{"id":17138,"date":"2014-08-14T19:08:42","date_gmt":"2014-08-14T19:08:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=17138"},"modified":"2021-10-28T16:38:31","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T16:38:31","slug":"swank-and-style-in-tulum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/swank-and-style-in-tulum\/","title":{"rendered":"Swank and style in Tulum"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let me set the scene for you: The sun has just set and the sky is turning from pink to ink. I\u2019m sitting in Hartwood, an open-air restaurant seasoned by an outdoor kitchen that looks like a cross between a chic cookout and an upscale market with the evening\u2019s bounty arranged in produce pyramids. As I\u2019m about to order my locally sourced cactus salad and pesca del dia<\/em>\u00a0from a life-sized chalkboard menu, I overhear someone two tables over muse, \u201cWe love Tulum<\/a>\u00a0so much, we\u2019ve stopped going to Hawaii.”<\/p>\n

While you won’t find me saying adios to the Hawaiian Islands (the aloha spirit refreshes my soul<\/a>), after spending five days in Mexico’s eco-chic getaway<\/a>\u00a0at the South end of the Riviera Maya, I\u2019m not surprised to hear my fellow diner\u2019s ode to Tulum. I, too, am smitten by the jungle-meets-beach locale cultured with a dash of wellness, a smidgeon of boho, and glamping-style hotels reminiscent of Swiss Family Robinson abodes.<\/p>\n

Hanging at the top of every \u201cit list\u201d in the fashion and design circles, Tulum is gathering a large clan of converts ranging from fashion bloggers to health gurus to European families. The result? A fetching fusion of gorgeous, groovy, and granola neatly wrapped into one package. So you don’t waste any time settling in\u2014the beach is beckoning!\u2014here’s how to do Tulum as if you’ve been going your whole life.<\/p>\n

Getting there<\/strong><\/p>\n

All flights land at the\u00a0Cancun<\/a> International Airport (CUN), about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Tulum along a straight-as-an-arrow, well-maintained highway. Cabs cost approximately US$120 on the way there, and US$80 on the way back (the return trip is cheaper because the drivers don\u2019t have to pay an airport fee).<\/p>\n

If you want to save mucho<\/em> pesos on the journey, catch an air-conditioned colectivo<\/em>. Think of colectivos as public transport micro-buses with basic stations in major towns, and informal pick-ups and drop-offs where you need it along the route. The journey from the airport to Tulum costs about 100 pesos (approximately US$8) and takes three hours when you factor in the cab you\u2019ll need to get outside the airport, the multi-station colectivo ride, and the final taxi you\u2019ll take into Tulum from the nearby town of Tulum Pueblo, known by locals as, simply, El Pueblo.<\/p>\n

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The beach in front of Papaya Playa Project<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Getting around<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stretching from the Tulum Ruins down to the Sian Ka’an arch along Boca Paila Road, most hotels, restaurants, and shops dotting the beachfront sit within three miles of each other along a narrow thoroughfare following the shore. If you stay mid-strip, the area is very walkable. Alternatively, catching a cab up or down the road costs between 50 and 70 pesos per trip. (Avoid hailing a cab in front of Hartwood restaurant as it will set you back a minimum of US$10. Walk up or down the road and flag down a cab to avoid the surcharge).<\/p>\n

Stay<\/strong><\/p>\n

Miles away from Mexico\u2019s margarita-toting, all-inclusive enthusiasts, Tulum\u2019s brand of boutique hotels range from thatched-roof beachfront bungalows to whitewashed concrete digs. Whatever hotel style floats your boat, make sure your stay comes with air conditioning. As romantic as it might seem to have your patio doors open to the sound of lapping waves, air conditioning is sleep savior in the humidity. Shorefront hotels I recommend are: Be Tulum<\/a>\u00a0and The Beach Tulum<\/a>\u00a0for style seekers, Papaya Playa Project<\/a>\u00a0for the glampers, and Coqui Coqui for the spa lovers.<\/p>\n

Eat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Easily the most recommended restaurant in Tulum,\u00a0Hartwood<\/a> wows with every glance, every texture, every bite, every sip. Shaded by palm fronds and lit by the stars, servers deliver local food outfitted in jeans, white t-shirts, and canvas aprons, making you wonder if you’re suspended in a food nirvana somewhere between Brooklyn and Mexico.<\/p>\n

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Hartwood<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

At Gitano<\/a>, another restaurant, strings of lights hung from marine rope light the open-air space setting the jungle aglow. The hub, an A-frame bar made of reclaimed wood, is inspiring enough to say “I’ll have another.\u201d Add in the Mexican minimalist food\u2014tortilla soup served in a clay bowl or fish tacos neatly placed atop a wooden board\u2014and you’ll be sticking around until the disco ball starts turning.<\/p>\n

Finally, Casa Jaguar is an intimate eatery with enough private quadrants to kiss between every course. It’s look, hovering somewhere between the pages of DWELL Magazine<\/em> and House Beautiful<\/em>, creates a country-meets-modern take on jungle dining, serving up fresh Mexican dishes with an Italian disposition.<\/p>\n

Do<\/strong><\/p>\n

Visit the Tulum Ruins and BYO bathing suit to cool off at the on-site beach. Sip fresh juice at shacks lining the street. Learn to kitesurf over the ocean blue. Join a yoga class at one of the dozen-or-so retreats along the shore. Of course another option is to very purposely do nothing at all and opt to savor the sand under the shade of a palapa (viva Mexico!).<\/p>\n

Viewfinder Tip: Many return visitors to Tulum use bike rentals (US$8 per day) as their main mode of transport. Bring a set of front and back lights for your bike to safely ride at night.<\/p>\n

The jungle life<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adding to the away-from-it-all allure, Tulum is planted where the Yucatan jungle meets the Caribbean Sea. This means you MUST bring bug repellant. Mosquitos don\u2019t bother bathers at the beach, though many of Tulum\u2019s top restaurants are alfresco outposts on the \u2018green\u2019 side of Boca Paila Road, so it\u2019s wise to wear pants or a long dress in the evening (especially after a rainfall).<\/p>\n

Cash only<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because most of Tulum\u2019s power is created by generators or solar panels, there are no major banking institutions along the beach\u2014only private cash machines\u2014and credit card terminals are few and far between. Moral of the story: Ensure you bring enough cash for every vacation expense aside from your hotel bill. Replenish your pesos in the nearby town of El Pueblo at Scotiabank or HSBC.<\/p>\n

When to visit<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mexico’s Caribbean Coast is postcard-perfect most of the year. While hurricane season puts a slight damper on the area’s endless summer\u00a0from June through November,\u00a0historically,\u00a0August and September are the most tumultuous months (and they still enjoy a hefty dose of sun).<\/p>\n

What Mexican beach destinations satisfy your vacation “it” list?
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Navigating Tulum, Mexico\u2019s eco-chic retreat, like a local<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1789,1883,1813,1927,1783,1782,1816,1788,1791,1825,1776],"tags":[],"authors":[2232],"class_list":["post-17138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventure","category-architecture","category-beach","category-cancun","category-caribbean","category-destinations","category-food-and-drink","category-interests","category-mexico","category-tropical","category-type-of-vacation","authors-trip-styler","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSwank and style in Tulum | Expedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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