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The Best-kept Secret on the Mayan Riviera: Playa ParaísoTucked away along the 15 miles of coast south of the Tulum ruins, this corner of the globe is known only to a few.Text Elisa collins
Upon arriving, you are sure to experience something like the sensation of reverie and ecstasy felt by guests getting off the plane at Fantasy Island. Just picture it: a pristine, sky-blue sea with a temperature of 79 degrees; men and women from a wide range of nationalities dancing on the fine, immaculately white sand (the large majority of its clients are European tourists, mainly Spanish and Italian); beautiful people reading in the shade of palm trees filled with coconuts; groups of friends playing cards and beach volleyball; couples eating tuna sashimi, fresh from the sea; and a little further off, a varied assortment of impeccable massage tables.
The club’s Paraíso restaurant offers lunch service in a pleasant ambiance on the sand: exquisite salads, fresh fish cebiche and sashimi and also some classic Mexican fare, all accompanied by top-notch music. A DJ encourages the crowd to dance or relax (depending on the time and general mood), from one in the afternoon until well into the evening.
El Paraíso Tulum beach clubTen standard rooms, each with two double beds, a private bathroom, hot water and a fan. Rate: US$140 Services• Shiatsu, reflexology, sport and relaxation massage. US$55 per hour. • Sunbathing cushion rental (for two people). US$10 a day. • Fishing boat rental, with a snorkeling excursion to two coral barrier reefs and a view of the Tulum ruins from the ocean. Ask for Juan or Pancho. US$15 per person. How to Get ThereLocated less than half a mile south of the Mayan ruins of Tulum, at the 1-km mark of the Carretera Tulum Ruinas-Boca Paila. If you’re coming from the Cancun or Playa del Carmen areas (from north to south), you need to take federal highway N0 128. Taxis and colectivos (collective taxis traveling specific routes) pass along this route all day. Tell the driver to turn towards the sea (left) at the first traffic light, reaching the town of Tulum, continuing to the Azul Blue hotel (approximately two and a half miles), then turn left on the Tulum Ruinas-Boca Paila route and continue for about a half a mile. Other Lodging OptionsBeds protected by mosquito nets, natural-fiber roofs and stone floors, in the purest Blue Lagoon style. Carretera Boca Paila Km 2.5, Tulum Hotel Las Tres Palmas: Reasonably priced and impeccably kept. Calle Venus Oriente Nº 88, between Satélite Sur & Centauro Sur, Tulum Downtown Where to EatDon Cafeto: Classic Mexican fare. We recommend the chilis stuffed with cheese, accompanied by white rice, salad and sautéed vegetables (US$7). Av. Tulum Nº 64 Lote 12, Tulum Downtown Restaurante Azafrán: The mata cruda breakfast promises to restore you from a night of overindulgence, with German-style sausages, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit juice. US$7. Andrómeda & Orión, Tulum Downtown CocktailsBar Acabar: European ambiance. Av. Tulum Oriente, between Beta & Orión Norte, Tulum Downtown ShoppingGalería Papalote: Fine jewelry, sculptures and textiles. Av. Centauro Sur, between Av. Tulum & Andrómeda, Tulum Downtown Casa Hernández: Plantain-leaf hats, lovely handbags embroidered with colored thread and traditional lamps. Arriendo de bicicletas y motos: Bike and motorcycle rental: Lenin Pacheco. Half-day motorcycle rental: US$25. Av. Tulum Centro, between Centauro & Satélite, Tulum Downtown
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The town of Tulum is far from becoming like its two gigantic neighbors: Cancun and Playa del Carmen (78 and 37 miles away, respectively). Surrounded by jungle, close to Mayan ruins that mutely overlook the sea and filled with people who live at a relaxed pace, Tulum has retained a rustic, small-town charm and is definitely worth visiting before it becomes overrun by mass-scale tourism. There are a number of lodging options in town that are close to stores, bars and restaurants, but we recommend staying at one of the small seaside hotels, which rival the seven wonders of the world in sheer natural beauty.
The beach of Paraíso is one of the standouts. Three miles of pristine jungle separate this slice of heaven from the center of town, a natural barrier that has served as protection from the booming growth in the seaside tourism industry. Here, you’ll find the beach club and hotel El Paraíso Tulum, an excellent lodging option.
Unlike other seaside hotels, El Paraíso Tulum is a “beach club,” a concept that includes a range of benefits far more sophisticated than those offered by your average beachfront lodging. It also boasts another feature uncommon to the area: a very spacious beach. All the services and facilities are available not only to guests staying in one of the club´s ten rooms but also to visitors spending the day. Some of the tempting options include comfortable double cushions for sunbathing and shiatsu massages provided by experts.
Without a doubt, El Paraíso Tulum caters more to pleasure-seeking adults than families. However, it’s nothing like what you would encounter in Cancun or Playa del Carmen. There are no souvenir shops, Wild on-style parties or strings of fast-food joints. In other words, it’s not a tourist trap. Less than half a mile from the Tulum ruins, Playa Paraíso echoes with the whispers of its Mayan ancestry, the discrete hum of modernity and the murmur of the Caribbean jungle just steps away. Here, visitors co-exist with nature in a cool, relaxed environment.
