All the incredible things to do besides the beach in this famous beach town.
In Tulum, locals have a name for the archetypal boho festival tourist dressed in bathing suits and combat boots: the Tuluminati. They descend on the tiny beach town in waves, transforming Tulum’s once laid-back shoreline into something closer to Ibiza during peak rave season. But there’s a far better way to experience this corner of Mexico than bouncing between beach clubs and EDM sets. Beyond the scene, Tulum and its surrounding jungle are full of quieter, wilder pleasures: swimming solo in cenotes, climbing Mayan pyramids with only a few other travelers around, ziplining without the lines, drifting down a river with no one else in sight. In a town famous for its beach, some of the best experiences have nothing to do with the sand at all.
Keep your fierce independent streak going by staying at the locally-owned, boutique Kahatsa Hotel. Or better yet, have Intrepid Tours, a well-known B Corp–certified tour company that prioritizes responsible travel and locally rooted experiences, organize the whole thing for you. Their new Short Breaks offerings take just 4-5 days and fully immerse you in not only the best of the secret gems and undertraveled points of interest, but experiences that actively engage local communities and support regional economies rather than bypass them. The Tulum to Chichen Itza Short Break is a dream itinerary for Yucatan Peninsula travel–plus they do all the work.
