Written by Alex Ruelase

It’s a sunny weekend and you could use some drinks by the sea? Well, there might be no better place for it than Tulum. This bohemian beach town has become world-famous for its trendy bars and enormous entertainment offer. The destination combines one of the best beaches in the Riviera Maya with an iconoclastic personality that draws people from around the planet, all looking to sip edgy cocktails as they work on their tan.

So, where to go? Among the many bars, restaurants, and venues, there are a few that stand out. These are our favorite beach bars in the city, the kind that not only serves drinks but will give you an authentic Tulum experience.

Gitano Beach

Take the road towards Tulum National Park, and you will find a chic beach club with a gypsy spirit. Gitano Beach is the latest addition to the family of Gitano, the famous bar and restaurant that was among the first venues to bring that New York glamour to the jungle.

Self-defined as a private beach in Tulum, Gitano Beach has all the right ingredients –a stylish palapa bar, sun loungers with cute rustic shades, and some of the best-looking beachgoers in town. The food and drinks are also outstanding. Cocktails such as Kisses in the Car –mezcal, passion fruit and tangerine mix with a touch of habanero chili– and Gypsy Disco –rose prosecco, vodka, St Germain, raspberry garnish– are testimony to Gitano’s strong mixology game. Meanwhile, greek influenced food that ranges from homemade hummus to grilled octopus and pibil tacos is the last touch to perfect beach days.

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Papaya Playa Project

Harnessing the power of alliteration –the same that influenced even the title of this article–, PPP has been consistently pushing the music and drinks scene in Tulum for several years. Now reimagined and with new design, their beach club Papaya Beach brings guests closer to the ocean along with tasteful music curation –both by guest artists and resident DJs– a new food menu and mixology that uses sustainable ingredients.

Papaya Playa Project is a place that aims to unleash creativity. So, besides spending lovely days of sand and sunshine with some spicy drinks, one can come here for events that range from temazcal sessions to full moon parties and film festivals. Some recurring events include live music, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, and Sunday brunch for chiller vibes.

Ikal

More than a hotel, restaurant, or bar, Ikal aspires to be a community center. Food, drink, music, and wellness activities create what the minds behind the concept called “a collective dream”, one that helps us harmonize with nature. What this means in practice is that food and culture bring people together. Everyone is welcome to join and enjoy good days and good energy fuelled by refreshing tastes and soothing rhythms.

If you’re in the mood for cocktails and delicious food by the ocean, join them at Maïa restaurant, where local ingredients are transformed into a Mexican, corn-based culinary experience paired with refreshing beverages. There is also music. Through their initiative Musikal, they promote happiness and togetherness by dancing to Latin and world music beats.

Bagatelle

This classy oceanside restaurant and beach club embodies the timeless French joie de vivre. Part of a family of venues located in top-notch destinations such as St. Barths and Mykonos, Bagatelle is the Tulum manifestation of an epicurean lifestyle that began two decades ago in a bar founded by French entrepreneurs in New York City. Now, that heritage lives in good wine, better food, and more earthly pleasures in the Riviera Maya.

Their menu, crafted by Chef Marco Estrada, is divided into sections that include dishes specially made for long beach days. There is also a host of options for more formal dinners, a wide selection of cocktails, and even fine cigars. The wine list is as extensive as you would expect, while food ranges from black truffle pizza to grilled tiger shrimp. Always with that Mediterranean flair, Bagatelle is an invitation to live your best life and indulge in mundane delights.

Kin Toh

This is, without a doubt, one of the most instagrammable places in Tulum. Kin Toh, a restaurant and bar located within the hotel Azulik Tulum, calls itself a treehouse, and it’s easy to see why. The bold architecture, which twists and turns with an undeniably organic feel, leads guests through wooden paths, up a winding staircase, and into a space that looks like a tree-top club with hanging resting nets for lounges and beautiful lighting.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Kin Toh is its famous nests. These private outdoor booths, designed to look like the homes of tropical birds, appear to float over the canopy of the jungle, making them ideal for catching sunsets and stargazing with a cocktail in hand.

Mica Rousseau, one of the world’s top 10 mixologists, designed the cutting-edge drinks menu. Meanwhile, the gastronomic proposal is the result of experimental Mexican-Mayan fusion cuisine. So, whether you are after a couple of evening drinks, want to stay for dinner, or arrive at dusk for their sunset experience, you are guaranteed to get extraordinary flavors and even better images.

Vagalume

Designed to resemble a Mediterranean oasis, Vagalume is a place to unwind and appreciate the simple pleasure of relaxing by the beach. Eastern-looking rugs, comfortable lounges, and palapa roofs will make you feel like you arrived at your destination after a journey through the desert, except the blue Caribbean is just a few meters away.

The main spot for pictures is the pool bridge, supported by a colossal pair of sculpted hands that looks fantastic on camera. Just a few meters away, you’ll find sunbeds and a gorgeous beach. Vagalume is located right in the middle of the hotel zone, next door to other famous spots in town. No matter if you are looking to spend the day here or want to keep exploring the vicinity, coming for a couple of drinks, firewood oven pizza, and live music at the beach is never a bad idea.