Tulum Town

Tuesday 18 February 2014



One morning, the skies were overcast and the threat of intermittent rain showers loomed beckoning us away from the beach.  We spent a couple of hours catching up with Joe's Grandma and Great Aunt who, by the way, are both avid travellers.  We laughed as they told us about getting soaked while taking in the Panama Canal and listened in awe as his Aunt casually mentioned her trip from Beijing to Europe via the Trans-Siberian railway.  If that doesn't inspire you to leave the resort, I'm not sure what does.

Joe's cousins had already caught the Collectivo, a public transport system, into Tulum town and we hoped to meet up with them somewhere along the way.  We had heard there wasn't much to do in town although prior to our trip, I did come across a few articles and blogposts chronicling Tulum's rise to popularity with it's sustainable, low-key and hippy-esque vibe.  Our taxi deposited us in the centre of town, along the main strip which was chalk full of tourist shops filled with knickknacks.  We sauntered up and down the street, occasionally peeking into the shops but mostly just taking in the surroundings: a couple of cars driving slowly through town with a man on a loudspeaker and a girl in a bikini draped across the hood, dreadlocked men walking down the street barefoot, a variety of tourists haggling in shops.

Eventually, we found a little more of what I was expecting - one block off the main road we landed in Batey's.  It was a funky, little place that smelled delicious.  We hadn't known this when we were there, but apparently, they're the place to go for mojitos.  Everything that came from the teeny, tiny kitchen out the back looked fresh and yummy but we settled on some homemade guacamole and a couple of beers although that didn't stop us from salivating every time we saw something else make its way to another patron at another table.

Had we not been at an all inclusive up the road, we might have come into town more often in search of those little restaurant gems.  I suppose that's one of the downside of resorts - food and drinks are included in your rate and it seems wasteful not to use what you've paid for yet, in turn, that means you're missing out on all of the little opportunities for great dining elsewhere.



-Some restaurant/hotel recommendations in Tulum town
-Travel and Leisure's take on Tulum

9 comments:

  1. it sounds like you two made the most of resort life and being in a funky little city! and the beers and guac makes me miss living so close to mexico. i have only stayed on one all-inclusive in my entire life and actually, i enjoyed myself. but just like you guys, i left the resort :) it was in cabo and i really enjoyed the city, as well as the drinks and food at the resort. i wouldn't be opposed to doing it again someday :)

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  2. Beautiful photos! Sounds like you have a lovely time!

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  3. this sounds like my dreamboat scenario! homemade guac? only thing that could top it would be a hippie with no shoes on strumming a tiny string instrument roaming by..

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  4. Beautiful!! So colorful, must be a nice change for you guys :)

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  5. ooh I like that vase on the left! (is it total crap? oh well...) and YUM mojitos make the vacation for sure :P

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  6. Oh my gosh I LOVE this are of Mexico. And you photos are so beautiful and alive with color!
    Lisa | c/oMKE

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  7. GASP I want to go here! So beautiful. Love the colors and the artistry. :) If I had a place to hang a hammocks, I'd have to get my hands on one.

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  8. Tulum is absolutely beautiful!!! The waters, the history, the people. I love my motherland :)

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