The bohemian Caribbean playground of Tulum is full of treehouse resorts crafted of woven wood, cenotes tucked away in the jungle and stretches of seashore on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Phoenix photographer – and frequent PHOENIX contributor – Carrie Evans fell in love with the destination during a recent trip with friends, her beau and her dog, Pablo, whom she adopted on another Mexican vacation. “It’s a really magical place,” Evans says. “You discover these hidden gems in the jungle, and I’m always wondering what we’ll discover next.” She shares her must-visits in Tulum, which she says stands out from other places she’s visited in Mexico and Central and South America thanks to its tranquil atmosphere.
“Ven a la Luz”
Spanish for “come into the light,” “Ven a la Luz” is a 33-foot-tall wooden sculpture by South African artist Daniel Popper. It depicts a woman cracking open her chest to reveal a tunnel of ferns. “We were sitting there drinking our smoothies watching people roll up in taxis from all over to take their picture at 6:30 in the morning,” Evans says.
danielpopper.com/venalaluz
Chichén Itzá
Chichén Itzá, one of UNESCO’s New Seven Wonders of the World, is a renowned archaeological site that houses 26 Mayan ruins. “They’re 25,000-year-old pyramids of a civilization that just vanished. If you’re in Tulum, you have to check it out,” she says.
chichenitza.com
Tatewari
This restaurant at the Delek Tulum resort has “the best vegetarian tacos and mezcal margaritas,” Evans says. She had the pleasure of having dinner there with some unexpected guests. “Probably 100 or more newborn turtles all frantically made their way to the water while people dined in the sand and relaxed on day beds, and the DJ spun tunes,” she says. “It was so beautiful and surreal.”
delektulum.com/tatewari-tulum-restaurant
AZULIK
These wooden villas braid their way along sea cliffs and through jungle canopies – with no air conditioning, television or electric light – to preserve the ecosystem that envelops them and allow guests to get in tune with nature. “You can go up there, sit and have drinks in these nests that are above the entire resort. You see 360-degree [views] all around you.”
azulik.com
