Magical Tulum Explored Alone — A Petite and Solo Wayfarer

I lost all sense of time in Tulum. When I think of my solo trip to Mexico, a few words come to mind: magical, special, rustic, serene. For my birthday, I wanted to get out of New York City, travel somewhere warm and tropical and get there in a short amount of time. I could have gone anywhere in the Caribbean but I pictured myself celebrating my birthday alone finding zen. I wanted to stay just a few feet away from the salty sea, seeing and listening to the crashing of the waves from a hut or a cabana. I did not want to stay in a typical mega-resort lining the coast of many islands. I was in pursuit of serenity, comfort and easy-going vibes. I could think of no better place than Tulum.

Petite and Solo Safety Factor

4.8 out of 5

Tulum, Mexico is located about 1-1/2 to 2 hours south of Cancun International Airport on the Yucatan Peninsula and is a resort town along the coast with an archaeological site of a 13th century Mayan walled-city, a watchtower and pyramid-shaped temples. Tulum was known as a backpackers' or hippies' dream but the secret is out about its relaxed atmosphere and it has now become Mexico's stylish beach destination.

I have been to Cancun twice, in the hotel zone, sharing a mega-pool with what seemed to be over 200 people in it and either staying in an all-inclusive resort in a room with a barely partial ocean view or a low floor garden view room, experiencing a sleepless night due to the noise from the pool area or the restaurant. Tulum is nothing like Cancun. She is still very untouched by the overwhelming development of Cancun or the other parts of Riviera Maya. Being in Tulum is like paradise. I heard Tulum is extremely comfortable for the solo traveler but I didn't realize how much so.

I arranged my round-trip transportation from the airport through my Palapa-style hotel directly for USD$190.00. I was told I could have paid about USD$80.00 per way for a taxi however I prefer to arrange reliable and reputable transportation through the hotel. I find this to be the more sensible option for the female solo traveler. Along the two-lane Highway 307, I passed the mega-resorts of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Maroma Beach, etc. and immediately noticed the change in scenery once I arrived into Tulum. Tulum is comprised of three parts, Pueblo (the town), Playa (the coastline and hotel zone) and Ruinas (the archaeological site where the Maya ruins are located). I decided to stay at La Zebra Tulum in Tulum Playa on the powder-white sandy beach in a beachfront cabana-style lodging. When I arrived to the resort, I was upgraded to a more modern ground-level suite with a beachfront ocean view and outdoor jacuzzi.

I found everyone including complete strangers along the jungle road to be pleasantly friendly. Everyone greets one another with a simple "Hola". I met a number of single travelers who were visiting Tulum on a yoga retreat and we bonded on the beach, sunning and remarking how peaceful Tulum was. I found Tulum to be a special place and the only unsafe thing I encountered were the mosquitoes. I would recommend Tulum without hesitation especially for the solo female traveler.

Accessibility

For Tulum, there are only a few options to see the Maya ruins, the local cenotes, the various stylish boutique shops on the jungle road parallel to the coast or Tulum town. Those options include walking, biking or using a vehicle (taxi or rental car).

Bike rentals are readily available from your hotel or through various rental shops along jungle road or in town. Bicycling is a favorite past time amongst the locals and tourists to get from one location to another or to just explore Tulum with its spa hotels and yoga retreats.

I wanted to ride a bike to Tulum ruins one Sunday morning. To avoid the tourist crowds, I woke up early to first catch the sunrise and made my way out around 7:30am hoping to use one of the bikes provided by the resort. I am 5 feet tall and the bicycles were way too big for me. Next, I was forced to locate a bike rental shop along the long jungle road that I noticed before on route to the hotel from the airport. By now, I found myself walking over a kilometer and all the rental shops I encountered were closed. Perhaps it was the fact that it was Sunday or simply too early for shops to be open but as the morning became warmer, I resigned myself to hail a taxi which readily passed by for the past half hour. The cost was 130 Mexican Pesos (USD$7.50). Apparently taxis are frequently available up and down the jungle road, in Tulum Pueblo and at the ruins. At the hotels and small resorts, cabs are always passing by as well to drop-off or pick-up guests and patrons.

Walking is also a possibility for short distances. You will always run into someone on the jungle road along with you. Tulum makes great attempts to remain the eco-friendly resort town and that also includes not providing electricity after midnight. The road is not lined with street lamps, therefore a trusty flashlight or the use of your flashlight feature from your phone will come handy while walking along the road for dinner or to browse the shops that remain open as late as 11:00pm. I used a flashlight every night to guide my way back to the resort from dinner as there are no sidewalks and you will want to see the cars along this unlit and curvy road or rather, you want them to see you.

Single Girl Comfort

I got a sense that everyone was accustomed to solo travelers to Tulum. This naturally was encouraging for me. Tulum while it felt like paradise, it did not feel like the land of honeymooners which may make things awkward for anyone traveling alone. There were couples, families, men on a guys' trip, women on a girls' trip and solo travelers. What made Tulum so comfortable for me was a feeling of not being rushed, of catching a breath, finding your center, relaxing and taking in the rustic beauty of the beaches and the jungle. Even the travelers' beach and street-style was relaxed. Being a solo black female traveler had no relevance here. I did not experience discomfort at anytime during my trip. I felt courageously free here in Tulum.

