Headed to Tulum? What to Wear and What to Pack

^^ Free People dress || J.McLaughlin wicker crossbody || Sam Edelman slides || Shashi earrings ^^

 

Tulum seems to be on everyone’s travel list right now. And, for good reason…it’s incredible! They say there’s something in the air there, and I can feel it! They say it might have something to do with those Ancient Mayan sacrifices, which is a little scary to think about. (I learned so much about Mayan culture during the trip and found it beyond interesting!) All I know is that the beach community has all the makings of the most wellness-focused, eco-friendly and minimalist vacation possible.

I’d done quite a bit of research before my trip. My boyfriend had surprised me with this trip for my birthday about six months back. He knew I’d be limited to traveling during only my school break, and I’d mentioned my interest in visiting Tulum a few times, so he went ahead and booked it! We spent the last few months pouring over websites and articles and deciding on the best places to eat and things to do!

Tulum is a VERY casual and relaxed environment. Much of the culture (albeit influenced strongly by tourists) is focused around wellness: yoga, meditation, superfoods, etc. and is why most people visit Tulum. I knew I did not want the party scene of Cancun, which is partly why I was so drawn to Tulum.  In fact, Tulum isn’t even connected to the “grid,” so most of the electricity is powered by generators. Sewage is also quite questionable…note that you will be asked not to flush toilet paper and instead to dispose of it in a wastebasket. Despite being (what I thought was) well-prepared ahead of time, there were still a few things that surprised me. Read on for the can’t-live-without items I found to be useful and for a few things I think could have made the trip even better!

 

^^ Becca bathing suit || Hat Attack || Turkish towel || Anthropologie sunnies ^^

^^ Tiare Hawaii coverup || Mystique sandals || Anthropologie sunnies ^^

^^ Vero Moda dress || Chloé shoulder bag || Dolce Vita wedges (similar) || Shashi earrings || Vineyard Vines hat || Denim shorts ^^

^^ Tiare Hawaii top & skirt set || Senreve belt bag || Shashi earrings || Dolce Vita wedges (similar) ^^

^^ Tiare Hawaii coverup || Mystique sandals || Anthropologie sunnies ^^

^^ Free People dress || J.McLaughlin wicker crossbody || Sam Edelman slides || Shashi earrings ^^

^^ Tiare Hawaii coverup || Mystique sandals || Anthropologie sunnies ^^

^^ Vineyard Vines hat || Denim shorts || Tiare Hawaii top & skirt set || Senreve belt bag || Shashi earrings || Dolce Vita wedges (similar) ^^

 

What to Pack for Tulum

 

CLOTHING:

Tulum has such a low-key, casual vibe that I wouldn’t recommend bringing anything too dressy or too fussy. Since it’s hot and quite humid, I recommend opting for easy, breezy fabrics like cotton and linen for any pieces you choose. Although there is a bit of nightlife if you want it, I’d still keep your style simple and easy!

For beach/daytime activities:

• Bathing suits (bring more than you think you’ll need since they may not dry overnight)
• Coverups/lightweight dresses
• Denim shorts (to wear biking or over a bathing suit)
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat
• Baseball hat
• Yoga shorts/pants
• Sports bra/tank
• Sandals for the beach

For dinner/evening:

• Easy dresses/jumpsuits (I recommend cotton or linen since it’s hot and humid)
• Sandals for the evening (leave the fancy shoes at home…most of the roads are dirt and a bit rocky anyway)
• Closed toed shoes like an espadrille (this is something I WISH I brought since I ended up washing my feet every night after walking on the dirt roads in sandals)
• Crossbody bag or belt bag
• Sweater/denim jacket (in case it gets chilly)
• Lightweight pajamas (not every hotel has air conditioning – ours did only from 10 pm to 7 am)
• Flip flops (for the shower – my mom ingrained this in me)

 

OTHER ESSENTIALS:

• Beach bag (it will get sandy!)
• Mineral-based, reef-safe sunscreen (you will be asked to shower to get any sunscreen off before swimming in the cenotes)
• Tinted SPF moisturizer (for face)
• Hand sanitizer (use often, especially before meals)
• Bug spray (the bugs really weren’t too bad, but this is the ONLY bug spray that has ever worked for me, and I usually get eaten ALIVE…I literally checked a bag just so I could bring it, but it also comes in a travel size)
• Turkish towel (our hotel had us use our beach towels for a few days to be more eco-friendly, so I liked having these as backup…they make for a great cover-up/sarong as well)
• Shampoo/conditioner (our hotel had a natural honey-based option, but I was glad to have my own)
• Toothbrush/toothpaste/floss (this may be overboard, but I might bring a backup toothbrush in case I accidentally run mine under the water…which I did several times and had to thoroughly clean it…ugh!)
• Hair product for styling air-dried hair (hair dryers are not allowed, so you’ll have to embrace your natural hair…my favorite products are this featherbalm, this dry texture spray, and this spray wax )
• Makeup remover wipes
• Micellar water & cotton pads (to cleanse your face/avoid getting water in your mouth from the sink)
• Minimal makeup (embrace the minimalist vibe!!)
• Body lotion
• Immodium/Pepto Bismol (just in case you swallow any water)
• Refillable water bottle (most hotels will not offer plastic water bottles and instead will have a water cooler)
• Plastic water bottles (bring a few in a checked bag, just in case)
• Flashlight (my mom won’t like hearing this – sorry, Mom! – but the main strip at night can have some dark spots in between establishments and we relied on our phone flashlights to make sure oncoming cars could see us)
• Backup charger (electricity can be limited)
• Pesos (most businesses are cash only and ATMs are notoriously unreliable and primarily distribute dollars only…even though most places will accept USD, you will get change back in pesos and might get ripped off)
• Books to read

 

 

WHAT NOT TO PACK:

• Hair dryer (not allowed at our hotel due to the high electricity usage)
• Curling iron/straighter (pretty must useless without a hairdryer…you’ll want to embrace the minimalist jungle vibe anyway)
• Sneakers (although we were super active with biking, walking, and swimming, we didn’t wear sneakers at all, and they ended up being a waste of valuable suitcase space)

OTHER TIPS:

• Use packing cubes to fit more in a small suitcase. I pack as much as I can in my carry-on since there is no weight limit. I’m also afraid of losing my luggage.
• I brought two carry-on sized suitcases. I checked one – the one filled with water bottles, bug spray, sunscreen, and nonessentials – and then packed else in my carry-on.

 

 

Visiting Tulum was the most amazing experience! My boyfriend and I both said that we have a feeling we will be back someday. I already miss the super avocados!

 

Have you been to Tulum? If so, let me know if you think I missed anything on my packing list!

xo -L