Safe and Healthy Travel in Tulum and the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
The last 12 months of media coverage related to Mexico would lead many people to believe that Mexico as a country is a risky place to visit due to the recent H1N1 (swine flu virus) and the stories of drug kidnappings and shootings mainly focused on several US border cities. Unfortunately, regional events have had a negative effect on the local tourism economy halfway across the country in the Yucatan Peninsula.
A fair (or unfair) comparison could be made if when the Los Angeles riots broke out after the Rodney King verdict in the US in 1991, if people around the world had the perception of “don’t go to the Violence and looting in the streets and the place is on fire!” I certainly wouldn’t be visiting South Central Los Angeles this week, but I won’t be canceling my trip to San Diego.
As a lifelong resident of Colorado who has been a full-time resident of the Yucatan peninsula south of Cancun for almost 2 years, I can tell you that it is a wonderful place to live and visit. I have never felt “unsafe” by myself, family members or friends who have visited on numerous occasions. As for the flu here, the virus doesn’t do well in warmer climates and with average temperatures here in the mid-80s, it’s a much safer place to be than most places up north.
Why should you visit this incredible area? The main reason is that it really is a beautiful and magical place that is changing rapidly. We can only hope that much of what we love about this place remains as the next few years bring the inevitable changes that paradise found almost always delivers. It’s a bit of a sad irony to have places like this shared knowing that sharing will change the place. So excuse me beautiful places in the world for sharing a bit about a place called paradise, Tulum.
For those of you who have been to Tulum, Mexico, the mere mention of the place will no doubt evoke fond memories of lazy days on the beach and the varied hues of the turquoise blue waters. Tulum’s beaches and warm, clear blue waters are truly sublime, but there is so much more to this place than just breathtaking beauty.
Tulum is kitesurfing schools and “Eco Chic” cabana resorts like Ocho Tulum, Playa Azul and OM Tulum, small Mayan and Mexican hotels and spas from the Yucatan; try Blue Tulum Hotel and Spa for total luxury with the highest standards. Tulum is diving adventures in the Caribbean reefs and underground exploring the largest underground river system in the world that accumulates in sinkhole springs known as cenotes. Tulum is saltwater flats and deep-sea fishing, kayaking lagoons, and a growing yoga mecca; it is mostly green and natural with Sian Ka’an’s 1.3 million acres of protected wetlands with low-impact protected access.
It is an international melting pot where you can hear six languages on any given day just by walking down the street. Tulum also has an increasingly well-deserved reputation for a wide variety of excellent restaurants serving excellent local and international food in paradise. You’ll find all kinds of traditional Mayan and Mexican dining options, but you’ll also find plenty of Italian, French, German, Thai dishes, sushi, and more.
Tulum is just a short drive from all the other things that make Yucatan vacations so fun and convenient, though it may not be as adventurous as golf, world-class shopping, and nightclubs just a 30-minute drive away. Carmen beach.
So yes, Tulum is a great and unique way to have that adventurous vacation. It has a little bit of everything you want in a vacation to a tropical destination. For me, that is adventure and getting out there and for others it is never leaving the beach or a day or a week of shopping or golf.
What people need to know is that Tulum and the rest of the Yucatan is a great vacation destination that is sure to please both the adventurous and the more tame sun worshipers. See you in Tulum!
