22 Epic Tulum Instagram Spots

Tulum in Mexico is probably one of the most sought-after destinations by avid Instagrammers and content creators!! Here you can find a plethora of esthetically pleasing places, such as cute cafes, spectacular beach clubs, incredible Tulum cenotes and meaningful signs perfect for taking a photo or a video. Whatever your style, this post will guide you through the most epic Tulum Instagram spots! 

Visiting some of the famous Tulum photo spots is definitely one of the best things to do in Tulum, and if you’re short on time, just add a couple of places from the first section to your Tulum itinerary. 

And, if you’re looking for where to stay in Tulum to take Insta-worthy shots, I also share with you two best Tulum boutique hotels that are super picturesque!

You may also like: 16 Best Tulum Hotels With Private Pools

Tulum Instagram Spots Map

Best Places to Stay in Tulum

 

 

Tips on Visiting Tulum Instagram Spots 

Plan your itinerary |  Use this post to plan which places you want to see and shoot at with the recommended time taken into account.  

Arrive early | It is impossible to be early at each location, so choose the Tulum Instagram spots you care about the most, and make sure you get to them as early as possible.

Choose your mode of transport wisely | Driving a car with AC is the best option for touring all the fabulous Tulum photo spots. However, if you decide on cycling or walking, make sure you check the weather forecast and bring a raincoat just in case! I’m only saying it because I did it and get soaked before I even get to the shooting locations! 

Parking | Factor in having to pay for parking between 200 –  500 pesos along the Zona Hotelaria in Tulum. 

Bring cash | Some places such as Escultura Ven a la Luz take cash only, so make sure you bring enough with you. 

Get creative & have fun! 

Top Tulum Instagram Spots

In this section, I share the most famous Tulum Instagram spots that are super picturesque and mostly free (apart from the cenote). If you browse for pictures of Tulum, you will probably find photos of those places – they’re that famous! You can visit all the Tulum best Instagram spots recommended in this section in one day. 

#1 Ven a La Luz Sculpture – One of the Most Famous Tulum Instagram Spots

Hands down, one of the most famous Tulum Instagram spots – Escultura Ven a la Luz, is the perfect place in Tulum to start your photo shooting. This impressive 10 meters sculpture, created by the artist David Poppers with wood, bamboo, rope and plants, used to be an entrance to the Ahau Tulum Beach Resort. The statue that showcases a female opening her heart full of vegetation symbolises the unity of humans with nature. 

The images of the statue went viral on Instagram, and now the Ven a la Luz sculpture, which means “come to light”, is one of the most popular Instagrammable places Tulum has on offer! The statue’s been moved with a paid entrance fee for those that want a photo. 

Best time to visit | If you don’t want to wait in a 1-2 hour queue (I had to wait that long), come just before the opening time at 8:45 am. Make sure you bring cash with you, as they don’t accept cards, and the ATMs in this part of Tulum charge a lot for cash withdrawal and only give Dollars. 

Parking | On the other side of the street, expect to pay around 200 MXN.  

Photo Tips | You will only have around 1 minute to shoot in front of the sculpture, so come with ready ideas on how you want to pose. 

#2 ‘Follow that Dream’ Sign – One of the Best Free Instagram Spots in Tulum

If you’re looking for the best Instagram spots in Tulum that are free, the famous Follow that Dream Sign Tulum is the perfect location for you! The famous Tulum sign is situated along the main road that runs along the Tulum Beach in Zona Hotelaria, in front of the Lolita Lolita Tulum shop. 

Follow that Dream sign is one of my favourite, most Instagrammable places in Tulum because it carries an important meaning! Do you follow your dreams? If not, what’s stopping you? When you post your Tulum photo from this place, make sure you talk about the dreams you followed or life goals you want to pursue in the photo caption. 

You can say something like: “I followed my dreams all the way to Tulum”, or “Forever chasing my dreams”. 

Best time to visit | Visit the sign in the morning or late afternoon to avoid having to wait in line. 

Photo Tips | To make the photo more interesting, rent a cute turquoise bicycle or a vintage Vespa.

#3 Matcha Mama – One of the Most Instagrammable Restaurants in Tulum

Matcha Mama is one of the best places in Tulum for breakfast with a photo opportunity! 

