When I visited Cancun, I spent most of my time in Playa Del Carmen. However, once I explored Tulum Mexico (towards the tail end of my Mexico trip), I did want to spend more time there. Hence, I feel that Tulum Vs Cancun is a decision every traveler to the Mexican Caribbean needs to make.
Through this post, I want to help fellow travelers decide which hotspot is better – Tulum or Cancun? This is definitely not an easy choice but is based on your travel style totally.
My Trip to Mexico
My travel planning was not very solid and I wish I had done some research before my visit.
All I knew before traveling to Mexico was that I wanted to see the epic Day of the Dead festival (Inspired by the Disney movie “Coco”).
Ofcourse along side that I also ended up visiting the Teotihuacan pyramids and spending time on the stunning white sand beaches of Quintana Roo.
However, I had initially booked an Airbnb for one month in Mexico city (CDMX) but soon enough the Mexican Caribbean started alluring me.
I cut my time short in CDMX and headed to Cancun to bask on the white sand beaches and get some much needed Vitamin Sea.
This seemed to be a great idea, till, almost towards the end of my travels to Mexico, I discovered Tulum!
Oh no… a “better” destination existed literally an hour away from our Airbnb in Playa del Carmen? Oh no…..
That’s when I decided – Tulum – I have to come back to spend more time with you.
For now, let me compare Cancun Vs Tulum so my avid readers can make an informed decision.
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Tulum Vs Cancun – Beaches
So, is Tulum better than Cancun in terms of beach stretches? Well – beachwise Tulum took the cake for me. ONE look at the stunning white sand Playa Paraiso in Tulum was enough to make me want to stay in one of the beach resorts there.
With its iconic leaning palm tree (pic above) which is renowned for all those Insta worthy shots and a row of cute resorts, this was your perfect public beach resort area.
Of course I absolutely loved the public beach in Playa del carmen where I met a Couchsurfer and we enjoyed a nice beach picnic. It is not easy to do a comparison of Playa Del Carmen vs Tulum since I enjoyed BOTH.
However, Playa Del Carmen vs Cancun is slightly an easier pick since Cancun is more crowded for my taste.
Now as for Tulum and Cancun comparison, the beaches of Cancun were slightly more crowded and somehow the sand was softer and whiter in Tulum. I am not a big resort beach kind of person but this was a public beach so definitely a good idea.
Tulum Vs Cancun – Cenotes
Cenote-wise, I would say both are good choices.
No matter if you choose the Cenote Dos Ojos in Tulum or Cenote Azul in Playa del Carmen, almost all the cenotes lining this area, are surreal.
These blue green swimming pools are often ideal for jumping plus the caves in some provide an option to swim through.
You can easily spend several days just exploring the cenotes in and around Quintana Roo.
This should not affect your decision of where to stay though as most of the cenotes are mid-way. Plus a day trip to the cenotes is a very popular option which you can take as well. You can try one of the many ATV tours in Tulum as well to explore these cenotes and beyond.
Tulum Vs Cancun – Parties & Food
Party wise, Playa del carmen has umpteen bars and a crazy party scene.
With latest Spanish beats, cabaret shows and an array of nightclubs, Playa del carmen is surely the party hot spot.
For chilling with friends, watching live music and dining out, Tulum is definitely the better choice.
If, however, you want some late night party or dining options, then head to Cancun.
Tulum also has a far more mature and “Resort-ish” crowd vs the backpacker/ digital nomad vibes of Cancun/ Playa del Carmen.
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To conclude, if you are wondering if you will like Cancun or Tulum, you need to keep your travel style in mind.
For a more resort-style, laid-back vibe, head to Tulum. Even though Cancun has some kick ass oceanfront resorts & luxury resorts with swim-out suites you ought to check out while there.
If you want to mix with locals/expats, join a more backpacker/ party crowd, then head to Cancun.
If you have enough time, I would suggest just spending 1-2 weeks in each destination.
If you are wondering how far is Tulum from Cancun, well you will be surprised that the distance between Tulum and Cancun is just 130 kms, appox 2 hours. So you can infact explore both very easily.
So which one do you prefer? Tulum or Cancun? What rates higher on your Tulum vs Cancun scale? Share in comments below.
This alongside regular visits to Indian jungles in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, fueled her zest for adventure, nature and wildlife.
Now she is a renowned travel blogger, outreach expert and has worked with over 500 travel brands in the last 15 years.
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