I stayed in Tulum for two months, and I'm here to share my thoughts on whether you should stay in Tulum Town or Tulum Beach during your trip to Mexico.
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Staying at Tulum Beach
Tulum Beach is very similar to the Las Vegas Strip. It is all specifically catered to tourists, and nothing else. Not to say it isn’t cool, because it is. It’s one long street that has two lanes and is jam-packed full of cars, scooters, tourists on pedal bikes, and pedestrians.
It’s a bit insane! No matter what time of the day, Tulum Beach is always hustling. I don’t really love the “always on” vibe, so Tulum Beach didn’t do it for me. I found it super fun to visit though!
There are some truly amazing things to do and incredibly rad places and ecosystems unique to the region. So here’s the question … Tulum Beach or Tulum Town?
Why you should stay on Tulum Beach
While Tulum Beach wasn't the right place for me, it might be the right vibe for you. Tulum Beach is full of incredible restaurants (which is why I kept finding myself down there).
It would also be a good spot for you if you’re not going to be in Tulum a long time. Personally, my trip to Tulum is ~2 months long so I didn’t mind being a little further away. But if you’re only in town a few days, it makes sense to throw yourself into the thick of it all.
Staying in Tulum Pueblo (Town)
The vibe in Tulum Pueblo is so different than Tulum Beach. It isn’t the opposite of Tulum Beach, though. It’s not sleepy by any means. It’s a lot more authentic Mexican vibes than Tulum Beach. Of course, there’s still hipster coffee shops and bougie restaurants but they are spread out more than those at Tulum Beach. I personally think it has a super cool vibe and I love how laid back it is. I loved staying at Aldea Zama in Tulum Town.
That being said, if you think you’ll be spending a bunch of time at Tulum Beach, it’s likely not worth staying in town. It’s about a 30 minute drive from town to beach which would eat up a lot of your vacation time.
Final thoughts on Tulum Beach vs. Town
I don’t think there’s anything “superior” or that there’s a right answer. For me, I’m over my partying days and the beach was just not what I wanted. I love my apartment in Aldea Zama and the laidback jungle vibes. You might not, and that’s okay!
I hope this blog was helpful to you. If you are familiar with Tulum, which vibe is more your scene?
