General Information

• Tulum is an eco-conscience town.  Please turn off all lights and air conditioning whenever you leave the condo.  The AC will cool down the condo very quickly upon your return.  Or even better, turn off the AC and open up the doors to enjoy the ocean breezes.
• Always use bottled water for drinking, ice cubes, and cooking.  Bottles of water are readily available all over Tulum, and we have a water delivery service at the residence.  All the restaurants will use purified water in their drinks and ice cubes. 
• You may flush toilet paper (only) in the toilets in the condo, but do not do this elsewhere in Tulum as the plumbing systems are old.  All Tulum bathrooms will be equipped with a garbage can for toilet paper.
• Please use the white towels for bathing only, and the beach towels for the pool.  
• For your safety, please use only the plastic glassware and break-resistant melamine dishes in the penthouse.
• Tulum is a magical place......ENJOY! 

• Car rental:  We always rent a car because we love the freedom of exploring where we want, when we want.  We recommend America Car Rental, as they have offices in both Cancun airport and Tulum, and include  all necessary insurance in the quoted price.  
• Airport shuttle:  If you prefer not to rent a car, you can hire a private shuttle to take you to the condo.  Check out USA Transfers, Happy Shuttle, or Yakata Transfers.  Expect to pay about $180 USD for a couple, round trip from Cancun airport. The price goes up only  bit when you add more people.
• Taxis:  Taxis are plentiful in Tulum.  Expect to pay about $300--$500 pesos for most trips around Tulum (more in high season).   If you find a taxi driver you like, ask for his WhatsApp contact info so you can call him when you need.
• Buses:  For the more adventurous, you can try the local buses (colectivos) or the larger ADO buses that go up and down the Riviera Maya.  These are very cheap, and will be full of locals. The ADO bus is luxurious and very comfortable.
• Hired Driver: It is also possible to hire a driver for the day or half-day, to take to cenotes, ruins, etc.  The cost is approximately $150 USD per day.
• Bicycles:  One of the best ways to get around Tulum is by bike.  There is a great bike path from the entrance of Aldea Zama to the beach, and you can also ride into the pueblo, to the Tulum ruins,  or to the new Jaguar National Park.  So, hop on and go for a ride!  There are many bike rental shops, including Mexigo Bike Rentals, which is within easy walking distance from the condo: WhatsApp +52 984 240 5625

Use pesos, as this is the Mexican currency.  Some places accept dollars, but will give you a bad exchange rate.  To get pesos, go to an official bank ATM in the pueblo (Bancomer, Santander, Scotiabank, etc). There are also many ATMs at Chedraui supermarket.  Do NOT use the ATMs on the beach road, as these will charge you high fees and might have compromised security.  Also, when the ATM asks you if you accept their exchange rate, press "no".   The peso to US dollar exchange rate is usually about 18 pesos to 1 dollar.

Chedraui supermarket is very close to the entrance to Aldea Zama---just a bit toward the pueblo on Boca Paila Road. This supermarket has just about anything you could ever want, similar to an upscale  Walmart.  Remember a bag of ice for your cocktails! You can get pesos from the official bank ATMs inside.  Also, within easy walking distance from the residence is Fresh Market and other small markets, which have a variety of basics. There are also nearby pharmacies that have many medicines available for purchase without a prescription. 

Although tipping is not as expected in Mexico as it is in the US and some other countries, it is no less  important.  The hardworking bar tenders, waiters, maids, bathroom attendants, tour guides, etc.  make very little in wages, and depend on their tips to survive.  Get lots of small bills and tip often, even if only a few pesos. We usually tip 40 pesos for a couple of cocktails, 80 pesos a day for the cleaning staff, 15% at restaurants,  15% for a tour operator or spa service provider, round up for a taxi driver, and don't forget to tip bathroom attendants and grocery store baggers 5 or 10 pesos. Note: it is illegal for restaurants to automatically add the tip onto your restaurant bill, but some still do, so check your bill. 

Mexicans communicate on WhatsApp (not texting), so be sure to download this app and use it to message.  Also, businesses generally have Facebook pages, not websites, so if you're looking for a restaurant, beach club, etc, do a search on Facebook.