Language, Lodging, Nudity, and other questions.

[Anthony]

I posted here a couple years back about making a trip to the Tulum area. But, we got busy and were never able to take that vacation. So, I'm once again thinking about a trip to the Tulum area, and once again have lots of questions... :)

1. Neither my wife nor I speak a word of Spanish. Would it be foolish for us to consider a trip to Mexico without knowing the language?

2. I'm in my 40's and not interested in the 20 something party life. Am I going to be able to relax and enjoy my time in Tulum?

3. Who do you recommend for lodging in the area? We're looking to relax, enjoy some quiet time together, and ideally sunbathe and swim clothing free. I originally found out about the Tulum area from the Azulik web site. Their cabanas seem ideal, but I'm concerned about privacy with the proximity of the cabanas. And, I'm concerned how many people "opt" to go without clothing. I certainly don't want to be the only white whale laying on the beach. :) They also seem to be a bit higher priced than other lodging in the area.

3. How common is nudity in the area? Reports seem to indicate it's normal and accepted, but every photo I've ever seen shows folks fully clothed? I'd love to relax clothing free, but I don't want to offend anyone or be the first to drop my shorts... :)

4. Is it OK to swim in the ocean in the Tulum area? I rarely hear people mention this. Are there rocks on the bottom, dangerous currents, steep dropoffs, poisonous critters, or man eating sharks? Is the water generally clean and clear? Is the area good for snorkeling?

5. What times of year are generally considered "hurricane season"?

Sorry for all the questions. I just like to know what I'm getting myself into before I go someplace. :)

Anthony

[beachreader]

Hola, Anthony. So many questions! :)

As for Spanish, you can survive without Spanish, even in the Tulum area, but it's always wise to have just a little bit. Some basic question-type phrases, and basic food-stuff phrases, will go a long way to making the trip more enjoyable for both of you.

As for the party atmosphere, it's still up in Playa. There is live music at Zamas and a few other places, but they shut down at like 10:00 I think, if that late. We had just finished our dinner when the music stopped. There are clubs in town, but far away from the hotel zone. Most places along the beach are dead calm after dinner. Heck, most places are dead calm 24/7!

As for the nudity thing, Cabanas Copal and Azulik are both listed as "clothing optional" resorts, and I did see nudity there when I was walking along their beach, but it's all sort of crowded there, I thought. I assume you're mostly interested just in the nude sunbathing/swimming thing, right? Not that you want to be nude all the time, restaurants, walking around the resort, etc. I suppose there are places for that, but I don't know them. Personally, I would go farther south. The farther south you go along the beach zone, the emptier the beaches. There are often stretches of undeveloped beach between resorts too. Toplessness is very common up and down the area, full nudity is common enough on the beach where I don't think you'll be uncomfortable, unless you want to walk for miles in the nude. I spent a morning down by Dos Ceibas, and I swear we were the only 5 people in sight.

You might also want to post this question on the Loco Gringo and maybe the Playa Info boards, where there's a lot of activity.

Shoot, can't remember the rest of your questions. Better go back and check.

[beachreader]

OK, swimming. The beach in Tulum is beautiful, but there are some beaches that have rocks. Again, the farther south you go, the clearer the beach and water. The water has waves, so it's not smooth and easy, but it's not dangerous, and I didn't find any harsh currents. I live near the Jersey shore, so I'm comfortable with waves. If the beach is clear of rocks, usually the water bottom is also clear of rocks.

Sharks and stinging things? Pretty much no, but I'm not sticking my neck out in case you come back with a jelly sting. I personally didn't see any evidence of jellyfish or sharks while I was in Tulum this March. How's that for vague? :rolleyes:

It's not, however, a very good area for snorkeling because of the waves (and because fishies don't like smooth sandy bottoms as much as we do). But you can always hook up with a boat to take you somewhere, or you can drive up to Akumal or Yal-ku Lagoon or spend the day at Xel-Ha or one of those places. Lots of great snorkeling up that way. And there are always the cenotes, which offer cool and very different views of the underwater world.

Hurricane season is generally August-November, but the heart of it is Sept/Oct. Emily was last summer, Wilma was late October. Neither of them happened to disturb the Tulum area too too much (not as much as they hit the Playa and Cancun areas). Not to say that this coming season will be as kind to Tulum. Awful to think that this season could be as bad as last, but that's what the reports are indicating.

Have a great trip!

