Tulum is on the prime of many vacationers’ lists of the place they need to go in Mexico. With its crystalline cenotes and white, sandy seashores, are you able to blame them?
In the final decade, Tulum has exploded in reputation and has reworked from a sleepy backpacker village to one of many prime seaside locations within the nation. Although its fame as an idyllic seaside paradise is nicely deserved due to its pure magnificence, the uptick in tourism has additionally contributed to a few of the city’s safety considerations. So, is Tulum secure?
Below I’ll record my prime suggestions for staying secure whereas visiting Tulum, so to have an incredible time there, worry-free:
1. Do not buy or use unlawful substances
Since Tulum is now one of many rowdiest celebration locations in Mexico, it’s no shock that the city has seen an enormous enhance in demand for unlawful substances. The result’s that cartels are combating over turf in Tulum, and harmless civilians have been caught within the crossfire.
When you buy celebration medicine in Tulum, you might be actively contributing to violence by supporting these teams. There’s no different solution to put it. You additionally put your self prone to getting blended up with the incorrect crowd. Additionally, you by no means know what these substances could possibly be laced with — and even when they’re pure, taking them can decrease your inhibitions and subsequently put you in danger.
2. Consume alcohol responsibly
While ingesting in Tulum isn’t practically as harmful as shopping for and consuming medicine, it’s all the time a good suggestion to observe warning. Make positive to drink loads of water if you’re imbibing alcohol, and by no means go away your drink unattended. It’s fairly widespread in Tulum for folks to spike drinks, so by no means let yours out of your sight.
If you’re touring solo and meet different vacationers in Tulum, have a buddy system in the event you determine to exit to the bars. That method, you and the opposite individual will likely be looking for one another and might make sure that everybody will get dwelling okay.
3. Stay conscious of your environment
This nods to the 2 factors above but additionally applies to being out and about within the daytime as nicely. Whether it’s on the seaside or on the road within the resort zone or Tulum Centro, there are petty thieves ready so that you can let your guard down to allow them to swipe your belongings. Especially in the event you’re alone, it’s vital to all the time pay attention to your environment.
Trust your intestine if one thing feels off. I’ve had random folks come and sit proper subsequent to me on the seaside in Tulum and strike up a dialog out of nowhere. It felt bizarre, so I acquired up and left, as a result of I didn’t know what their intention was. I didn’t miss out on something by strolling away — and neither will you.
4. Don’t convey valuables to cenotes or seashores
Also, by no means convey something to the seaside or a cenote that you’d hate to lose. Leave your playing cards in your room and stick with money. If you convey your telephone, think about placing it in a water-resistant case, so you may carry it with you in the event you determine to wade within the water. Another choice is to convey a transportable secure that you could safe shut after which connect to your seaside chair.
Some cenotes close to Tulum (for instance, Gran Cenote and Cenote Cristal) have lockers that you could lease, however not all. There are not any lockers on Tulum’s public seaside, Playa Pocna.
5. Lock up your valuables
Whether you’re staying at a resort, resort, hostel, or Airbnb in Tulum, be sure you have someplace to retailer your valuables (passport, bank cards, jewellery, and so on.). Usually resorts and motels could have safes within the rooms, however hostels and Airbnbs don’t. If I do know I’m going to be staying in a hostel or Airbnb, I’ll make sure that to convey my transportable secure.
6. Let pals find out about your plans
This tip isn’t Tulum-specific — it’s relevant anyplace you journey alone. Always have not less than one individual you belief who is aware of what your plans are: the place you’re going, with whom, the place you’re staying, what you’re planning on doing, and so on. I additionally suggest sharing your reside location with a buddy who can investigate cross-check you in the event that they don’t hear from you for some time.
I do know this may sound a bit additional to some folks. But if something, letting a buddy find out about your plans will help ease your thoughts. For me, simply understanding that someone is looking for me, regardless of how far-off, takes a load of stress off.
7. Choose your lodging correctly
Tulum has varied neighborhoods and areas you may keep in. The fundamental three are: the Hotel Zone, which runs alongside the seaside; Aldea Zamna, which is a newly constructed neighborhood with house buildings and a few lodging; and Tulum Centro, aka downtown. Each of those are wonderful to remain in, however Aldea Zamna is the most secure, as a result of there aren’t any bars or golf equipment there, the place seedy folks might doubtlessly congregate. The Hotel Zone can be wonderful to remain in so far as security goes, though the costs are fairly outrageous.
Tulum Centro is the most important toss-up. If you’ve by no means been to Tulum earlier than, staying in Centro is an efficient central place to be. However, sure areas are much less secure than others. Stick to locations which can be simply a few blocks from the principle street on the town, the Carretera Chetumal-Cancún.
