Tulum, Mexico
March 2017
TULUM
Tulum, Mexico is located about 2 hours by bus, from Cancun International Airport. We took the Ado bus, which is the cheapest way to get to Tulum. We got lucky and got a bus ticket directly to Tulum. If you can’t get onto a bus that takes you directly to Tulum, you will have to get a ticket to Playa Del Carmen first, then take a connecting bus to Tulum. Once you arrive to the Ado bus station, you can take a taxi to your hotel or AirBnb.
Tulum is an eco-friendly, conscious, beautiful city. At night they save electricity by using minimal lighting and candles to light the way. They also have a variety of vegan restaurants. Something unique about Tulum, is that it has inspiring, positive signs just about everywhere! I really appreciated that.
BIKE ADVENTURES
The sun was out and it was a perfect day for a bike ride to the beach of Tulum. I haven’t rode a bike in years so I was secretly praying I still remembered how.
Our mission of the day: explore Tulum hotel zone and find as many inspiring and uplifting signs as possible. Unique mission, huh?
After about 15 minutes of swerving and trying not to crash with oncoming bikers, I could smell the salty beach air cuing me that the beach wasn’t far.
BOUTIQUES + SHOPS
The first shops we passed had dreamcatchers of all sizes and colors. The ones that caught my eye were made from wood, woven with white thread and had white feathers dangling from them. Some were shaped as hearts, which I’ve never seen before. Handmade hammocks were also sold at many shops.
I enjoyed browsing around the boutiques and admiring the decor of each individual shop, each having so much personality.
TULUM BEACH
We greeted the Caribbean Sea with our sandy toes. We felt the cool breeze, inhaled the salty air, and gazed out into the turquoise ocean. It was a perfect day to be at Tulum Beach.
INSPIRING SIGNS
We pedaled onward while local taxis and rental cars passed us by. We began to see the signs everywhere: hidden behind plants on the curbside, on restaurant posts, inside shops, and even on the beach.
It was a scavenger hunt. It was rewarding to us because… just think… in your every day life how many inspiring positive signs do you see? I’d like to guess not many or very few, if any at all. Many signs we see in our everyday lives are trying to advertise products and sell things to us. The sight of uplifting and encouraging messages was very refreshing.
Imagine a place where the street signs said things like “Follow that Dream” and “Live in the present”. Your day and the way you think could completely change for the better. That was the beauty of Tulum: hidden messages were everywhere, ready to be given to those ready to receive them.
We were more than ready to receive them and we did, full heartedly. Some stand-out signs were, “Never stop dreaming,” “ Every song has to have a soul,” “Embrace the glorious mess that you are” and “Open your soul, Open your mind, Open your heart.”
There was one sign I was specifically keeping an eye out for that I’ve seen on Instagram; it was the yellow “Stay present” sign near the road alongside the beach of Tulum. I passed and searched two times and never found it. I finally came to realize a couple days later, that the sign had been taken down due to construction in that area. It’s ok though, because I found a message in that as well. I realized that although I couldn’t find that specific sign, it taught me to stay present, enjoy the now and not to worry about it. Pretty ironic!
Maybe next time you can find it? Let me know if it pops back up somewhere, so I can go back and see it for myself.
STREET ART
Along the walls are colorful street art. I liked the creative ones of animals.
The TREEHOUSE
I wanted so badly to stay at Azulik, a luxurious eco-friendly treehouse resort. It’s pricey, but you definitely pay for the experience. We decided to do that for our next visit because we are definitely coming back to Tulum.
Since we weren’t guests and wanted to “go to the bar,” they took our IDs and gave us wristbands. The entrance was so cool, with bamboo creating the entrance pathway. We aimlessly walked around and climbed staircases, having no idea where we were going, but enjoying the fact that we were in an awesome treehouse!
THE BEACH AT AZULIK
The Azulik beach was decked out in hammocks, pillows, lounge chairs and canopies. I felt like I was at a VIP area for a Lighting In A Bottle Festival. Flutes and drums played in the background, creating a zen, tribal atmosphere. It was so relaxing. We took full advantage of the experience and relaxed on the lounge chairs and pillows on the sand, manifesting our next trip to include Azulik.
About 20 minutes in, a waiter asked if we wanted a drink, so we said we’d look at the menu. We didn’t want anything so we politely refused. About 5 minutes later another guy came up to us (maybe the supervisor or whatever) and basically said that if we didn’t buy a drink we would have to pay $40 per person. What?! $40 just to chill on a beach?! Oh hell no!
So we smiled at him, said “ok”, then took our sweet time leaving HAHA. That place was pretty damn magical. We’ll be back for you AZULIK!
I could compare Tulum to Hawaii, with the beaches and soft white sands, but Tulum has its own personality. It is definitely more affordable as well. Take a trip here, take a yoga class, eat some vegan food and appreciate the signs. You will leave with your soul feeling rejuvenated!
