Dreaming of Tulum (w/ Interactive Map!)

This past Winter, I was luckily enough to get away to the Tropical climate and healing waters of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Truth be told, late stage pandemic blues had gotten to me and Mexico was the healing salve I desperately needed at the time.

During the nearly three months I spent there, mostly in Tulum, I sustained a dog bite (luckily there's no rabies in Mexico) and was scammed multiple times (Cuidate con Airbnb in Mexico–but that's another story.) I also ate endless amounts of ceviche and made countless, exceptional memories that will stick with me for a long time.

My original plan was to travel through Mexico, but I decided to hunker down in Tulum once I got a taste for the exceptional ceviche, the salsa dancing culture, and met some incredible friends. (I was also taking Julie Sundara's Dimensional Healer Training, which didn't allow much travel time, and transformed this small beach city into a cite of profound healing.) Many have said the tierra is healing—for me, that reputation was true.

All in all, it turned out to be a dreamy few months, and I compiled this list (BELOW) of some of my favorite places, which I hope will serve you on your travels there.

(To import the map on to your phone for optimal travel experience, follow this link.)

On our way to Palma Central after Pato’s legendary salsa class at Oryx Hostel

Freshly fried fish feast at Pescaderia Tulum - this is served with handmade tortillas and costs under $10.

I mostly stayed in the center of the city. The Hotel Zone, despite being what most people expect when they arrive in Tulum, is a bit of a simulacrum on the beach, an influencer spectacle disconnected from the way locals live in the center, and rife with alcohol after dark. While fun sometimes, everything there is extremely expensive (comparable to Meatpacking District in NYC), and nobody really lives there, it’s just hotels. I generally preferred the public beach, but both are experiences worth having.

Some of my favorite places included: Oryx Hostel (the nicest hostel I’ve ever stayed in, where you can have your own private cabin—I made friends with all the staff), Espiritu Wellness (for their excellent Temazcal and lovely owners, Lalo and Gloria) Palma Central for Salsa on Tuesday nights—the whole city is there) and my two favorite cafes, Raw Love and Brew Tulum—which offer two different takes on the food culture of Tulum. Raw Love has an incredible coconut milk latte (they make their own coconut milk, chef’s kiss—I also love their pesto zucchini noodles) and Brew Tulum serves incredible coffee as well as Mayan cuisine in a tranquil, hidden setting that most people don’t know about but it’s only a matter of time before they do. Other food favorites include Taqueria Maya (great local spot - so cheap and delicious, if you eat meat) and La Vegan Taqueria for you can probably guess what, Bandera for good music and a cool crowd on the weekends, and of course, El Chino and Pescaderia Tulum for an outstanding seafood experiences where you will not find hordes of tourists. L

Have any questions? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out on social media. Find me: @nycmabel.

!Buen viaje!