Cabos San Lucas and Tulum are two of the most popular destinations in Mexico. They both have natural beauty, great weather, fantastic food, and luxurious hotels, so how do you choose the right one for you?
Cabo and Tulum offer very different experiences, and making a decision between them can be difficult. Part of it comes down to whether you want a relaxing Caribbean coast escape or a lively Pacific coast getaway.
I’ve experienced both options, so in this post, I’ll share my thoughts on 13 different aspects of Los Cabos and Tulum to help you choose the best beach destination for your Mexico vacation.
In some ways, it might be more accurate to compare Cabo with the larger city of Cancún and Tulum with Todos Santos, another smaller town. But because Cabo vs. Tulum is a choice many visitors make, let’s look at these two destinations in detail.
Is it easier to get to Cabo or Tulum?
Los Cabos lies on the west coast of Mexico. It has its own airport, Los Cabos International Airport (airport code SJD), which is served by direct flights from many major US cities like Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, and Dallas. Visitors from Canada can also book direct flights from cities like Toronto and Vancouver, and international visitors can connect through US gateway airports.
Los Cabos airport is about 40 minutes up a modern highway from Cabo’s main tourist zones. It’s easy to make the journey by taxi, shuttle, or rental car.
Tulum is on Mexico’s east coast, at the southern end of the Riviera Maya. Until recently, visitors to Tulum had to fly into Cancun International Airport, but in 2024, Tulum International Airport opened to visitors arriving on international flights.
Some international flights arrive at Tulum each day, but most visitors will still land in Cancun and take the 90-minute drive down a busy highway to Tulum. Taxis, private transfers, and shuttle buses are readily available, but the additional travel time will cut into your vacation time.
As you can see, Cabo is easier to get to, but you might feel that Tulum’s more remote location is worth the extra travel time. For me, traveling from the west coast of the US to Cabo is much easier than traveling to Tulum.
Winner: Cabo
Which is easier to get around: Tulum or Cabo?
Once you arrive, Cabo is much easier to get around than Tulum.
Getting in and out of the Tulum Hotel Zone can be a real pain. There’s only one road that goes up and down the beach in Tulum, and all the cars heading to the beach hotels have to use this road. So there’s tons of traffic, and it only takes one person double-parking to cause endless delays.
It may be different in the Tulum Town Zone, which is further inland and away from the beach hotels. However, most people visiting Tulum tend to stay in one of the beachfront hotels.
Cabo has been a popular tourist destination longer than Tulum, so it has a more developed infrastructure. The paved roads in Cabo are wider than Tulum roads, so it’s much easier to get around, and many of the resorts and hotels provide shuttle services.
Tulum has a fairly spread-out layout, so all the main areas are a few miles from each other, which makes walking around difficult. Cabo San Lucas is pretty compact, so you can easily walk around, especially in the marina and downtown area, where you’ll find most of the restaurants and shops. Similarly, if you are staying in San Jose del Cabo, it’s also pretty wallaby. However, it’s a good 30-minute drive from Cabo San Lucas to its sister town, San Jose del Cabo (together, they make up Los Cabos). If you are staying in the corridor between the two cities (which is my preferred place to stay), you are reliant on a car to get to either town.
Getting a taxi or an Uber is easier and more reliable in Cabo than Tulum. Uber doesn’t really work reliably in Tulum, taxi prices there are exorbitant, and it’s essential to negotiate the price upfront. By comparison, Cabo has metered taxis, and you can often pay with a credit card. It all feels much more secure and trustworthy, which is reassuring for visitors.
Winner: Cabo
Which has the best accommodation: Cabo or Tulum?
Depending on your vacation preferences, Cabo San Lucas and Tulum both offer great accommodation.
A lot of the accommodation in Tulum really leans into the town’s bohemian vibe, with jungle glamping tents, treehouses, and beach-side cabanas. Luxury hotels and resorts like Nomȃde Tulum might not live up to the opulent standards of luxury hotels at other destinations, but they offer a secluded setting and rustic-chic experience with an eco-friendly focus.
Cabo has a huge array of options to suit every budget and vacation style. Whether you’re looking for top-tier private villas and luxury hotels in Los Cabos, all-inclusive resorts with multiple pools and bars, or a cute boutique hotel at a more reasonable price, you’ll find it in Cabo. There are also affordable options for accommodation in Cabo that offer an excellent experience for budget travelers.
Winner: Cabo
Does Tulum or Cabo have the best things to do?
There’s plenty of fun things to do in both Cabo and Tulum, but Tulum has a wider range of activities, even though it’s smaller than Cabo.
Tulum is within easy reach of all the fascinating historical sites of the Riviera Maya. You can easily visit two or more of these sites on a day trip, such as my VIP Tulum tour of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere and the Mayan ruins at Tulum and Muyil. Chichen Itza is just a little further inland, and there are hundreds of cenotes you can explore and swim in.
