Pages

Tulum.

Touching down in New York City yesterday morning felt like a scene out of a movie. Just hours earlier, the airplane window shade had closed on a warm, breezy night in Mexico; when it opened, the world was engulfed in snow. Tulum — where I spent the weekend with two friends — seems very far away from where I sit now, but I'm so grateful to have had a brief escape from this very cold winter, and the opportunity to catch my breath in the midst of an increasingly busy month.


The three of us spent the majority of our time in Tulum on the beach, reading in the sun and swimming in some of the clearest water I've seen anywhere. When we weren't doing that, we were most often eating, or exploring the jungle strip and bits and pieces of town. A few stand-out memories from our four days:

-Hartwood. If you've read any travel guide to Tulum, chances are you've heard of Hartwood, a restaurant opened by a pair of former New Yorkers in 2010. Hartwood is firmly committed to sustainability and the use of fresh, local ingredients — it's also a beautiful place, with a smattering of candlelit tables under the stars. We were shocked to learn we'd have to wait in line hours before opening to put our names down for a table (and it took us two tries to get in), but it was completely worth it. Order anything and everything — it's all incredible. 

Other memorable eats: steak at the Argentinian gem Casa Banana; banana-coconut smoothies on the beach at Coqui Coqui; pasta (yes, pasta — homemade, to boot) at Posada Margherita; and fish tacos and the world's best mojito at El Tabano. We also had a late dinner one night at Casa Jaguar, which offered delicious cocktails and a stunning outdoor dining space filled with lush greenery.

-Mayan ruins. The ruins north of the beach are beautiful and easily accessible, but be sure to go early. We showed up on our last day around 11, and it was difficult to see anything beyond the crowds of people everywhere. (I've also never seen so many selfie sticks in my life.) Margaux, my sister-in-law, had warned me about arriving early and she was right. Next time, I'll go when it opens. 

-Wandering around town. We spent a couple of hours one afternoon in town, about a ten minute cab ride from the beach. We'd gone in search of interesting Mexican textiles, and though we didn't find quite what we were looking for, we had a great time poking through local grocery and drug stores (something I always like to do when I travel). We also had a memorable lunch at El Camello Jr, a roadside restaurant known for its ceviche. 

Of course, this very short list doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what there is to do in Tulum — since we were only there for four days, this is an extremely abbreviated guide. Should I be lucky enough to visit again, I'd love to visit a cenote and try a mud meditation. (For more ideas, I found these links particularly helpful: 1 / 2.)

Additional tips:

-Arrive with cash. Most places don't take credit cards, and ATMs along the main strip are notoriously sketchy — quite a few of them don't work at all. There are banks in town, but the easiest option is to exchange your dollars at the airport.
-Stock up on bottled water. It's easy to find pretty much everywhere, and since drinking the tap isn't an option, be sure to keep some at your hotel at all times. (And don't forget to use it for teeth-brushing, too.)
-Get your work done ahead of time. I arrived with a couple of deadlines to meet over the course of the weekend, but wifi wasn't always easy to come by. I found a few places and made it work, but it would have been much easier to have done everything before I got there.

--

I'm looking forward to making 2015 a year of travel — to places both near and far. Jamie told me recently that her New Years resolution was to take a trip every month. Whether it was a day trip to a neighboring city or a farther journey to an exotic destination wasn't particularly important. The simple act of moving — seeing new places, trying new things — was. I find that incredibly inspiring.

To new adventures, always. See you tomorrow.

14 comments:

  1. this sounds simply divine. the pictures look so too! i have been dreaming of a warm-place escape for weeks :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. hi shoko! tulum looks wonderful! i agree, escaping to unknown places, new discoveries are so important and i love the once a month plan!!! i've been applying for artist residencies to far away places this year. (fingers crossed) looking forward to see where you'll go next. these photos are beautiful (;

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely!What a great time away from NY cold. Love those pix!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mmm, all the food sounds divine! What a great, great resolution too. I'd love to do that too. I think sticking close to home is the thing to do.

    Stay warm!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a gorgeous looking getaway from this nasty winter! I've been to Talum before and it really is a special place, indeed. Now you've got me wanting to go back! I particularly love the shot of all the pineapples.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I also been there last january, but only to the ruins. I've stayed between playa del carmen and cancun at the Grand Mayan Palace. We also went to the Cirque de Soleil. Beautiful. I went on a tour so I couldn't really enjoy Tulum. As you are making 2015 a travel year, maybe you should come over to Curacao (in the Caribbean). I'll give you a tour around ;)

    www.jenpluspenequalsjenpen.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you all so much!

    Kim, that's so exciting! Where are the residencies? Sounds like a dream.

    Loulou, it was the perfect getaway. Missing those pineapples already :)

    Huub, I would love that, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. looks like an incredible place to explore, travel always seems to be refreshing for the soul :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow wow WOW - and you look so beautiful in the sun. It suits you.

    ReplyDelete
  10. shoko, one residency i applied for is a 2 week backpacking hike from alaska to yukon canada, creating art while on the chilkoot trail in late july(no snow). if i get it and my sister flakes.. i'll need a partner to hike with....you'll be the first i'll ask!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Shoko! Do you mind sharing where you stayed? I started to look into planning a trip to Tulum after hearing lots of great things, but I got super overwhelmed trying to find a hotel/lodgings... Did you stay someplace w a pool and hot tub? Or does everyone really just go to the beach anyways?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thelma, so sweet of you! Thank you!

    Kim, PLEASE DO! That sounds amazing!

    Unknown, of course! I stayed at a small B&B on the beach called Playa Canek. It was clean and comfortable, nothing fancy. I'd recommend it only if you were completely okay with absolutely no frills. Just the basics there! As for a pool/hot tub, I didn't see any — and I don't think you'd need one. Choose a hotel on the beach side and I promise it's all you'll want :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. This looked like such a wonderful trip! And look at how big those coconuts are! A trip every month definitely sounds inspiring, wonder if I could do the same, or at least visiting a place I've never been to each month. Good idea Shoko, thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

 

© sho and tell All rights reserved . Design by Blog Milk Powered by Blogger