TULUM DIARIES

TULUM DIARIES

Mexico seems like a lifetime ago already… It really was nothing short of a dream holiday from start to finish. The main reason of going was to celebrate our close friend´s wedding, but it´s also been on our bucket list for the last few years – hence why we decided to make an 11-day holiday out of it. First stop in our three-part adventure? Tulum.

Situated on the caribbean coast off the southern edge of the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, Tulum is pretty much heaven on earth, with the thick vibrant green jungle leading down to the long strip of pristine beach with crisp white sand, palm trees and small boutique hotels. Tulum is the ideal place to disconnect and recharge – lounging on the beach, enjoying one of their many all-natural spas, eating an abundance of seafood, and exploring Tulum´s beautiful, historical villages and ruins.

tulum-7

First things first when preparing for a long-haul journey? Sorting my snacks, skincare and reading material out. I don´t like to rely on plane food; so nutritious, filling and energising snacks are essential. Flying long-haul is so incredible dehydrating for your skin, so I always pack boosting skincare which leaves my skin soft and fresh. Although there are tons of movies on-flight, I like to take the time off-line catching up on my magazines.

HYDRATEElemis Pro Collagen Hydra Gel Eye Masks / REN Lip Balm / Caudalie Beauty Elixir / Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 / Eve Lom Kiss Mix
SNACK: RAW Health Energy Balls / RAW Halo Chocolate / Oatcakes / Unsalted almonds / Fruit / Pukka Vitalise Sachets
READ: PORTER MagazineHarpers Bazaar & RED Magazine 


tulum-33tulum-10

After landing in the pitch dark, we drove from Cancun airport to Tulum, and checked into Coqui Coqui Tulum Residence & SpaNot surprisingly we woke up in the early hours the next day, stepping out onto our beautiful roof terrace, just in time for the sunrise. Those views are pretty epic, beating jet lag any day.

tulum-34tulum-13 tulum-95tulum--12


Biondi Boutique Bikini
Astley Clarke Bracelets
Bailey Nelson Sunglasses 


tulum

An early morning juice and walk along the beach, taking it all in… Still feels pretty surreal that we´re in Mexico!

tulum-1 tulum-2 tulum-4 tulum-6

Coqui Coqui was a beautiful boutique hotel, surrounded by jungle and sea – combining rustic elements with luxe details. Taking inspiration from the nearby ruins of Tulum and the Caribbean ocean – with cream and earthy colours, a parfumerie, spa, boutique and breezy bedrooms – it was a heavenly retreat.

tulum-39 tulum-42

The back drop outside our hotel room was the perfect setting for my outfits! On the left you can just about glimpse our roof terrace, where we spent our afternoons chilling, reading and taking it all in, alongside the occasional cocktail (when in Mexico!).


Monorails & Satellites Dress
Accessorize Hat
Celiné Sunglasses
Louis Vuitton Bag
Karen Millen Sandals 


tulum-101tulum-46 tulum-47

The hotel lounge area…

tulum-48IMG_8404


Vintage Top (similar here)
ASOS Denim Shorts
Accessorize Hat
Taylor Morris Sunglasses
Havainas Sandals


tulum-44 tulum-97tulum-102tulum-11 tulum-19

For the best fish tacos on the beach – we hit Taqueria La Eufemia, were we also caught up with some other close friends of ours (which just happened to be in Tulum around the same time as us!), over countless Margaritas and food. What better way to spend a Sunday?

tulum-20 tulum-21tulum-23


Taylor Morris Sunglasses
Biondi Boutique Bikini
ASOS White Top 
Astley Clarke Bracelets
Bijoux by Desi F Necklace 


tulum-24 tulum-25 tulum-26 tulum-27tulum-18tulum-65


PilyQ via Beach Café Dress (on sale now) 


tulum-29tulum-63
Enjoying early evening pre drinks on our roof terrace, before we went to Casa Banana for dinner. This place is renowned for their steak (which my husband was very happy about, and even claimed it to be one of the best steaks he has ever had!) – whilst us girls opted for fresh seafood salads and catch of the day (the pescado in Mexico is divine).