Best time to visit | If you want to take some quality photos, make sure you arrive before the opening time, around 7:45 am. This is the time when I arrived, and I managed to enjoy the cafe alone until about 8:30 am, when suddenly it got super busy.  

Photo Tips | The cutest shot is sitting on the swing on the side of the cafe, but the cafe’s front is also super picturesque. Order one of the colourful smoothie bowls for breakfast and also as a photo prop!  

#4 Here is the Dream Sign – One of the Best Tulum Secret Spots for Instagrammable Photo

Everyone knows about the Follow that dream sign, but not many people know about a similar sign located in front of the Santo Mercado Tulum restaurant. I came across it while cycling along the Tulum village and thought, this is the perfect alternative shooting place to the famous Tulum sign when it’s too busy there and you don’t want to queue for a photo!

The sign belongs to the restaurant Santo Mercado, which is actually an excellent place for a late lunch or dinner, with friendly service and fair prices.   

Best time to visit | If you don’t want to eat there, arrive before the restaurant opening time. Otherwise, it may get awkward. 

Photo Tips | The best time to take photos here is late morning before the light gets too harsh. You may need to use your wide-angle lens (either on your phone or camera) to capture this photo spot because there is not much space in front of the sign. Alternatively, you can shoot from across the street, just watch out for traffic. 

#5 Lining Palm Tree at Playa Paraiso – One of the Best Nature Instagrammable Places in Tulum

Playa Paraiso is one of Tulum’s best beaches and one of ​​the best Instagram spots in Tulum to shoot in nature. The most iconic spot at Paradise Beach is the crooked palm tree! I saw many photos of it on Instagram, and it looked truly epic, but to be honest, in reality, the palm tree is super small, so you may need to get creative to get a stunning shot here. 

I highly recommend coming to this Tulum Instagram spot for sunrise, which is a truly magical experience! After taking a few shots, make sure you sit down, be in the moment and just take in the incredible view. During the day, the beach has a totally distinct vibe, busy with holidaymakers. 

Best time to visit | The best time to visit Playa Paraiso to take some epic Tulum pictures for Instagram is early in the morning before the beach fills up with people. 

Photo Tips | The best time to shoot at the lining palm tree is early in the morning or if you want to achieve a similar photo like mine, come before sunrise! Shooting at sunrise is a little more challenging because of the low light. I recommend shooting with a tripod at low shutter speed instead of high ISO for the best results. 

#6 Cenote Calavera – One of the Fun Tulum Picture Spots 

One of the most unique cenotes in Tulum, cenote Calavera, is another excellent place to take great Tulum Mexico images! Calavera is very different from other cenotes; it is basically a fairly small hole in the rocks with a huge ladder that gives access to its pool. There is also a swing inside the cenote, which is a fantastic place to take a shot from.  

Best time to visit | Arrive at Cenote Calavera just before opening time (before 9 am) to be one of the first people. After 10 pm, this Tulum cenote gets super busy and taking photos without anyone else in the background is almost impossible.   

How to get there | Cenote Calavera is located just under 3 km from Tulum town, and it is an easy cycling distance if you feel energetic. If you’re staying in one of the hotels by the beach, you may need to rent a car or a scooter as the distance is just over 7 km. 

Photo Tips | Calavera is super small, and shooting gets very challenging when the place gets busy. If you owe a wide-angle lens, bring it with you to capture the entire cenote hole. 

There seem to be a fee for shooting with a professional camera, so have this in mind when planning your budget, and also consider if it’s really worth it. If you owe one of the new versions of iPhone or Samsung, shooting with your phone may be just enough to get a great shot. 

More Most Instagrammable Places in Tulum

#7 Tulum Ruins – One of the Historic Tulum Mexico Instagram Photo Spots

Tulum ruins are what’s left of the 16th-century walled Mayan settlement that today is the best preserved coastal Mayan town and one of Tulum best spots for history enthusiasts. The most iconic building of the site is El Castillo – Tulum’s tallest pyramid that served as a watch tower. 

Tulum, which in the Mayan language means “fence”,  takes its name after the walled settlement. 

Best time to visit | The best time to visit the Tulum Archaeological Site and take Tulum ruins photos is early in the morning before the site fills up with people and before it gets too hot to enjoy visiting a historic site like this. Even if you arrive before opening times, which is what I advise, don’t expect to be alone there; Tulum pyramids are one of the must see places in Tulum, which also means crowds all day long. 

