Stunning Beaches & Cenotes! Tulum’s New Airport Sees 1 Million Passengers In First Year  

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Some of the most beautiful white sand beaches I have ever seen are in Tulum.  

So it’s no wonder that the airport making Tulum even more accessible to global travelers has been a huge success.  

According to new figures released as Tulum International Airport celebrated its first birthday, the airport has already welcomed 1.1 million passengers.  

That’s exceeded expectations (by more than 30%), and Tulum International Airport has become the second busiest airport in the state.  

So why is Tulum so popular?  

Tulum’s Stunning Beaches  

People visit Tulum not just because its airport is convenient; it is also known for its incredible beaches.

When you picture a typical beach in paradise, these are the beaches that come to mind.

I’m a real beach bum, and these are some of the best I’ve seen.  

Although popular (code for crowded), you really shouldn’t miss Playa Paraíso. This is a wide stretch of white sand fringed with warm and shallow turquoise waters.

It was one of our favorite beaches for swimming.  

The beach clubs here looked luxurious and elegant, but as this is a public beach, we didn’t use these, preferring to go it alone (and save a few bucks in the process).  

Perhaps the most famous beach in Tulum is Playa Ruinas, which sits underneath the famous archeological ruins. It’s an amazing beach and an iconic photo spot.  

We looked at this beach from above but didn’t head down to explore the shoreline.

When we visited (in May), the staircase from the ruins to the beach was closed for safety reasons. 

The ruins here are fascinating, although very different from Chichen Itza.

This coastal city’s location means the buildings sit much closer to the ground.

If you want relaxation and calm with fewer visitors, then try Playa Las Palmas.

You won’t find any showy facilities here, but the beach is free to access and the perfect place to lay a towel and read a book while the kids build sandcastles.  

Worth Travelling For

Finally, although it’s slightly further away (around 30 minutes), we loved the beach at Playa Akumal so it deserves a mention

A stunning beach in its own right, this beach is home to a sea turtle nesting ground.

You can only swim with the turtles here if you have a guide and we hired an amazing guide with the Akumal Dive Shop. Their packages start from MXN$750 ($37) per person.  

We opted for the private tour option (which I would recommend because then you aren’t limited by the swimming speed of the slowest swimmer in a larger group) and were amazed by the number and variety of turtles and other ocean life we saw.  

It’s worth noting that there is a fee to access Akumal Beach to cover the cost of conservation in the area. This is MXN$100 ($5) per person and includes access to the showers, lockers, and restrooms.  

Swim In Icy Cold Cenotes  

As beautiful as the beaches are (and the really are) if you’re a water baby like me and you love to swim then you have to experience Tulum’s cenotes.  

Their icy cold water was refreshing break from the heat and the ethereal, otherworldly surroundings only added to the magic.

The heat of Mexico was overwhelming for my British kids (who wear raincoats more than T-shirts), so the cenotes were the perfect tonic for all of us.  

Some of the best in the area include the Gran Cenote, the Cenote Dos Ojos, and the Cenote Carwash.  

The best-known attraction in the area is the Gran Cenote, which can get very busy. Arrive early to beat the crowds, and you can enjoy floating in the blue waters before the tourist coaches arrive.

But even when it’s crowded, that doesn’t detract from the fun.  

There are turtles living in this cenote, and if you’re lucky you might spot one!

Less exciting were the bats that live on the roof of the cave. It’s worth noting that wearing lifejackets is compulsory here, but you can hire these on site. Entry costs MXN$500 ($25) per person.  

We loved the semi-open cenote carwash (named after a carwash that was once located nearby). The official name of this cenote is Aktun-Ha.

The water here is pristine, and during the summer months, algae turns it a vivid green.  

There’s a swing rope to jump into the pool, which is a lot of fun! This is also a great spot for snorkeling. Entry costs MXN£200 ($9.86) per person.  

Further afield but still worth mentioning was the Cenote Hikbuku, which we visited on our way from Tulum to the archeological ruins at Coba.

Core memories were made in this underground cenote as we took turns to take the ‘leap of death’ from the high wall into the icy cold water below.

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