Gay Tulum – Your Local LGBTQ+ Travel Guide in 2024
From pulsating gay nightlife venues to laid-back beach clubs, Tulum, Mexico offers a diverse array of experiences for LGBTQ+ travelers seeking adventure and relaxation. And we should know, as we're part-time Tulum residents! Whether you're dancing the night away under the stars or lounging on a pristine beach, Tulum's free-spirited and inclusive atmosphere are sure to leave you captivated and wanting more. So pack your bags and prepare for an unforgettable journey to one of Mexico's best gay travel destinations.
Overview – Tulum attracts LGBTQ+ travelers from around the world with its stunning beaches, unique hotels, incredible restaurants, and vibrant nightlife. There's also unbelievable cultural attractions in the region from Mayan ruins to over 6,000 cenotes (sinkholes) on the Yucatan peninsula. We can guarantee you’ll never run out of things to do in the Riviera Maya, which stretches from Cancun to Playa del Carmen to Tulum!
Where to stay – For the best hotels in Tulum, we have you covered from Tulum Pueblo and La Veleta ("town") to trendy Aldea Zama, an upscale neighborhood between town and the beach, to the National Park and Hotel Zone ("the beach"). Our favorite hotel in all of Tulum, The Beach Tulum, is located directly on the beach in the Hotel Zone. It’s where we got married after all during the pandemic. Everything about this phenomenal resort is five stars!
The beachfront suites at The Beach Tulum include a private plunge pool as well as dedicated loungers on the beach right in front of your suite. On the opposite side of our suite, we had an outdoor shower and more private lounge space next to the lagoon pool. Inside, the suites come with a jacuzzi for two and so much more. We'll definitely be returning for a staycation!
In town, our hands down favorite hotel is Bardo. This luxury jungle resort has one of the most beautiful swimming pools and the best tropical landscaping we’ve found in Tulum. It’s a true oasis. There’s even a spa in one of the pool villas with enough room for a couples massage. The restaurant, Milum, whips up amazing breakfasts. We highly recommend you add on this extra amenity with your room reservation. It's well worth it. For our complete hotel review, check out our YouTube video above.
In addition to Bardo, we also recommend sister property Una Vida. For a more budget-friendly option, we love staying here too, as you get access to both properties along with their beautiful suites and jungle vibe.
If you are staying elsewhere in town (like our Airbnb next door!), Bardo also offers a day pass with a reasonable minimum spend. The Kinky Bar is also a favorite of ours at sunset.
For a fabulous gay men-only hotel between town and the beach in trendy Aldea Zama, we highly recommend Loba Tulum. To learn more about this sexy place with the affable (and super cute!) hotel manager, Gustavo, check out our interview with him and complete hotel review in this YouTube video.
At Loba Tulum, there are eight beautiful rooms with a jungle treehouse vibe. In addition, the hotel offers two amazing plunge pools on the roof that say ‘get naked’ so obviously it is clothing optional which we love.
For a free continental breakfast or two free cocktails per night, book directly using code TWOGAYEXPATS at lobatulum.com/reservations. We enjoy staying here from time to time ourselves when our house is rented or to attend one of the gay events like massage circle or naked dinner! They also now offer day passes!
Is Casa Cangrejo the best new AirBnb in Tulum? Let's take a tour, and you be the judge! After a two-year wait followed by 3-months in residence to plan every detail, you can now book our stunning 2-bed/2.5-bath modern luxury villa with a private saltwater pool on Airbnb.
Wake up in paradise at Casa Cangrejo Tulum! This modern luxury villa offers resort-style living with your own private saltwater pool, outdoor shower, and lush tropical landscaping. Make yourself at home and feel free to sunbathe and swim naked. There's also a double shower in the primary suite for added romance.
Located in an upscale jungle community in town, Casa Cangrejo is just minutes from the new beach road (Avenida Kukulkan), and within walking distance to many of Tulum's best restaurants. For reference, Bardo is our next door neighbor, and we can see it from our rooftop. A car is our preferred means of transportation, but our amazing house manager and luxury concierge, Vivi, can organize anything you need from tours to private chefs, access to exclusive beach clubs, and more.
Things to do – For our curated list of the 7 Best Things to Do in Tulum, read our full review. Take me to 7 Best Things to Do in Tulum.
Where to eat and drink – For that Tulum ‘WOW’ factor, sunset in the nests at Azulik’s Kin Toh is a top choice. During the high season, please book well in advance.
Now for one of the most gay-friendly and frequented restaurants in Tulum, we highly recommend the Mezzanine Hotel, Bar, and Restaurant in the Archaeological Zone. It’s an incredibly romantic venue and another top choice for a sunset dinner.
In town, don't miss Palma Central, Tulum's gastronomic food truck park. Our favorite here is gay popular Asian Bodega, who also have a stand alone restaurant nearby.
Other top picks are Tres Galeones in La Veleta with some of the best seafood and shrimp tacos, and everybody’s favorite, Burrito Amor. We seriously eat here 3-4x per week! It’s that good.
