While I love to be in a relaxing place just my hubby and I, I also love to spend some good time with friends. When we were invited to spend New Year’s in Tulum with some other couples, I couldn’t think twice. We had to make it happen.
Tulum was high on my bucket list after seeing some amazing shots in Instagram. Besides its natural beauty, it’s well know for its lively atmosphere, with trendy restaurants and a laidback but chic ambience. It’s a complete destination with plenty to do (have a look at my post about what to do in Tulum in 5 days).
We started searching for the best venue to celebrate NYE and we had no doubt, it had to be at Be Tulum/Nômade hotel. It’s one of the most wanted NYE party and it’s kind of hard and expensive to buy it, but it worth every effort.
I tried to make contact several times, but they only started to proper communicate in the beginning of December (thru Facebook and then e-mail), so you can imagine how worried we were. Both hotels hold the tickets for their guests at first, and then they sell it to the general public, that’s why it’s so difficult to buy it, if you don’t have a “friend” or someone from inside.
After making contact thru Be Tulum Facebook page, I received an e-mail address to contact them, and so it was. Finally, around 20/December (yes, unbelievable) we were with our tickets in hands. This year they had two kinds of tickets. Only for the party, which is settled at Nômade Hotel, and dinner + party. Dinner is taken over their three restaurants, we chose Maresias, right on the beach at Be Tulum.
The ambience is simply overwhelming. On the sand, a relaxed but stylish atmosphere, with typical performances, like it was taken out of “A thousand and one nights” book. The food was great (not spectacular) and beverages were well served from beginning to end. For me it was the highlight of NYE, where we could chat with our friends in a magical ambience. I couldn’t feel happier than that.
But then, around midnight, we headed to Nomade Hotel, about 100 meters away by the beach, where we were delighted by the most fantastic party scene. The vibe was really impressive. Imagine torch lights contrasting with lasers, elegant electronic music contrasting with instrumental performances, carpets on the sand, candles, all together. I guess we were living “A Thousand and One Nights” mixed with “Alice in the Wonderland”. Crazy. Fantastic. And simply unforgettable.
If you are wondering where to celebrate next New Year’s Eve and you are looking for a stylish place with a relaxed atmosphere, wonder no more. Head to Tulum and don’t think for even a second. Be Tulum is where you shall be.
As mentioned before in my last post explaining that Tulum was high on my bucket list, we planned to celebrate New Year’s Eve there with friends to party and have a good time. In the middle of the way planning our trip, I figure it out I was pregnant, so I must confess I was a bit worried about if I would enjoy being there or not.
Our main priority was to plan the NYE celebration, which we knew it had to be at Be Tulum Hotel (I will post about it). Besides that, we planned to do some light sightseeing close to Tulum and to have some stylish dinners and sunset parties. In only 5 days it’s hard to get to know it all, but here I will share with you some of the things I suggest you to do in a short time in Tulum. It’s a good overview.
Visit Ancient Ruins
Tulum and the Riviera Maya region housed once a prosper civilization. The Mayas were numerous and built beautiful cities. You can visit the most famous ruins called “Chichen Itza” about 2 hours driving north of Tulum. If you have a short time as we had, you can visit Tulum Ruins, which are very beautiful, located in front of the Caribbean Sea and only about 20 minutes drive from Tulum centre. You can hire a car, arrange a day tour with your hotel or simply hire a taxi, which can take you to the main touristic points nearby Tulum.
Take a dip at one of the many cenotes
Did you know that under Riviera Maya soil there is a river and many caves all “linked” one to another? You can actually dive into this beautiful crystal clear blue water inside the caves, which they call cenotes. Mexico’s Yucatán Península is home of more than 6.000 cenotes, so you can imagine how hard it is to choose only one or two to visit. We decided to visit only one, very close to Tulum (about 20 minutes driving), called Dos Ojos, and we were not disappointed at all. Truly beautiful. There is another cenote very close to Tulum which is also famous called Gran Cenote. If you drive to the North, about 2 hours from Tulum, you can also visit the most famous cenotes in Yucatán Peninsula, such as Cenote X’Canche and Ik Kil.
Cenote Dos Ojos
Relax on the Beach
That’s the best daily practice in Tulum, I may say. There are plenty of beach clubs and hotels with live DJs and a party ambience where you only have to worry about whether to drink one more mojito or not. We spend our days in our hotel Delek Tulum, with a very relaxed vibe and good music. We’ve heard that Be Tulum is one of the best places to spend the day. Gitano has just opened a beach club.
