10 Best Outdoor Activities in Tulum Mexico

Tulum, Mexico is an ideal vacation spot. Just 2 hours south of Cancun, Tulum is inexpensive, beautiful, and there is so much to do! I typically don’t want to return to places I’ve already visited, but Tulum is somewhere that I can see myself visiting again. It’s paradise. And perfect for those who love to be outside. If you like to spend your time in nature, I am highlighting the 10 best outdoor activities in Tulum Mexico.

My husband and I visited Tulum for our honeymoon and looooved it. We spent almost all our time outside and came home sun-kissed and refreshed.

#1 Swim in Cenotes

If you haven’t heard of cenotes, let me enlighten you. They. are. so. cool.

A cenote is a deep, water-filled sinkhole that is formed when the roof of an underground cavern collapses. It’s basically an underground swimming hole, and Tulum is full of them. The Yucatán Peninsula has the highest concentration of cenotes in the world.

Cenotes are unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

When it comes to the best outdoor activities in Tulum, this one is a MUST. We visited 4 cenotes while in Tulum, and I recommend all of these. If you have time for more, definitely check out others too! Buy a snorkel mask prior to your trip so you can explore the underwater world, and bring cash for the entry fees.

Gran Cenote

180 pesos to enter ($9.50)

This is one of the most popular cenotes in Tulum, so try to get there early. There are tons of turtles in the water and different areas that you can swim through. It has a more commercialized feel, showers, a picnic area, and lockers.

Choo-ha Cenote – isn’t it so cool??

Choo-ha

100 pesos to enter ($4.50)

Choo-Ha is part of a trio of cenotes that are close to one another. You can buy tickets to all 3 from a stand on the driveway to Choo-Ha. It is worth seeing all 3 as they are each quite different.

Choo-Ha is lovely. The water is quite shallow in most parts, so you can walk around and explore. The pale blue of the water made this the prettiest cenote we visited.

Multum-ha

100 pesos to enter ($4.50)

This was the first cenote we visited, so we thought it was incredible. After visiting the other 3 cenotes, though, this one would rank lower on the list. You approach what looks like a well but is in fact stairs. This cenote is deep and has lights installed – it would be pitch black otherwise. There is plenty of deep water for swimming and a deck to jump into the water.

Tamcach-ha

100 pesos to enter ($4.50)

This cenote is perfect for the adventurers reading this post. It has 2 wooden platforms for jumping/diving. The top one is pretty high; I was too chicken for it, but my husband enjoyed letting his adrenaline pump during our short visit.

Best outdoor activities in Tulum -Playa Ruinas

Playa Ruinas Beach – Best Outdoor Activities in Tulum Mexico

#2 Lay on the Beach

Is there anything better than hours spent laying on the beach with a good book in hand?

I don’t think so.

If you stay at a hotel on the beach, you’ll probably spend your beach time there. If you stay at an AirBnb or hotel in town, you still have beautiful beach options. Pack a towel, book, and picnic. Get lunch at one of the beachfront restaurants.

Playa Paraíso is the most popular beach in Tulum. The water here is aquamarine and warm, and there is plenty of sand to lay your towel. There are some resorts on the beach here, and you can rent beach chairs if you wish.

Playa Ruinas is below the Mayan Ruins in Tulum and one of the most picturesque beaches.

Las Palmas Public Beach is the most secluded of these three, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Best Outdoor Activities in Tulum Mexico Pro Tip: Get to the beach super early to witness an ocean sunrise.

The Mayan Ruins of Tulum

#3 Visit the Mayan Ruins of Tulum

The Mayan Ruins of Tulum are right on the coast; when built, it was meant to be a seaport with the ocean and cliffs on one side and a limestone wall on the other 3 sides. Seeing the ruins is incredible, and you get an added bonus of the ocean views.

Cost is 65 Pesos or around $2. Bring pesos.

View from the top of they pyramid at Mayan Ruins of Coba

#4 Visit the Mayan Ruins of Coba

The Mayan Ruins of Coba are worth the short trip, even if you already visited the Tulum Ruins. Because they are not as popular as other ruins, you are still allowed to walk up the 138 foot tall pyramid for an awesome perspective. Don’t climb if you have a fear of heights 🙂 These ruins require a walk/bike through the woods and offer a more nature-y, less crowded experience.

The drive to Coba is around 40 minutes from Tulum. If you are visiting the trio of cenotes listed above, the Coba ruins are nearby.

Cost is 75Pesos or $3-ish. Bring pesos.

#5 View Laguna Kaan Luum

100 pesos, extra 300 pesos to fly a drone

This is one of the outdoor activities that we didn’t explore. It’s a swimhole that has really shallow water but also really deep water, so it provides a unique different colored water view. Definitely bring your drone if you have one; the view from above is apparently better than on foot.

This website offers some great info on exploring Laguna Kaan Luum.

SUP Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Tulum, Mexico

SUP in Tulum

#6 Get in the Water

Find a way to get in the ocean. Go for a swim, explore by snorkeling, do some body surfing, swim with sea turtles, try kite surfing, rent a kayak, or spend some time on a Stand Up Paddle Board.

#7 Bike through Tulum

While renting a car in Mexico is pretty cheap, biking in Tulum seems to be the preferred mode of transportation. It isn’t always easy to find parking, and you can get to beaches, the ruins, and restaurants by bike. It’s convenient, cheap, and you get a work out in! For a few bike route ideas, check out this blog.

If you’re staying at a hotel with bike rentals, that’s probably your best bet.

If not, here’s the Yelp page for bike rentals in Tulum.

#8 Go Scuba Diving

Ahh, another reason to go back to Tulum. We did not do any scuba diving during our stay, but I’ve heard amazing things. Padi Travel has some scuba offerings.

During the summer months, you can dive near loggerhead turtles at Akumal Bay.

You can also dive at Sian Ka’an Reserve and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.

Some of the cenotes are dive-able. Cenote dos Ochos is one of the most popular for diving.

Eat Outside! Burrito Amor in Tulum, Mexico

So happy to be eating on the patio at Burrito Amor

#9 Eat Outside

Okay, this might not come to mind as one of the “best outdoor activities in Tulum Mexico,” but eating outside is the best.

Drinking a fruit smoothie on a shaded patio while wearing a sundress is perfection.

Almost every restaurant we ate at in Tulum had a patio, and the weather is often perfect for outdoor dining. Picnics on the beach also count. Make it an experience; breathe in the fresh air, savor each bite, and think about how lucky you are to be eating fresh food in Tulum.

My favorite place to eat in Tulum was Burrito Amor – their fish burrito is excellent, and their smoothies/juices are delicious.

Our jungle hut at Lumapi

#10 Sleep in the Jungle

Tulum has beach and jungle, and you should explore both. If you really want to immerse yourself in the jungle, you can sleep in a jungle hut. We stayed at the Lumapi Eco Huts. They’re inexpensive, only a 20 minute drive from downtown Tulum, and you definitely feel secluded in nature. Lumapi is solar powered and has Wifi and a pool. There are 6 different jungle cabanas.

The best part of these jungle huts was the outdoor shower just outside of each one. If you’ve never showered outside before, I highly recommend it. The water in this shower trickles down through a piece of wood, and it feels so luxurious.

Note: If you are more of a luxury, expensive hotel traveler, these jungle huts may not be for you. They are not the most private – the outdoor bathroom/shower doesn’t have a door, and the huts just have screens.