Travel Bamboo - Tulum

Two days.

We are heading back to Mexico at the end of the year and it got me thinking about the last time we were there.  I realised except for some photos from the wedding I have never posted anything else from the trip.  So let's start with Tulum!  From England, packages and flights to Cancun are quite popular; it is direct, the area is full of restaurants and bars, and all inclusive resorts pepper the coastline to meet all the needs for relaxation.  However a little exploration and an additional hour of travelling can get you along the Quintanaroo Riviera Maya Coastline to the wonderful Tulum.  A small town filled with boutique hotels, independent eateries, Mayan ruins and a laidback vibe Tulum is the beautiful escape from the party city of Cancun.  We had two days to spend there and here is a snippet of what we got up to.

First stop was the reknown Coqui Coqui.  A Tulum favourite known for it's design, spa and perfumery it is one of the originators of 'cool Tulum'.  However this particular branch has since closed!  Started and founded by a loved up artistic couple when the area was not the hotspot it is now, They felt the need to build the hotel when their friends kept visiting and needing a place to stay.  We didn't stay here but we booked a nice fruity exfioliation scrub and an hour full body massage.  We rinsed off in the salt water shower room which was so picturesque but obviously due to being butt naked the whole time couldn't take any pics.  The spa experience was nice but due to being shy I didn't pipe up about wanting harder pressure. so it could have been better.  My tip, never do that, just tell your masseuse what you want, you feel better for it in the end.

The blurry man behind me was my massage therapist!

Post pampering schlump before sitting on the stoney steps that was a social media favourite thing to do!

We headed down to Hartwood an outdoor wood fire restaurant that has sustainability at the heart of their working practice.  Wood panels, custom wood fire ovens and only locally selected produce this place has topped many 'best of' places over the past couple of years.

Their food and drinks were stunning and truly one of the best dining experiences of my life.  We arrived at  Hartwood just before it opened for evening service making it an early dinner but after a day of travelling and spa'ing that suited us fine. The following plates of lobster salad, pork, octopus and sweet potato were SO GOOD.  Seriously.  YUM!  Their cocktail offering was great too.

When we left Hartwood the line was crazy long with patrons but the wait is worth it, plus you can have some beers while you wait your turn so that's even better.

We stayed at Ana y Jose a lovely hotel resort in the heart of the Coastal/Jungle part of Tulum.  We had a nice room, with the pool a meter from our door.  The breakfast was a nice selection of continental and Mexican fare, and...it has a spa where we had massages there too!

Where we were staying was by the beach but on the other side of the road was the jungle.  We walked around the stretch dipping in and out of quaint shops, passing through yoga retreats and stopping off to take snaps at the colourful local art.  This part of Mexico is undoubtedly gentrified, and geared toward American tourists who are looking for something more calm and independent but with the level of amenities they are used to back home.  Though the experience is 'Mexican' it isn't typical of the country, and the prices you pay reflect this.

Hola!

We got up late one day and were on the search for food.  It was late for regular lunch time but no way near dinner time and we were hungry.  Check times of places you may want to eat at as many spots were closed.  One that was open was Italian restaurant Posada Margherita which had a super cute beachy, rustic, shabby chic decor.  We had a great Foccacia starter and seafood main.  Once again....nice cocktails!

A very rare photo of us together!

Loving the colours and vibrancy of the area!

We walked along the beach back to Coqu Coqui where I bought a Tabacco cologne which I loved so much.  I wanted a scent that was unique and unisex and it really hit the spot.  I miss it, and discovered recently you can buy it from Net-a-porter but had never gotten round to ordering it.  The scent came in a cute glass bottle and lovely silk bag which was a nice, classy touch.

We also visited the Mayan ruins on route to the Airport which again was so pretty but the photos I had from there were lost on my phone when it froze in New York (another trip I will blog about two years late!) which is a shame.  The ruins were full of character, right on the coast so you can see the white sand and true blue ocean water.  Inhabitating the area were loads of ....Iguanas!  They literally ruled the land!  So funny to see them scurrying around but nice too spotting them camoflaged amongst the stone, trees and grass.

I can't wait for the opportunity to visit Tulum again one day.  We joke about going back for our 5 years anniversary so only another 3 years to go.  Tick Tock Tick Tock.

Some tips!

• If you have a car try and visit Playa Del Carmen, it's on the way from Cancun.
• Double check if you are staying in Tulum's town centre or the Ocean side as the vibe is different and you will need to grab a cab to go between the two places.
• American dollars are used frequently, bring some!
• Mosquitos. Are. Everywhere.
• You can get the ADO to and from Cancun if you don't want to shell out for a private ride.  It is pretty straight forward.