When the Social Media Hype is NOT Real: My Honest Thoughts on Tulum

Social media has done a number on the travel industry. Back then, travel advisors were invited by hotels and tourism boards to a destination so they can make recommendations for their clients. Back then, the most effective way to learn about travel was watching the Travel Channel (anyone remember Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown??) or browsing travel blogs.

Now, it’s all about social media. You can scroll through TikTok & find influencers enjoy their beautiful villa in Bali, the views of the Amalfi coast, and their journey climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Thanks to social media, travel is all over the place! I think there’s pros & cons to this:

The pros: Travel seems much more accessible! I also hear about places that would’ve never otherwise been on my radar. Social media also gives travel brands an easier access to potential customers!

The cons: Social media encourages overtourism to certain places. Bali is a great example of this. Also, social media can easily overhype a destination….

There’s nothing quite like being excited to visit somewhere only to be totally underwhelmed once you arrive… For me, that was Tulum.

Why I Chose to Visit Tulum

I never went to Cancun or Cabo on vacay, which is pretty unusual since most Americans I know have been to Mexico at some point. It was about time for me to finally visit Mexico, and as I was approaching the end of my ’30 countries by 30′ goal, I decided Mexico should be my 30th country.

I knew of many wonderful places to visit in Mexico- I know Mexico City and parts of Oaxaca are excellent, but I was craving beach access. I watched countless TikToks and YouTube videos on Tulum… so many people said it was underrated and totally worth it (in their defense, this was probably true at one point!). While in Istanbul, someone did warn me that Tulum “isn’t the real Mexico”, but part of me figured he just meant that beach towns aren’t usually the best representation of a place. I should’ve asked more questions..

When settling on Tulum, I was mainly drawn to the cenotes, the health cafes, Tulum Jungle Gym (as a personal trainer, I knew this was a total gimmick, but was still intrigued), and the fact that it was becoming quite the digital nomad destination.

Before I get to my experience & why I was underwhelmed, let me first share the logistics of getting there:

Flying to Tulum

When I visited in November 2023, Tulum still did not have an airport- it opened shortly after! I flew direct Seattle -> Cancun (to my understanding, this is still the easiest way since Cancun has many more flight connections).

From Cancun, I arranged a driver through my hostel to take me to Tulum. It took about 2 hours to reach my hostel.

Accomodation

I chose the hostel route and stayed at Mayan Monkey Tulum. an 8-bed dorm was ~$20 per night. I could have easily found a cheaper hostel, but I was drawn to Mayan Monkey since it seemed very social and had a nice pool. Plus, the location is decent: near the town area and not too far from the beach. I stayed 6 nights.

Getting Around

You have 3 main options in Tulum: walk, bike, or taxi!

I found much of Tulum very walkable, unless you’re going to cenotes that are a ways away from the main area. I also rented a bicycle through my hostel most days- that was very fun, convenient way to get around!

Taxis are all over Tulum and I think they’re pretty cheap and reliable. I would just research standard pricing so you don’t get taken advantage of since most places will try to up-charge foreigners.

Language Barrier

English is widely spoken, especially at businesses on the beach. You can get by on minimal Spanish, but it never hurts to know the bare basics

Currency

I recall only having about $20USD in pesos and that was plenty. Beyond that, credit cards were widely accepted.

My First Full Day

Ironically, my first full day in Tulum was barely spent in Tulum…

I booked a Chichen Itza tour through my hostel because… hey, I gotta see all the wonders of the world!

The vibe of this day trip was… interesting. I was surrounded by Spanish speakers, which wasn’t really a problem for me. The other girl from my hostel, however, was VERY upset that there was minimal English spoken. She was so upset, she called the hostel and complained while on the bus.

I tried not to let her attitude kill the mood… We stopped at a beautiful cenote and that really raised my spirits. Cenote water just feels so refreshing to swim in! Not to mention they’re really beautiful.

Chichen Itza was really interesting to learn about (fortunately for me & hostel girl, we were given an English-speaking guide). The Kukulkan pyramid is very impressive & well-preserved!

Our last stop was when I realized I was doing Mexico wrong…

As sunset approached, we made a stop at valladolid, a very charming city. We were given an hour or so to grab some food and hang out.. I remember grabbing some street food and LOVING the vibes of this place! “Wow, this is really Mexico”, I thought. Little did I know, it’s would be one of my favorite hours of the entire trip.

