Playa del Carmen is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Mexico. Located about 40 minutes south of Cancun, the resort town lies along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo.
While Mexico has not been one of our favorite places to travel, we can’t deny that there is a ton to do in and near Playa del Carmen. If you are willing to get out and explore, the photo opportunities are almost endless.
In this guide to photo spots in or near Playa del Carmen, we tried to include as many places as possible that are good photo spots in locations people visiting Playa del Carmen would likely visit. That means we included places down south in Tulum, up north by Cancun and as far west as Chichen Itza.
With that being the case, this guide should be helpful to anyone visiting the Yucatan Peninsula and could just as easily be a guide for Cancun or Tulum. However, since we have spent most of our time in Playa del Carmen, that is where our research and experience is most prominant.
We have divided this guide into six categories based on the most popular places to travel. The first category is the attractions in Playa del Carmen, not including beaches.
The next four categories encompass the most popular destinations in the region: beaches, ruins, cenotes and adventure parks. We end with a catch-all category of other cool places.
If you think we missed any place, or you want to share stories or pictures from any of these spots, join us in our Facebook group! Also, don’t forget to check out our other photography and Instagram guides.
Before we get to the full list of 43 awesome places. We are going to share our top 5 here for those without time to read it all.
The top 5 favorite Instagram photo spots near Playa del Carmen are:
- Ek Balam
- Cenote Azul
- Oxman Cenote
- Akumal
- MUSA Underground Museum
Below, we have included a Google Map you can use to find all our featured locations and easily plan your trip!
Photo Spots in Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen, for a tourist town, doesn’t actually have that many attractions, not including beaches, which we put into a different category. That being said, you can definitely get some great shots without leaving town and without being limited to the beach.
3D Museum of Wonders
The 3D Museum of Wonders is tailor made for awesome Instagram shots. It is an art museum full of exhibits all featuring 3D illusion art pieces.
The Museum is interactive so you can get right into the art pieces and take photos for no additional cost. This leads to super fun and unique photos, as you will see below.
This first image is a fun one from Instagrammers 2 By The Sea. You can see how well you can interact as these two are look to be riding the horses.
The next shot from travel couple T & L Travelers shows how you can get even a group of 7 into one shot without a problem.
Our final shot from the 3D Museum of Wonders is probably my favorite as it looks like Pamela Alexander Guerra is trapped inside a bubble
Quinta Avenida
Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, is the shopping street in Playa del Carmen. It runs pretty much the length of the tourist part of town. Some parts have nice designer stores and malls, while others are typical tourist shops and others are just booths.
As of 2020, the biggest part of Quinta Avenida down by Parque Los Fundadores is all under construction. It is still mostly open, but not as scenic as usual. We found the stretch nearer the big hotels to be unaffected by the construction.
You can see the fun colors mixed with lots of small shops in the image below from Instagrammer Celina Anna.
There are tons of little photo spots you will find walking up Quinta Avenida. We found this little spot just outside of a mall near our hotel.
Parque Los Fundadores
Parque Los Fundadores is at the center of the activity in Playa del Carmen. The public square translates as Founding Fathers Park. The main draw is the giant iconic Portal Maya statue.
The park is usually full of entertainment with vendors, entertainment and people milling around down to the beach.
Unfortunately, when we were there in November of 2020, the whole park was shut down and under construction so be sure to check out the status of the park before you go visit.
You can see the beautiful pre-construction scene featuring the Portal Maya in the image below from Nathalie Alix.
In another great shot of Parque Los Fundadores, you can see the crowds gathered around to watch performers under the Portal Maya. The shot comes from popular Instagrammer Lyvya.
Rooftop Pools
While there are some other good photo locations in Playa del Carmen, the last place we are going to feature is a collection of locations you can find around town–Rooftop pools.
There are locations all over town that have rooftop pools with great ocean views. We are going to feature just a few.
Grand Hyatt
The Grand Hyatt is where we stayed on our last visit. While we didn’t love the hotel, it did feature a beautiful pool with an amazing view. It might not technically be a “rooftop pool” but you get the same vibe.