Relax Atmosphere at Delek Hotel
Doing some shopping in stylish boutiques
It’s impossible to not fall in love with the Main Street of Tulum. It’s packed with stylish cafes, healthy bowls shops and beautiful boutiques. Even if it’s just for some Insta shots or not, you must spend some time walking and loosing track of time along this busy narrow street.
Party over the trees watching the sun going by
Picture yourself in a nest over the trees, watching the sunset and enjoying some good music in a lively ambience. You must have imagine yourself at Azulik Sunset Experience, one of the best experiences we had while in Tulum. They run it in a walk-in basis, so be there at least 1 hour before sunset time to guarantee your place. If you want to upgrade your experience, reserve a private nest at Kin-Toh restaurant and watch the sunset in a very private way. But be prepared to pay a salty price for that.
Can you spot the nests over the threes?
Dine in style under the stars
Tulum has so many dining options it’s really hard to choose. It’s depends on which kind of food do you want, if a more relaxed or more lively ambience, if you are on a budget basis or not. I must say everything there is quite expensive – as any other trendy place in the world. But you have a few options to choose from, so here are some of my favorite ones:
Pousada Marguerita Ristorante – For fantastic Italian food in a very relaxed atmosphere overlooking the ocean. A place to dine with your feet on the sand.
Gitano – For a lively dinner in a very stylish ambience in the middle of the jungle. Put a nice outfit. One of the most trendy spots of Tulum.
Mur Mur – Awarded Mexican cuisine in a relaxed but trendy ambience.
Maresias at Be Tulum – We had dinner there in NYE and we really loved the food and the ambience. It’s a very relaxed place, must be very nice to go there for lunch.
Be Tulum at NYE
Tatewari at Delek Tulum – We stayed at Delek Hotel and ate every day there during lunch time. It’s absolutely delicious and we saw many people coming from other places to have breakfast or lunch. Relaxed atmosphere overlooking the ocean.
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Party In Tulum
Tulum is well know for its parties and festivals. As I’m pregnant, we didn’t go to any party besides NYE in Be Tulum, which was by far one of the best parties I’ve ever been too. Fabulous vibe. Check my post about it. After New Year’s there are some festivals held in Tulum, sometimes on the beach, sometimes in the middle of the jungle. One of the most famous is Sound Tulum, which usually starts just after NYE. If you are an electronic music fan, you should check it out.
Make Instagrammable PhotosYou must have seen a thousand photos of Tulum on Instagram. Whether in front of a different hotel, a colorful coffee shop, a stylish shop, there is always a place that looks beautiful in the photos, you don’t have to try too hard to find it. This place below was very close to my hotel, I just came walking from the beach and found this beautiful spot for some photo shooting at Akiin Beach Tulum.
Work Out Like Flintstones
We are gym fanatics and always look for one wherever we are. I confess I was a bit lazy this time (pregnancy has this sort of thing), but my husband did not fail to check out this original gym. All “caveman” style. If your hotel doesn’t have a gym (most of them doesn’t), be sure to check out The Jungle Gym.
Como mencionado em meu último post que Tulum estava no topo da minha lista de desejos, planejávamos celebrar o Ano Novo lá com amigos para festejar e nos divertir. No meio do caminho do planejamento da nossa viagem, eu descobri que estava grávida, então preciso confessar que fiquei um pouco preocupada se gostaria de estar lá ou não.Nossa principal prioridade era planejar a celebração do tão esperado Reveillon, que sabíamos que precisava ser no Be Tulum Hotel (vou postar sobre isso). Além disso, planejamos fazer alguns passeios curtos perto de Tulum, ir a alguns restaurantes estilosos e fazer alguma sunset party. Em apenas 5 dias é bem difícil conhecer tudo, mas aqui vou compartilhar com vocês algumas das coisas que sugiro que você faça numa breve estadia em Tulum. É uma visão geral, espero que aproveitem:
Visitar Ruínas Antigas
Tulum e a região da Riviera Maya abrigavam uma vez uma civilização próspera. Os Maias eram numerosos e construíram belas cidades. Você pode visitar as ruínas mais famosas do México chamadas “Chichen Itza”, a cerca de 2 horas de carro ao norte de Tulum. Se você tiver um tempo curto como o nosso, você pode visitar as Ruínas de Tulum, que são muito bonitas, localizadas na beira do mar caribenho, e estão a apenas 20 minutos de carro do centrinho. Combine com um táxi ou feche um dia de passeio diretamente no hotel, é bem simples e fácil.
