Is Tulum Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated On November 7, 2023
Tulum, Mexico
Safety Index:
80
* Based on Research & Crime Data
User Sentiment:
80
* Rated 80 / 100 based on 5 user reviews.

Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya.

Tulum has architecture typical of Maya sites on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Tulum is the best place for an unplugged beach vacation.

It has eco-friendly and laid-back beaches.

The main showplace in Tulum – glorious beach, one of the best in Mexico.

Also, tourists come here to see historic ruins and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.

And you can enjoy watching sea turtles and whale sharks here.

The best time to see whale sharks, nesting turtles, and baby turtles are in July and August when all are fully present and active.

Warnings & Dangers in Tulum

Overall Risk

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM

Tulum is one of the safest cities in Mexico. It is enough to exercise normal vigilance to remain safe. A lot more inconvenience can be caused by a hurricane or heavy rains. You need to find out information about the natural disasters of this region before your trip.

Transport & Taxis Risk

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Taxis and buses are a good and safe way to get around here. Be sure to negotiate the price in advance before boarding the car.

Pickpockets Risk

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

The city is quite calm and tourists spend a relaxing holiday here. However, if you don’t keep track of your belongings, minor thefts can happen.

Natural Disasters Risk

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH

In Tulum, there is a high risk of hurricanes, torrential rains, floods, and landslides. You must also protect yourself from the Zika virus. Before you travel, be sure to check that this is the right time to travel.

Mugging Risk

MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM

Mugging risk may cause in Tulum only if you behave carelessly with your belongings. Take normal security measures to protect your life and belongings. Do not flash with valuables and keep your belongings in a safe place.

Terrorism Risk

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

The city is touristy and completely free from gang fights. Usually, it’s quite calm and safe here.

Scams Risk

SCAMS RISK: LOW

There are not so many scams risks here. Make sure you buy tickets on tours in a licensed place and be watchful.

Women Travelers Risk

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Female, traveling alone can feel absolutely safe in Tulum. However, you must be careful on the streets, not to walk late at night and not to go to bars.

So... How Safe Is Tulum Really?

Mexico is currently having a bit of an issue with various political problems and drug-trafficking gangs.

But Tulum can deservedly reckon one of the safest places in Mexico.

Besides Mexico has experienced a surge in drug-related violence, Tulum has remained a relatively safe travel destination.

Some street crime may occur.

Things like violent crime and assault, however, are much less common than in other places in Mexico.

Travelers should have common sense when traveling in the city.

Don’t show up around the streets alone at night.

If you’re staying in a beachside cabana, be sure to lock your doors.

Driving during the daytime is relatively safe, but take caution when driving at night, as some foreign travelers have experienced robbery.

Tulum is safe from crime, but from nature, you can suffer well.

Hurricanes rip through this part of the Caribbean and may cause real disaster.

This season lasts from June to November.

Also, Tulum is suffering from tropical storms that can hit any time of year.

Heavy rains, flooding, and landslides are par for the course when a big tropical storm makes landfall.

As well Zika virus is present in Tulum, so protecting against mosquitoes is important.

How Does Tulum Compare?

CitySafety Index
Tulum80
Mexico City45
Playa del Carmen69
Cabo San Lucas68
Acapulco63
Cancun71
Guadalajara62
Manama (Bahrain)54
Tianjin (China)67
Brussels (Belgium)60
Shanghai (China)66
Belize City (Belize)37
La Paz (Bolivia)52

Useful Information

Visas

Visas

No visas required for tourist proposals to enter Mexico for many countries of Europe, US citizens and so on. You should have a valid passport and a tourist permit. The maximum possible of stay is 180 days. For a longer stay or other options, you should visit the Mexican embassy.

Currency

Currency

The Mexican peso - is the official currency in Mexico. There are one hundred Mexican centavos to every peso. The symbol for the Mexican Peso is $, so you can see MX$ or MN$ in banks and exchange points.

Weather

Weather

The best time to visit Tulum is from December to April. More crowd months are December, January, and February. From February to April there is almost no rain.

