Cancun vs. Tulum – Which Should You Visit Next?

Selecting between Cancun and Tulum in your subsequent trip spot is like deciding between two good tacos, every made to order and every with its personal distinctive taste. Each locations provide beautiful Caribbean coastlines alongside Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, however cater to totally different tastes, preferences and budgets.

Micki and I’ve spent ample time in each Cancun and Tulum and love every of them for various causes. Whereas each provide one thing distinctive, we’ve discovered that we loved our time in every place extra as soon as we outlined what precisely we had been on the lookout for and matched it to our moods and expectations earlier than arriving in Mexico.

Cancun or Tulum? Which is the Greatest Trip Vacation spot for You?

Although it may be a simple reply for individuals who’ve had the great fortune of visiting every vacation spot beforehand, the choice basically boils right down to what options you’re on the lookout for in a getaway in addition to your funds, expectations, ease of arrival and even your timelines.

So, whether or not you’re in for vibrant nightlife and luxurious resorts or a extra serene getaway near nature and historical ruins, this information will hopefully aid you determine which vacation spot fits you greatest.

Cancun: Vibrant Nightlife with Trendy Luxuries

Cancun, typically synonymous with the Spring Break crowd, is a well-known resort city on the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The well-known Resort Zone is an extended, beachfront strip of high-end motels, nightclubs, retailers, and eating places, all going through the breathtakingly blue Caribbean Sea. Cancun is in the end designed for vacationers looking for an opulent, all-inclusive expertise with the comfort of recent facilities.

Why Select Cancun?

• Vibrant Nightlife: Cancun’s nightclubs and bars provide an electrifying ambiance with world-class DJs and events that final till daybreak.
• All-Inclusive Resorts: Town is thought for its huge array of all-inclusive resorts catering to each kind of traveler, from households to occasion goers to {couples} looking for excessive class romance.
• Buying and Eating: With an intensive number of procuring malls, boutique shops, and eating choices, Cancun is a hub for individuals who get pleasure from city conveniences by the seashore.
• Actions and Excursions: Past the seashore, Cancun affords quite a few actions corresponding to {golfing}, snorkeling, scuba diving, and visiting close by Mayan ruins like Chichen Itza.

Tulum: Bohemian Appeal Meets Historic Historical past

A few hours south of Cancun, Tulum presents a contrasting vibe that’s extra laid-back and immersed in nature. Identified for its eco-friendly boutique motels, Tulum is the epitome of a bohemian paradise, with yoga retreats, natural cafes, and artisan retailers. Its seashore is dotted with palm timber and rustic cabanas, with the traditional Mayan ruins overlooking the ocean, providing a novel backdrop.

Why Select Tulum?

• Eco-Stylish Life-style: Tulum’s lodging are usually designed extra in concord with nature, typically providing a sustainable and intimate expertise.
• Cultural Richness: The city is near among the most important Mayan archaeological websites, together with the Tulum Ruins and Coba.
• Pure Wonders: From the close by beautiful cenotes (pure sinkholes) to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Tulum is a haven for nature lovers and adventurers.
• Wellness and Leisure: With a give attention to wellness, Tulum tends to draw these seeking to unwind by way of yoga, meditation, and spa remedies utilizing pure, native substances.

Issues to do in Cancun

There are a myriad of issues to do in Cancun from journey excursions to spas. Right here’s a number of of our favorites:

Playa Delfines stands out for its expansive stretches of sand and vibrant turquoise waters, good for sunbathing, swimming, and even browsing. For these considering marine life, the Interactive Aquarium Cancun permits guests to rise up shut with dolphins, sharks, and quite a lot of tropical fish in interactive experiences.

Past the seashores, Cancun serves as a hub for exploring historic and pure wonders. The Mayan ruins at El Rey provide a glimpse into the traditional civilization proper within the coronary heart of the Resort Zone. For a day journey, the majestic Chichen Itza, one of many New Seven Wonders of the World, is inside attain, providing insights into the Mayan tradition and structure.