Deck 5 Sky Bar
Another popular pool with a beach view can be found at the Deck 5 Sky Bar. You can see the view in the image below from Itzayana Anahiza.
Fives Rooftop
If you want to enjoy a beautiful infinity pool with a Caribbean view, live music and fancy drinks, Fives Rooftop is where you want to be.
Fives Rooftop provided us the beautiful image below that shows how great the view is.
You can see more of the pool with the ocean view in the below image from traveler Grace Elorza.
Beaches
If you are coming to Playa del Carmen, there is a good chance a lot of beach time is on your itinerary.
Unfortunately, the best beaches lie outside of Playa del Carmen, but there are a couple good spots in town. We will feature those and then take you on a tour of all our favorite beaches nearby.
Playa Mamitas
Playa Mamitas is just down the street from the Grand Hyatt and we got free admission as guests of the Hyatt. It was a fun beach with waves crashing close to shore, but not the most scenic.
However, the color of the Caribbean water makes any beach shot a good one, as you can see in the image below from Sandra Anherpri.
I tried to capture some of the waves in this fun shot below of our oldest daughter.
Lido Beach Club
Lido Beach Club is probably the most popular place on the beach in Playa del Carmen. It is located in a popular tourist area of town just down the street from the 3D Museum of Wonders and the Frida Kahlo Museum
from Shay Gordiano.
You can capture a little foreground at Lido Beach Club to contrast the turquoise water, as you can see in the below shot from Kallen Stwartt.
Eating (or drinking) at the beach is always fun, and the great tables at Lido make for a great shot, such as the below image from Brad Peters.
One of the most popular images to capture at Lido are the giant swings at the bar. You can see how enormous the swings are in the shot below from Renata Martin del Campo.
Another cool swing shot below from Instagrammer Tori.
There are a decent amount of Pelicans flying around the beaches in Playa del Carmen. If you are lucky enough, you can grab a shot with one like the one below from Instagrammer Aleksandra D.
Punta Esmeralda
Punta Esmeralda is a public beach popular with the locals located at the north end of Playa del Carmen. With a freshwater stream flowing from a cenote into the Caribbean, Punta Esmeralda is one of the more scenic beaches.
You can see all the greenery along the beach in the shot below from Joss Ramirez.
One of the coolest spots along the beach is this beautiful tree in the water. Instagrammer Melissa captured it perfectly in the shot below.
Akumal Beach
Akumal Beach, about 30 minutes south of Playa del Carmen, is one of our personal favorites. It features long white sandy beaches, lots of palm trees and colorful water. I took the shot below on our last trip.
I love this shot below from Ana do Amaral, featuring a mother and daughter walking among the trees with the ocean and a lone boat in the background.
The water at Akumal Beach is really calm and great for playing with kids. A few rock outcroppings and boats along the north end of the beach at some interest as well.
But what Akumal beach is really famous for is the snorkeling. A pre-snorkel shot, like the one below from Instagrammer @lifestyle_inspire, is a must.
Mallory and I both grabbed the underwater snorkeling shot as well. She is prettier so I am featuring hers.
The reason Akumal Beach is so popular for snorkeling is the abundance of sea turtles that live in the bay. I didn’t have any luck getting a great shot while snorkeling with my daughter, but those are her legs kicking around while I was shooting one of the 8 turtles we saw on our snorkel tour.
Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos is a smaller beach town, usually called a fishing village from what I have seen, that is about 30 minutes north of Playa del Carmen toward Cancun.
When we went in November of 2020, we were super disappointed. The beaches were run down, the water was disgusting and there wasn’t much else to the town.
The big photo spot in the town is the leaning lighthouse. The lighthouse was hit by a hurricane in 1967, which damaged the foundation. The damage resulted in a leaning building in the sand right by the water.
The town has added a nice little frame you can use to capture your shot.
The image below was taken by my 5 year old daughter. You can see how significant the lean is on the lighthouse.
Ezra Huleatt, in the shot below, did a better job of capturing the leaning lighthouse.