There are Airbnbs and motels which can be outdoors of the downtown space which can be in secure neighborhoods, however there are additionally many which can be thus far off the crushed path that attending to and out of your lodging at night time could be dangerous.
8. Do not stroll alone at night time
Even within the Hotel Zone, which is continually bustling with folks at night time, it’s not an amazing concept to stroll alone after darkish. Doing so makes you a straightforward goal for petty theft and different crimes. Uber isn’t in Tulum, however taxis are simple to come back by at night time and are reliable for probably the most half.
9. Always agree on a price with taxi drivers
Taxi drivers in Tulum do often attempt to benefit from unsuspecting vacationers by overcharging — double and even triple. To keep away from this, ask the driving force how a lot it can value to take you to your vacation spot. If you don’t communicate Spanish, simply ask, “¿Cuánto cuesta llevarme de aquà a X?“
Although it’s not inherently harmful for a taxi driver to overcharge you, what might doubtlessly be harmful is the argument over it. Drivers could be unpredictable in how they’ll react to you demanding they offer you a good value after the actual fact. Generally, it’s simply safer to keep away from this type of interplay by agreeing on a fare earlier than you get within the automobile.
10. Avoid touring at night time
The freeway from Cancún to Chetumal that runs via Tulum is secure to journey on in the course of the day however can flip harmful at night time. From Tulum to Bacalar, there are lots of components of the freeway the place there isn’t any telephone sign. In the previous, there have been kidnappings and different crimes on this space at night time. If you might be touring from Tulum to different components of the Riviera Maya, keep away from doing so at night time, even on a bus.
11. Keep a watch on the information
In the weeks main as much as your journey to Tulum, control present information there. I discussed earlier than that Tulum’s rampant drug scene lends itself to elevated insecurity due to turf wars. This form of violence tends to come back in waves, so it’s a good suggestion to control any information experiences popping out of Tulum to see if there are any safety threats similar to this.
If you’re visiting Tulum throughout hurricane season (July to November), it’s additionally a good suggestion to examine the climate earlier than you go. Usually, tropical storms present up on the radar days earlier than they attain land, so I like to recommend testing the storm state of affairs earlier than you head to Tulum, so you may determine whether or not or to not make some modifications to your itinerary. Sometimes hurricanes are so robust that they should evacuate the Hotel Zone, which clearly you’d prefer to keep away from if potential.
12. Get journey insurance coverage
Having journey insurance coverage is a good concept anyplace you go — and Tulum is not any exception. Whether you get sick there or want to alter your itinerary due to a hurricane, journey insurance coverage has your again. World Nomads is likely one of the hottest firms; it even has choices for extra adventurous vacationers, in case you’re hoping to do some scuba diving or different higher-risk actions in Tulum. You may also discover an in-depth comparability of World Nomads and one other firm, Safety Wing, right here.
13. Only use ATMs inside banks
In Tulum, you’ll find ATMs on the road, however I don’t suggest utilizing them. First of all, the charges could be insane. Second, they’re proper on the road, and anyone might simply come up behind you and snatch your money with zero penalties.
Stick to the ATMs contained in the banks. These virtually all the time have a door that you could lock from the within whilst you make your withdrawal. There are additionally cameras that deter thieves from even trying to strike. I like to recommend withdrawing money from Citibanamex or Santander, as a result of their ATM charges are decrease and the trade price is normally higher.
14. Only carry the money you want
Once you withdraw your money, instantly convey it to your lodging and maintain it in a secure place. Only carry with you the money you want. Since pickpocketing is so widespread in Tulum, that is one of the best ways to keep away from having large sums of money stolen from you suddenly.
15. Don’t drink the faucet water
Pretty easy: Don’t drink any faucet water in Mexico in any respect, anyplace. There may be exceptions to this rule, however I don’t know of any and Tulum positively isn’t one. Even locals don’t drink faucet water right here. You don’t have to fret about by chance ingesting it through ice in your drink, as a result of the ice is made with bottled water. Drinks in eating places additionally use bottled water, so the chance of by chance consuming faucet water could be very low.
As far as brushing your enamel with faucet water, it’s in all probability wonderful to take action. I lived close to Tulum for a few yr and all the time brushed my enamel with faucet water with none points.
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Keeping in thoughts these security suggestions could make for a low-stress journey to Tulum, which suggests your days of laying on the seaside and exploring cenotes will likely be a lot sweeter. Tulum is a superb vacation spot for solo feminine vacationers, because it’s fairly simple to satisfy folks as a result of social ambiance.
A variety of vacationers suppose Tulum is overrated, however I believe there’s nonetheless a lot to like about this magical place. From the attractive Mayan ruins and pristine seashores to picturesque cenotes and thick jungles, Tulum positively nonetheless deserves a spot in your Mexico bucket record.