Tulum, a small beach town in Quintana Roo Mexico, is taking Instagram by storm. It has become a very popular destination and every day when I scroll through my Instagram feed I’m met with classic Tulum pictures like bright blue cenotes and too-pretty-to-eat smoothie bowls.
I visited Tulum recently and it really is as beautiful off screen as it is on. There’s so much to explore, see and do in Tulum, and almost everywhere you go is photogenic. It almost seems like the town was made just for the ‘gram! Wherever you go you’ll find swings, cute boutiques, unique hotels and beautifully presented food. It can almost feel overwhelming to make sure you’re hitting all the best spots. Whether you’re in Tulum for a short getaway or a whole blissful week, here’s your guide to the best Instagram spots in Tulum, and what you need to know to get the perfect shot.
Cenotes
Cenotes are sinkholes formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes groundwater. They’re associated with Mexico and many of the most beautiful ones are in or around Tulum. You could fill a week with traveling from cenote to cenote (and I would love that) but on my trip I only had time to hit two. They did not disappoint!
Gran Cenote
Gran Cenote is conveniently located right in Tulum. I took a taxi here (they are plentiful in Tulum and I felt completely safe) but I also saw people riding their bikes to get here. Gran Cenote is one of the largest and most popular cenotes in Tulum. Some people may be dissuaded to visit due to its popularity and crowds, but definitely do not miss it! Most popular spots are that way for a reason and Gran Cenote is beautiful. If you’re hoping to get a shot without a lot of people in the frame you should plan to get here as soon as it opens. That’s what I did and 20 minutes after opening it was getting busy.
When you arrive you’ll pay the entrance fee and will be directed towards outdoor showers. Everyone is required to shower (completely wet your hair) before getting in the water. Gran Cenote is comprised of several cenotes meandering together. I suggest walking past the first cenote staircase entrance (where most people will be) and going down the smaller staircase that’s farther ahead. This is not the main swimming entrance so you’ll be able to get photos with less people around.
Cenote Calavera
Cenote Calavera is another very popular cenote located right in Tulum, but it’s a completely different experience than Gran Cenote! Cenote Calavera is much smaller and looks to be located on someone’s property. When you arrive you’ll pay the owner a small fee and walk back through what seems like his backyard. After following a winding path you’ll see a jagged opening in the earth and that’s the cenote. It’s much smaller than Gran, and we had it to ourselves for a while. I recommend getting to Gran Cenote first thing and hitting Calavera after.
“Calavera” means skull in Spanish and this cenote does have an eerie feel to it. There’s a rope swing and a wooden ladder to help you get down, but this cenote is more closed and dark than Gran, and the water wasn’t as bright and clear. I was too scared to go in! I enjoyed looking around the cenote and taking some pictures on the ladder, but it was a pretty quick stop since I didn’t want to swim.
Restaurants
Tulum is chock full of beautifully decorated restaurants and bars. Most of them are outdoors and have swings, which is super fun (and Instagramable!). I did noticed that food and drinks in Tulum are much more expensive than in other parts of Mexico. It really is a tourist town! There are some spots you can find that are cheaper, but overall I did find the food a bit pricey (but delicious!).
Matcha Mama
Have you even been to Tulum if you don’t go to Matcha Mama? This spot is ALL over the ‘gram. And for good reason! Matcha Mama is a healthy cafe that serves matcha (duh) and beautiful smoothie bowls. There’s more than one location so make sure you visit the outpost on Tulum Beach Road. It gets busy with the breakfast rush and the spot where you see most pictures taken (on the swing by the Matcha Mama sign) is really small. Getting here early is key! The sunlight is also really harsh in the afternoon, so early morning works well.
Hartwood
Look at any “best restaurants in the world” list and you’re likely to see Tulum’s Hartwood on it. Hartwood is completely outdoors and there’s no electricity, but the food is world class. Getting a reservation here is hard and if you can’t get one I recommend lining up about 30 minutes before the restaurant opens to secure a walk-in table. The space is jungle chic and the dishes are so colorful and presented beautifully.
Raw Love
I didn’t have enough time to visit Raw Love, but I’ve seen lots of cute pictures from this spot. Their smoothie bowls look delish!
Hotels
Just like restaurants, Tulum is full of gorgeous hotels. There are no chain hotels in this area, all of them are smaller boutique properties. Hotels line Tulum Beach Road and it’s really easy to walk up and down that street popping into and out of hotels, shops and bars. These hotels are the most expensive due to their proximity to the beach.
Nomade
Nomade is a trendy hotel that gives off earthy and boho vibes. There are oriental rugs on the sand and lots of pillows and poufs. If you aren’t staying at the hotel you can visit one of its two restaurant hot spots, Macondo or La Popular. La Popular is on the beach and gets super crowded. Macondo is set back in the hotel’s grounds and it’s where I chose to eat. We were pretty much the only people there that afternoon! I loved the vibe of Macondo, it’s beautiful with a lot of Moroccan design elements.
Nomade has a lot of other great photo spots, including those super popular triangle beach bed structures (I didn’t see any open when I visited). An important note about taking pictures at Nomade… they aren’t very camera friendly. I had ordered food and drinks at Macondo and started taking some pictures of the restaurant while waiting for my food. An employee came up to me almost immediately and told me that you can’t take pictures on “cameras with removable lenses” on Nomade property. This photo was taken on my iPhone. I was a little taken aback because I don’t really understand why they would have this policy, the employee told me it’s something about government fines? I do have to say the food and ambiance were really great though.
Coco Tulum
I stumbled upon Coco Tulum while walking on the beach, so I only saw the back of it. Coco is well known for its beautiful outdoor beach bar with swings. It’s a fun spot to enjoy a drink and watch the waves come crashing in! If you want a picture on the swings without the crowds aim to get here early in the morning.
Casa Malca
Casa Malca is such a cool spot! It’s completely unmarked and hard to find but the best description I can give is it’s right by Nomade and has a lot of big plants outside. This building is Pablo Escobar’s former mansion and there’s lot of history here. If only these walls could talk… An art buyer purchased the property and now it’s a boutique hotel with a lot of modern art and cool design elements. It’s easy to stop by, grab a margarita, and snap some pictures at any time of the day.
Azulik
This is the “tree house” hotel with the nets that you see photos of all over Instagram. I didn’t visit Azulik because I’ve heard they aren’t that friendly to photographers. I’m mentioning it here because it’s a super popular Instagram spot and it does look very beautiful and unique. I think it could be worth it to stop by for a drink or bite to view the property, but keep in mind that many people have reported the staff aren’t very welcoming. I’ve also heard their margaritas are $20+! That’s NYC prices!
Beach
The beach in Tulum is wide and beautiful, with soft sand and rolling waves. There is one downside, however. Seaweed. Depending on the time of year there can be piles and piles of seaweed lining the beach making it difficult to walk along or swim in. It was pretty bad when I was there and I saw employees at some hotels cleaning it with bulldozers! Regardless of the seaweed situation you should still take a walk on the beach and visit these photo spots.
Beach Swing
I randomly came across this beach swing one morning during a walk. I left my hotel, Coco Limited, and turned right (opposite direction from Coco Tulum Hotel). You’ll find the swing sitting on the sand a bit farther back from the water.
Leaning Palm Tree
This leaning palm tree is a super popular photo opp on Playa Paraiso. When you get to the beach walk to the left and it’s easy to find. There’s usually a line of people waiting for their turn to take pictures!
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