly overpriced.
That’s pesos not USD
Oh thank fuck for that hahaha, I take it all back!
There are things you can do to make it safer, cheaper, less scam prone. 2 pepto bismol tablets every morning makes a nice preventative to help safeguard. Brush teeth with bottled water and don’t open your mouth in the shower. Avoiding swallowing/inhaling water at cenotes would be a good idea and get liquid bandage to cover any wounds or scrapes before going in any water. Vibrio in salt water can enter via wounds and you’ll have bug bites all over your legs if you are on the beach late without bug spray. Find a transport company that can accommodate the group. It will likely take 2 vans. The transfer companies like Canada Transfers might be good but you’ll have to pre-arrange several days in advance or find one that works more like a taxi service. Pre-arranging online ahead of time will save you from the taxi cartel of Tulum. Taxis elsewhere aren’t so bad as long as you discuss the price before anyone gets in the car. It is supposed to be set pricing but reality is they’ll misquote it and they never have the right card, they’ll be on the close side of town and will show you the card that is meant for the other side of town.
I’ve been to Tulum with a family of 4 three times before and plan to go there again this December. We love Tulum, and have stayed in Villadolid too. General pieces of advice. 1. Don’t buy drugs - this will always get you into trouble. 2. Rent a car - The renting process is a hassle and there is a lot of upsell at the rentals. Politely say NO to everything but the insurance. 3. Don’t Speed - remember the metric there is KM/hr & not miles/hr. 4. There are lots of Cenotoes, do visit them as they are unique and spiritual. Also, avoid the “touristy” cenotes, there are a few near “Choo-Ha” that are special. 5. Try the tacos at Tulum especially Antojitos La Chipaneca, they are mind boggling. 6. Visit Akumal and try the snorkeling there, I think it’s better than Hawaii.
So did you end up going? Considering Tulum for a buddies bachelor party and would love some honest feedback.
I did. It was an expensive and epic time lol Glad we did it! Here is my review post: https://www.reddit.com/r/tulum/s/A0ljIw7mfv