Tulum, Mexico: Bachelorette Party
- Abbey Ansley
- Mar 3
- 12 min read
Updated: Mar 3
Travel Time: February 2026
A friend I’ve known since middle school is getting married later this year, which of course called for a celebration. The bride-to-be chose Tulum for her bachelorette party and found the Airbnb, and I took the lead on organizing activities for the trip.
Planning a trip for a group has potential to be tricky. Everyone has different visions for their vacation, interests, activity levels, and tastes. We had a group of 5 women, so we worked together to narrow down all the activities in Tulum to our top picks. I'll be sure to write a blog post soon with tips for making everyone in a travel group happy.
Our trip in a nutshell:
Day 1: Travel + dinner in a Nest at Kin Toh
Day 2: Ruins, cenote cave, swimming with turtles and private chef dinner
Day 3: Pool day at The Yellow Nest and dinner at Bak
Day 4: Travel home
Day 1: Arrival
Our trip got off to a pretty rocky start. For starters, the emergency alarms were going off in the Atlanta airport and our flight was delayed due to lack of a pilot (a pretty important component of any flight). Once we boarded and pulled away from the gate, the plane promptly pulled back up and parked to fix a mechanical issue. We eventually made it to Tulum, but not without further obstacles.
What we didn't know is that every single checked bag would be searched when we pulled it off the baggage claim conveyor belt. The Maid of Honor had packed goodie bags for each of the 5 travelers. When the baggage inspectors saw this, they asked her how much she had spent on the gifts. They then claimed that because she had more than one of the same thing, it is classified as merchandise and they charged her a 19% tax of the amount she had given them. Apparently this is standard procedure in Mexican airports, though it was my first experience with it. While it felt surprising in the moment, it’s something to be aware of when traveling with duplicate items or gifts.
Our Airbnb host helped us arrange a transfer from the airport ahead of time. Due to all the delays, we only had time to drop our bags and change before turning right back around to head to dinner,
In Tulum, there is one main strip along the beach where there are many hotels, shops, and restaurants. This is called the Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera). It's busy, electric, and pulsing with energy. If you're looking for a party, this is a great place to stay (not to mention it has access to the beach). We are a quieter group, so we stayed in the Tulum Center area. We took a van to the Hotel Zone for our dinner, which was at Kin Toh by Azulik.
And we were off! The first official activity of our trip was a dinner at Kin Toh in one of their nests. There are 6 different types of nests available that can accommodate 8 to 10 people and range in price from $465-$698 to reserve at our time of travel (this is in addition to the cost of food and drink).
While our food was pretty good, the drinks were our favorite part. (particularly the pineapple margarita and the red fruit mojito). The empanada appetizer was also a crowd pleaser. I would say that overall, the setting ranked higher than the food for us, but it was still a delicious dinner and the perfect way to turn our rocky start around.
While we dined, a gentleman walked around and invited our table to participate in a gratitude ceremony. This felt very "Tulum" and was quite fun.
After dinner our van picked us back up and we stopped by an Oxxo gas station to pick up some essentials. We then headed back to our Airbnb to relax.
Our Airbnb was a great find! It was very spacious (with enough room for 7 people) and had an incredible backyard/upper deck. I would say the only downside to the Airbnb is was that due to the location, we had to take a van everywhere we went. Transportation easily added up as one of the largest expenses of the trip. We didn't mind trading in walkability for peacefulness. The Hotel Zone was quite loud with lots of beach parties and EDM blaring from most venues, so it was nice to visit this area when we were "in the mood" while having the ability to retreat back to a more tranquil part of town.
Day 2: Adventure
The second day of our trip focused on the adventurers of the group. We found an excursion on Viator that included snorkeling with sea turtles, swimming in a cenote, and visiting Mayan archaeological ruins. I thought that overall the tour was a great "sampler" of Tulum. We took a van to a hotel where we waited outside for our group and guide.
Our first stop was snorkeling with sea turtles. Let me start by saying that Tulum was experiencing unseasonably cold weather while we were there,. The sea water at the beach was colder than you'd expect. I didn't find it uncomfortable, but 2 of the 5 people in our group sat out this activity due to the water temperature.
I live in Georgia and our neighborhood pool is quite large and surrounded by many trees. Due to this, the temperature of the pool stays really cold through the end of June. But when you've got small kids and the pool opens in May...you can't wait until July to jump in (cold water be damned 🤣). All this to say that I've spent the past 6 summers swimming in a pool much colder than the sea water was in Tulum, so it didn't phase me much.