Dining Solo and Confident

Dining on beach vacations tends to be easy. At breakfast, you can dine at your Palapa-style hotel's restaurant alone in a quiet corner or in the outdoor area enjoying the morning breeze. You may also take a quick walk to the nearest restaurant on the jungle road for a morning bite. Lunch consisted for me of a beach bite of guacamole or delicious fish tacos by the ocean in my bikini.

For dinner, I loved knowing I can walk along the jungle road and found a variety of restaurants to choose from. At Simple Tulum restaurant, grilled fresh seafood options is its main focus. Simple was also considered one of the Gold Standard Restaurants in Tulum by Condé Nast Traveller in 2015. My company was an adorable cat who sat at my feet while I enjoyed my fresh catch of the day.

At ARCA, I was politely asked if I could dine at the bar considering I was by myself. I was not offended by this request. This restaurant has a lot of group seating and it appeared all the two-top tables were taken when I arrived. I struck up a nice conversation with the bartender who moved from California and had been living in Tulum for about a year. I also encountered a couple whose female companion was coincidentally celebrating her birthday on the same day as mine. I discovered it was easy and comfortable to meet new people in Tulum.

English is commonly spoken in Tulum and menus tend to be given in both English and Spanish.

Wayfarer Pointers

Mosquitoes!

No one likes to be bitten and ravaged by mosquitoes and generally one does take precautionary measures to avoid the painful, itchy stink of these bites. More recently, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has emphasized the importance to protect yourself when traveling overseas due to the outbreak of the Zika virus which has been linked to serious birth defects of the brain called microcephaly in pregnant women or women who plan to be pregnant. The CDC has placed Mexico on a Level 2 Alert which basically advises to practice enhanced precautions.

According to the Mexican Government release, as of February 2016, there was only one confirmed case of Zika virus in the Yucatan Peninsula.

With this said, Tulum is part beach, part jungle. By the beach side, the winds thankfully keep the mosquitoes at bay.

I however found at least half a dozen of them in my room just lazily chasing me every whereever I went. If possible, ask for a "cocooned" net to be placed around the bed or just prepare to use the good ole towel to start swatting away at them. It is advisable to keep the guest room or cabana door and the patio door closed to help keep the mosquitoes from coming in.

Now to the Jungle side. The mosquitoes are particularly brutal at dusk and night. I wore the best insect repellant I could find, effective against the Zika virus carrying mosquitoes and they still made dinner out of me. I do suggest wearing long pants in the evening and covering your shoulders and arms however the fact remains that some of the best restaurants in Tulum are in the jungle and getting bitten by insects and mosquitoes is inevitable. It is encouraging to see that the restaurants also try their best to keep the mosquitoes and insects away from you by using smoke-screen repellants, torches, candles, etc. but I found that mosquitoes just love me.

Money

In Tulum, many places only take cash, either Pesos, U.S. Dollars or Euros. I recommend you pick up your pesos after clearing Mexican Customs once you arrive to the airport. Quickly stop by the Currency Exchange right outside baggage claim. You do get more for your buck by paying in Mexican pesos. Currently the exchange is MXN17.5 to USD$1.00.

There are also several ATMS outside a number of hotels and shops along the jungle road however I would first verify with your hotel that they are reliable. The ATMS only dispense US Dollars.

Tulum Ruins

If you can tear yourself away from the powdery white sand beaches of Tulum or cease your indulgence for a Mayan Clay massage at a spa, the visit to the Tulum Ruins, the ancient Mayan fortress, is worth it. From Playa and depending on your hotel's location, the taxi ride to the ruins will be no more than 150 pesos.

Tulum was an ancient Mayan fortress city and is the only one to have been built overlooking the ocean. The most iconic of its structures is the Castillo (the Castle) which is perched on the edge of the cliff. This area and image is the most often associated with Tulum ruins and the Mayan Riviera.

There will be several pyramid-like structures to explore with descriptions of their functionality. You will not be allowed to climb them however most recently, Justin Bieber thought he was exempt from this restriction and did so anyway. He was promptly escorted out of the archaeological site. There is an expansive walkway that extends out around the ruins and a wooden staircase that leads down to the beach. Tulum ruins are probably the most picturesque archaeological site in the Riviera Maya with its cliff-top beachfront location and lush green landscape.

Entrance fee for one adult person is 65 pesos. Despite what you may have read on the internet, I was not charged an additional fee for carrying multiple devices. There is a 1 kilometer journey between the parking lot and the site's entrance. I recommend you get there before 9:00am.

A Little Shopping

Shopping the Tulum beach road was a pleasant distraction. Entering many of the chic shops is irresistible especially when you come upon an unique find or Handmade in Mexico item.

Coqui Coqui - a luxury boutique hotel consisting of a perfumeria, a boutique and a mariqueria. The perfumes, candles and oils are blended with flowers, woods and exotic herbs from the region and mixed in the town of Valladolid.

Bendito Tulum - a bohemian boutique on beach road to find the perfect dream catcher, an assortment of clothing, sandals and special made in Mexico jewelry such as Mr. Blackbird.