Planning a two week stay in Mexico during the pandemic meant I had to be less adventurous, no visits to the Mayan ruins or nearby cities, no long nights at bars or beach clubs, and potentially less time on the beach.
Before arriving in Tulum I knew I had to accept this reality, a holiday staycation away from home. There are currently forecasts that Global travel may be limited as far as 2024. If you’re reading this in 2020, things are slightly normal in Pandemic Tulum.
Note that my experience was in August 2020. Your results may vary.
Food
Tacos are the easiest of course. Al pastor is my favorite. Octopus beach side was my other favorite. It’s not really necessary to list all the spots. They’re all good and cheap. Support them all. Note that food is cheaper in Centro than in the beach area. You can get your other typical plates as well.
Vegan food is available. Raw Love Tulum is a good option to mix it up from the meat overload. Try their açai bowl – I had it three times. A second location opened in Centro so you won’t need to travel all the way to the beach.
Burrito Amor has forever changed what a burrito is for me and it has taken the top spot of my all-time favorite burrito list. It has to be the banana leaf.
Cenotes
Plan to visit a cenote right when it opens. You might luck out and be the only one there. Make sure you bring your mosquito repellent to apply quickly when you exit the water. The mosquitoes are pretty gnarly there and are very quick to attack.
These photos are from the Gran Cenote. It’s very accessible via bicycle. Do not attempt to walk here if it’s too hot.
The Beach
The public beach access points may not be open depending on the level of lockdown. I was ushered off by a man on an ATV patrolling the area. You have a few options though! The more South you go the less the red algae congregated.
Beach restaurant, club, or bar
Grab a seat at a beach side establishment to grab a drink or food. Some locations may request that you meet a minimum amount (~30 USD). Set up your order before you head down to the beach.
A few places I visited:
Hotel
If the prices fall within your budget then stay on the beach. I stayed at Zamas Hotel in a bungalow right on the beach for a few days. The area had a convenience store nearby for all your snack and drink needs.
Private Pool
Find an AirBnB with a sweet private pool. Most are not lap pools, but they’re great for cooling off in the heat.
As you can tell, it was still eventful regardless of the closure. This is a tourist driven economy. To measure whether or not you can visit a particular place in Mexico, see if you can book a reservation at a hotel first before you plan a visit. The websites will usually tell you if they are open or not.
Don’t hesitate to reach me in the comments or directly if you have any questions.
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