Tulum Beaches: Our Tips for the Most Beautiful Beaches in Tulum

Overview of Beaches in Tulum

There are only two beach sections in Tulum that are public.

The other beaches in Tulum are private beaches. That’s because hotels line the entire area. You can only access these beaches if you’re staying at one of the hotels or visiting a beach bar.

If you’d like to book a beachfront hotel, feel free to check out our articles with the best hotel tips for Tulum.

The most beautiful beaches in Tulum on a map

On this map, we’ve marked both public and private beach sections for you. You can also see where the beaches we consider the most beautiful in Tulum are located.

Public Beaches in Tulum

Here we’ll walk you through every publicly accessible beach in Tulum and share our personal tips.

Note: We’ve read in multiple places that the beach near the Tulum Maya ruins is freely accessible. When we were there (November 2023), however, access was blocked — and as far as we could tell, that’s set to remain the case for the time being.

Playa Paraiso

• Location: 6 kilometers from the town center and 1.5 kilometers from the Tulum Maya ruins.
• Cost: 58 MXN (this is the price to enter the entire reserve, including the ruins).
• Facilities: no public restrooms, no parking.
• Food & drink: There is one restaurant on the beach and many more bars nearby.

Note: It now apparently costs an entrance fee to Jaguar Park (around 415 MXN) to access the beach. However, the payment system is very confusing and the fees change constantly. Things may well be completely different again by the time you visit.

Playa Paraiso is hands-down the most beautiful public beach in Tulum and ranks among the best beaches in Mexico in our opinion. It’s located between the Tulum ruins and the Zona Hotelera. The beach has fine sand and the many palm trees provide some shady spots.

Like almost everywhere in Tulum, the water at Playa Paraiso tends to be a bit rough. It’s great for a swim and a cool-down, but not ideal for snorkeling or long swims.

Along the same stretch of beach, there are two more public beaches: Playa Santa Fe and Playa Pescadores. They all blend into one another, but Playa Paraiso is the most beautiful of them all.

Tulum Beach

• Location: 5 kilometers from the town center and 3 kilometers from the ruins.
• Cost: free.
• Facilities: no public restrooms, a few parking spots.
• Food & drink: Restaurants and bars nearby.

The second public beach in Tulum isn’t quite as paradisiacal and is noticeably smaller, but still lovely. We don’t think it actually has an official name — we’ve heard both Tulum Beach and Playa Mirador.

At one spot, there’s a large rock in the water. This makes the sea calmer in that section, and the rock also serves as a lookout point.

Tulum Beach is great for a quick stop, for example if you’re out exploring by bike. We wouldn’t plan a full beach day here, though. The sand itself is lovely, but unfortunately there’s quite a bit of seagrass in the water.

Sian Ka'an Jungle Reserve

• Location: 10–30 kilometers from the town center.
• Cost: free.
• Facilities: There is absolutely nothing here.
• Food & drink: Best to bring your own.

South of Tulum lies the vast jungle reserve of Sian Ka’an — one of the most spectacular attractions in Tulum. You’ll find several public beaches there as well. A road full of potholes leads into the reserve — keep this in mind if you’re arriving by bike, car, or motorcycle.

The beaches in the reserve are not signposted. Small paths along the roadside often lead down to the sea. The beach sections aren’t stunning — the area to lay out is usually small and covered in seaweed. On the flip side, you can quickly find yourself with the beach all to yourself.

We really recommend visiting the nature reserve on a guided tour. That way, you’ll discover not just the beaches but also the lagoons — and you won’t have to worry about getting there yourself.

Book the guided tour through Sian Ka’an with boat ride and lunch

Akumal

• Location: 28 kilometers from Tulum.
• Cost: 120 MXN.
• Facilities: Showers, restrooms, and lockers included.
• Food & drink: You’re welcome to bring your own, but there are also plenty of restaurants.

Akumal Beach is our under-the-radar pick for a beach on the Yucatán. It’s located along the way to Playa del Carmen.

The water is calm and clear, making it perfect if you’re vacationing with kids. The beach is lined with palm trees, and the farther you walk from the entrance, the fewer people you’ll encounter.

You can also swim with sea turtles in Akumal. To do so, you’ll need to book a guided tour. It costs around 500–600 MXN and can be reserved at the entrance or anywhere along the beach.

From Tulum, you can get to Akumal in 30 minutes by colectivo. The ride costs 40 MXN and colectivos depart from across from the ADO Terminal in the center of Tulum.

Book the guided tour to Akumal with turtle swimming incl. Tulum Maya ruins

The Best Beach Clubs in Tulum

Lying on the sand with just a towel isn’t really your thing? Then spend your day at one of Tulum’s cool beach clubs instead. In the Zona Hotelera, you have an enormous selection.

Typically, you’ll need to pay a minimum spend at beach clubs to hang out there. In return, you get beach access through the bar, and most of the time there’s also a pool.

Here are our three favorite beach clubs in Tulum.

La Zebra

La Zebra is our top pick for a beach club in Tulum. The loungers on the beach are incredible, the food at the restaurant is delicious, and the service is great too. You’d be hard-pressed to find better value for money anywhere else in Tulum.

The beach club works brilliantly for both couples and families — the vibe is super welcoming and family-friendly.

Ziggy's

Ziggy’s has a seriously relaxed vibe, making this beach club especially well-suited for families. Kids are more than welcome here.

The restaurant serves tasty food and drinks, and the loungers on the beach are super comfortable. It’s a fantastic place to spend an entire day at the beach and truly unwind. The value for money is excellent here as well.

Taboo

Taboo is a luxurious beach club with delicious food, live music, and a lively atmosphere. The prices are quite high even by Tulum standards, but if you’re looking to treat yourself, it’s absolutely worth it.

This spot is particularly great for couples and young adults. There’s a small pool, mattresses on the beach, and the service is excellent. A DJ and a saxophonist keep the energy going, and a cocktail or two is a total must.