Nature lovers will likely be drawn to the pure fantastic thing about the cenotes, corresponding to Cenote Ik Kil, with its crystal-clear waters very best for swimming and snorkeling. Journey parks like Xcaret and Xel-Há mix the great thing about the pure surroundings with thrilling actions, from zip traces and river tubing to snorkeling and cultural reveals.

We additionally love heading over to Isla Mujeres for the day and should you had a gaggle, taking a catamaran cruise over to it will be a enjoyable strategy to get to and from the island.

Issues to do in Tulum

Tulum’s appeal lies in its skill to mix tradition, historical past, and pure magnificence right into a serene and enriching expertise.

The Tulum Ruins are the city’s most iconic attraction, perched atop a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. These ruins provide breathtaking views and an opportunity to stroll by way of the remnants of a once-thriving Mayan port metropolis.

Seashore lovers will discover their slice of paradise at Playa Paraíso, identified for its powdery white sand and clear, calm waters, offering a extra relaxed ambiance in comparison with Cancun. For a novel expertise, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve affords an opportunity to discover untouched landscapes, together with seashores, coral reefs, and jungles teeming with wildlife.

Tulum can be well-known for its cenotes, pure sinkholes full of contemporary water. Cenote Dos Ojos, for instance, is a well-liked spot for snorkeling and diving, with its clear, turquoise waters and complicated cave techniques. We loved our first time at Cenote Dos Ojos a number of years in the past. These pure swimming pools provide a cool respite from the warmth and a small peek into the geological wonders of the Yucatan Peninsula. Domestically, there’s additionally Cenote Sac Actun and Gran Cenote which are very near Tulum correct.

The city itself is a haven for foodies and people looking for wellness experiences. Tulum’s culinary scene is various, specializing in contemporary, native substances and progressive dishes. Many eating places provide outside seating, permitting diners to get pleasure from their meals within the open air. Wellness retreats and yoga studios are considerable, selling leisure and mindfulness amidst the pure fantastic thing about Tulum.

Making the Choice: Cancun or Tulum?

The selection between Cancun and Tulum in the end boils right down to the kind of trip you need.

Cancun is right for individuals who:

• Crave the joy of a bustling metropolis’s nightlife and leisure.
• Desire the comfort and luxurious of enormous, all-inclusive resorts.
• Take pleasure in having loads of procuring and eating choices at their doorstep.
• Are on the lookout for a trip the place every thing is inside attain, providing a mixture of leisure and journey.
• Are okay with being close to to resort properties alongside the seashore.
• Wish to be at their resort inside 20 minutes of getting off their aircraft.

Tulum fits vacationers who:

• Need a quieter, extra serene setting that’s near nature.
• Respect the appeal of small-scale, eco-friendly lodging.
• Need a cultural expertise, exploring historical ruins and fascinating with native traditions.
• Worth sustainability and wellness as integral components of their journey expertise.
• Take pleasure in lengthy stretches of seashore with minimal giant resorts.
• Are okay with longer drives to get the place they need to be.

Extra to consider…

Each Cancun and Tulum are gateways to Mexico’s beautiful Caribbean coast, however cater to distinct tastes and experiences. Cancun’s attract lies in its vibrant nightlife, luxurious facilities, and metropolis comfort, making it an ideal alternative for individuals who search an brisk and pampered trip.

Tulum, then again, appeals to the soul looking for tranquility, pure magnificence, and a contact of historical past, all wrapped in an eco-conscious and wellness-oriented bundle with a smaller metropolis to discover and nearer to ruins and cenotes.

Your choice might also rely upon the sort of recollections you want to create. Are you seeking to dance the evening away and indulge within the epitome of resort dwelling with dozens of eating places inside a number of blocks of your resort, or do you envision your self waking up in a beachfront cabana to the sound of waves, able to discover the depths of a cenote or stroll round a Mayan spoil?