We also love Las BBQ Tulum, as they have the best chicken wings and mac-n-cheese we’ve had so far in Tulum.
Where to find gay nightlife – From pulsating nightlife venues to laid-back beach clubs, read our Gay Tulum Nightlife post for our full review of the best gay bars and beach clubs in 2024. Take me to Tulum Gay Nightlife.
When to go – The weather is near perfect from December to April with day time temps in the 80’s and lower humidity. This is the high season along with super high season around New Year and Easter which should be booked many months in advance! We prefer shoulder or even low season for fewer crowds even if there are periodic rain showers. Rainy season lasts from May through October. Also, the highest risk of hurricanes in the Cancun-Riviera Maya region are from September to October. On our honeymoon at the Rosewood Mayakoba in October of 2020, we experienced a Category 2 hurricane in an overwater bungalow. It was quite a memorable experience. The weather was sunny until 4pm before the hurricane hit that night and then sunny again by the following afternoon! Other popular times to be in Tulum are for the numerous music and art festivals like the Gay Arena Music Festival in Playa and Art with Me Tulum.
How to get here – Tulum is located on the gorgeous Mexican Caribbean at the southern end of the Cancun-Rivera Maya region. It’s about 75 miles or 120 kilometers south of Cancun International Airport (airport code: CUN). On arrival, transit options to Tulum include renting a car, booking a private transfer, or taking the ADO bus. We usually plan for about two hours for total travel time. We also recently discovered an amazing private transportation service since we travel with our dog. If you are looking for a no hassle, safe, clean, and reliable transfer to or from Cancun International Airport, we highly recommend Cancun Airport Transportation Service. While not the cheapest option, we have found that you get what you pay for in terms of quality and service in Mexico (like anywhere)! They have an impressive 4.7 out of 5-star rating with over 4,700+ reviews on TripAdvisor.
As of December 2023, domestic travel to Tulum International Airport (airport code: TQO), officially Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Carrillo Puerto, began operations. International arrivals from the U.S. and Canada began in March 2024. Tulum airport is located approximately 30-35 minutes by car southwest of Tulum.
Pro tip – There is no Uber in the Riviera Maya except in Cancun. Please note that service can be spotty and potentially unsafe. Uber also does not currently operate from the Cancun International Airport. As such, for private transport from the airport to any hotel between Cancun and Tulum, pre-book here for worry-free travel. An English-speaking driver will meet your flight with a sign with your name on it, provide you with bottled water, and escort you to your air-conditioned private transportation to your accommodations.
In addition to a new airport servicing Tulum, the Maya Train has also begun operations in early 2024 with service from Cancun to Playa del Carmen to Tulum. Check available times and prices on the official website.
Latest Video
Planning a trip to gay Mexico? Then don’t miss this video as we answer your most frequently asked questions and give you 12 tips to avoid scams and travel safely in Mexico!
Other Services
Banking – There are national and international bank ATMs available at Cancun International Airport. We recommend getting Mexican Pesos (MXN) here on arrival. For reference, $1 US Dollar (USD) is worth just under 20 pesos (it’s recently been fluctuating between 17-20 as of the publication date of this article). In Tulum, there are plenty of ATMs on the main road in town, Av. Tulum, including national and international banks like HSBC, Santander and Scotiabank among others. We personally would avoid ATMs on the beach road in the Hotel Zone.
Pro tips – Always pay in local currency when you travel (both in cash and on your credit card). If you pay in USD at a restaurant or shop for example, the posted foreign exchange rate is always 5-10%+ less than the interbank rate your bank or credit card company would charge. In other words, you will pay extra for the convenience of paying in USD. Again, always pay in local currency to save.
When withdrawing money from ATMs in Mexico (and now throughout the world), one thing to note (which we learned the hard way) is knowing to always decline the conversion offered by the ATM to save. If you accept the conversion, you are agreeing to an additional 5-12% fee on top of the ATM use charge. That’s INSANE! Also, we initially thought declining the conversion would cancel the transaction, BUT it does not. It simply saves you the extra markup. For extra savings, look into the Schwab Checking Account that reimburses all foreign ATM fees. We’ve saved thousands in ATM fees over the years with this account!
To learn how to get the most pesos for your dollars, watch our 7 Tips to Get the Most Pesos for Your Dollars in Mexico. We’ll also cover some common scams and money mistakes to avoid, so we can save you even more money.
When withdrawing money from ATMs in Mexico (and now throughout the world), one thing to note (which we learned the hard way) is knowing to always decline the conversion offered by the ATM to save. If you accept the conversion, you are agreeing to an additional 5-12% fee on top of the ATM use charge. That’s INSANE! Also, we initially thought declining the conversion would cancel the transaction, BUT it does not. It simply saves you the extra markup. For extra savings, look into the Schwab Checking Account that reimburses all foreign ATM fees. We’ve saved thousands in ATM fees over the years with this account!