In terms of a snorkeling experience from the shore, this was enjoyable. There were a lot of other people there who also braved the cold water in hopes of seeing sea turtles. Our guide led us out towards the reef and within a few minutes, we spotted our first turtle (of two)! If you are an animal lover, you will undoubtedly find great joy in seeing a sea turtle in the wild. We saw two turtles, then swam further out towards the reef where we got to see fish and rays. It is worth noting that the water got much warmer once we got past waist deep.
After 40 minutes, we swam back to shore and reunited with our group and travel guide. Our tour group was comprised of our group of 5 and three other couples (11 in all). We all got back in the van and started toward our next stop- the cenote!
If you have ever traveled on a non-private tour, you're well aware that the dynamic of the travelers can make or break the experience. Luckily our group was a cohesive one, but I also have to give flowers to our guide Oto. He has truly mastered the art of breaking down the wall and making everyone feel like fast friends. He was personable and endearing, which made for a close knit feel among our group of strangers. It's one of those things you don't really notice is happening in the moment...unless things are going poorly. I am so thankful for guides like Oto who can quickly build community for the day's adventure.
As we headed to our next destination, a cenote cave swim, we made a pit stop for snacks and drinks. The laid back nature and flexibility on this tour made it all the more enjoyable. We arrived at the cenote and donned our life jackets. We waded into the cenote, which was warmer than the ocean but still cool. This part of the cenote (which means "sinkhole") was half open air, but Oto quickly led us into a cave.
The cenote swim was the definite highlight of this excursion. Upon entering the cave, we were surrounded by stalactites and stalagmites. Oto explained how the geology around us formed over thousands of years. We swam deeper into the cave until all the sunlight was gone. Oto cut off his flash light and we enjoyed a few moments of complete darkness.
We were not allowed to bring our own cameras into the cenote with us due to the delicate process by which the stalactites form. Fortunately, our tour included a photographer who gave the option to buy photos at the end of the day.
After the cave swim, we were served a lunch of tacos (chicken and pork), rice and beans, salad, fruit, and rice pudding. We changed out of our swimsuits and reloaded onto the van to head to the Mayan ruins.
The Mayan ruins, while fascinating and beautiful, were the least well executed part of our day. The problem here was that our group of 11 got lumped into a group of about 30 for our guided tour. Of the 30, there were 3 Spanish speakers and the rest were English speakers. The guide, who of course is a native Spanish speaker, would say a lot of information in Spanish and then a few sentences in English. It was kind of hard to follow along regarding when he switched to English, and overall I think we would have been better off going at our own pace and reading the posted information (which was in both Spanish and English) or doing a private tour if this is a really significant part of your trip.
After exiting the Mayan Ruins park, we headed to the road stand restaurant that Oto had pointed out to us as the meet up point. We sat and drank tropical drinks while we waited for our group of 11 to trickle out. We all drank together for a bit before the couples left and it was our group of 5 remaining. We had nowhere we absolutely needed to be, so we opted to hang around for a few more rounds of drinks. Oto had connected us to the owner/chef of the restaurant before our tour group parted ways and we were well taken care of for the afternoon. The drinks were delicious albeit weak, which was more than okay given the sheer quantity we enjoyed.
That night we had pre-arranged to have a private chef cook dinner for us at the Airbnb. Our Airbnb host acted as a concierge throughout our stay and had connected us with this chef before our trip. We messaged her to let her know that we were running late and asked if she would let the chef into the Airbnb. By the time we made it back, the chefs had unpacked their supplies and were just starting work on the first course. We decided to play a round of Hues & Cues (which we brought with us) and by the time we were done, it was time for our first course to be served. The chefs set the table by our pool and we dug into the pork chimichangas. This was followed by a salad and finally a chicken stuffed with mushrooms and accompanied with a creamy cheese sauce.
Day 3: Rest
The second full day of our trip was devoted to rest and relaxation, appealing to the more laid back travelers in our group. Our plan was to go to a hotel called The Yellow Nest for a floating breakfast with the rest of the day open for going to the beach and exploring town.
We started our morning with a van ride to The Yellow Nest, which was a bit out of town and located deep in the jungle. It was one of those rides where you look at your friends and whisper ask "are you sure the driver is going to the right place?" as we bounced deeper and deeper along the bumpy jungle road. We eventually arrived at a clearing with a beautiful entrance to The Yellow Nest. We checked in, placed our breakfast order, and were shown around the property.
This resort was a tranquil retreat in the truest form. There are only 20 rooms on property (at the time of our visit only 45% of the rooms were occupied, so about 19 guests). Day passes to the resort are also available (that's how we gained access), and from what we could tell there were 2 other couples who visited the day we were there (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). The small number of guests made it feel like we had a personal concierge in the staff and were getting the VIP treatment, which I'm sure is how all guests to The Yellow Nest feel.
