Hola! From Mexico. Welcome back Loves, in this post, I am sharing all the deets about my first solo trip to Mexico. Sometimes you just have to get brave and do things you never thought you could do. In the middle of a pandemic, I just needed a quick escape somewhere. With many countries on lockdown at the time, Tulum was a breath of fresh air and is considered one of the hottest cities in Mexico let me say this; Tulum was worth the hype and it’s kind of beautiful.
Getting to Tulum…..
I booked a Southwest Airline flight from the Baltimore (BWI) to Cancun International Airport (CUN) because there are no international airports in Tulum. CUN is the closest airport to Tulum. I also loved the ease of 2 free check-in luggage with Southwest Airlines. On getting to Cancun Airport, you have the option to take the Adobus which is much cheaper (about $15) than catching a private taxi to Tulum (costs me about $90 one-way ticket).
If you choose a round trip with the taxi company, you get a discount. Once at the Cancun airport, on your way out you will find different taxi/ride options. Be careful to pick one that isn’t too expensive or ripping you off your $$$ and if you are like me, try to convince them to give you a discount. From the airport to Tulum is roughly about 1hr 30 mins- 2 hrs depending on your destination hotel in Tulum.
Where to Stay…….
There are so many options to choose from when looking for where to stay in Tulum. Ranging from budget-friendly to luxury hotels ($-$$$$). I booked my stay using booking.com. I will say using that website was bliss, it is very easy to navigate the website.
I ended up picking a fairly pricey hotel for 2 nights at CocoTulum. I opted for a room with an ocean view which was highly therapeutic and I recommend you go for that if you end up staying here. It comes with a free breakfast for that room option.
The hotel rooms are divided into two zones (Zen-zone and Coco beach club), my room was in the Zen Zone. You can read more information and book your stay directly on their website. No matter what area of the hotel you stay in, you get to enjoy all services around the hotel. I will give my stay here a 9/10 for location, ambiance, and proximity to several attractions. It is perfect for solo travelers or couples.
Know Before You Go……
These are a few things to know before booking your trip to Tulum…….
- Most places accept cash (in dollars or pesos) and also credit cards. Be sure to have more cash handy as that is the most preferred method of payment. Try to change a few hundred dollars to pesos while in the US before your trip. I have heard you lose money exchanging them at the airport. I converted about $200 with my bank in the States just so I have emergency cash on deck. If you don’t change prior to your trip, do not worry, thankfully, there are plenty of ATMs around Tulum also.
- Plan to rent a car or better still rent bikes, the taxis charge a minimum of $10 no matter the distance in Tulum. Every attraction is pretty close to another but I did pay a taxi $20-25 round trip for a distance as short as 5mins. It is better to pay with pesos if you have them. I would totally go for the bike option, but the sun in Tulum was no joke lol.
- Hunnay! Pack that sunscreen first, if you do not want to be roasted by the Sun in Tulum. It’s a makeup dissolving sun and not even your face primer will save you lmao. Sunglasses are also your best friend on this trip.
- You NEED an insect repellant on this trip. Consider it part of your body moisturizer lol. It is really needed especially at night when the mosquitos or whatever bugs there are in Tulum, come out to play 🙁
Safety Tips for Solo Travelers
- Stay connected with friends and family back home (wherever that is). Be sure to always share your location with close friends or family. Thankfully most locations have Wifi available in Tulum, but to be safe I still rented a Wifi device here. It was not the most reliable in Tulum but still came through.
- Tulum is pretty busy during the day but fewer people are out late at night (maybe because I went during the pandemic) so be sure to retire to bed on time aka leave the streets early enough lol
- Always be in the midst of a crowd; do not go to lonely places e.g. the Ruins in Tulum, by yourself. Pretty much follow your guts at any time. Stay Safe!!!
I felt relatively safe in Mexico. People were friendly, nice, and always willing to help you. It was nerve-wracking traveling solo but I would say Tulum eased my anxiety. By the end of my stay in Tulum, I was glad I took a chance. If I could do it again, I would totally go for it.
Hope you all enjoyed reading this blog post. Leave me any questions in the comments and I will be sure to get back to you. Also, let me know if #1 you plan to travel solo or #2 you plan to visit Tulum.
Click HERE to check out my next blog post on “Instagrammable Spots in Tulum” for where you must see when in Tulum.
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With Love From,
Chonks, xx