To learn how to get the most pesos for your dollars, watch our 7 Tips to Get the Most Pesos for Your Dollars in Mexico. We’ll also cover some common scams and money mistakes to avoid, so we can save you even more money.
Co-working – For our digital nomads, head to Digital Jungle which is a great place to work. They have co-working spaces, private desks, private offices, conference rooms, and zoom booths, so something to fit all remote work needs. They have coffee and lunch as well with indoor and outdoor seating available.
Fitness/Gym– To burn off those holiday calories and stay in shape while enjoying Tulum, the most well-known gym in town is Los Amigos Gym and Climbing in La Veleta. It’s air conditioned with multiple levels and a rooftop overlooking the jungle with boxing bags and a TRX. In pueblo or town, there is Evolve Fitness which is a great choice if you are also visiting Playa as you can get a week or month pass to both locations. On the beach (and now in town!), Tulum Jungle Gym is insta-famous, but there is also now a location in Pueblo. New gyms and yoga studios are popping up everywhere with exploding demand, so these are just three of your options not a definitive list.
Laundry – If you need a quick and easy solution for laundry, Washit Lavanderia in town is great and well-priced.
Wine/Liquor store – By far the best place to buy everything for your vacation or extended stay is Chedraui or the ‘Ched.” This massive store on Av. Coba on the way to the beach is your one stop shop for food, drink, and everything in between.
Travel Resources
Travel Insurance – Don’t forget to add global travel medical insurance that covers you while traveling outside of your home country. We recommend and use Safety Wing. They offer plans for travelers, digital nomads and expats. If you're already abroad, no worries. Safety Wing makes it easy to purchase insurance even if you are already abroad.
Most health coverage in the U.S. for example does not cover you in Mexico, thus it’s extremely important to protect yourself from out-of-pocket costs due to a medical emergency. We learned this the hard way which you can watch on YouTube: Our First Trip to the Emergency Room in Mexico. To learn more about Safety Wing, check rates and availability.
Travel Credit Card – For the best travel credit card, we recommend the Chase Sapphire Reserve. We use it to book free stays with reward points, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, primary car rental insurance, lounge access through Priority Pass, and to avoid foreign transaction fees just to name a few of this card’s incredible perks. To learn more or apply, use this link to get 60,000 bonus points (worth $900 according to Chase). Our calculation is twice that amount as we regularly get $.03/point when redeeming our Chase Ultimate Rewards (i.e. points) through partners.
Even though there is a hefty $550 annual fee, you receive a credit of $300 for travel (i.e. airfare, uber, etc) after payment. For the remaining $250, the card easily pays for itself. For example, free room upgrades at hotels, $50-100 hotel credits for booking through the Chase travel portal, and primary rental car insurance are just a few other benefits that we find provide additional value. Also, if you don’t have global entry yet, another card benefit covers your $100 application fee. You also earn 3x points on each dollar spent on travel, so rewards add up quickly.
When you go to redeem your points, you receive 150% credit when using the Chase travel portal or you can transfer them to numerous partner airlines and hotels. Trai's had this card since 2017, and it’s his only credit card—he's obsessed with it and encourages everyone who travels to have it in their wallet.
{{button|https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19o/JBBHHYOENK"https://www.prioritypass.com/">Priority Pass membership through a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, this benefit may be worth the annual fee alone, as we save hundreds if not thousands of dollars each year in food and beverage at airports around the world.
Car Rental – Should your travel plans call for hiring a car, we use rentalcars.com to search the best prices among the major car rental companies. With flexible rentals, no hidden fees, and price match guarantee, we feel confident booking with them. Just make sure to book with your Chase Sapphire Reserve for extra protection like primary car rental insurance.
Travel Experiences – Discover authentic, unforgettable experiences and explore the world with Viator. They offer top-rated tours and activities in Tulum like this small group tour to Chichen Itza.
Shop Our Travel Essentials – To keep all of your electronics charged around the world, we recommend this universal international travel power adapter. It’s also the one airline crew receive! For more of our favorite travel essentials, check out our Amazon Storefront.
Want to see more? For additional footage of our adventures in Tulum, check out our Gay Tulum and Tulum Ruins YouTube videos and be sure to smash that like button and subscribe! And, of course, follow us on social media @twogayexpats on your favorite socials for more gay travel inspiration!
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Hi! We're Two Gay Expats
Hi gorgeous, and welcome to our LGBTQ+ travel blog! We're Andy and Trai, a gay couple traveling the world with PRIDE 🌈 …and our rescue dog, Pattie!
After meeting in San Francisco in 2018 and later moving to Chicago, we decided to quit our jobs in 2021, sell everything, and become Two Gay Expats. For over two years, we explored the best of gay Mexico while waiting for our house, Casa Cangrejo, to be completed in Tulum. We got married at The Beach Tulum in 2020 and became Mexican permanent residents in 2022.
Today, we continue to travel around Mexico and the world to show you our favorite places. If you'd like to follow our adventures, subscribe on YouTube and join us on Instagram.
🖤 Andy + Trai
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