Tulum seems like the perfect beach town, full of pristine white sand beaches, clear blue water, picturesque Mayan ruins among the palm trees and epic parties and festivals!
But did you know that the beach is actually quite far from the main town (around 5km) that you’ll either need a taxi, scooter, car or bike? Sure you could walk, but it’s going to take you at least 50 minutes walking in the scorching sun.
So, what is the best way to get from Tulum town to the beach? Well there are many ways, all of which we’ll cover in this in-depth guide.
How to get from Tulum Town to the Beach
There are multiple ways to get to the beach from Tulum centro, from incredibly expensive taxis to renting your own car, scooter, or bicycle, to even walking. In our opinion, the best way is without a doubt renting a bicycle. Here we will cover all the possible options for you.
Tulum Town to the Beach via Bicycle
Perhaps the most popular way to get to the beach from Tulum town is by renting a bicycle. Many of the hostels and Airbnb’s in Tulum will have bicycles for rent on the premises, sometimes for free, and sometimes they will charge (100-200 pesos).
If you’re not staying at a hostel or accommodation that has bikes available for rent, no worries – there are many places around town that offer bicycles for rent at a daily rate.
Our favourite option and perhaps the most convenient is Ola bikes, located along Avenida Coba (heading towards the beach, not far from Mayan Monkey hostel). The daily rate is now 200 pesos, which may not be the cheapest, but you only need a 500 peso deposit and just your drivers license or ID.
You can find other rental places as low as 100 but they usually as for a large deposit (2000+ pesos) or even your passport, which we personally wouldn’t feel comfortable doing.
All bikes come with a secure lock so you can easily lock the bike wherever you end up going.
Once you get the bike, simply head down Avenida Coba south along the bike/walking path that runs next to it, until you see an intersection that will say “Zona Archeologica” and turn left into there, heading north.
After biking for another 5-10 minutes you’ll see an entrance on your right side with tons of bikes locked up and a sandy path towards the beach. You can either get off here or keep biking for another 5 minutes and get to Playa Paraiso, which is nicer and less crowded in our opinion.
If you’re looking to head towards the beach clubs and hotel zone then you’ll want to turn right instead of left. You can also bike down Avenida Kulkulkan in La Veleta which heads straight south towards the hotels and beach clubs. It’s around a 20 minutes bike ride. Check the map above for more details.
Tulum Town to the Beach via Taxi
If you don’t feel like biking or walking or you on short on time, you can consider getting a taxi – if money is not an issue. Right now the current rates for a taxi are around 800 pesos one way during high season.
The price has gone up considerably in 2022, the previous years it was around 300-500 pesos. The taxi will know where to drop you off, just tell them where you wish to go.
Tulum Town to the Beach via Scooter
This works pretty much the same way as renting a bicycle, it’s just much faster mode of transportation. Scooter rentals can be found all over the town and start at around 400-500 pesos per day, or around 250-300 for a half day.
Some good rental services are Scootorama, Vespacito (if you want a stylish vespa) and Scooter rental Tulum Ahau which is right on Avenida Coba. You can also simply search for “Scooter Rental” on google maps and you’ll find some options nearby. Most require a 2000+ peso deposit plus ID.
Tulum Town to the Beach via Car Rental
If you happen to be driving, or looking to rent a car in the town, then this is also an excellent option, and also much better than a taxi. You can get rentals for as little as $25 USD per day if you book in advance.
It’s easy to get to the beach from Tulum town if you’re driving (same bike map as above.) The only tricky part is figuring out where to park. If you’re going to a hotel or beach club they will have parking on the premises. If you’re just visiting the south beaches most parking costs around 200 pesos per day.
If you’re looking to go to one of the public beaches in the north such as Playa Paraiso then you’ll have to use public parking, which fills up very quickly so you might have to arrive in the morning or midday.