Tulum is also a great place to visit for wellness activities like yoga classes and meditation sessions, or you could try out some of the Mayan cultural activities. And the warm Caribbean Sea is ideal for water sports like snorkeling, scuba diving, and swimming.
Cabo is great if you like relaxing on the beach, whale watching, or pushing yourself on water activities and adventure sports like mountain biking. However, there isn’t much in between those extremes, and if you’re planning a family trip, there aren’t many things to do with kids in Cabo. There also aren’t many historical or cultural activities on offer, although the San Jose Art Walk between June and November is good fun, even for kids.
Like many aspects of a vacation, it comes down to personal preference. I feel that there’s a wider range of activities and attractions in Tulum, which makes it the better choice.
Winner: Tulum
Where can I find the best restaurants: Cabo or Tulum?
I’ve had really good food in both Cabo and Tulum, but the food scene in Cabo feels more authentically Mexican to me. There’s also a wider variety of dining options and price points in Cabo.
In Cabo restaurants, you’ll find a lot of traditional Mexican dishes like enchiladas or mole, grilled fish tacos, great steaks, and a lot of rice and beans. However, Cabo is an international destination with many other cuisines available, like Mediterranean food or sushi, and even French cuisine. You’ll also find fine dining restaurants offering a great culinary experience in the luxury resorts and Marina.
Tulum also has a wide range of restaurants serving delicious food, but there’s quite a strong Caribbean and Mayan influence here. The food seems less traditionally Mexican to me, and more focused on Tulum’s local cuisine, but that might be because I’m less familiar with the local dishes and flavors in the Yucatan. I also found that the restaurants were more expensive in Tulum (I regularly spent $100 a meal for myself with 1-2 drinks).
Personal taste will determine which type of food you prefer. I’m giving this one to Cabo, partly because of the price and definitely because of the variety of options available.
Winner: Cabo
Cabo vs Tulum: which has the most beautiful beaches?
Cabo beaches have yellow sand speckled with black, and the water is quite dark blue. However, there are many interesting rock formations, including the famous arch off the tip of Cabo San Lucas, and some good spots for swimming and water sports.
But while the sand is soft and there are some tide pools, there aren’t that many swimmable beaches in Cabo. Some of the most famous Cabo beaches include Playa El Medano (Medano Beach) and Playa del Amor (Lover’s Beach), and they tend to fill up very quickly, especially in peak season.
However, the stunning beaches in Tulum have super-soft, white sand, and the Caribbean Sea has crystal-clear turquoise water which is a comfortable temperature for swimming. Tulum beaches are just so much prettier than Pacific Coast beaches, making them better locations for taking beautiful vacation photos. The only downside to Tulum’s beaches is the seaweed that washes up constantly and which can smell as it starts to dry out. Most resorts will rake it up and cart it away multiple times a day to help abate the issue.
Tulum beaches are also quieter and more secluded than the beaches in Cabo, and many boutique hotels have “private” or semi-private beaches (technically all beaches in Mexico have to be accessible to the public). Some of the best beaches in Tulum include Las Palmas Public Beach and Playa Paraíso.
Winner: Tulum
Is there better weather in Cabo or Tulum?
From a weather perspective, I’d say that Cabo wins hands down. Both destinations have warm, sunny weather that makes them ideal for a beach vacation, but Cabo has more consistent weather and lower humidity than Tulum.
Cabo’s dry, desert climate is cooled by Pacific Ocean breezes. The high season runs from October to April when daytime temperatures are around 75-85°F (24-29°C). In the low season, from May to September, the day temperature rises to around 90-100°F (32-38°C).
Tulum has a tropical climate with higher temperatures and humidity than Cabo. The high season here is from December to April, and the temperature reaches 80-95°F (27-29°C).
There are fewer crowds in Tulum during the low season between May and November, when the temperature can reach 90°F (32°C) and the high humidity makes it feel even hotter. Packing the right clothes for Tulum makes it easier to cope with the heat and humidity. This can be the best time of year to find great deals on your Tulum vacation.
Both locations have hurricane seasons, but Tulum’s lasts from June to November, compared to August to September in Cabo.
I definitely prefer the drier, more consistent weather in Cabo. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons why we bought a house near Cabo.
Winner: Cabo
Which is better on cost: Tulum or Cabo?
Many people say Cabo is more expensive than Tulum, but I’ve experienced the opposite.
Now, obviously, I’m a little biased because I spend two months or even longer in the Cabo area each year, so I know where to find the best deals. But I was shocked at how expensive the Tulum hotels, restaurants, and taxis are.
Of course, Cabo has some very high-end resorts and private villa rentals which are more expensive than Tulum hotels. However, it also has much more variety and choice than Tulum, which generally helps to keep costs lower.