Cozumel
You can see Cozumel from Playa del Carmen. Unfortunately, you have to take a ferry to get there. Cozumel is a beautiful island just off the coast, but it is a surprisingly large island from what I was expecting.
Cozumel is mostly undeveloped and packed with beautiful beaches popular for snorkeling
You can see the beautiful colors and how amazingly clear the water is in the image below from Natalie Guzman.
You can see the clear water and beautiful beach in the following shot from Instagrammer Anajulia.
Hard to beat a capture like this showing all the beautiful starfish in the sand in this image from Fabiana Garuti.
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is a bit further from Playa del Carmen as it is a small island of the north coast from Cancun.
Isla Mujeres is a tropical haven with resorts, beautiful beaches and lots of snorkeling and scuba diving.
You can see the pristine white beaches in the image below from fashion designer Esther Sandee.
Another shot showing the white sand beaches with the beautiful water. This one from Andres Pineda.
The amazing water is on full display in the shot below from Paulita Martorell.
Xpu Ha
Xpu Ha is a beautiful beach about 25 minutes south of Playa del Carmen on your way to Tulum.
Take the fourth exit Calle 14 Norte to get there and look for access at the La Playa entrance. There you will be greeted with long stretches of white sand.
The image below from Instagrammer @xoxoandrea shows the huge white beach lined with palm trees.
You wont be disappointed by the water at Xpu Ha. Just look at the iamge below from Instagrammer @AdventureBlondie.
Xcacel
Xcacel is another beach about 40 minutes south of Playa del Carmen. It is just south of Akumal and, like Akumal, it is a great place for snorkeling and seeing sea turtles.
The northern beach is best for snorkeling. There is also a small cenote you can visit in the jungle just off from the beach.
You can see the beach is a bit smaller, but still beautiful, in the image below from travel blogger @jadista. Be sure to check out her great travel blog too!
In the shot below from Flor Marcelli, you can see how beautiful the area is leading up to the beach, and also why it can be a bit difficult to find your way to the beach.
Playacar Beach
Playacar Beach is at the south end of Playa del Carmen. The Playacar area is full of resorts and rentals and can be a bit tricky to get into if you aren’t staying there. We were refused entry from the security guards, but we couldn’t tell if it was just because of Covid restrictions.
You can see the long stretch of sand on this beach in the beautiful sunset shot below from local Instagrammer @roccocancun.
In the fun shot below from Mara Gutierrez, you can see just how big the stretch of sand is on this beach.
Puerto Adventuras
Puerto Aventuras is a beach area about twenty minutes south of Playa del Carmen, just north of Xpu Ha.
Puerto Adventuras actually consists of three small bays, each with their own beach. The most popular one is Fatuma Bay. Chan Yu Yum and Chac Hal Al are smaller and quieter bays with beaches.
Palm trees, white sand and beautiful water. Not much more you can get than what is in the image below from Vicky Jones.
A beautiful sunset on the beach is always a great place to pose for a shot, as you can see in the below shot from Instagrammer Кристина Казакова .
Tulum Beach
Tulum Beach does not refer to the beach below the ruins, like in the below shot from Hector Bliss, but this is such a great shot, I had to include it.
Tulum Beach is actually south of the ruins and southeast of town. The beautiful beach is close to a bunch of funky hotels and scenic palm trees, like the ones below in the image from Anja Karenina.
Tulum Beach is especially famous for the long curved palm trees that are perfect for grabbing a tropical portrait, like the one below from Giselle Sofia.
You can see that Tulum Beach is home to all kinds of cool hotels that offer photographic opportunities along the beach, such as the one below from popular travel Instagrammer Ekaterina.
Ruins
You can’t go to Playa del Carmen without visiting some Mayan ruins. In this article, we are going to feature the four biggest sites that are easy to visit from Playa del Carmen.
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is the furthest site from Playa del Carmen that we are featuring. Even though it is a couple hours away, there was no way we could not visit one of the seven wonders of the modern world.