Dar um mergulho em um dos muitos cenotesVocê sabia que sob o solo da Riviera Maya há um rio e muitas cavernas, todas interligadas umas às outras? Você pode mergulhar nessas águas azuis cristalinas dentro de verdadeiros buracos na terra, o que eles chamam de cenotes. A Península de Yucatán, no México, abriga mais de 6.000 cenotes, então você pode imaginar o quanto é difícil escolher apenas um ou dois para visitar. Decidimos visitar apenas um, muito perto de Tulum (cerca de 20 minutos de carro), chamado Cenote Dos Ojos, e não ficamos desapontados. É realmente muito bonito. Há outro cenote muito próximo à Tulum, também conhecido como Gran Cenote, dizem que é muito bonito. Se você dirigir mais ao norte, cerca de 2 horas de Tulum, também pode visitar os cenotes mais famosos da Península de Yucatán, como Cenote X’Canche e Ik Kil.
Cenote Dos Ojos
Relaxar na praia
Essa é a melhor prática diária em Tulum. Há muitos clubes de praia e hotéis com DJs ao vivo e um ambiente gostoso aonde você só precisa se preocupar em beber mais um mojito ou não. Nós passamos os dias no nosso hotel, o Delek Tulum, mas soube que o Be Tulum tem uma vibe bem legal pra passar o dia. Recentemente abriu também o Gitano Beach, certamente irei lá numa próxima visita.
Vibe Relax no Delek Hotel
Fazer compras em boutiques estilosas
É impossível não se apaixonar pela rua principal de Tulum. Ela é repleta de cafés charmosinhos, restaurantes com bowls saudáveis e coloridos, palmeiras e belas boutiques. Mesmo que seja apenas para algumas fotos do Insta ou pra abrir a carteira mesmo, você precisada dar uma caminhada por alí e perder a noção do tempo ao longo desta movimentada rua estreitinha que corta a via costeira de Tulum de um lado a outro.
Badalar sobre as árvores ao pôr-do-sol
Imagine-se em um ninho sobre as árvores, assistindo ao pôr do sol e curtindo uma boa música em um ambiente super animado e exclusivo. Você deve ter se imaginado na Azulik Sunset Experience, uma das melhores experiências que tivemos em Tulum. Eles não fazem reserva e as filas são grandes, portanto esteja lá pelo menos 1 hora antes do pôr do sol para tentar garantir seu lugar. Agora, se você pensa em dar um upgrade nessa experiência, sugiro reservar um ninho privado no restaurante Kin-Toh do próprio Hotel Azulik e assistir ao pôr do sol de uma maneira muito mais exclusiva. Claro que para tudo isso tem um preço, prepare o bolso.
Você consegue ver os ninhos sobre as árvores?
Jantar com estilo sob um céu de estrelasTulum tem tantas opções de restaurantes bacanas que é realmente muito difícil escolher. Depende de que tipo de comida você deseja, se um ambiente mais descontraído ou mais animado, se você está com orçamento limitado ou não. Devo dizer que tudo é um tanto quanto caro – como qualquer outro lugar da moda no mundo, mas você tem várias opções para escolher, das mais simples às mais requintadas, então aqui estão algumas das minhas favoritas:
Pousada Marguerita Ristorante – Para comer uma comida italiana fantástica em um ambiente super descontraído com vista para o mar. Um lugar para jantar com os pés na areia.
Gitano – Para um jantar animado em um ambiente super estiloso no meio da selva. Coloque uma roupa legal e se prepare pra badalação. Um dos restaurantes mais em alta em Tulum no momento.
Mur Mur – Culinária mexicana premiada em um ambiente descontraído, mas com toque moderno e requintado.
Maresias at Be Tulum – Jantamos lá no Reveillon e adoramos a comida e o ambiente. É um lugar super descontraído, como quase tudo em Tulum, porém com requinte e estilo. Ficamos de voltar para almoçar.
Be Tulum na noite de Réveillon
Tatewari no Delek Tulum – Ficamos no Delek Hotel e comemos todos os dias lá na hora do almoço. É super delicioso e vimos muitas pessoas vindas de outros lugares para tomar café da manhã ou almoçar lá. O ambiente é descontraído, pé na areia com vista para o mar. Tem um clima bacana também no entardecer.
