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Are the beaches better in Tulum or Cancun?

Tulum beaches are as pristine as Cancun but quieter and more relaxing. If your idea of a vacation is relaxing quietly on the beach, then Tulum will be your better option! The water is typically calmer, too, making it friendly for swimmers.



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They both offer beautiful beaches, breathtaking coastlines, and comforting weather. Their main differences rest in the type of experience you are looking for. Cancun tends to be more upbeat and caters more to the tourist crowd. Tulum is more relaxing and gives you a greater authentic local experience.

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Tulum has many beautiful traces of Mayan culture and history, much like the rest of the Yucatán Peninsula and Quintana Roo. Visiting Tulum is worth it simply for the experience of seeing the historical Tulum Ruins in person.

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I'd recommend Tulum Beach if it's your first time visiting Tulum and you want to lay out on the beach all day, hit a trendy restaurant for dinner, and dance the night away. I'd recommend Tulum Town if you're on a budget and want to explore cenotes, ruins and have a more active vacation!

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I'd recommend Tulum Beach if it's your first time visiting Tulum and you want to lay out on the beach all day, hit a trendy restaurant for dinner, and dance the night away. I'd recommend Tulum Town if you're on a budget and want to explore cenotes, ruins and have a more active vacation!

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Tulum is a more rustic and laid-back destination that is perfect for those looking to escape the crowds and enjoy a more authentic travel experience. Riviera Maya, on the other hand, offers a wider range of amenities and activities, and is perfect for those looking for a more modern and luxurious travel experience.

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The beaches are already covered with the seaweed, making it difficult for tourists to enjoy the main attraction they seek out when visiting the region. For this reason, many Tulum tourists are skipping the beach due to the sargassum.

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Tulum's beaches might just be the most beautiful in Mexico. The stretch of shoreline adjacent to the town boasts 10km of sublime white sand, lapped by the turquoise Caribbean Sea, which is clear and temperate almost year-round.

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Be cautious at night if you're traveling alone – Tulum isn't the most dangerous place at night, but in some places, it's not as well lit as it should be. Don't walk around alone late at night if you can avoid it — especially between the center of town and the beachfront hotel zone.

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Playa Pescadores is a gorgeous beach with calm, clear waters and ridiculously good ceviche. Located just north of Playa Paraíso, this beach offers an enchanting view of Tulum's ruins from the shoreline.

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Tulum Beach — Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Paris Hilton, Kristen Cavallari, Demi Moore, and Drew Barrymore, have been spotted in Tulum at Habitas, Azulik, and the Amansala Resort & Spa.

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While it's possible to walk the 1.8 miles (3km) from Tulum Pueblo to Tulum Playa, it's a long and often sweltering experience. There's a paved path along Avenida Cobá leading to the beach road, but it's also used heavily by cyclists and has little shade… not optimal for walkers.

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Whether you're there for a single night or an entire month, any trip to Tulum is memorable. As a baseline, we think that 5-7 days is a perfect amount of time to enjoy everything the city offers. You'll have time for the beach, to visit Mayan ruins, and even have enough extra days for a trip to a nearby destination.

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Whether you're there for a single night or an entire month, any trip to Tulum is memorable. As a baseline, we think that 5-7 days is a perfect amount of time to enjoy everything the city offers. You'll have time for the beach, to visit Mayan ruins, and even have enough extra days for a trip to a nearby destination.

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While Tulum is trendy, note that most of the best hotels offer eco-chic luxury (if you're looking for a large resort experience, look elsewhere) and are located along the 6-mile-long stretch of beachfront from the Tulum Ruins to the soft sand beach in the south end.

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Discover the ancient Mayan ruins in Tulum History hunters are spoiled for choice in Tulum. The town was once the location of a Mayan walled city, situated on a cliff facing the sun, and the astonishingly well-preserved ruins can be followed by a dip in the sea on the beach below.

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Tulum is renowned worldwide for its nightlife and party scene. It's slightly more upmarket than its neighboring towns of Playa del Carmen and Cancun.

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Among celebrities who come to Tulum for their vacation are Demi Moore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jared Leto, Heidi Klum, Sting, Siena Miller, Drew Barrymore, Kate Bosworth and now we can say almost everyone.

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