The 7 Best Beaches in Tulum

Tulum is known for a few things: its Maya ruins on the cliff, its bohemian hotel zone and, above all, its beaches. Turquoise water, fine white sand and a slow pace are the reason most people come here in the first place.

One thing to know before you plan. Since September 2024 the beaches next to the archaeological site (Playa Paraíso, Las Palmas, Santa Fe and Pescadores) sit inside Parque del Jaguar, a federal protected area, and the access rules and fees have changed more than once since then. As of November 2025 there are free public access points to the sand, while the ticket only covers the park experience (museum, lookout tower, trails). Check the current rules before you go.

Here are the best beaches in Tulum for your next visit.

1. Playa Paraíso: The Name Says It All

Playa Paraíso is one of the most beautiful and most popular beaches in Tulum, and the name is not an exaggeration: white sand, clear water and a stretch of shallow sea that is easy to swim in. It is the kind of beach where an afternoon disappears without you noticing.

• What to do: Spend the day in a hammock or on a lounge chair, or swim out for some snorkeling close to shore.
• Tip: The beach itself is public, but there are beach clubs on it that rent lounge chairs and umbrellas and serve food. The best known is Playa Paraíso Beach Club. Remember that the beach lies inside Parque del Jaguar, so look for the public access point.

2. Playa Ruinas: History and Sea in One Place

Few beaches have a setting like Playa Ruinas, the cove directly below the Tulum archaeological site. From the water you look up at the temples on the cliff, El Castillo and the Templo del Dios del Viento among them, and that contrast between the stone and the Caribbean is what makes it special.

• What to do: After walking the site, take the wooden stairway down to the sand to cool off, and get your photos with the ruins behind you.
• Tip: You enter through the archaeological site, so you need that ticket. The stairway to the beach is closed at times (turtle nesting, rough sea, park management decisions) and it fills up fast, so go early and have Santa Fe or Pescadores as a plan B for swimming.

3. Playa Las Palmas: Peace and Quiet

If you want something quieter but just as pretty, Playa Las Palmas is a good choice. It is a few minutes from Playa Paraíso, sees fewer visitors and has a calmer feel.

• What to do: Read, swim in the calm water, or simply do nothing for a while.
• Tip: Las Palmas is a public beach with no services, so bring your own towels, umbrella and food if you want a picnic by the sea. It is also inside Parque del Jaguar; use the free public access.

4. Playa Pescadores: The Charm of Local Life

Playa Pescadores is the working beach at the northern end of the park. This is where the fishermen keep their pangas and where the boat tours leave for snorkeling on the reef. Watch the boats come in with the catch of the day and you get a side of Tulum that the beach clubs do not show you.

• What to do: Beyond the beach itself, book a boat trip to snorkel on the Mesoamerican Reef or reach quieter stretches of coast.
• Tip: Locals eat here, so it is a good place to try fresh seafood at the small restaurants nearby.

5. Bahía Solimán: A Quiet Bay North of Tulum

For a more secluded day, head to Bahía Solimán, a crescent-shaped bay a short drive north of Tulum. It is calm, sheltered and far from the crowds: good for swimming, snorkeling or simply lying on the sand.

• What to do: Snorkel in the bay’s calm water, where you can spot tropical fish and, with luck, a sea turtle.
• Tip: The bay is lined with private villas and small hotels, but there is public access to the beach and a beach club that takes non-guests.

6. Playa Xcacel: A Turtle Sanctuary

Playa Xcacel is for people who want nature more than services. This stretch of beach is the Santuario de la Tortuga Marina Xcacel-Xcacelito, a state protected area where loggerhead and green turtles nest every year, and it has a small cenote, Xcacelito, a short walk from the sand. Sea in the morning, cenote in the afternoon.

• What to do: Swim in the clear water, cool off in the cenote or, if you are lucky, spot nesting turtles during the season (May to November).
• Tip: There is a small entrance fee that goes toward looking after the sanctuary. It is worth every peso for how untouched the place feels.

7. Akumal Beach: Swim with Sea Turtles

Akumal is a little outside Tulum (about a 30-minute drive north) and is famous for one thing: swimming with sea turtles in their natural habitat. The name means “place of the turtles” in Maya, and the shallow bay is where they come to feed on seagrass.

• What to do: Snorkeling with the turtles is the experience people come for. There are also reefs nearby with plenty of marine life.
• Tip: Bahía de Akumal is a federal refuge for marine species. To snorkel in the turtle area you need an authorized guide, in small groups, which keeps the activity safe for you and for the turtles.

Beaches in Tulum: One for Every Traveler

From the busiest to the most remote, the beaches in Tulum cover every kind of beach day: clear water to swim in, marine life to snorkel over, sand to do nothing on. Pack sunscreen and a good book, and check the access rules before you set out.