EAT & PLAY
Explore Tulum Like a Local
What’s On in Tulum
Updated monthly by our team
Sat, Jun 28 — 9:00 PM · also Jul 4, Jul 25
Papaya Playa Project — Tulum’s signature full moon beach party. Starts at 9pm, runs past midnight. The one everyone talks about.
Jun 27 – Jul 1, 2026
Gitano Beach — A week of sunset sessions with Mexican DJ Kiko Franco anchoring the full moon stretch. Beachfront cocktails, live music, and the kind of Tulum night people plan trips around.
Recurring Fridays — 7:00 PM
Restaurant of the Week, Tulum — A rotating Friday social dinner at a different Tulum table each week. Good food, strangers who become friends. Running all summer.
Recurring Sundays — 4:30 PM
Medicine Wheel @ Ikal, National Park — A traditional Mayan sweat lodge ceremony held inside the national park. One of the most grounding things you can do in Tulum.
Recurring Fridays — 9:00 AM
Espíritu Wellness — Guided breathwork for release and deep relaxation. One of the most consistently attended sessions in Tulum. Most guests come back a second time.
Recurring Sundays — 10:00 AM
SFER IK Museum, Azulik — Weekly art gathering inside one of the most visually extraordinary spaces in the world. No two Sundays are the same.
Tours & Sightseeing
Tulum Archaeological Zone — Walk the ancient Mayan clifftop ruins overlooking the Caribbean Sea. One of Mexico’s most iconic sites.
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve — UNESCO-protected wetlands, boat tours through mangroves, and wild untouched coastline.
Cobá Ruins — Climb one of the last climbable Mayan pyramids, deep in the jungle about an hour from Tulum.
WHERE WE EAT
Around the Neighborhood
These are the spots we send our guests to — and come back to ourselves. Most of the Aldea Zama list is a short walk from the penthouse. La Veleta is five minutes by car, or a pleasant twenty-minute walk if you’re not in a hurry.
Aldea Zama
Rossina — The place we send every guest on their first morning. Strong coffee, fresh green juice, and chilaquiles people describe in their reviews months later. A few tables under the trees — come early or expect a short wait.
Spider Sushi — Genuinely good sushi — fresh fish, proper rice, a menu that changes with what’s available. Go for dinner when you want something light.
Kokoro — One of the best sushi spots in Tulum, with an expertly minimal menu. Right around the corner in Aldea Zama.
Boccanera Pizzeria — A real Italian pizza — brick oven, 00 flour, dough fermented 48 hours. The Boccanera (burrata and prosciutto) is what regulars order.
Taqueria La 86 — The salsas are the reason people come back. Four or five varieties, all made fresh, all different heat. Get the carne asada and work through every one.
Mamzul Tulum — A proper mezcaleria, not a tourist bar. Low light, a serious selection. Good for a slow drink after dinner.
Capanella Cremerie — Italian-style gelato, a short walk from the gate. The kind of stop that becomes a nightly ritual.
Aldea Racquet Club — Pickleball and tennis right in the neighborhood. Walk-in friendly most days.
La Veleta
Italdo Pasteleria — An Italian pastry chef, a proper espresso machine, real croissants. The kind of coffee shop you’ll come back to twice before checkout.
Pure Love / Sun Love — Plant-based cafe with healthy vegan breakfast, fresh smoothies, and good coffee. La Veleta location (also in town and at Ahau beach). The kind of quick stop that becomes a ritual.
Canova Cantina — Handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza in a candlelit courtyard. Open Thursday through Sunday from 6pm. Worth booking ahead. Multiple locations.
Il Bacaro — Reliably good pasta and pizza with reasonable prices. Relaxed crowd, good chill vibe when the TVs are off. Live music some nights. Multiple locations.
La Taqueria — Shrimp, steak, and octopus tacos with mezcalitas to match. One of the most consistently good taco spots in La Veleta.
Velvet Tulum — Healthy soft serve by weight — sugar-free, vegan, and protein options. A good post-dinner stop.
Starfit — The most fully equipped gym we’ve found in Tulum. Day passes available.
Tulum Town
Botanica — Description coming soon.
El Capitan — Great seafood, a favorite of our local hosts!.
Del Cielo — Clean eating, tasty breakfast and lunch
Negra Tomasa — Another great seafood spot.
Tu Tulum — Mexican cuisine. Delicious gastronomical experience
Negro Huitlacoxe — Creative Mexican cuisine with standout corn ribs and birria tacos. Bold flavors, warm service, and a local vibe. Worth the wait during peak hours.
Taqueria Honorio — We’ve looked far and wide, and Honorio is still the best tacos — and the best value — in Tulum. Maybe anywhere!
La Guarida — A nice local hangout with drinks, food, reasonable prices, and live music, spread across a multi-level rooftop space with a Havana-inspired feel.
Zona Yogurt — Clean, refreshing yogurt with some interesting flavors- taro and charcoal!??
Beach Road
Hartwood — Map — Open-fire cooking with locally sourced ingredients in a jungle setting. One of Tulum’s most celebrated restaurants.
La Zebra — Beachfront hotel and beach club with a taco bar and mezcal cocktails. One of the more laid-back spots on the beach road.
Mezzanine — A wonderful cliffside terrace overlooking the beach. Authentic delicious Thai food, always friendly staff. Upon arrival we typically drop our bags and head here—sets the vibe for the week.
La Popular Nômade Temple (Nômade Tulum) — Open-air beachfront restaurant serving fresh Caribbean fish. The setting is the point — tables in the open air, water close, menu to match.
Cenotes
Gran Cenote — Crystal-clear freshwater just minutes from Aldea Zama. Great for snorkeling and easy to get to.
Dos Ojos — Twin sinkholes connected by underwater caves, ideal for snorkeling and certified cave diving.
Cenote Calavera — A dramatic drop-in cenote with turquoise water. Small, atmospheric, and less crowded than most.
Laguna Kaan Luum — A turquoise freshwater lagoon 10km south of Tulum. No sargasso, no ocean. Open daily 9am–4pm; entry ~300 MXN cash. Go early — afternoons get busy.
Cenote Cristal — Open-air cenote on the road south toward Boca Paila. Clear shallow water, good for families. Usually paired with Cenote Escondido just across the road.
Cenote Escondido — Just across from Cristal on the same road. Smaller, more intimate, surrounded by jungle. Usually the quieter of the two.
Yal Ku Lagoon — A brackish lagoon in Akumal, 45 minutes north, where freshwater springs meet the sea. Exceptional snorkeling — sea turtles, tropical fish, no waves.
Wellness
Nômade Tulum — Temazcal, ice bath, breathwork, cacao ceremony, sound healing, yoga, and full moon ceremonies. Book via their wellbeing page; temazcal and ice bath fill quickly.
Yaan Wellness — Sacred Mayan temazcal ceremonies, energy healing, and traditional spa treatments in a jungle sanctuary.
Sanara — Yoga classes, sound healing, and holistic therapies steps from the beach. One of Tulum’s original wellness destinations.
Be Tulum Spa — Luxury treatments in an open-air jungle spa. Perfect for a slow afternoon.
Beaches
Playa Paraíso — One of the most beautiful public beaches in Tulum. White sand, calm water, free to access.
Ahau Beach Club — Day beds, cocktails, and stunning Caribbean views with a relaxed, community vibe.
La Zebra — Beachfront hotel and beach club with a taco bar and mezcal cocktails. One of the more laid-back spots on the beach road.