On our tour, we found out there are two cenotes nearby that the resort will drive you to, bikes available for loan, a morning yoga class available at 8:00 a.m, and a temazcal ceremony all included in our $83 day pass (as well as our breakfast which included two courses, juice, and a welcome drink that you can choose to be alcoholic or not). For an additional fee, we could indulge in spa services or order additional food and drinks.
While our plan had been to enjoy our floating breakfast at the resort before hopping back in our van to go to a beach club for lunch and an afternoon rest, we called an audible and decided to stay at The Yellow Nest. It was so beautiful and peaceful. While the beach did beckon us with its sparkling blue waters (we caught a glimpse while at the Mayan ruins the day before), we weren't sure if it would be as relaxing of a setting. We opted to stay at The Yellow Nest where we had what felt like the entire resort nearly to ourselves.
We enjoyed our set up in cabanas by the pool with the jungle behind us. The wildlife watching was wonderful (we saw several beautiful birds and watched a family of coatis scamper through the woods). We texted the hotel staff via WhatsApp whenever we needed anything. We ordered several more drinks (alcoholic and sodas) and a smörgåsbord of dishes for lunch. Our additional items came to a total of $168, which was by far the best deal we got on food during our stay in Tulum.
In the late afternoon we summoned our van, said goodbye to The Yellow Nest, and headed back to our Airbnb to get dressed for dinner. We had originally left this night open for dinner so that we could eat a place we saw or heard about while in town. When we were at the airport in Atlanta, one of the members of our group had got to chatting with a man on the airport shuttle. He asked where she was going, and when the answer was "Tulum" he joyously shared that his favorite restaurant ever, Bak, is in Tulum. While we waited for our delayed flight, we checked out the menu and Google reviews. Everything looked pretty good, so we made a reservation for dinner on this night.
The energy at the restaurant started low key but built as the night went on. We had an 8:00 reservation, and we read online that a fire show started at 9:30 (this is only on select nights, so be sure to check if you plan on visiting). There were a lot of open tables when we arrived, but most were filled by the time the fire show started.
As a general rule I'd say that Bak would fall into the style over substance category. The steaks were pretty good and it was great fun to watch them melt butter over our meat table side with a blow torch. Most of the sides were nearly inedible (both the corn and the sweet potato were served raw) though our table enjoyed the mashed potatoes and the grilled lettuce.
Day 4: Travel Home
On our last day, we slept in a bit and packed our things. We walked across the road from our Airbnb to a small restaurant and enjoyed a leisurely brunch. We then waited for our van (again arranged by our Airbnb host) to take us to the Tulum airport, which is pretty small. I advise not arriving to the airport too early to avoid sitting around outside of security. For Delta, there is typically one flight to and from Tulum each day from Atlanta, and the incoming flight arrives in the early afternoon. The crew from that flight will be the ones working the check in counter, so you won't be able to get checked in and go through security until that flight has arrived. We thankfully had an uneventful flight back and were home in time to enjoy Bad Bunny's Superbowl Halftime Show,
Reflection
For our travel style, the Hotel Zone felt overstimulating and overpriced for what we received. That said, I can absolutely see how travelers who love high-energy nightlife, electronic music, and a party-forward atmosphere would enjoy it.
If I were going to travel back to Tulum with adults, I would absolutely love to make The Yellow Nest our home base. It was everything you could want for a relaxing retreat- quiet, secluded, good food, great drinks, massages, in touch with nature, and an attentive staff. From there you could take a day trip to one of the beach clubs in the hotel zone.
Would I Bring My Kids to Tulum?
I think Tulum would be a great destination with kids as well, though it wouldn't be my first choice for a family trip to Mexico. If we were wanting to experience a cultural trip I'd travel to Mexico City, and if we were looking for an exciting vacation I'd opt for Playa del Carmen (specifically Hotel Xcaret- next on our Mexico bucket list). But Tulum felt very safe during the day and offered several activities kids could enjoy. I'd plan to take my kids to:
Mayan Ruins
A day at Xel‑Há or Parque Dos Aguas
A Cenote (less adventurous kids may not like visiting a cenote, particularly the ones that are in a cave). I'd check out Cenote Zacil‑Ha.
A Beach Day at Playa Paraíso
An off-roading tour like this one. Note that travelers have to be at least 4 years old. I feel comfortable taking my kids on side-by-sides (which typically have roll cages and seat belts) but wouldn't feel as safe on 4-wheelers on terrain I'm unfamiliar with.
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