Badalar em Tulum
Tulum é bem conhecida por suas festas e festivais. Como viajei pra lá grávida, não fomos a nenhuma festa além do Reveillon no Be Tulum (post sobre isso em breve), que foi de longe uma das melhores festas que já fui na vida. Uma vibe incrível. Após o Ano Novo, existem alguns festivais em Tulum, às vezes na praia, às vezes no meio da selva. Um dos mais famosos é o Sound Tulum, que geralmente começa logo após o Reveillon. Se você é um fã de música eletrônica, precisa conferir.
Fazer Fotos Instagramáveis
Você já deve ter visto mil fotos de Tulum no Instagram. Seja na frente de um hotel diferente, de uma cafeteria colorida, uma lojinha estilosa, sempre tem algum lugar que fica lindo nas fotos, você não precisa se esforçar muito pra encontrar. Esse local abaixo era pertinho do meu hotel, bastou sair caminhando pra encontrar o Akiin Beach e me esbaldar.
Malhar numa academia no estilo Flintstones
A gente é do tipo fanático por academia e sempre procura alguma onde quer que estejamos. Eu confesso que estava mais preguiçosa dessa vez (a gravidez tem disso), mas meu marido não deixou de conferir essa academia pra lá de original. Toda estilo “homem das cavernas”. Caso seu hotel não disponha de academia (a maioria não tem), não deixe de conferir a Tulum Jungle Gym.
I went to Mexico a long time ago with my parents, more precisely to Cancun, when it was being developed. I must say it’s not my kind of holiday destination. I don’t like big resorts and a bunch of people every where you look.
Delek Hotel Restaurant Tulum from Above
But then, much more recently, I heard about Tulum and its rustic chic lively ambience adding a magical touch to the natural beauty spread all over Riviera Maya. I knew I had to go there one day.
Come Away With Me – Azulik Hotel
What a better way to visit a festive place if not with a group of friends? When my hubby and I were invited to spend New Year’s there, we had no doubt, we had to rock it. If you like Mykonos and Ibiza, you will love Tulum. Plenty of beautiful people, trendy restaurants and laidback but stylish beach clubs (or hotels), it’s a place to visit at least once. But we are already planning our next visit, sorry!
Incredible Evening in Tulum – Delek Hotel
The ambience here is more chilled than the European destinations I mentioned above. Picture yourself in flip-flops from morning to evening. But expect to find stylish boutiques packed with beautiful linos dresses and outstanding restaurant options. We only spent 5 days there, but we could have stayed for one month for sure. There is so much to do and I explained everything I know here.
Relaxing in the hammock
The best time of the year to go is during their winter time (December to April), it’s not that hot (it’s never cold there) and you can find plenty of nightlife options. During the other months people say it’s more relaxed and calm, but for sure it’s still great. Just avoid hurricanes season (from August to November).
Photo Shooting in Tulum – Akiin Hotel
The main tip I could give you is to find a place to stay right on the beach, if your budget allows you to do that. It’s fantastic to wake up with the sounds of the waves and take a dip in the sea with only a few steps. Besides that, depending on the hotel you are staying in, you won’t have to deal with the super crowded traffic of the main street.
A Day by The Beach
About that, another important tip. We considered to rent a car at the airport, but it’s only wise if you are planning to move around frequently. Consider that in Tulum almost everything is reachable by foot or bicycle. And it’s very hard to drive around, so you won’t be using the car to dine out, for example. So we took a transfer from the airport and used taxis when we wanted to reach a farther place.
Beautiful Boutiques of Tulum
We decided to stay at Delek Tulum and we couldn’t be happier with our ocean view cabana. Simply fantastic. The food was amazing and we spent most of our days there, on the sand, relaxing. Think about a very relaxed place full of character and charm, besides being very comfortable. Highly recommended!
Our Ocean View Room at Delek hotel
Some other unique hotels to check:
*Be Tulum and Nômade – From the same owner, it’s where we celebrated NYE, the most wanted party of Tulum. For sure we will try to stay there in our next visit. Hip and trendy; *Nest Tulum – Relaxed and stylish ambience, one of our number one choice for the next time. Natural, with a lively vibe; *Casa Malca – It was once Pablo Escobar’s mansion, now it’s a stylish and beautiful design hotel. For those who seek for a modern touch; *Azulik – It’s impossible not to mention the most famous hotel in Tulum, with beautiful nests above the trees and very particular decor. But bear in mind that most of the rooms doesn’t have air conditioner. For my husband it is something impossible to live without. You must visit to see it.
A typical store of Tulum
There is so much to do in Tulum that we could easily have spent at least 5 more days there, but in our short time we could at least see it at a glance. Take a look at my next post about What to Do in Tulum in 5 days. Hope I can inspire your next trip.