We hired a private driver and guide from My Quest Concierge to take us out to Chichen Itza for a day. We had a really good experience and loved our guide Johnny so be sure to ask for him if you use My Quest Concierge.
We spent about 3 hours at Chichen Itza, which was a bit much with young kids, but well worth the experience. Just plan for the heat, even in November, as it is a lot of time in the sun.
It is tough to get there for good light using a tour company, but it is worth the effort if you have clouds. The image below from photographer Martin Von Matt shows you why.
It wasn’t so bad with clouds and a blue sky either. Johnny also did a great job as our tour photographer.
Our two-year old boy is always ready to ham it up for the camera. Johnny took us to the three best photo spots. This corner, the opposite corner and the front.
If you go, make sure to make the trek to the Cenote for a view and also to the ball court, which was one of the more fascinating areas for me that I didn’t know a thing about before visiting.
Tulum
Tulum is probably the smallest of the ruins we are featuring, but it is also the easiest to visit since it is just outside the town.
The ruins are super scenic with the beach and ocean in the background so I really wanted to visit, but everyone told us it is a nightmare with kids as there is no shade and nowhere to play as you get herded along a single path the whole time.
If you don’t have kids and want some awesome shots, you can see how beautiful these ruins are in the below aerial shot from Tulum’s own Botanica Garden Cafe.
You can get a better sense for what the ruins look like in the shot below from traveler Bryant Ross.
Capturing some beach and ruins in the same shot is a no brainer. You can see them below another shot from Bryant Ross.
FInally, this might be the coolest place to capture the ruins, beach, beautiful Carribbean water and lots of greenery. Thanks to musician and traveler Cassandra Bitterwolf for sharing such a cool spot with us.
Coba
The Coba ruins are about 40 minutes west of Tulum. As of now, the Coba ruins are much less crowded. Getting to the main building requires getting about a mile from the parking lot. We recommend you get there early and hire a rickshaw to take you to the main temple so you get some time alone and then you can walk back when you are done, as there are things you will want to explore on the walk.
The coolest thing about Coba was that you were still allowed to climb the stairs to the top of the big temple. When the site reopened in November of 2020, there were not allowing you to climb due to safety concerns. It is unknown (to me at least) whether that is going to be a temporary restriction or not.
You can see the big temple surrounded by jungle in the image below from Luis Gutierrez.
A more straight-on shot from yoga teacher Ashley Lorenzo shows you a bit how sketchy those stairs to the top look.
Almost more than the steps, I love this view of the temple from Yuli Omri.
Finally, if they start letting you climb Coba, you will be treated to the amazing jungle view as seen in the below image from traveling yogi Sierra.
Ek Balam
Ek Balam is the site I am most sad about missing so far. It is a set of ruins buried in the jungle where, as of 2020, you can still climb on the ruins.
Ek Balam is about 30 minutes north of the colonial town of Valladolid, not too far from Chichen Itza. It is a lot cheaper and less crowded than Chichen Itza though.
The setting of Ek Balam in the middle of the jungle is simply beautiful, as you can see in the image below from Delmy Mungia.
The ability to explore the ruins gives you the ability to capture different angles at Ek Balam, as you can see in the image below from traveler Colores de Liz.
Instagrammer @juliatrvl shows us again the great spot in Ek Balam to capture a different view of ruins than you can get at the other sites.
Unlike other ruins, you can actually interact with the ruins at Ek Balam, as seen in the image below from Yuliia K.
I love the shot below from Instagrammer @snach_por_el_mundo that shows another great angle to capture these ruins.
Cenotes
Before we first visited the Yucatan, everyone raved about Cenotes. I didn’t understand it until we first went to one. They are awesome. We loved them so much, and our kids loved them even more.
If you are in Playa del Carmen, don’t miss visiting one or two or three of the following cenotes.
Rio Secreto
Rio Secreto is a popular Cenote very close to Playa del Carmen. It is more of a cave tour than the other cenotes on this list so it will be a different experience and make for different images. We haven’t been able to visit yet because you can’t take young kids.
