After picking up your car, you'll head to the Playa del Carmen area, where you can either relax on the beach after your flight to recharge for the days of exploring ahead, or enjoy the colorful streets and check out the surroundings. I've included a few tips on places to visit during your first day, but don't worry at all if you don't manage to get to them.

In the morning you'll head towards Tulum, but before you get there, you'll stop at a few places. So don't forget to put your swimsuit on in the morning. The first stop will be Cenote Azul (my personal favorite) – a spot for relaxing, exploring, and swimming. It's an open-air cenote. To check out all types of cenotes, the next stop will be Cenote Dos Ojos (a semi-open cenote – kind of half-cave). If you're into diving, you can rent scuba gear at this cenote. There are many other cenotes between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, and it's up to you if you want to add more stops or just really enjoy the two mentioned above. After the cenotes, you'll head to Tulum to check into your accommodation. Most hotels offer bike rentals, and if they don't, they'll recommend the nearest rental shop. I recommend renting bikes and riding through the Tulum hotel zone, where you'll find some nice local shops, and you can also ride them all the way to Tulum Centro, where you can explore the center, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy the street vibe. Or, instead of exploring, you can just spend the evening on the beach.

After breakfast, you'll head off in the footsteps of the Mayans. The first stop is the Coba ruins. I personally found the place magical. At the entrance, you can rent bikes for a small fee to ride around the entire area (highly recommended), though you can also walk it. It should also be possible to climb one of the pyramids (which isn't allowed at most other sites). You can also hire a guide (speaking Spanish or English), but unless you're a huge Mayan culture buff, it's not necessary. After exploring and soaking up some history, you continue back to Tulum and stop at the archaeological zone there. Just be careful here: as you approach the official parking lot and ticket office, various groups will try every trick in the book to lure you into buying tickets from them, claiming it's a better deal or offering various packages. However, their prices are up to 5x higher. Admission in 2026 was 400 Mexican pesos, and you could pay by cash or card. The site itself is definitely worth it, and it's good not to skip it. There's also a Cenote within the area, so it's worth having your swimsuit with you.