Tulum
Deana Bianco | March 31st, 2007
Tips by Deana Bianco
Photos by Valery Gherman
The best part of winter in New York City is completely avoiding it by taking a trip to somewhere warm. Sick of the cold winds, gray skies, and the hustle and bustle, Valery and I packed our bags and headed to Tulum, Mexico. The name Tulum rang in my ears like a warm whisper. The second we stepped off the plane in Cancun (an hour and a half outside of Tulum) the humidity hit me like cushioned pillow. I stripped down from a cashmere sweater and wool blazer to my tank top and I immediately slung them into my oversized purse so that I could really forget about winter. After going through customs, we were approached by a handful of Mexicans asking us if they could take us on tours. They kept on asking Valery and I if we were on our honeymoon (I guess our appreciation of the heat passed as a ‘just married’ glow). We rushed over to our rental car place and picked up our car and proceeded to make the hour and a half trip to Tulum in the dark.
The signs were quite helpful and the drive was easy enough although beware of a lot of changes in the speed limit and ridiculous amount of speed bumps which I found quite tedious. I read online that local Mexican police officers are waiting for tourists to disobey traffic rules so that they can slap you with a ticket.
When you get to Tulum, there is an area along the beach, which is aligned with resorts and hotels. Some resorts we passed along the way were so grandiose that they reminded me of Disney World. We stayed at Las Ranitas (an ecological resort boutique beach hotel), which was located at the end of the long strip. When we arrived at the hotel at 1:30 in the morning the staff was more than gracious to help us. Our picturesque bungalow was located right on the beach with ocean views. Even though it was dark outside we slept soundly with the echo of the waves crashing up on the shore. Here were a few highlights from our trip.
Restaurants
Ana y Jose
Hands down the best ceviche I have ever had. The waiter was charming enough to tell me that my Spanish was “excelente!”
La Nave Pizzeria
We went to this restaurant for dinner more than once. Located in downtown Tulum, it was one of the best meals we had. Our first night there we ate dinner while a reggae band played outside at a bar across the street. My favorite thing on the menu was the brick oven pizza with calamari, shrimp, and tomato.
Maya Tulum
The meal at Maya Tulum was superb. Who says just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you don’t eat sensible? Since they are a resort centered around wellness, health, and yoga, their food was what I had in mind when I want to eat a square meal and it is very vegetarian friendly.
Posada Margarita
We went there for lunch. The appetizer plate filled with cauliflower, olives, focaccia bread and cashews was quite a treat. The Italian waiter (maybe the owner?) sat down at our table and told us exactly what was for lunch giving us around four or five options. I felt rushed to make a decision about what I wanted even though I could hardly remember any of the choices because they weren’t written down. I ended up getting a pasta dish (I heard the owners were Italian so I figured why not?) and was really disappointed. What topped off my disappointment was that our pasta dishes were around $20 US. I would go there for a drink and enjoy the appetizer plate, that’s about all.
Where to Stay
Las Ranitas
The staff was very polite and our accommodations were superb. The décor of the hotel is a combination of French and Mexican and the location is further down the line of hotels so you feel as if you receive more privacy. The bungalow had floor to ceiling windows, which really made me feel as if I was staying in paradise. I can’t wait to go back!
Maya Tulum
Looking for that perfect yoga retreat? Maya Tulum is the answer. Awake early each morning and take a yoga class. The rates are reasonable and while taking a break from sipping fresh squeezed pineapple juice on the beach, take an eco tour of the ruins or a deep tissue massage at the wellness spa. They offer weekly yoga packages.
Where to Go
Downtown Tulum
Although it’s filled with tourists, they have great restaurants and even some great shopping. Walk down the strip, browse, and enjoy the atmosphere. I found purses that would normally sell in NYC vintage stores for 1/10th of the price.
The Ruins
Tulum is the place to go for Mayan ruins. My favorite was Coba, which is a little bit of a drive. Be sure to hire one of the many tour guides sitting at the entrance for a private tour. It will only cost 20$. If you’re a historian buff like I am, it will be an amazing experience for you and an interesting one at that.
Where Not to Go
Cancun
On our last night in Mexico we stayed in Cancun because we had an early flight the next day, which was a complete culture shock after experiencing the serenity and peace of Tulum. We checked into our hotel (not even worth naming) and they slapped wrist bands on us like dogs being checked into a kennel and handed a flyer of all the pool side activities, free booze, and what time each buffet started and ended. We decided to stroll down to downtown Cancun to get out of our hotel and it was like America on steroids in Mexico with Burger Kings, Hooters, McDonalds, etc. as far as the eye can see and of course horrible themed bars blasting Nelly, Britney Spears and Fergie. Horrible.
