Hello people! Do you know the hidden gems in Tulum? Tulum has more extravagant coastlines, chic boutiques, and the Insta famous Tulum Ruins, but it offers more than the world thinks it does: On a very different side.
While the trails we walk are so very well trodden, in fact, much of the time, there’s a world of hidden gem trails waiting to be walked ‘off the well-trodden path.
An off-the-beaten-path guide to Tulum as it’s really meant to be experienced: hidden cenotes, relaxing beaches you only find out about once you get there, and hidden ruins you’ve never heard of are below.
And if you’re going to travel like a local in Tulum 2024, here are our 10 best hidden local gems not to be missed in Tulum.
Let’s discuss it!
Table of Contents
Tulum's Hidden Gems
Tulum has become one of the surprises of recent years as it exploded in popularity. Travel + Leisure has, however, at least trumpeted Patagonia’s towns as the world’s most exotic, most eco-luxurious vacation spots. And at Tulum, as of 2023, five million people have come so far.
This is only set to increase further in 2024. While they are no longer overwhelmed with over-tourism, some of the most historically iconic tourist attractions are all just too overwhelming for the crowds in distress and avoiding, so they are skipping for more covert but lesser-known lovelies. The gems are much more crowded and much more expensive than Tulum.
Tulum’s 10 hidden gems you’ll want to discover in 2024.
Cenote Calavera
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
Cenote Calavera, lovingly dubbed the ‘Temple of Doom,’ is not only one that you have to add to your things to do in the Cenote list but also one of those that you absolutely must visit while in the country. It’s quieter and stranger than the famous cenotes, Calavera.
What to Expect
- Outside Cenote Calavera, the water is super clear, and the walls are rock, with three humongous holes in the ceiling to see above.
- In that case, it’s a crowd-pleaser, but it’s fun for thrill seekers, as you can jump out of the holes and into the waters below.
- It even has literally everything you’d need for a place to swim or jump off cliffs and photograph.
Fun Fact
- Expedia data shows they stand out because, as hundreds flock to the Mexican border to seek out more authentic nature-based experiences, they do not share the crush of mass tourism.
Tulum, Ruins Hidden Beach
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
These are beautiful ruins to visit, yet most people don’t know about the incredible beach hidden below, with cliffs perched on the ruins below.
What to Expect
- Hide the Tulum Ruin’s famous View of the beach and the hidden staircase down to it.
- The public beaches in this area are a lot more populated, but this spot, with its soft sand, turquoise waters, and sparsity around it, was much quieter. It was just out of the way of the trolls but awesome for swimming.
Fun Fact
- That is the case, but look for ‘Hidden Beach Tulum’ to see a percent cent jump from a year before, meaning fewer people will visit the ruins and more time will be spent at the less visited locations.
Cenote Dos Ojos
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
One of the world’s best underground caves, Cenote Dos Ojos, also hosts Tulum’s most beautiful, viral underwater cave. It is about a bit more popular but a bit more intimate and a whole lot quieter, somewhere off the beaten path.
What to Expect
- The Dos Ojos Cenote has some wonderful stalactites to admire (awe-inspiring spirit, andes). Plus, blindingly good diving, sun, snorkeling, or just chilling out in the coolness of these caves make Dos Ojos Cenote one of the best cave dives.
- It is also open to snorkelers and visitors who are ready to dive. The namesake was divided into two large parts by the ‘Two Eyes’ divide under waterer water tunnel.
Fun Fact
- If you’ve guessed it, Dos Ojos diving is no less than one of the most popular in the world, and according to National Geographic, it is one of the longest underwater caves in the world.
Xpu-Ha Beach
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
- Xpu Ha Beach is not what most would call Tulum’s dream beach, but it is also one of the most serene, least spoiled, and, if you are close by, often visited beaches in Playa Ruinas or Playa Paraiso. It’s a good, nice, peaceful alternative that’s a hidden gem.
What to Expect
- It’s also nice for those laid-back days at the beach. There is white sand, clear water, and postcard-perfect palm trees.
- His confreres, of course, are everywhere, but if you want fresh seafood and cocktails without the stampedes, there are a few small beach clubs, too.
Fun Fact
- The added message from the TripAdvisor data is that as more people start looking for less packaged beaches for 2023, searches for ‘Xpu-Ha Beach’ are up 28%.
Laguna De Kaan Luum
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
- Laguite de Kaan Luum is a little-known lagoon 10 km from the strip in Tulum. Feelings of being clear and greenish in the air are good for relaxing and swimming in.
What to Expect
- The lagoon is almost always busy, but it is less crowded for visitors. It is a great spot to swim, kayak, float, and enjoy the beautiful views.
- It’s a shallow lagoon but has a striking blue tone, even in the afternoon sunlight.
Fun Fact
- Mexico’s Tourism Board now says the lagoon has become so popular that its popularity has increased 30 percent a year since tourists first came to the lagoon and found the calm waters there.
- The following video is about We Tried 20 Tulum Experiences You Can’t Miss! 🇲🇽 TRAVEL GUIDE 2024
El Mirador is Tulum’s Secret Viewpoint.