The shaft of light highlighting all the incredible stalactites make the image below from Antwon Blunt really stand out.
Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take your camera into Rio Secreto; however, they do have professional photographers that will take plenty of shots you can purchase. This one below, also from Antwon Blunt, is a popular one.
The water color contrasts so amazingly from the rock features of Rio Secreto, as you can see in the below image from Iana from @wanderwithiana.
Cenote Cristalino
Cenote Cristalino is one three similar cenotes all located right by each other and not more than twenty minutes south of Playa del Carmen.
Cenote Cristalino is a good one for younger kids as there are lots of shallow areas and a cliff to jump off of. There is also a small cave to swim through and some mangrove trees.
You can see the beautiful setting of Cenote Cristalino in the image below of from travel consultant Joni.
The shot below from Andrea Esquerra is such a great shot showing off the beautiful water.
Cenote dos Ojos
Cenote dos Ojos is about 50 minutes south of Playa del Carmen near to Xel Ha Park. Cenote dos Ojos is a bit more expensive than most cenotes and is more tailored to divers; however, it is a beautiful spot where you can get some great shots.
The entry into the cenote makes for a beautiful shot, as you can see in the following image from Janette Oseguera.
The blue of the water in Cenote dos Ojos is simply beautiful and captured perfectly in the following image from Veronica Diaz Franco.
Cenote Azul
Cenote Azul is the second of the group of 3 cenotes close to Playa del Carmen. Like Cenote Cristalino, it has a good shallow area for kids and a fun cliff to jump off.
The pockets of vibrant teal waters surrounded by jungle are an amazing backdrop as you can see in the below image from travel couple Ollie & Milena.
The clarity of the water and all the cool rock formations under the water are so photogenic, as you can see in the image below from Instagrammer Agustina.
In another awesome shot, traveler Cynthia captures the scenic setting of Cenote Azul.
The clarity of the water and tropical fish make snorkeling and underwater shots fun at Cenote Azul, as you can see in the image below from Instagrammers Travel Ahead.
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden Cenote is the third of the bunch close to Playa del Carmen. We easily spent a full day here with the kids and were sad to leave.
We were lucky there weren’t too many people there because the main deck for sitting and the big rocks that provide a shallower play area for kids are not that big. You can see the swimming area in my shot below.
There are some cool little pockets to explore around the cenote. We were so busy having fun, I totally missed this amazing location among the tree roots. Thanks to Katarina Khomenko for sharing.
The jumping platform was a highlight for us and our kids spent hours jumping. The two oldest, pictured below, each jumped thirty times! I had a blast shooting them with my GoPro.
There are a few places in this Cenote with ladders that go to the bottom of deeper water. These are great locations to play around with underwater portraits. I don’t have much experience shooting underwater yet, but I was happy with how this came out.
Gran Cenote
Gran Cenote is a popular cenote not too far from Tulum. It is a unique cenote as it is made up of several pools, some open and some covered by caves, connected via walkways.
The crystal clear water has the perfect tint of blue, as you can see in the great shot below from Sofia Carvajal.
This entry to the water makes a great composition with its railing leading into the water and the arch of rock above the subject, as you can see in the image below from travel blogger Fiona.
Gran Cenote is one of the few cenotes where you might be lucky enough to swim with turtles and capture an amazing shot like the one below from Sami Robbins.
You can also capture awesome underwater shots here with the directional lighting. You can see an amazing example below from photographer Christopher Funada.
Cenote Calavera
Cenote Calavera is another cenote close to Tulum. It is a a pretty unique cenote as it is mostly underground cave. It gets its name (Calavera is Spanish for “skull”) from the three opening that resemble eyes and a mouth.
It is a popular cenote for jumping as the whole side is a cliff perfect for jumping. I love the shot below from Israel Ivan that captures the entire opening with trees and sky on the outside.
Another jumping shot, this one from frequent visitor Nora, gives the view down into the Cenote.
The ladder at Cenote Calvera is massive and makes for the perfect place to pose, as you can see in the following image from Leticia Candiani.