[Anthony]

> you can survive without Spanish, even in the Tulum area,
> but it's always wise to have just a little bit.

I'd probably try to learn a few key phrases, "where's the bathroom" and that kind of thing... :)

> Cabanas Copal and Azulik are both listed as "clothing optional"
> but it's all sort of crowded there, I thought.

That's kind of what I was thinking. I was hoping for something more romantic and a bit less crowded.

> I assume you're mostly interested just in the nude
> sunbathing/swimming thing, right?

In an ideal world, I'd like to hang out nude around the cabana, lay nude on the beach, and go swimming nude. Wake up in the morning, stroll out the cabana, and down to the beach for a morning swim. A typical back to nature in a tropical environment fantasy. :) Obviously, I'd put on some clothes if we were going to restaurants or other public areas.

I was looking around this forum more, and discovered a link to a new place I hadn't heard of "Casa Buena Suerte", south of Tulum. Can anyone here provide first hand experience of that cabana, hopefully additional photo's, and comment on the clothing optional status in that area?

Thanks!

Anthony

[beachreader]

That would have been my next suggestion, to find a house to rent rather than a hotel if you want to be nude most of the time. The Mayan people are pretty shy, generally wear jeans on the beach, rarely even shorts, so complete nudity would probably be best restricted to a private area, or a resort specifically intended for naturists. Again, maybe others will have more specific information for you on that side of things. I know there are larger naturist resorts in the area, just don't know them.

Again, you might also want to post on the Loco Gringo or Playa boards for more experience.

The other advantage of a larger resort would be less need for Spanish.

[BeachDude]

Hey Anthony,
I was in Tulum in May 2005 and am going back again in April! :)
I stayed at Cabanas Copal and am returning.

To answer your questions:

>> 1. Neither my wife nor I speak a word of Spanish. Would it be foolish for us to consider a trip to Mexico without knowing the language?

As someone else mentioned, definitely learn a few phrases. Most of the locals know a little bit of english, so if you know a little spanish, it's good to meet them halfway with that.


>> 2. I'm in my 40's and not interested in the 20 something party life. Am I going to be able to relax and enjoy my time in Tulum?

Definitely... it's very quiet most of the time, although the beach bar areas tend to be noisy. Funny, when I was at Copal in May 2005, the 40-somethings were actually the loudest crowd, lol. ;)


>> 3. Who do you recommend for lodging in the area? We're looking to relax, enjoy some quiet time together, and ideally sunbathe and swim clothing free.

Nudity is probably most common on the beaches, at both Azulik and Copal. The beach at Copal does tend to get a little crowded, but nothing too bad. Although the beach at Azulik is much larger and people are more spread out. I liked Azulik's beach better than Copal's and would usually walk 2 minutes next door to use that beach during my stay.


>> 3. How common is nudity in the area? Reports seem to indicate it's normal and accepted, but every photo I've ever seen shows folks fully clothed? I'd love to relax clothing free, but I don't want to offend anyone or be the first to drop my shorts... :)

Azulik is clothing-optional, as is Copal... My experience with Copal was that only about 5% of the people chose to be nude around the cabanas and pathways! But it depends on the crowd... I was one of the very few that dared to go nude about the cabanas and no one had a problem with it... a few funny looks, but hey - it is allowed and a clothing-optional place afterall!


>> 4. Is it OK to swim in the ocean in the Tulum area?

When I was there, the ocean was a bit more "rough" than normal, but nothing too harsh, I'm talking 1-2 foot waves. It seemed safe enough to me, just watch out for the random rocks, as with any beach.


>> 5. What times of year are generally considered "hurricane season"?

I think it's about the same as the US, late-August to October

[jkbarbee37]

Hey Anthony!

I took my first trip to Playa/Tulum about a month ago and have a couple of comments on your questions (although those who've already replied have done a pretty thorough job):



1. Neither my wife nor I speak a word of Spanish. Would it be foolish for us to consider a trip to Mexico without knowing the language?


I speak Spanish almost fluently, but there was nowhere I went that someone didn't know enough English to communicate. And, as others have said, a few Spanish phrases would be good as well.



2. I'm in my 40's and not interested in the 20 something party life. Am I going to be able to relax and enjoy my time in Tulum?


