Cheap things to do in Tulum
Cenotes, street tacos and free art: Tulum without the resort price tag.
This is Tulum for people who want the real thing: colectivos to jungle cenotes, cochinita pibil at family-run taquerias and an afternoon hunting street murals with a marquesita in hand. The beach strip gets a day because it earns one, but you won't be paying boutique prices to enjoy it.
Day 1: Centro, cenotes and street art
Start the day with a cheap coffee in Centro, drop into the jaw-dropping Cenote Calavera, then spend the cooler afternoon hours wandering Pueblo's street-art murals before a no-frills seafood dinner.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:30 AM
Cenote Calavera (Temple of Doom)
Collapsed-roof cenote with dramatic jump holes and great photos, one of Tulum's best cheap thrills.
Map - 12:30 PM
Taqueria Honorio
Family-run since 2003, get the cochinita pibil tacos, a Tulum Centro institution at street-food prices.
Map - 2:30 PM
A Pueblo evening: street art
Wander the murals on the side streets off Avenida Tulum; the afternoon light suits the photos.
Map - 7:30 PM
Day 2: Jungle cenotes and local bites
A colectivo haul out to Cenote Cristal and Escondido for rope swings and hammocks, then back to Pueblo for coconut-tortilla burritos and a smoky grill dinner that costs almost nothing.
- 9:30 AM
Ki'Bok Coffee
On every local list as the go-to casual morning coffee stop in Pueblo, cheap and genuine.
Map - 10:30 AM
Cenote Cristal and Cenote Escondido (Mayan Blue) DIY pair by colectivo
DIY colectivo trip to two open jungle cenotes with a jump platform, rope swing and hammocks, free-spirited and dirt cheap.
Map - 12:30 PM
Burrito Amor
Coconut-tortilla burritos, fresh juices and chia puddings, healthy, cheap and beloved by locals.
Map - 7:30 PM
El Carboncito
Solid local Mexican grill in Tulum Centro, cheap, smoky and satisfying for dinner.
Map
Day 3: Beach strip on a budget
One morning on the beach road for a matcha, the Ahau sculpture and SFER IK's grown-not-built gallery, bookended by affordable Mexican plates without the white-tablecloth markup.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:15 AM
Ven a la Luz sculpture at Ahau sculpture park
Giant wooden figure holding open its chest, a free/cheap 20 to 30 min photo stop that's genuinely worth it.
Map - 12:30 PM
- 2:00 PM
SFER IK Museion at Azulik
Biomorphic concrete-and-vine museum that feels grown rather than built, the most distinctive cultural stop on the strip.
Map - 7:30 PM
La Malinche Tulum
Mexican plates at fair prices on the beach road, an easy dinner before heading back to Pueblo.
Map
Where to stay
Majaró Tulum
The only dollar-sign option in the list and squarely in Pueblo, walking distance from taquerias, Ki'Bok and the colectivo stops.
Mayan Monkey Tulum
Budget-friendly hostel-style stay near Centro with a social vibe that suits a traveller who's out all day and just needs a clean, cheap bed.
Make Tulum your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Yäan Healing Sanctuary: a few days ahead
- Xel-Há Park: a few days ahead
- Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve: a few days ahead
- Cenote Cavern Diving, Tulum: a few days ahead
- Chichén Itzá: a few days ahead
- Kiteboarding, Tulum North Beach: a few days ahead
Skip these
- Taxi fares not agreed in advance are the number one scam by volume.
- Beach club minimum spends of 50 to 125 dollars buy a lounger and a tab dispute risk. Playa Paraíso costs only the Jaguar Park entry.
- Gas station plays include pumps not zeroed and sleight of hand on notes. Pay cash, watch the pump, count change aloud.
- The Azulik museum is worth its ticket; the open ended hotel and restaurant tab is the splurge most people regret.
The full Tulum travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around