The size of the ladder makes for an awesome underwater shot, as you can see in this shot from Ted McColl, who inspired me to try for my own underwater ladder shot at the Garden of Eden cenote above. His definitely worked better!
Ik Kil Cenote
Ik Kil Cenote is close to Chichen Itza and is a very popular add on for visitors taking a tour to Chichen Itza.
You can see why it is such a popular cenote with how beautiful it is in the below shot from Instagrammer turnoff.aesthetics.
The hanging vines lining the cenote are the perfect backdrop for a portrait on the entry steps, as you can see in the below image from Cindy Baloghova.
Oxman Cenote
Oxman Cenote is just outside Valladolid, which makes it another option to add onto a trip to Chichen Itza. We went there with our guide, who said it is the least crowded option. Sure enough, there were only two other people swimming while we were there, which made it easy to capture the below shot of Mallory.
I captured one of the other swimmers floating beneath the massive tree roots that hang all the way into the water. The scale shows you how big the cenote is with how big those roots are compared to her.
While there wasn’t as much to do at this cenote, the rope swing was a big hit with the kids.
Cenote Suyton
Cenote Suyton is probably the most popular Cenote near Chichen Itza for those people trying to capture a truly magical shot. It gets crowded, which makes it more difficult to capture a great shot. The tip is arriving early, as we were told, along with other tips, in an earlier article featuring travel couple Elisabet and Abel.
It features a large platform that can capture the perfect ray of sun shining through the opening of the cave. You can see it executed perfectly in the image below from Instagrammers Cory and Andi of @thepandasdream.
You can see more of the cenote in the shot below from Nathali Martinez.
Adventure Parks
If you are going to Playa del Carmen, chances are you will want to visit one of the many adventure parks nearby. Many of them offer some great photo opportunities you will want to take advantage of while there.
Xcaret
Xcaret is supposed to be the most family friendly for young kids so that is where we spent our time. Honestly, we didn’t understand the hype as it was probably our worst day in Mexico. We, and our kids, had more fun just visiting a cenote or playing on the beach.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t get some great shots as much of the park is designed specifically for photo captures. I took this image below of our youngest daughter swimming in the “cenote.”
The aviary was loaded with good photo spots, including this giant bird nest featuring in the image from Jennifer Trejo.
Xcaret features some great views of the Caribbean, and none are better for a fun photo than this location with all the signs, captured beautifully in the image below from Dentist Dra.Masi.
Xplor
Xplor is more what you would expect in an adventure park. It features zip lines, ATVs and an underwater river, all of which make for great photography opportunities.
You can see some of the high zip lines in the fun shot below from Nicolas Benac, who you can as Nico Vibes on Youtube.
You can purchase a fun shot of yourself ziplining above the jungle as well, like the image below from Shivangi Reja.
Xel Ha
Xel Ha is a huge water park closer to Tulum which bills itself as a natural aquarium. It features water slides, swimming, snorkeling and swimming with dolphins.
It doesn’t get much better than relaxing in a hammock with turqoise water under you and a huge slide in the background, as you can see in the below image from Oscar C. Albor.
Huge open areas to swim in the beautiful water, as you can see in the image below from Instagrammer @katheeyuh_.
Xenses
Xenses is a unique park close to Playa del Carmen. It is designed to mess with your senses with everything from a dark tour to a dwarf village and mud bath.
The coolest place for photos though has to be the optical illusions area. Hovering in a swimming pool is crazy for a photo, as you can see in the image below from Anny Noratto.
The slanted rooms in the park let you take some crazy pictures that just mess with your mind, like the below image from Fernando Montemayor.
This last picture from Allison Collins-Larson sums up the craziness of Xenses.
Other Cool Things
MUSA Underwater Museum of Art
The MUSA UNderwater Museum of Art is a truly unique destination that will get you some amazing photos. It is located just off the coast of Cancun near Isla Mujeres and consists of over 500 sunken sculptures and some other items.
The items are sunk at only 10-20 feet so, while scuba diving is ideal, even snorkelers can get in on the action.