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
Above the sea, hidden in the Mirador, and beyond this, Tulum is famous for its beauty: The secret to why Tulum’s famous beaches are famous.
What to Expect
- Also, El Mirador in Tulum is a quiet place, which is good for taking photographs or just sitting and enjoying the view.
- They’re great spots to get Tulum’s sunrise or sunset, but you’re literally high enough to see the whole Caribbean coastline from where you stand.
Fun Fact
- An Instagram survey showed that travelers looking for more unique photo locations away from the crowd, such as ‘El Mirador Tulum,’ are up more than 50 percent in the past year.
Cenote Angelita
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
One of the most amazing and underrated hidden gems in Tulum is Mystical Cenote Angelita, famous for the incredible underwater ‘cloud’ effect. But the typical cenote is not deep, dark, and mysterious.
What to Expect
- That’s why it’s deep (30 meters plus). Surreal phenomenon: The way we describe this phenomenon is in this fog Domain because when it goes on the cenote side, fresh and saltwater side, there’s always the fog Domain side itself, which is where there is this mixed hydrogen sulfate that’ll create this ethereal fogging of the fog effect of the fog domain.
- That is a cenote those adventurists will want to see an underwater wonder in.
Fun Fact
- That’s right; Cenote Angelita indeed makes the Scuba Diving Magazine list of the Top 10 Most Mysterious Dive Sites in the World.
Tulum Jungle Gym
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
Though Tulum is famous for its pristine coastline and high-end resorts, there is one interesting place that is ideal for fitness lovers: Another one-of-a-kind fitness experience is Tulum Jungle Gym, which you’ll find somewhere in South Florida if you take it up a notch on the al fresco fitness level.
What to Expect
- But where do we start with the Tulum Jungle Gym? It’s a little fitness studio with wooden, stone, and bamboo gym equipment.
- It’s also good for those who want to work out outside while still listening to the ambient sounds of the jungle.
Fun Fact
- Wellness Travel Guide says fitness travelers have booked 50 percent more than usual at Tulum Jungle Gym.
Non-Touristy Restaurants in Tulum
Why It’s a Hidden Gem
Instead, you are looking to be led to Tulum (but the local joints where cheap real Mexican food can be scored for a fraction of the price you’d be charged in America are what you are after). Tourists miss most of these spots.
What to Expect
- Like its breezy beaches and surf breaks, Tulum’s local food scene offers great flavors and dishes: fresh ceviche (ceviche fresh) and cochinita pibil (slow-cooked pork).
- These are my favorites, but let’s also examine a couple of other valid candidates for the moniker ‘Sale e Pepe’ and ‘La Nave Pizzeria.’
Fun Fact
- Tourists who want to dine at authentic, local Tulum restaurants are leaving more reviews: A Yelp survey found that local Tulum restaurants received a 22 percent increase in reviews.
Conclusion
The traveler’s map is sure to end at Tulum. This very beautiful paradise has a quiet side, but if you take time to explore its hidden gems, you get a chance to see it. As you roll with Tulum, you will meet an adventure cenote, a quiet beach, or a local taste.
Suppose you visit these hidden gems while here; you’ll basically just avoid them being passed and skip them to get into another (okay, smaller, quieter, and in every which way a ‘better’) part of this wonderful travel destination!
FAQs: 10 Things You Can't Miss in Tulum 2024
- Why do I highly recommend Tulum on your 2024 bucket list?
Tulum is part Mayan, part boho, and part natural beauty. What’s great for travel in 2024 is a little of both adventuring and chilling out, with the aid of a small list of hand-picked places to go and things to do that aren’t totally saturated with tourists.
- What is Tulum off the beaten track?
The beauties of Cenote Suytun, Cenote Dos Ojos, and the ‘lesser known’ Mayan ruins of Coba are located outside the crowds and create quiet and awe-inspiring experiences.
- Which one was the best secret cenote in Tulum?
For the locals, it is Cenote Calavera. Less visited than most, natural skylights, crystal clear water, and an underground ambiance are rare, but they make this sensational cenote sensational.
- Where are the best quiet beaches in Tulum?
One of the most tranquil (by Playa Paraiso standards) beaches is relatively little known compared to the actual number and geographic distribution of Playa Paraiso beaches. It has soft sand and turquoise water, making it a perfect place to relax away from crowds and faces.
- Has Anyone heard of Eco lodging in Tulum? Are there any cool ones?
But if it’s all or nothing you’re after, head to Coqui Coqui or Azulik for their private, eco villas with no ecological footprint at all for their precisely sized, small, sustainable escape.
- Where has an Under the Radar Mayan ruin to unwindring that you know of?
One is a place that you can climb, where you can quietly experience it when surrounded by ju; there is no crowd here. Check out the Coba Ruins Pyramid.
- What’s a gem for food lovers in Tulum?
Sale e Pepe is an almost invisible (in the town’s quieter lanes) Italian restaurant. Its food is made with local ingredients in a cozy and laid-back setting.
- In Tulu, why not find the best and most unique souvenirs?
This is a great market if you want to buy handmade goods or jewelry made locally (but not with the tourist markup).