tulum-5

Even after a late night and far too many cocktails – we still had another early rise to catch that sunrise.

tulum-88tulum-87tulum-84 tulum-85IMG_9701
Breakfast at The Real Coconut (part of the Sanara Hotel) – serving super healthy, seasonal and fresh food (and for hotel guests, they even offer individual cleanse and detox programmes). I loved their green juices, eggs and coconut pancakes… And if you´re an early riser, hit their 7am yoga sea front yoga session, and pop by after for one of their energising smoothies!

tulum-94tulum-91 tulum-92 tulum-54


PilyQ via Beach Cafe Bikini 
Marc by Marc Jacobs Sunglasses 


tulum-12 tulum-14 tulum-15

In Tulum, the majority of the hotels, bungalows and camping are all on the beach front, and the main strip at the back are filled with super cozy restaurants and bohemian boutique shopping.

tulum-52 tulum-53 tulum-55 tulum-66

One of the days we drove to Solimon Bay where we spent the day frolicking in the sun, and enjoyed the freshest ceviche and grilled lobster at a local beach front restaurant called Chamicos. In the afternoon we had a sudden and unexpected torrential downpour, and we all huddled underneath a tiny wooden tree hut, where we continued to drink, eat and sing with the locals. Definitely a moment to remember!

tulum-56 tulum-58 tulum-9tulum-60

The calm after the storm. Although the Tulum sunrises were pretty epic – we didn´t miss any of the sunsets either, with the sea and surroundings all lit up in hues of peach, pink and blue…


JETS by Jessika Allan via Beach Café Dress (on sale now) 
Jimmy Choo Sunglasses


tulum-16 tulum-35tulum-96

Dinner at the renowned Hartwood – if you ever go to Tulum, this place is a must! The ambience and food is top notch. The booking system is pretty basic, especially if you´re a smaller party (you have to physically queue up on the day to reserve). But that adds to the charm (and popularity) of this place.

tulum-64

Drinks at Gitano! Camilla had a Bacon Bloody Mary (!) and I stuck with my citrus Pina Colada. Evening´s in Tulum was so casual and bohemian, with minimal make-up, salty beach waves and flip flops all day, every day (I loved it).

tulum-31tulum-28tulum-69tulum-73tulum-71tulum-72


Vintage Top (similar here
Ray-Ban Sunglasses
ASOS Denim Shorts
Dinny Hall Earrings  


tulum-36tulum-37tulum-38tulum-43
Another favourite breakfast place was La Zebra – they had the best green juice with coconut, poached eggs and Bircher Muesli, situated right on the beach.

tulum-99tulum-49tulum-17

I was pretty sure I was close to turning into a Piña Colada at the end of it – with the countless amounts of variations I was inhaling every day (many of which were non-alcoholic though, may I add!).

tulum-90

“Where we don´t fake a smile”. Pretty much sums up Tulum.

tulum-89

Happy as larry.

tulum-83 tulum-98tulum-80 tulum-81 tulum-82 tulum-78 tulum-79 tulum-3tulum-62tulum-61tulum-68


Biondi Boutique Dress (coming soon) 
Ray-Ban Sunglasses
Dinny Hall Earrings 


tulum-76tulum-70tulum-41


Our five days in Tulum were heavenly. We loved the relaxed and casual atmosphere, and it definitely had a certain ´type` of clientele and visitors. It was the perfect mix of bohemian vibes, with all ages and kinds of people, from youngsters, couples, families and experienced travellers. The health scene in Tulum was incredible – and as much as there´s a ´happy hour` culture here and soft party vibes – with the abundance of juice and raw bars, pilates, yoga and beachside running – the balance between the two was spot on. I for one can´t wait to go back. 


We booked our holiday via Expedia

 

 

Share:

5 Comments

  1. Hanna
    December 28, 2015 / 22:35

    Looks magical!

    • Anneli Bush
      Author
      January 14, 2016 / 00:41

      It was! :)

  2. Hannah
    March 23, 2016 / 09:00

    Looks incredible!

    • Anneli Bush
      Author
      April 4, 2016 / 15:06

      It was :)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *