Tulum is on the high of many vacationers’ lists of the place they wish 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 recognition and has remodeled from a sleepy backpacker village to one of many high seaside locations within the nation. Although its popularity as an idyllic seaside paradise is properly deserved due to its pure magnificence, the uptick in tourism has additionally contributed to a number of the city’s safety considerations. So, is Tulum secure?
Below I’ll record my high ideas for staying secure whereas visiting Tulum, as a way to have a tremendous time there, worry-free:
1. Do not buy or use unlawful substances
Since Tulum is now one of many rowdiest get together locations in Mexico, it’s no shock that the city has seen an enormous improve in demand for unlawful substances. The result’s that cartels are preventing over turf in Tulum, and harmless civilians have been caught within the crossfire.
When you buy get together medicine in Tulum, you might be actively contributing to violence by supporting these teams. There’s no different method to put it. You additionally put your self vulnerable to getting blended up with the fallacious 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 almost as harmful as shopping for and consuming medicine, it’s at all times 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 frequent in Tulum for individuals 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 should you resolve to exit to the bars. That method, you and the opposite particular person shall be looking for one another and may be certain that everybody will get house okay.
3. Stay conscious of your environment
This nods to the 2 factors above but in addition applies to being out and about within the daytime as properly. Whether it’s on the seaside or on the road within the lodge 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 should you’re alone, it’s vital to at all times concentrate on your environment.
Trust your intestine if one thing feels off. I’ve had random individuals 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 carry valuables to cenotes or seashores
Also, by no means carry 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 carry your cellphone, take into account placing it in a water-proof case, so you may carry it with you should you resolve to wade within the water. Another possibility is to carry a moveable 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, lodge, hostel, or Airbnb in Tulum, be sure you have someplace to retailer your valuables (passport, bank cards, jewellery, and many others.). Usually resorts and resorts 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 be certain that to carry my moveable secure.
6. Let buddies learn about your plans
This tip isn’t Tulum-specific — it’s relevant wherever you journey alone. Always have at the very least one particular person 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 many others. I additionally advocate 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 individuals. But if something, letting a buddy learn about your plans might help ease your thoughts. For me, simply realizing that anyone is looking for me, regardless of how far-off, takes a load of stress off.
7. Choose your lodging properly
Tulum has numerous neighborhoods and areas you may keep in. The principal three are: the Hotel Zone, which runs alongside the seaside; Aldea Zamna, which is a newly constructed neighborhood with residence buildings and a few lodging; and Tulum Centro, aka downtown. Each of those are tremendous 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 individuals may probably congregate. The Hotel Zone can also be tremendous 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 effective central place to be. However, sure areas are much less secure than others. Stick to locations which are simply a few blocks from the primary street on the town, the Carretera Chetumal-Cancún.
There are Airbnbs and resorts which are exterior of the downtown space which are in secure neighborhoods, however there are additionally many which are to date off the overwhelmed 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 consistently bustling with individuals at night time, it’s not an awesome thought to stroll alone after darkish. Doing so makes you a simple goal for petty theft and different crimes. Uber isn’t in Tulum, however taxis are straightforward 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 sometimes attempt to make the most of unsuspecting vacationers by overcharging — double and even triple. To keep away from this, ask the motive force how a lot it is going to price to take you to your vacation spot. If you don’t communicate Spanish, simply ask, “¿Cuánto cuesta llevarme de aquí a X?“
Although it’s not inherently harmful for a taxi driver to overcharge you, what may probably be harmful is the argument over it. Drivers could be unpredictable in how they may 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 by Tulum is secure to journey on through 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 cellphone 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 an eye fixed on the information
In the weeks main as much as your journey to Tulum, regulate present information there. I discussed earlier than that Tulum’s rampant drug scene lends itself to elevated insecurity due to turf wars. This sort of violence tends to come back in waves, so it’s a good suggestion to regulate any information experiences popping out of Tulum to see if there are any safety threats reminiscent of 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 trying out the storm state of affairs earlier than you head to Tulum, so you may resolve whether or not or to not make some adjustments to your itinerary. Sometimes hurricanes are so robust that they must 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 superb thought wherever you go — and Tulum isn’t any exception. Whether you get sick there or want to vary 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, yow will discover ATMs on the road, however I don’t advocate utilizing them. First of all, the charges could be insane. Second, they’re proper on the road, and anyone may simply come up behind you and snatch your money with zero penalties.
Stick to the ATMs contained in the banks. These virtually at all times have a door that you could lock from the within when you make your withdrawal. There are additionally cameras that deter thieves from even making an attempt to strike. I like to recommend withdrawing money from Citibanamex or Santander, as a result of their ATM charges are decrease and the alternate price is often higher.
14. Only carry the money you want
Once you withdraw your money, instantly carry it to your lodging and hold it in a secure place. Only carry with you the money you want. Since pickpocketing is so frequent in Tulum, that is one of the best ways to keep away from having enormous sums of money stolen from you all of sudden.
15. Don’t drink the faucet water
Pretty easy: Don’t drink any faucet water in Mexico in any respect, wherever. There is perhaps 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 danger of by chance consuming faucet water could be very low.
As far as brushing your tooth with faucet water, it’s most likely tremendous to take action. I lived close to Tulum for a few 12 months and at all times brushed my tooth with faucet water with none points.
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Keeping in thoughts these security ideas could make for a low-stress journey to Tulum, which suggests your days of laying on the seaside and exploring cenotes shall be a lot sweeter. Tulum is a superb vacation spot for solo feminine vacationers, because it’s fairly straightforward to fulfill individuals as a result of social environment.
Plenty of vacationers suppose Tulum is overrated, however I feel 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.