My Perfect Weekend in Tulum, Mexico

One of Lady Adventurer's top five places to run away from home to is Tulum with its barefoot beach glamour. Melissa Perlman, founder of Bikini Bootcamps and New York City escapee, shares her perfect Tulum forty-eight hours.

 

Ideal weekend companions:

My perfect weekend is spent with Dylan, my five year old with a curiosity for everything, Leah my two year old and my partner Sergio. Weekends are time to hang with the kids, enjoy the beach like a tourist and remember how lucky we are to live in this paradise!

 

Best places to take them:

To the beach - a stone's throw in front of Amansala . We are fortunate that we don't have to go far to be somewhere wonderful. We often wonder down to one of the the beaches to people watch and play about in the surf before stopping in to get a gelato Posada Margarita, a little way up the beach.

 

Just outside Tulum is a beautiful secluded lagoon, perfect for the kids to swim in. We pack a picnic and usually head there on Sundays. On the way back we often stop at a local place for some ceviche (raw marinaded fish) for the adults and a homemade natural popsicle for the kids.

 

Three great meals:

We like to think that our very own Amansala has the best food on the beach, so breakfast always starts here with the homemade granola, local honey and yogurt or huevos Rancheros with red sauce if were feeling like something a bit more substantial.

 

Then, for lunch we go up the road to Mateos for some tacos and a mango smoothie. You eat really well and hang out at this local hot spot of Tulum. It's not only great for food but for people watching and just getting the general vibe of what is happening in here.  On Sundays they have a great local band complete with mariachis, for the authentic Mexican experience!

 

For dinner we often go to Tabano right in front of Amansala where they do delicious local food in a rustic open kitchen - although it's better to leave the kids with a sitter for that one. Alternatively, we often pick up the delicious tamales that they sell on the street corner - our favourite is the green chili chicken and the kids enjoy getting stuck into the sweet corn.

 

The perfect end to a perfect weekend:

Like most Mexican towns, there is a central plaza and on Sundays they set up activities for kids along with some handicraft and local food vendors for the adults to mouch around. The kids love to drive the electric cars and seeing all of the familes strolling out on a Sunday makes it is great place to feel the energy of our little pueblo.

 

Further information:

• amansalaresort.com
• Mateos (on the beach road)
• El Tabano (km 6 road to boca paila)

 

Melisa Perlman founded Amansala and, the well known fitness vacation, Bikini Bootcamp in 2001. Starting with a few run down cabanas on the beach, she began remodelling and expanding the site to the 24 room boutique hotel it is today. Many say she was fundamental in the development of Tulum - putting it on the map for the fashion crowd who were not familiar with Tulum. She continues to evolve and design in her signature eco chic style with a new hotel Amansala Chica scheduled to open December 12, 2012 to correspond with the Mayan calander as a time for new beginnings.  Amansala is home to Bikini Bootcamp which is a tune up for the mind, body and spirit as well as being featured in Taschens Greatest Yoga Retreats of the World  and hosting a variety of retreat throughout the year.