I'm 50 and had no problem relaxing when I wanted to (on the beach at Tulum, I was pretty much left alone), or finding some compadres to share a beer or shot of tequila. PDC can be a little raucous (not always a bad thing), especially on La Quinta, but Tulum can tend to be so quiet at night you can hear the iguanas breathing :)



3. Who do you recommend for lodging in the area? We're looking to relax, enjoy some quiet time together, and ideally sunbathe and swim clothing free. I originally found out about the Tulum area from the Azulik web site. Their cabanas seem ideal, but I'm concerned about privacy with the proximity of the cabanas. And, I'm concerned how many people "opt" to go without clothing. I certainly don't want to be the only white whale laying on the beach. :) They also seem to be a bit higher priced than other lodging in the area.


I can't comment on accomodations; I stayed in Playacar.



4. How common is nudity in the area? Reports seem to indicate it's normal and accepted, but every photo I've ever seen shows folks fully clothed? I'd love to relax clothing free, but I don't want to offend anyone or be the first to drop my shorts... :)


On my first trip to Tulum (a guided tour through playa.info), we ended up having lunch on the beach and about 100 yards down the beach were a couple of girls (I say "girls" because I AM 50 ;) ) who were sunbathing and body-surfing in the nude. One of the women in our group decided to take off her top and do some sunbathing that way as well. All in all, everyone seemed to take it very much in stride.



5. Is it OK to swim in the ocean in the Tulum area? I rarely hear people mention this. Are there rocks on the bottom, dangerous currents, steep dropoffs, poisonous critters, or man eating sharks? Is the water generally clean and clear? Is the area good for snorkeling?


There were a lot of rocks fairly close-in, so we didn't get out too far. If you want some great swimming...and snorkeling...take a trip to one of the cenotes closeby.

Hope my comments help and aren't too redundant with the rest of the replies. I've already decided that my next trip to the area will be concentrated in Tulum, with a rental car for exploring. Hope you enjoy it!

John

[titmouse]

Hi Anthony,
We just returned from ten days (end of March) in the southern, quiet hotel beach zone of Tulum. I hope I can give you some insight and be helpful.
I hope your will return to Tulum because it is a beautiful place with beautiful, sweet people.

1. We speak very little Spanish and make out well. We pick up a few phrases each time we travel to Mexico. You can do fine with little to no Spanish.

2. You will find Tulum to be a perfect match for any age if you are looking for peace and quiet. Many honeymooners of all ages -- newly married and those 'honeys' enjoying years of many "moons" together. Several of the smaller hotels do not offer electricity during the later hours so it is very quiet. Also makes for a romantic evening. Luminaries and candles usually light the walkways.

3. We stayed at Ana y Jose Charming Hotel and that it is!- charming! It is between Cabanas Tulum and Los Arrecifes. If you check on the bill-in-tulsa.com website, he has a wonderful map of Tulum pueblo and the beach hotel zone which lists many of the hotels. Very helpful.

3.5 Nudity. Will say that we walked the beach from Ana y Jose north to Maya Tulum, then south to near Las Ranita. We noticed much topless for the ladies but not any total nudity. We usually walk early morning and then later when the sun is going down so it may happen in the heat of the day. (?) Would recommend a rental home along the beach to rent. We would not consider Ana y Jose, nor the close resorts of Cabana Tulum, nor Los Lirios for comfortable nudity. My opinion only.

4. Riding the waves is great all along this stretch of beach during March -- the winds were blowing strong so no real swimming was happening. Probably depends on what time of year. We felt a strong under-current going on during our time in March.

5. We would assume the same as others have mentioned that fall is high hurrican season. Most of these smaller hotels along the Tulum beach do not take responsibility for optional reservations if their place is damaged (how sad and we hope not!) -- so we would suggest to plan accordingly or be sure to check into some good insurance - if there is such to be had.

Regardless of all the above I have mentioned -- Tulum is definitely a total laid back enviroment. I hope you get to go back, take your "honey" and enjoy the "moon" on the beautiful beaches of Tulum.

Good luck.

[BeachHappy]

Hello - my husband and I just returned from a 2 week trip to Cozumel and the Tulum area. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Villa Dolce Vita that is clothing-optional. It's on Soliman Bay, which is a quick 10 minutes drive north of Tulum - very handy to everything. There is a private pool right on the beach and a great beach with a small palapa, lounge chairs and hammocks. We weren't specifically seeking out a clothing-optional area, but apparently that section of Soliman Bay is known as being more relaxed in that regard. We didn't really see very many people so not sure how many other of the condos / inns were clothing optional. We really enjoyed our stay - the casita is great and a pretty good deal. The only things I *might* characterize as down sides are 1) that swimming right from the beach is tough since there is a reef and the water is shallow. However, you can easily kayak out to where wather is deeper to snorkel and there is a pool. 2) breakfast is provided (and it was delish) but you have to drive to other places for your other meals. There is one restaurant - Oscar y Lalo - that is close and you could probably walk to but it would be kind of a hike and it gets pitch black at night. This wasn't a big deal for us since we like trying new places but is something to consider. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.villadolcevita.com/
Have a good trip!