How to get there | Tulum ruins are located 6 km north along the coast of Zona Hotelaria. You can take a taxi here, cycle or drive. Be aware of the parking fee, though, which is around 100 pesos or $5 (more than the entrance ticket itself). 

Photo Tips | To find the best spot for taking Tulum ruins images, by the coast, right of the El Castillo pyramid. It is an easy capture without having to worry about having other people in the background. 

#8 Blue Wings at Plaza Kapen Ha – One of the Best Photo Spots in Tulum Free of Charge

Plaza Kapen Ha, with the picture-worthy statue of blue wings, is located between the Ven a La Luz Sculpture and Selina Beach Club. It is a little square surrounded by small shops, so there is no entrance fee or opening times. 

Best time to visit | This photo spot in Tulum is still largely unknown, so you can come here any time of the day without having to queue. You can visit this place after the Ven a La Luz sculpture. 

Photo Tips | For the best light, shoot here from late morning to midday. 

#9 Raw Love – Best Spot for Pictures of Tulum Smoothie Bowls

If you’re looking for the best Tulum Restaurant Instagram-worthy location, Raw Love can’t be more perfect! Raw Love is situated right by the Escultura Ven a la Luz, and it’s a true beach oasis. Here you can shelter from the heat under the palm trees with your feet in the soft sand while having a delicious smoothie bowl! Oh, and you can also capture this moment in a photo.   

Tulum Beach has hardly any public access, and you may find that some hotels and beach clubs will charge you a fee just to let you pass through their premises to access what’s supposed to be the public beach! So, if you’re not staying in one of the Tulum hotels with beach access, I have good news for you. You can access Tulum beach for free through Raw Love Cafe! 

Best time to visit | The best time to visit Raw Love is just after its opening time, for breakfast. Make sure you order one of their delicious and nutrient-rich smoothie bowls, which are also the perfect prop for your Instagram-worthy shot!

Photo Tips | If the restaurant is busy, shoot with a lower F-stop (aperture) to defocus the background of your photo.

#10 Gran Cenote – Best Cenote for Tulum Instagram Spots with Gorgeous Light 

Gran Cenote is one of the most beautiful cenotes in Tulum but also one of the most expensive ones. If you want to visit more affordable ones, I recommend cenotes near Valladolid, which are equally epic, and it’s way more affordable to visit a few of them. 

What’s special about Gran Cenote is its crystal clear water, which is perfect for cenote snorkelling. And, the best part is that you can spot small turtles swimming in the water! There is also a picturesque decking where you can snap some cool pics and a cave. Make sure you also swim through the cave to explore the other side of the cenote, which also has some great photo opportunities. 

Normally, cenotes are difficult to shoot at because they don’t get much light, but Gran Cenote is very different and has some of the most gorgeous light you can get. 

The cenote ticket includes a snorkel mask, but you have to hand in your ID card as a deposit because, without it, you won’t be able to use it! The entrance fee is also cash only, so make sure you have enough cash on you. 

Best time to visit | I can’t recommend enough to visit this cenote, early in the morning. We arrived at 7:45 am, and there was already a small queue at the entrance.  

How to get there | Gran Cenote is situated 5 km away from Tulum town and just over 9 km from Zona Hotelaria and Tulum Beach. You can either rent a motorbike or car and if you’re staying in the centre of Tulum, it is also possible to also cycle there. 

Photo Tips | Arrive in the morning for the best light and use perspective and different cenote pool access points for interesting photos. 

You may also like: 10+ Best Tulum Cenotes Tours

#11 Blue Tulum Sign at Cerveceria Tulum – One of the New Instagram Tulum Spots

The new, huge blue Tulum sign in front of Cerveza Tulum restaurant has recently joined the most Instagrammable places in Tulum. You can find it by the main road, 3 km east of Tulum ruins. The sign is huge and features a swing and a water pond! It is super cute! And if you love craft beer, make sure you pop into the restaurant that owns the sign to try locally brewed Tulum beer!

Best time to visit | This sign is located in front of a restaurant, a little further away from Tulum town, so you can get here any time of the day as it never gets super busy. 

How to get there | You can come here by taxi or rent a scooter or car. I don’t recommend cycling here because the restaurant is on the highway. 

