Some Random Tulum, Mexico: The Town, The Secret Garden, The Food, The Crafts, The Skulls and Some Diving Information

Lodging is plentiful in this area of Mexico.  There are tons of very cute hotels on the beach.  You can camp or rent a sand floor, wind cooled cabana or stay at a high end boutique eco-lodge…you’ve got lots of options.

But I really love to stay in town.  And I’m back at my favorite:  The Secret Garden Tulum.

Lovely clean basic rooms surrounding…well…a secret garden.  Or not so secret…in the morning and evening, guests are usually lounging under the trees on the comfy couches.  And the price is fantastic.  Check them out on Facebook, they’ve got lots of great deals.

Most of the town dwellers are locals and there are plenty of old style houses…and many more modern.

That’s my turn off…

Lots of local food vendors, carts, bicycles…

You can grab tacos el pastor from a vendor or a small local restaurant.  Antojito’s about one block south of the bus station is my fave.  (This brown conic depiction doesn’t do the food justice…this place is always packed.  And closed on Sundays)

Cheap, simple, here is a glistening pile of pastor I’d like to take home…

($1 USD is about $13 pesos right now.)  I like the gringas best…flour tortilla with a bit of cheese.  2-3 of any of these will make a hearty dinner.  You’ve really got to try this place.

Some other restaurants and stores while walking on the main street…

One of my favorites…an Italian spot, La Nave.

Laundry…

And this simple mini grocery store with a very serious name.

There is lots of great shopping (and plenty of junky)…crafts and jewelry from the area and all over Mexico.  Lots of skull symbolism used.  Mexico called that trend a few hundred years before Ed Hardy made it semi-cool for 13 year old suburban kids.

Love these colorful wooden ones on the wall.

Cute, cute, cute stuff (who doesn’t want a wrestler themed tissue box)…and to me, very reasonably priced.

Oh yeah…and plenty of pottery and glass work…

I bought two rather fetching pieces of NATURAL FIBER fabric…sarongs…wraps.  I’ve been looking for these for ages and I love the patterns.

And Mexican wrestling masks…everywhere.  Apparently a very popular souvenir…right up there with sombreros and itchy looking horse blankets.

On last thing…Tulum has an amazing amount of perfect shoreline.  But most, if not all, of the snorkeling and diving is done in the amazing underground freshwater cave and river system.  There is more to see inland.  These natural swimming holes, the cenotes, are dotted all around this area…tons of them.

Here is how much (approximately) it might cost you to dive in the cenotes around town.

Bye Tulum…I’ll be back in a few months I’m sure.  But today I take the bus and the water taxi back to San Pedro.