Mexico Travel Notes
My Tulum stops, real opinions and places to explore.
- Languages
- Spanish · Some English
- Currency
- Mexican Peso · MXN
- Cash
- Useful For Markets And Tips.
- Cards
- Usually Yes At Larger Venues.
- Tap To Pay
- Usually Yes At Larger Venues.
- WiFi
- Available. Quality Varies.
- Mobile Data
- SIM Or eSIM · Check Coverage
- Small Shops
- Varies. Keep Cash Handy.
- Tipping
- Usually 10% To 15%
What To Wear
What To Pack
Pack breathable clothes, sun protection, and shoes that handle wet paths around Tulum. Swimwear belongs at the beach or cenote; keep a dry outfit and cover up for town and transfers.
Money And Payments
Cash And Cards
Cards usually work at hotels, supermarkets, larger restaurants, and established shops. Keep pesos for street food, markets, smaller businesses, and tips. When a terminal offers a conversion into your home currency, choosing pesos usually avoids the merchant's currency conversion markup.
Travel Cards
Approve the payment in pesos if you want your card provider to do the conversion. Read any home currency conversion offer before accepting it.
Tipping Culture
At a restaurant with table service, 10% to 15% is customary. Keep pesos for tips, including small tips for grocery baggers and other service help. Example: on an MXN 500 meal, a 10% to 15% tip is MXN 50 to MXN 75 if not included. Leave pesos so the person does not need to exchange a foreign note.
Getting Around
Getting Around Locally
Tulum town and the beach hotel zone are separate areas with very different ride costs. Agree the taxi fare in pesos before getting in. A cheap room can become expensive if every meal needs a ride.
Traveling Between Stops
ADO serves Tulum town and airport routes. Check whether your flight uses Tulum Airport, TQO, or Cancún, CUN. A bus to town does not necessarily deliver you to your beach hotel.
Staying Connected
Using T Mobile In Mexico
Mexico is listed for international roaming on eligible T Mobile plans. Data allowances, speeds, and call charges depend on your plan. Check before you travel.
Mobile Data For This Trip
Save the property pin and pickup instructions before heading to a beach road or cenote. Keep pesos as backup if a card terminal or mobile connection is down.
Where To Stay
Choosing Your Area
Choose Tulum town for more everyday food options, the beach zone for beach access, or a residential area only after checking transport. Confirm beach access, electricity, and late arrival instructions with the property.
Before You Arrive
Before You Fly
Use official Mexican entry guidance for your passport and check the stay permission actually granted on arrival. Tulum and Cancún airports are not interchangeable; book the transfer against the airport code on your ticket.
Sources And My Visit
Practical information was researched and checked on 22 October 2026. My reviews describe my own visits. Area comparisons are planning advice, not hotels I claim to have inspected. Entry advice must match your passport, residency, route, and travel date.
Tulum
BAK’ | Fire Steakhouse
A MUST DO!!!!! The performance is crazy and wild and in your face. Nothing like I’ve ever seen
Mirador By AZULIK
You’ll never experience a bar like this. Literally sitting in a birds nest in the middle of the jungle with the views of the water
Azulik Resort
Only came here for dinner, but this place is unreal. No words can describe it, I’ve never been to any place like it.
Taboo | Best Beach Club Tulum
I reviewed this place on Google Maps. Open the listing to see the location and my rating.
