The secret is definitely out and people who know Tulum continuously come back, year after year, or in my case, weekend after weekend.  As someone who lives on the Caribbean (20 minutes north of Tulum) and works in real estate, I often get the question….. "I want beach front in Tulum or I want a condo or a home with beach views in Tulum."  As someone who will be building my home in Tulum, I understand their desire to want to live in this enigmatic location.  However, I need to qualify the desire to want beach front living and why it is a good thing that 99% of development in Tulum is not on the beach.

Unlike the exponential and almost spontaneous growth in Cancun and Playa del Carmen; Tulum had an opportunity to develop in a controlled manner when the city put together its master plan 5 years ago.  Tulum has 4.5 miles of pristine, undeveloped, beautiful, white sand beaches.  This stretch of beach is consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in the world according to Conde Nast, MSNBC, and Trip Advisor to name a few.  This stretch of beach is also protected, so it can continue to be as natural as possible.  People, myself included, love Mexico's Caribbean coastline.  However, Cancun, Playa de Carmen, and Tulum are all different locations, serving different lifestyles, tourists, and future growth trends.  Tulum is certainly the exclusive destination that will take people away from the masses and hustle and bustle of life elsewhere. 

Currently, Tulum's beaches are lined with about 30 boutique hotels (one of the most popular trends in the hotel industry today) that are off the grid. These boutique hotels have award winning restaurants, beach clubs, yoga studios, and most of all, an unobstructed place on Tulum's famous beaches. 

Tulum's environmental laws are in place to keep Tulum's beaches untouched and beautiful.  Along the beach, Tulum is low density, so any major development will not be possible.  What does that mean?  Tulum's beaches will not have condominiums, all-inclusive resorts, big hotels, or any other major development directly on them.  All major development is already happening away from the beach, in and around the town.  

What does this mean?

There are exclusive developments, homes, and condominiums sprouting up all over Tulum.  However, residents, savvy investors, and vacationers alike will have to walk, ride a bike, or take a cab in order to enjoy the protected and exclusive beaches of Tulum real estate.