A few years back I got to properly travel for a good year and a half, seeing all sorts of amazing places. It was only last month I got to spend some time in Tulum though, which I discovered quickly to be one of my favorite destinations to date. Tulum is pretty much as close to stepping into a Pinterest picture as you’re going to get, so definitely my cup of tea! Recommended by my beautiful Aussie globetrotting pal Alice, I fell in love with this place.
The 10 kilometer stretch of road where the Mayan jungle meets the beach is such a boho oasis. Dotted with yoga practices, boutique hotels, and fair trade outdoor restaurants, the preferred mode of transport is pastel-colored bicycles. Come evening time, the sunsets and the boutique bars and jungle eateries light up with outdoor wood-burning ovens, fairy lights and candlelit mason jars hung from the trees, it’s all a little bit magical!
Alice had recommended organic fair-trade restaurant Hartwood as a must-visit, but unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side the evening we went to visit and it was closed due to a leak of some sort (according to our driver, who in fairness did his best asking the locals why it wasn’t opened).
(Related: Mexican Adventures: Playa Del Carmen)
With so many other magically fairy-lit spots along the jungle road to choose from, we got over Hartwood soon enough and settled for an Argentinian wood-fired restaurant, Casa Banana. This open-air little gem is one of the most beautiful places that I’ve eaten. Lit only by candles, many of which hang from mason jars in the rafters, and complete with a perfect little bar and wood-fire oven. Of all the evenings for my camera to play up, this was the one.
We didn’t really get the chance to fully explore Tulum town, but what we did see of it is very authentically Mexican and a nice contrast to the beachy boho vibes of the coastal road. I’d head back to Tulum in a heartbeat, definitely one of my top three beaches escapes and well worth a visit if you find yourself along the Mayan coastline.
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