All this isn’t to say which you could’t discover leisure and tranquility in Cancun or a number of wild events in Tulum. Every location has its share of each, however Cancun’s vacationer roots stretch farther again so generally, the motels, eating places and points of interest cater to a bigger, extra boisterous crowd. What Tulum would possibly flip into in 20+ years remains to be up for debate nonetheless now the constructing and elegance pattern is certainly in the direction of the extra ecological aspect.

The place to Keep in Tulum

We’ve stayed in small motels, condos and much more conventional all-inclusive resorts in and round Tulum through the years. Right here’s a number of private favorites we’ve stayed at or had family and friends rave about.

Kanan Tulum Hotel and Spa – Beautiful bohemian stylish beachside resort

La Zebra Boutique Hotel – Smaller upscale boutique resort on the seashore

Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa – One of many bigger extra conventional all-inclusive motels in Tulum

Copal Tulum Hotel – Tons of greenery and good rooms proper on the town

Hotel Posada 06 Tulum – I stayed right here a number of years in the past with Micki and the children and had a good time. Quaint and quiet on the town resort near retailers and eating places

The place to Keep in Cancun

We’ve achieved loads of all-inclusives when staying in Cancun although we’ve stayed in a number of condos and even a standard resort once we had an early flight the following day. HZ refers back to the Resort Zone strip which runs north to south exterior of the principle metropolis in Cancun.

Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun – A private favourite from once we stayed right here final! Nice spa and calm oceanfront on the northern finish of the Resort Zone.

Paradisus Cancun – Middle of HZ with nice views, tons of eating places/nightlife and good beachfront

The Westin Resort & Spa Cancun – Quieter location on south aspect of HZ supplying you with a pleasant tropical really feel

Sun Palace – {Couples} solely boutique retreat on the south of HZ

Ambiance Suites Cancun – Clear on the town resort nice for an inexpensive in a single day keep when wanted

Getting There

Attending to Cancun or Tulum is comparatively simple.

Cancun

Cancun has been on the vacationer radar for many years now and has a preferred and busy worldwide airport solely 20 minutes away from the Resort Zone. Flights to Cancun are usually low-cost and plentiful from most North America, South American and European international locations. Native buses are straightforward to leap on and off and taxis are all over the place plus trip sharing websites like Uber additionally exist.

Tulum

Tulum opened their very personal worldwide airport lately (Tulum Airport (TQO) | Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport). Nevertheless there are solely a fraction of flights presently touchdown in comparison with Cancun, so if selecting Tulum, understand that you just is likely to be compelled to land in Cancun and must drive or take a bus or shuttle service (roughly 2 hrs from Cancun airport).

There’s a prepare route below building from Cancun to Tulum, referred to as the Tren Maya, which is usually known as the Mayan Practice or Maya Practice. The present projection is that the Cancun to Tulum route will likely be open in June 2024, however there’s a strong risk of delays, so make sure that it’s working should you plan to make use of it to get right down to Tulum in your keep.

Taxis are straightforward sufficient to seek out although collectivos (small van-like native buses) are extra the norm there for farther jaunts. After all, each cities have good lengthy distance ADO buses that may get you wherever within the peninsula and even right down to Belize or central Mexico.

Cancun or Tulum, Each Are Superior

Whether or not you select Cancun or Tulum, each locations promise an unforgettable escape to the Riviera Maya. We’ve had wonderful experiences in each locations each with our children and with out and have a tendency to name the Riviera Maya our unofficial second dwelling. We’re excited to see how the brand new worldwide airport in Tulum and the brand new Yucatan prepare adjustments each the panorama and the probabilities within the area. however time will inform if the prepare helps or hinders the areas it’s opening up.

In both case, you’ll be able to’t go fallacious with both location because the seashores are lovely, the meals is scrumptious and the persons are welcoming.