[Anthony]

Beach Happy,

I had considered the Villa Dolce Vita, but they didn't have any pictures of inside the casita. I also hadn't heard anyone else mention it.

Did you have much privacy there? That has always been one of my concerns with bed and breakfasts.

Do you have any pictures you could share? Any other info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Anthony

[BeachHappy]

Hi Anthony,

Let's see...first, I bet nobody has mentioned it because they opened as a B&B less than a year ago. Connie and Chris - the hosts - moved down from upstate New York and they are very nice. They were chatty, but not intrusive although it sounds like their engagement with guests varies depending on the people. They told us that 2 couples that were their same age (mid-late 50s I think) had been there and they all drank margaritas under the palapa and really whooped it up but we are younger (early 30s) and were out and about more (instead of only hanging out there at the Villa during the day) so we just chatted with them at breakfast and pretty much did our own thing after that. We did bring drinks out to the palapa in the evening a couple of times and chatted with them then too but I have to say that I am not usually a big fan of B&Bs and the kind of forced socializing that you have to do, but this was fine.

The guest rooms (casita) seems pretty new and has only 2 units - one downstairs and one upstairs - and they really only sleep 2 people comfortably so there is only likely to be one other couple there. The pool area is kind of in between the main house and the casita, so it's not completely private but there aren't that many people around and we barely saw anyone else on the beach, even just walking by. Also, the beach and pool are separate areas - so if the other guests were at the pool you could go to the beach and be on your own or vice versa. It would be a perfect place for a family or two couples - you'd have your own resort! I should also tell you that we weren't seeking out a clothing-optional place to stay so maybe there are some other privacy concerns that you are thinking about?

The room was nice - clean and we had a great view of the ocean. Nothing overly fancy but it was good. I'm really picky about sheets, pillows, etc. and they were fine with me. They have great beach towels - way better than the bath towels! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of the inside of our room :-( but there was lots of light and it was roomy enough although not huge. There was a small bench to sit on and 2 wicker chairs in front of the big sliding glass door.

I hope this helps - feel free to ask any more questions!!

[Glorydaze]

Beach Happy,

I had considered the Villa Dolce Vita, but they didn't have any pictures of inside the casita. I also hadn't heard anyone else mention it.

Did you have much privacy there? That has always been one of my concerns with bed and breakfasts.

Do you have any pictures you could share? Any other info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Anthony

We stayed there 2 years ago when it belonged to the former owners and the entire villa was a rental. The place is lovely and while I didn't stay in the casita's (since I was the birthday girl, and it was a biggie for me, I had the master in the main house), I remember that the casitas were were nice.

With that said, Soliman Bay is becoming more and more discovered, and many more family groups vacation there every year. It's not a very big bay, either (e.g. long stretch of beach, per se), and I personally would not be comfortable doing a clothing optional thing there. That's just my $.02 worth, but I would prefer the long, less traveled stretches of the Tulum beaches. I would think you could wander pretty far south and find a stretch of beach pretty much all to yourself heading toward the biosphere. You could get that all over tan pretty easy in that setting.

In any case, enjoy!

[Anthony]

Beachhappy and Glorydaze,

Thanks for the info on Villa Dolce Vita. It sounds like a nice enough place, but I still think I'm leaning more towards "Casa Buena Suerte".

The owners sent me the following response:

"Toplessness is fine, nutidy, though it has never been a problem in the
past, has recently gotten complaints from the locals, so we ask just to
go topless. The beach is extremely private, almost nobody there. The
cabana is not close to any other buildings, it stands alone. There are
a few others about 50meters away, and a mostly unused house hidden about
30meters away. The cabana we built for ourselves so it is very private and we rent it out when we are not there. I don't have more pictures but the website pictures are exactly what the beach , the beach right outside the cabana looks like. It is very private and the cabana is on the dune."

So, if we can make this trip happen, I'm probably going with "Casa Buena Suerte".

Thanks!

Anthony