A Full Day in Tulum

Now that I had a full free day to explore Tulum, I had one mission: beach + gym! I rented a bike and rode over to the Tulum Jungle Gym beach location.

Gimmicky & overpriced? Yeah.

Worth doing once if you’re a gym rat? For sure!

Honestly, I didn’t have that great of a workout. The equipment is cool, but not always practical. If you’re looking to actually workout, there’s better and cheaper options in Tulum. If you want to visit a cool concept gym right on the beach and take some cool videos, then the jungle gym is worth it. It’s a one-and-done.

Afterwards, I hung out by the beach and also grabbed some tacos at somewhere mostly frequented by locals- the food was very good!

I ended the night mingling at my hostel & ended up going to this party at a nearby hostel. One thing I will say, Tulum’s nightlife is top notch!

My Next Few Days Were Interesting..

Long story short, I decided the people at my hostel were cool, but just not my people. That happens sometimes, it’s no biggie!

I ended up meeting someone via social media who was in Tulum with his coworkers celebrating a big stride in their project. He asked if I wanted to join in on a day club, & a couple night club stops. I had a good feeling about it so I tagged along and it was really fun! Tulum has fantastic beach clubs & night clubs. Again, if you’re into nightlife and partying, Tulum will keep you busy!

I also spent some time in Tulum Town. There’s a lot of cool shops & decent restaurants and it all seems less expensive than anything I found near the beach.

Why I Didn’t Think Tulum Was Worth It

Ok, yes. I had fun in Tulum. I met some cool people & certainly had plenty to do throughout my 6-night stay. Here are the reasons why I still found Tulum underwhelming:

Tulum is expensive for what you get

Nuff said. I was paying high prices virtually everywhere I went & didn’t think it was worthwhile. Example: $15 dinners that were $10 quality. $20 nightly hostel that felt more on par with $15/night hostels I’ve stayed in. I realize the prices I paid aren’t significantly higher than the perceived value, but it adds up.

The wealth gap in Tulum was very prominent and very sad

My hostel was near a residential area, and seeing these large fancy resorts and luxury condos being built around the run down neighborhoods filled with local people was very upsetting to me. I’ve seen this in other places, but not as prominently as Tulum.

I found the locals to be very kind and hospitable, and it makes me sad knowing that prices in Tulum are raising and many are not reaping any benefits from that. It was very eye opening.

The beach was pretty, but nothing special

Yeah, I’d say if you visit Tulum, prioritize the cenotes over the beach. The ruins are cool, too.

It’s hard to have a rich cultural experience

While in valladolid, that was the closest I felt to experiencing the real Mexico. Tulum is full of pretension… Influencers, health gurus, and the spiritually inclined have all made their way into Tulum and the result is a place that seems.. fake. There’s really no Mexican/Mayan culture to be found unless you really look for it.

Now, don’t get me wrong.. I like yoga, health cafes, and spirituality. While I consider Bali as one of the main victims of over tourism, I genuinely enjoyed my stay. But the things that “work” in Bali just didn’t “work” in Tulum. The vibe Tulum is trying so hard to be just… isn’t.

Tulum is marketed on social media as this beautiful, relaxed beach town that’s quickly becoming a highly developed vacation destination. It’s definitely the latter.

But what they don’t show on social media is the very bumpy roads (I fell off my rental bike twice), an infrastructure that really can’t handle all the demand, & the most pretentious vibes you’ve ever felt in your life.

Is Tulum Safe?

Personally, I thought Tulum was safe. I did wander around my hostel neighborhood at night, both alone and with others, and never once felt worried or threatened. I would practice the same safety precautions you would practice anywhere.

Now, Do I Recommend Tulum to Anyone, Ever?

This is tricky… I do think there’s people who would really enjoy Tulum. If you love cenotes and Mayan ruins, Tulum is worth spending a few days. If you like nightlife, you’d love Tulum.

Beyond that, it’s hard for me to recommend it. I’ve been de-influencing everyone I know from visiting.

Tulum is a major tourist trap.

Would I Revisit Tulum?

It’s doubtful, but never say never. Places evolve, and so do I. Is it possible that I have a reason to return & will like it better my 2nd time? Sure.

Honestly though, I feel called to visit the real Mexico… Mexico City is VERY high up on my list. If I were to visit a beach destination, I would probably choose somewhere like Puerto Vallarta.