#12 Playa Paraiso at Sunrise – Best Tulum Beach 

Playa Paraiso is hands down one of the best Tulum Instagram spots if you come at the right time! Swaying lush palms, pristine white sand and turquoise water – it doesn’t get any more perfect than this!

After 10 am, this paradisical beach gets busy and stays busy until sunset. But how about coming to Playa Paraiso at sunrise?

Best time to visit | Best times to shoot at Playa Paraiso for the best light are sunrise, early morning and later afternoon. 

Photo Tips | My favourite photos of Playa Paraiso are taken either with a drone or at sunrise.

#13 Tulum Beach

Another excellent spot for snapping some awesome photos of Tulum Mexico is Tulum Beach, located along the Zona Hotelaria. This beach is public, so make sure you don’t pay to access it, keep reading to find out where you can enter the beach for free. 

The beach has some lush greenery at the back, which makes for the perfect Instagram photos if you get creative with it. 

Best time to visit | Come either in the morning or late afternoon for the best light. 

How to get there | If you’re not staying in one of the hotels with Tulum beach access, you can enter the beach for free through Raw Love Cafe. 

Best Tulum Photo Spots at Beach Club Entrances

Tulum has a vibrant party scene, and its many beach clubs are perfect places for taking Instagrammable pics of Tulum Mexico! While all the beach clubs in Tulum require a hefty minimum spend to be able to enjoy their beach space, it is entirely free to take pictures at their entrances, which are often super Instagrammy! Below, you’ll find the best Tulum Instagram spots, which are beach clubs.  

#14 Vagalume Tulum Beach Club Entrance 

Vagalume is one of Tulum’s most famous beach clubs, situated along the main Tulum beach strip near Escaltura ven a la Luz. It has an epic entrance – a massive sculpture of hand made of wood hanging over the gate! If your budget allows you to enter this beach club, they also have a picturesque pool with a bridge supported by hand sculptures going across the pool. 

Best time to visit | If you only want to take photos at the entrance, arrive before opening time, anytime before 11 am. For those willing to spend $100 per person, I recommend coming just after the opening to have the place to yourself.   

Photo Tips | Wear something that will contrast with the greenery and the wooden hand, such as a white or red dress. I was wearing a green dress and blended a little too much in my photo. 

#15 Selina Tulum Entrance 

Selina Tulum is another excellent place to get some Instagrammable photos of Tulum! And there are a few ways you can do it. If you don’t want to pay the minimum spend, which is a little more affordable ($50) than at Vegalume, you can come in the morning to take a photo at its entrance. The entrance to Selina is a striking tunnel made of wood that resembles sun rays. 

Another way is to stay at the Selina boutique hotel. They also have dorm beds, coworking space and a yoga studio!

Best time to visit | The best time to visit Selina, to take photos at its tunnel gate, is in the late morning when it’s still not too busy and there is enough light. 

Photo Tips | Bring your wide-angle lens to take photos at the entrance. Alternatively, you can shoot from the road, just mind the traffic. And, if you arrive late morning, you may be able to capture beautiful sun rays just above the entrance tunnel. 

#16 Roc Luxe Tulum Entrance

Another great Instagrammable entrance spot in Tulum is at Roc Luxe Tulum. The entrance to this hotel is through a white, distinctive white dome that makes for a perfect photo background. 

Best time to visit | The best time to visit is as early in the morning as possible. Roc luxe is a busy hotel, and later in the day may get a little tricky to take photos without disturbing anyone and feeling awkward.  

Photo Tips | You can easily take photos outside the dome, and to get inside, just politely ask the reception staff.   

#17 Conestesia Bunny Sculpture

Last but not least, out of the Tulum Instagram spots of this section is the huge bunny sculpture made of straw and painted pink in front of the Conestesia Beach Club. 

Best time to visit | The Conestesia Beach Club is temporarily closed, but the bunny statue is still there, and you can visit it any time of the day. When the beach club reopen, shoot at this location in the morning before 10 am. 

Photo Tips | The Conestesia bunny sculpture is probably the easiest photo spot in Tulum to shoot, so just go with the flow! 

Most Instagrammable Hotels in Tulum

#18 Papaya Playa Project – The Best Tulum Instagram Hotel

Location | Papaya Playa Project

Papaya Playa Project is hands down one of the best Tulum Instagram spots for those with the budget to stay there. This sustainable boho boutique hotel features a range of rustic cabins, and some come with a private pool on the roof and an ocean view!

