A cultural guide to Tulum

Your essential guide to the best things to see and do in Tulum. Find more travel inspiration for more amazing cities here.

With its pristine white-sand beaches and turquoise waters, Tulum has always served as a dreamy backdrop to artistic and cultural narratives. Perched on the dazzling coastline of the Riviera Maya, this Mexican Caribbean paradise has beckoned artists, musicians, creatives, and spirituality seekers for decades.

Tulum started as a small, dusty pueblo, surrounded by thick Yucatán jungle and backed by an impressive stretch of powdery soft beaches. Over the years, travelers and backpackers started to make their way to the town, drawn by its Mayan cultural sights and rustic palapa-style cantinas and bungalows. Then came the artists and bohemians, who helped to shape Tulum into a destination for creativity and a haven for wellness and spiritual enlightenment.

Today Tulum is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Mexico, with a wide variety of fabulous restaurants, bougie beach clubs, design-forward hotels, inviting boutiques, and legendary nightlife.

Art & architecture

When it comes to art and culture, Tulum sets the bar along the Mexican Caribbean, serving as an alluring canvas for artists and designers who have long been attracted to its magnetic energy and painting-friendly light. The town pulses with creativity, evident in its many galleries, boutiques, and open-air studios that showcase a kaleidoscope of contemporary and traditional works.

At the core of Tulum’s architectural scene is the archaeological park, which helped to put the town on the tourist trail. Take a guided tour of the ruins of the ancient Mayan city that sits on the edge of a coastal cliff overlooking a dramatic beach scene below. Let your imagination be sparked along centuries-old pathways as you get a glimpse of what life was like here among the stone temples and towers.

A must for any art and design lover is SFER IK, an “interdisciplinary creative sphere” that creates beguiling contemporary installations, transporting visitors into a jungle-inspired dreamscape. Designed by “non-architect” Eduardo Roth Neira, these biophilic complexes are constructed of cement and local timber, with openings that flood the space with sunlight and pops of green from the jungle. SFER IK currently has three sites around the city.

Even the streets of Tulum themselves are like a living, breathing gallery thanks to the brilliant displays of street art splashed all around. Walls hum with life and vibrate with color in works of art that blend Indigenous heritage with international influences. No façade is off limits: Artists have transformed downtown Tulum into a vibrant expression of culture and contemporary themes.

Food & drink

In Tulum, head to Taquería Honorio, a modest roadside spot that exploded to superstardom when top global chefs—many of whom were in town for the famed 2017 Noma pop-up—started to notice it. Meanwhile, Sabor de Mar serves Sinaloa-style seafood and is famous for the artistry put into its seafood towers. For effortless cool, the innovative menu at WILD Tulum is matched by a multi-sensory design concept and lush surroundings. Casa Banana has been around since the late 1990s and is still going strong, serving juicy cuts of steak cooked over an open flame and a cocktail menu that put the city on the mixology map.

Music

Tulum pulses with the rhythms of the town’s eclectic cultural fusion, drawing in musicians from around the world. Papaya Playa Project was one of the innovators in Tulum’s music scene. The beachfront playhouse-meets-hotel has served as a hub for the region, welcoming resident DJs and international guests on weekends and for the monthly Full Moon series.

Most of the dance clubs and parties are located along Beach Road. Check out Mía Tulum, Vagalume Tulum, and Bonbonniere for the best in festival energy and beach sessions. For the past two springs, several Tulum venues hosted the LOCUS drum ’n’ bass festival, bringing DJs and artists from around the world for a week of parties. Music also flows through the streets of Tulum Town, particularly from Bestiario Tulum Wednesday through Sunday.

Just as famous as the beach parties are Tulum’s jungle parties—and nowhere does it quite like Zamna Tulum. Zamna’s jungle location is about 15 minutes from Tulum Town and the party here can roll straight through into sunrise.

Shopping

Shopping in Tulum blends bohemian charm with contemporary design, adopting natural materials like wood, bamboo, clay and stone. Artisan markets overflow with incense and trinkets, while eco-conscious fashion boutiques showcase sustainable designs crafted from organic mediums. Lifestyle store La Troupe is deeply rooted in fair-trade principles, selling regional textile art created in collaboration with local artisans. La Tiendita specializes in all-natural, eco-friendly beauty elixirs, while Auras is the shop for beach dresses, accessories and jewelry.

Head to colorful Mixik for traditional Mexican crafts—think hand-painted ceramics and bedazzled skulls—or to Kaahal Home for beachy accessories and gifts. Mexixc-Arte also sells a wide variety of souvenirs made in all parts of the country.