You can see how fun and unique this location is in the image below from Giselle Dalmage.
Posing with one of the many sculptures, especially one with all this color, is a great idea, as you can see in this image from Juan D. Garcia.
Another fun image with a sunken sculpture comes from Nick DiLaurous.
Azulik Hotel in Tulum
As we said above, Tulum is full of fun unique hotels on the beach. We are going to hit just a few of our favorites now.
The Azulik Hotel is an Adults eco resort in Tulum. It is located north of Tulum Beach, but south of the Tulum Ruins.
In this great shot from the beach, you can see just how funky the hotel looks from the outside. The posing of Miss Bolivia Eloisa Gutierrez is also fantastic.
The interior of the hotel standing above the jungle is where the Azulik really stands out. Who doesn’t want a picture in this amazing hammock, as beautifully shown in the below photo by @Azulik and featured by Bucket List Reisen.
Coco Tulum
Coco Tulum is another boutique hotel on the beach in Tulum. It is located just south of Tulum Beach.
One of the highlights of Coco Tulum is the set of black and white swings facing the beach.
Standing on the swings with the beach in the background, like Instagrammer Skye, is a shot everyone will want to have.
You can also get a great view down the beach from the swings, as seen in the image below from Carolina Fryer.
Casa Malca in Tulum
Casa Malca is another boutique hotel on the beach at Tulum. This one focuses on incorporating nature into your stay. Casa Malca is located 4 km south of Tulum Beach, almost to the Bay.
As you will quickly see, the most beloved photo spot at Casa Malca is the awesome tunnel from the pool to the beach. Our first shot highlights the whole scene, which we love. It is of model/athlete Kaylee and taken by Fitness photographers Gilco Productions.
In the following image from Lee Kholafai, you get a more intimate view of the scene, which is great for portraits and highlighting the colorful water of the Carribbean.
In the next image, which is from Instagrammer @ngan88, I love the details you can see in the tunnel.
In this next shot from Sonia Giselle, you get a different view of sand and tunnel.
Ahau Tulum
The last Tulum hotel we are going to feature is the Ahau Tulum. It is also located just a bit south of Tulum Beach. It is an eco resort focused on luxury and experience.
Right from the entryway, you understand what you are getting–a lot of great photo opportunities. You can see the fantastic entrance in the image below from Kersti Cover.
The fun and quirky shots continue as you go thorugh the property. You can see a fun chair in the shot below from Dani Castro Zuñiga. Look closely and you will find an iguana!
Finally, you can’t feature a beach hotel without the beach. How relaxing does the the following image from Instagrammer @shivaleta look?
Kaan Luum Lagoon
We are going to end our list with two lagoons that aren’t quite beaches and don’t qualify as cenotes.
The first lagoon is Laguna de Kaan Luum. It is located 11 km southwest of Tulum. Kaan Luum actually does feature a cenote in the middle of the lagoon which makes this site really unique.
Most of the lagoon is a shallow turquoise water, but the center opens into a deep cenote. Unfortunately, the center cenote is off limits for swimming.
The beautiful water and long dock make for a beautiful shot, as you can see in the image below from Tulum resident @queenkristene.
The other fun photo spot at Kaan Luum is the swing set in the water. You can see it below in the image from popular Instagrammer Priscilla del Rayo.
Luckily, there are more than one set of swings here, as you can see from the below image from Amanda on Instagram.
If swings aren’t your thing, relax in a hammock above the beautiful water and capture a cool shot like the one below from Hannah Ware.
If you want to ignore the water altogether, the raised walking path is also a great place to make a good image, as shown below in the shot from Nallely Urrea.
Laguna Yal-Ku in Akumal
The second lagoon is Laguna Yal-Ku, which is in Akumal. Being in Akumal, you won’t be surprised that it is great for snorkeling.
You can see part of the beautiful lagoon with its crystal clear water in the image below from Instagrammer @kandor.xac.
A cool part of the lagoon is there are islands to explore and floating docks to keep you out on the water for longer. You can see one of the floating docks in the image below from Tania Ramirez.
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