If you’re looking for the most Instagrammable hotels in Tulum, Papaya Playa Project will provide you with all the boho, an esthetically pleasing backdrop for the perfect vacation and beautiful photos! 

#19 Casa Malca Pablo Escobar Mansion Tulum – One of the Best Tulum Intstagram Hotels

Location | Casa Malca 

Casa Malca, which is a former Pablo Escobar’s mansion, is another super Instagrammable place in Tulum! Casa Malca is a luxury boutique hotel situated on the edge of Sian Ka’an. 

The hotel’s grand foyer that features a 6-meter curtain made of wedding dresses and swing couches is by far one of the most epic Tulum photo spots!

If you don’t want to stay at their hotel, you can visit their beach club. Of course, there is an entrance fee of $165 per person, which gives you $130 credit towards drinks and food. 

More Instagram Tulum Spots Outside of Town 

#20 Coba Ruins 

Coba is another excellent spot to take some incredible photos for Instagram. However, you wouldn’t just go there only for the pictures! The ruins of Coba are located 47 km from Tulum, and visiting Coba is one of the best things to do near Tulum for ancient history lovers and explorers!

Coba was another super important Mayan settlement, and Coba means “waters stirred by the wind” as the settlement is surrounded by two large lagoons. 

The best photo spot at Coba is the main pyramid – Nahoch Mul, the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan Penisula, measuring 42 meters, even taller than El Castillo at Chichen Itza. And, the best part is that you can still climb its 120 steps! 

Best time to visit | For the best experience, arrive early in the morning, before it gets hot.

How to get there | You can rent a car, take a bus or go on a tour.

#21 Cenote Suytun – The Most Instagrammable Cenote

One of the most famous cenotes in Mexico, and even the world, Cenote Suytun is also a super famous Instagram location, which you can visit n a day trip from Tulum. 

I bet you’ve seen a photo of it on Instagram! It’s the one with a circular platform in the middle of the cenote pool and impressive stalactites hanging from the cenote roof. Directly above the platform, there is a small opening in the cave roof, and at around midday on a sunny day, a beautiful sunbeam shines through the roof over the platform.

Best time to visit | The best time to visit Cenote Suytun is as early as possible in the morning. If you’re visiting this cenote independently, arrive just before the opening time before 9 am. 

If you prefer to visit Cenote Suytun on tour, here is the best cenote tour with Viator. 

Photo Tips | Shooting in the Suytun cenote is super challenging due to the low light. After waiting in the queue, you will only have around 60 seconds to snap that perfect photo. If you’re not very experienced in low-light photography, you may be better off using your iPhone, which takes very decent pictures in low light.  

If you shoot with a digital camera, I recommend using a tripod and shooting with a slow shutter speed to capture more light on your camera lens. Don’t use too much ISO to avoid too much grain on your photos. 

#22 Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is one of the best places you can visit on your Yucatan itinerary, a bucket list destination, and a fabulous spot for taking some great photos! 

Best time to visit | The best time to visit Chichen Itza is in the early morning to avoid the crazy crowds and the heat of the day. Arrive at the gate before the opening time, ideally at 7:30 am, to be one of the first in the queue.

How to get there | The best way to get to Chichen Itza from Tulum is to rent a car and drive or take a tour. 

Photo Tips | Chichen Itza is extremely busy, and to snap that perfect photo without unwanted crowds in the background, you need to be fast. As soon as you enter the site in the morning, head behind the main pyramid, where you can get the best photos. Use trees or small bushes to create another dimension, and don’t forget to photograph El Castillo from an angle!

You may also like: Best Chichen Itza Tours from Tulum & Visiting Chichen Itza from Tulum Independently

Best Tulum Captions for Instagram 

Ok, so now you know about all the epic Tulum Instagram spots for taking awesome pictures, and in this section, I’m sharing some of the best Tulum Instagram captions and clever Tulum Instagram quotes!

1. “What happens in Tulum, stays in Tulum.”
2. “Making the best memories in Tulum.”
3. “I followed my dreams all the way to Tulum.”
4. “I left my heart in Tulum.”
5. “Calories in Tulum don’t count.”
6. “P.S. I love you, Tulum.”
7. “Tulum state of mind.”
8. “Tulum, I miss you.”
9. “Take me back to Tulum.”
10. “Dear Tulum, thank you for the amazing memories.”