My velvet escape travel tip: Tulum

“My velvet escape travel tip” is a guest series about what the name ‘Velvet Escape’ evokes and what that would be in the hometown of the guest writer. With this series, I hope to uncover travel tips from places around the world to help visitors have a truly local experience.

What do the words “Velvet Escape” evoke? When I think of those words, I think of escaping from the outside world, in search of the peaceful spot for getting in touch with your inner world. That’s what it evokes in me.

I was born in Cancun and I’ve been living there for 20 years. As much as I love my hometown (if you haven’t been here what are you waiting for?), it does get kind of… noisy, sometimes. It is a densely populated paradise, with population numbers increasing yearly. So, being a big city now, it can become stressful. Sometimes I literally need to escape from all that. A sweet escape, to a sweet spot, where I can get in touch with myself, breathe, and return refreshed. To me, that place is Tulum.

Located 130 kilometers south of Cancun (an approximate 1hr 20 min drive by car), Tulum is one of the last semi-virgin, “unspoiled” spots on the Riviera Maya or ‘Costa Maya’. Tulum is a place that offers many things for your enjoyement: it is home to a very big & important Mayan archaeological site, the ruins of Tulum. It is also a small village full of little bistros, charming little restaurants, and places with a very relaxed ambiance. You can also find world-class Spas and even a few resorts, although the place is more well-known for its cozy rustic style “Cabañas” or huts, located right on the beach.

What I love about Tulum is that so far, the community of cabaña owners have been developing it right. Slowly, respecting nature.  Most of the power used in Tulum is generated by alternative sources: wind, solar panels, etc. There is a recent initiative to develop a more “city-like” neighborhood, which I personally (and many more people) don’t like. I think the very reason for the charm of Tulum is precisely its semi-virgin, secluded, relaxed ambiance. Turning it more city-like would end all that.

And let’s not forget about the beaches! The beaches of Tulum are some of my favorite beaches in the world (and I have been to a few!). They are like how the beaches of Cancun were decades ago: mile after mile of pure white, powdery sand. Warm & calm (a coral reef barrier keeps the wave activity low) turquoise blue sea, and best of all, the people there all share the same vibe: relaxed and laid back. People go to Tulum to seek relaxation, not to party. It’s the complete opposite of Cancun! And that’s why I love it so much. To me, it’s a way of disconnecting from the city life.

Tulum is also, depending on where you go, very cheap! At least compared to Cancun and Playa del Carmen, in my personal opinion, it is! You can stay at cabañas ranging from a couple of dollars a night, to more upscale resorts. It really depends on your preferences. Me, I personally prefer the cheap cabañas, they are right in front of the ocean, and you have the sand of the beach as your natural floor!

To me, that’s my Velvet Escape! The beautiful town & beaches of Tulum, Quintana Roo. The perfect place to disconnect from the city and embrace nature! I hope everybody gets a chance to visit it someday!

About this week’s guest writer
Camilo Olea is a Computer Systems Engineer / Social Media Marketer born and living in Cancun.  Founder of Cancun is Safe!, a website devoted to promoting the good image of Cancun, Riviera Maya & Costa Maya as safe & beautiful destinations to visit. In his spare time he loves to drink wine and tea, and travel whenever he can.

Follow Camilo and Cancun Is Safe on Twitter.

Read more ‘My velvet escape travel tips‘:

• Vancouver, Canada
• Leuven, Belgium
• Roatan, Honduras
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Tuscany, Italy
• Melbourne, Australia
• Seville, Spain
• Zambezi River, Zambia
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Liguria, Italy
• Tokyo, Japan
• New York City, USA
• Paris, France
• Lanzarote, Spain
• Normandy, France
• Lake District, Cumbria, England
• London, England
• Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Toronto, Canada