Here's Why Tulum Is The Perfect Long-Weekend Getaway

Upon arriving in Tulum, there's probably one thing on your mind: tacos. Luckily for you, tacos are perfectly appropriate here for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a 2 a.m. snack. So make Taqueria Honorio your first stop. It's located in old town Tulum, a stone's throw from the hotel strip. For about $1.50 each, you can fill up on warm tortillas filled with cochinita pibil and carne asada, pickled onions, salsa, and tomatillo sauce.

Hartwood is easily the most talked-about restaurant in Tulum, and for good reason. It's not just the incredible food, but the whole atmosphere that makes it a truly special dining experience. Hartwood has no roof and no walls. In fact, some low hanging trees are the only thing shielding diners from a sky full of stars. The seafood centric menu changes often depending on the daily catch and the produce bought from local Yucatán farms. There's no electricity and everything from the tender, charcoal grilled octopus to the hearty ribeye streak is cooked outdoors over an open fire. After a big dinner and a few cocktails, you'll be ready to call it a night.

Even if yoga isn't your thing, you should give it a try when in Tulum. There's something intoxicating about breathing in the fresh, salty air and practicing in such an idyllic setting. Also, you'll find classes at just about every hotel in town. Check out Maya Tulum where every morning there's a yoga class that's open to the public for $15. Try it once, and you just might find yourself returning the next day.

Just north of the ruins sits Soliman Bay, a quiet stretch of beach with calm, ombre blue water. Walk along the bay until you stumble upon a handful of plastic tables and hammocks tied to baby palm trees. Then you know you've arrived at Chamico's, an under-the-radar seafood shack you'll want to keep to yourself. Order a big bowl of guacamole, a heaping pile of fresh ceviche, and a few Modelos, and chow down to the sound of lapping waves.

Follow Soliman Bay north along the Riviera Maya and you'll wind up at Sian Ka'an. If you're a nature-lover, it's a can't-miss highlight. The nature reserve is made up of tropical forests, marshes, and a barrier reef, home to crocodiles, turtles, monkeys, dolphins, and manatees. Book a boat tour for the chance to snorkel in the coral reef and come face to face with all the amazing wildlife the biosphere holds.

Only in Tulum will you find a chic cocktail bar set in the jungle with a disco ball and drinks that pack a serious punch. Here at Gitano, it's all about the mezcal, so order a passion fruit and habanero margarita and watch the sun go down.

If there's one thing Tulum does well, it's open-air dining, and Kitchen Table is a perfect example. In the same vein as Hartwood, the atmosphere is casual, romantic, and exciting all at the same time. Each dish here is prepared on an open fire beneath a thatched hut. The menu is changing but expect things like grilled Caribbean lobster, huitlacoche quesadillas, and deviled avocado.

If you went to Tulum and didn't eat fish tacos...did you even go? For the best around, look out for Mateo's. While fish is the strong suit here, there's something on the menu for everyone like sizzling steak fajitas, coconut shrimp, and vegetarian burritos. Of course, you'll need a margarita (or two) to wash everything down.

You probably didn't travel to Tulum to eat Italian food...but then again, you haven't yet tried Posada Margherita. The flavors at this oceanfront restaurant are matched only by the views of the sun melting into the Caribbean. Order one of the homemade pastas, take your shoes off, and eat dinner with your toes in the sand.

By now, you know that the theme in Tulum is staying outdoors from morning 'til night. Casa Jaguar is another bar nestled between sweeping trees where you can drink delicious cocktails and be intoxicated by the magic of Tulum. Every Thursday night, a different DJ turns Casa Jaguar into a jungle party you don't want to miss. The food is solid too in case the tequila puts in you in the mood for some late-night snacks.