Airports

Airports

The best way to get to Tulum is from Cancun International Airport. It's located in 118 km from Tulum. This airport serves the entire stretch of coast of the Yucatan Peninsula that faces the Caribbean Sea.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

The medical travel insurance is required for travelers in any country as well as Mexico. On the border, any traveler may be asked by a customs officer to show insurance.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Tulum Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 24° C
Feb 24° C
Mar 25° C
Apr 26° C
May 28° C
Jun 28° C
Jul 28° C
Aug 28° C
Sep 28° C
Oct 27° C
Nov 26° C
Dec 24° C
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High
°C
272728293131323231302827
Low
°C
212122232424242424242321
High
°F
818182848888909088868281
Low
°F
707072737575757575757370

Mexico - Safety by City

CitySafety Index
Acapulco63
Aguascalientes80
Cabo San Lucas68
Cancun71
Chichen Itza70
Chihuahua40
Cozumel85
Cuernavaca65
Culiacan55
Durango75
Ensenada90
Guadalajara62
Guanajuato53
Hermosillo90
Huatulco85
Isla Holbox85
Isla Mujeres80
Ixtapa68
Juarez32
Leon68
Los Cabos80
Manzanillo68
Matamoros40
Merida78
Mexicali42
Mexico City45
Monterrey55
Morelia46
Nogales50
Nuevo Laredo40
Oaxaca74
Piedras Negras67
Playa del Carmen69
Puebla80
Puerto Morelos85
Puerto Vallarta70
Queretaro City63
Reynosa35
Saltillo70
San Luis Potosi80
San Miguel de Allende75
Sayulita90
Tijuana41
Tulum80
Valladolid90
Veracruz70
Zacatecas70
Zapopan70
Zihuatanejo70

Where to Next?

5 Reviews on Tulum

  1. V
    Victor M. says:

    A nice destination

    I was a bit skeptical about going to Tulum. It’s not a very known location, at least not to me, and I don’t like seeing natural disasters risk as being high or the muggings risk as medium. I actually have heard of someone getting mugged while I was in Tulum so this does happen. But, nothing bad happened to me while I was there. I was careful as I would be almost anywhere else and didn’t flash goods or money around. Make sure to get protection for mosquitoes as they are present in decent amounts.

  2. Good honeymoon spot.

    We stayed in a wonderful boutique hotel called Love Tulum. They do a very simple breakfast and supper which is delicious, our room was right on the water and clean and bright the sound of the sea sent us to sleep in minutes very night. Staff very nice and charming. But, mosquitos in the town are a nightmare I was virtually spraying myself with OFF as I ate in the nearby restaurants. The place is obviously controlled by ‘hidden’ forces’ but their priority is to look after the tourists obviously. There seems to be a militia hidden away in the town for added security.
    For younger tourists ideally but there are some five star lodging hidden away there if you fancy de luxe living.

  3. Tulum is safe guys!

    Stop worrying so much, with the pandemic, people care about themselves and don’t bother other people as much, also you have a good excuse to social distance and move away from others. stay safe!

  4. Resident’s perspective

    I think this must have been written a while ago. We live in Tulum and it has become a hugh party scene town. The beach clubs are LOUD and go on until all hours. The cabs are one of the most expensive in the world! The beach restaurant prices are equal or higher than NYC or LA. Cartel is here and here to stay. Party people keeping them all in business. With all of that said we love it here. We stay away from the party scene beaches and find other ways to spend our time. There is theft, like everywhere, just be smart. Do not wear flashy Jewlery or clothes. The pueblo is still charming and has lots of great and affordable restaurants. There are currently over 380 construction projects underway in Tulum so no more sleepy town here. Sad really but such a beautiful location it was bound to happen.

  5. M
    Makenzie says:

    Very safe and we enjoyed it a lot

    Tulum is probably one of the safest places in Mexico. Here you will really feel the Mayan energy coming from the fortified stones of the Tulum ruins. If you’re in Mexico for more than a week or two, you have to visit Tulum. It’s an experience you won’t regret.

    The beach in Tulum might not be very big but it does have a certain charm to it, with the wonderful turquoise water and the white sand. Such a great way to refresh yourself on a hot day!

    The Temple of the Frescoes is, believe it or not, built in 1450! And it still holds up well today and will probably still be here 1000 years from now if not more. And it’s a great place to visit and explore.

    While here you should also explore the Castillo which is a big, imposing building, where human sacrifices used to occur. Then there’s the Temple of the God Descending or the Temple of the Initial Series. If you’re into old buildings you’ll love them.

    Casa del Cenote which was believed to be used as a mausoleum is just one of the many cenotes found in Mexico. Cenotes were believed to be entrances to the spiritual world.

    There are a few tours of Tulum and this is a great way to experience the place and learn about its history, buildings and people. A guided tour is one of the better ways to experience this hotspot and normally such a tour will last around 4 hours.

    Like I said, this place is very safe and we did not encounter any thieves or pickpockets on our trip. We took a tour of it and it was a great way to learn more than we would have on our own. Nothing bad happened while we were here and it was a very special experience for us.

Tulum Rated 4 / 5 based on 5 user reviews.

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