Mexico - City Overview

I visited three Mexican towns during my trip. They are all little towns, but full of lively culture and spirit.

Tulum

Tulum map

It is a lovely beach town with great restaurants, nightlife, and friendly people. The main street is called Boulevard Tulum, which is where most of the shops and restaurants are at. It is not a big town, relatively speaking. You can probably walk the entire town down Boulevard Tulum within 2 hours. You can either stay in the town or stay by the beach. The beach is about 10 minutes taxi ride from the town. It will cost you about 70 Pesos.

Boulveard Tulum street view

There are two banks in town. In addition, there are a lot of ATM machines and exchange centers. I didn't exchange money at bank or ATM. I found the exchange center offers good rates too. As you walk down Boulevard Tulum, you will encounter multiple exchange centers on both sides of the road. 

At the busier intersection between Boulevard Tulum and Satelite 

Tulum is a safe town and quite a bit touristy. The locals are familiar with tourists and are aware that tourism drives their economy. You see police around and the locals are very friendly. I found it safe to walk at night alone. During night time is actually quite lively because the temperature finally cools down which is a lot more comfortable walking around.

You will find beautiful street art everywhere in Tulum

Another beautiful mural painting

How to get there: 
If you come from Cancun, use the ADO bus to Playa del Carmen, then to Tulum. More details on ADO bus on the transportation post.

Tulum ADO bus station

Akumal

Akumal map

Another lovely white sand beach town. It is even smaller than Tulum. People mostly know this little town for its beach, resorts, and sea turtles. The access to the beach is free of charge and there are a couple dive shop where you can rent snorkeling equipment or even better go on a diving tour. If you are lucky and the weather is good, you may spot them right by the shore. People speak English here and there are more tourists than locals.    

The turtle gate at Akumal

Beautiful white sand beach

How to get there:
If you don't have a resort arranging shuttle to take you there, you would most likely take the ADO bus to Tulum then take a taxi or Colectivo to Akumal. It's about a 30-minute ride from Tulum to Akumal. More details on various transportation at the transportation post.

This is the home of sea turtles

Valladolid

Valladolid map

This is a beautiful little colonial town with cobble streets and colorful buildings. If you are looking for an unique but less touristy town, it is definitely a good place to visit. You can experience more of what a local community is like. 

Calzada de los Frailes

This is considered one of the safest towns in Mexico, so there is no need to be worried walking around at night or alone. People are friendly, but may not speak English, so you will need some basic Spanish to get around. 

The Catedral de San Gervasio

There are lots of activities and places to visit around the area. A lot of the attractions such as cenotes are just a simple bike ride away. The further attractions such as Chichen Itza and other ruins can be visited via Mexigotour.

Mexigotour office by the town center

How to get there:
You can reach Valladolid from Cancun or from Tulum via ADO bus. It is about 2.5 hours from Tulum. The ADO bus will take you right to the heart of Valladolid.

Valladolid ADO bus station