For example, Cabo has the really big resorts and hotels that you can’t find in Tulum – you’ll have to visit Cancun for those. There are more hotels at all price ranges in Cabo, and they’re all competing for the same tourists, so they tend to offer better value.
Even if you head out of Cabo to Todo Santos, about 15 minutes from my vacation house, the prices are still much cheaper than Tulum.
Winner: Cabo
Tulum vs Cabo: which is better for history and culture?
These destinations are so different, and comparing them in terms of culture can be difficult.
Tulum has that fabulous jungle setting and more historical sites to explore than Cabo, like the Tulum Ruins, Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, and the Muyil Ruins. So if ancient ruins and culture are a big attraction for you, you’ll probably prefer to visit Tulum. As a Spanish major who learned a lot about the Mayans, I was thrilled to get up close with some of the local ruins.
Tulum really commits to the whole boho-chic, eco-friendly vibe. All of the hotels, restaurants, and attractions have a consistent feel, so you’re totally immersed in the laid-back atmosphere.
Compared to Baja California Sur, I have less experience of the Yucatan Peninsula and Mayan culture, so I don’t really know how authentic all of this is. Sometimes, certain aspects of Tulum can feel a bit artificial, like it’s been manufactured to be Insta-friendly.
On the other hand, I’ve spent a lot of time on the Pacific coast and central Mexico, and Cabo feels very familiar to me. It feels like the town has grown up organically over the years and it’s more similar to the “Mexico” that I have experienced in other parts of the country. Interestingly, long-time residents of Cabo and my area of Pescadero up north now refer to Cabo as “Disneyland” for how artificial it feels to them as its tourist fame has grown. I can only imagine that these same folks would have an allergic reaction to Tulum’s overall vibe.
Apart from the colonial architecture in San Jose Del Cabo’s historic center, there aren’t many historic sites to explore in Cabo. It has a fun atmosphere and lively culture, but ultimately it can’t compete with the millenia of history buried in the Yucatan.
Winner: Tulum
Is there better nightlife in Cabo or Tulum?
Although nightlife isn’t really a deciding factor for me, I generally prefer the nightlife in Tulum. The vibe there feels more laid-back, and the beach bars are great. It’s easy to move around from bar to bar, and there are all-night dance parties and full-moon beach parties, which are great fun.
On the other hand, Cabo’s nightlife is more like regular clubbing. So, if you’re looking for a party scene with buzzy joints and vibrant nightclubs, Cabo might be the best place to visit for your Mexico vacation.
Winner: Tulum
Is Tulum or Cabo safer for tourists?
Let me preface this by saying that “safe” means very different things to different people. I have spent a collective several years in Mexico, I speak Spanish, and I have traveled to many parts of the country, sometimes as a solo female traveler. I have been ripped off and taken advantage of. I have also been helped countless times by kind and good people who had no obligation to me. Like anywhere, Mexico contains multitudes.
When people ask me, “Is it safe to go to Mexico?” I can only answer that yes, I feel that Mexico is safe. That said, whether Cabo or Tulum is safer is a tough decision because each destination has risks, but they’re both reasonably safe for tourists to visit.
Tulum is in Quintana Roo State, and Cabo is in Baja California Sur State. Both these states are listed with a Level 2 advisory by the US State Department (but always check because this information updates as current events dictate). That means you need to ‘exercise increased caution’ if you go to those areas – stick to the main tourist areas, keep away from isolated places at night, and avoid carrying or wearing valuable items.
Tulum is closer to Cancun, so the issue of illegal drugs and drug cartels is more of a problem there compared to Cabo. Just before I visited in February 2024, a tourist died in a gun-related incident in the Tulum area. So, if you visit Tulum, take care to avoid getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Cabo generally feels safer, partly because its location on the Baja California peninsula makes it feel separated from the rest of the country. That’s not to say the drug cartels don’t have a presence in Cabo, and you still need to ‘exercise increased caution,’ but my Mexican friends there say that it’s not such a big problem.
The biggest risk for tourists visiting Cabo is probably getting caught up in the strong currents and riptides. The sea off Cabo can be very dangerous, so check before entering the water.
Winner: Cabo
The verdict: which is the best destination, Tulum or Cabo?
I’ve picked Cabo as the winner in 8 of the 13 categories, which makes it the clear winner for me. This isn’t too much of a surprise, considering I own a vacation house just outside Cabo and absolutely love the area.
Ultimately, choosing between Tulum and Cabo will come down to your personal preferences and the type of vacation experience you want. Cabo San Lucas is the perfect place for a lively vacation with great nightlife, luxurious hotels, and a wide variety of food options. On the other hand, if you’re longing for a relaxing vacation with lush jungles, powder-white sands, and archeological sites, Tulum would be the better option.
Both of these popular tourist destinations are great options for a beach vacation filled with unforgettable experiences. So, whether you choose a vacation in Tulum or Cabo, you’re sure to have a fabulous time!
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