Tag: sand

The Truth About Tulum: What You Won’t See On Social Media

~ poppybling ~ Leave a comment

You won’t need to look very far to find someone who’s been to Tulum, or thinking about visiting. It’s a hotspot for travellers wanting to enjoy the relaxed bohemian vibes of Mexico. 

But Tulum isn’t all it seems on social media – I found out the hard way when I visited this up-and-coming destination for myself. Here’s a few things people don’t tell you about Tulum, so you can be prepared before you go.

tulum ruins things you should know Mexico

There’s a big divide between Tulum’s town and beach

Tulum is separated into two main areas – the pueblo, or township where the majority of locals live, and the playa, the built-up strip along the beach. The pueblo and playa are connected by a big main road, and it’s possible to drive or bike between the two.

While the geographical divide between the two areas isn’t that big, there’s definitely a metaphorical divide that’s only getting larger as more and more people flock to Tulum to live out their influencer fantasies. 

Even though it’s a huge tourist destination, Tulum’s pueblo has largely maintained the atmosphere of a small Mexican town. There’s essentially one main road with touristy restaurants and shops. Once you step off this road it’s like any other small town in Mexico, with locals going about their daily life. There’s a few glitzy accomodation options tucked away in the jungle, but the majority of hotels have modest Mexican hospitality.

Tulum’s playa however is almost the complete opposite of this. The beach is lined with wellness retreats, exclusive beach sanctuaries and reservation-only restaurants. Most of these venues aren’t particularly Mexican, but instead have been manufactured to have that rustic tropical vibe that tourists enjoy. The playa is the side of Tulum that you’ll generally see on social media, and is definitely full of places to see and be seen.

Tulum town pueblo, holiday guide

The weather in Tulum is pretty unpleasant  

Tulum is situated in the jungle, and during the day the weather in is extremely hot and humid. And I’m talking unpleasantly humid, to the point where you’ll be lucky to stand outside for 5 minutes without wanting to jump into an ice bath. The sun is absolutely relentless, and there’s minimal breeze, so you’re left to basically boil. Some of my days in Tulum were truly worse than being stuck Southeast Asia or Delhi in the middle of summer. 

Aside from a refreshing dip in one of the nearby cenotes, the only place where you can get a little bit of relief from this heat is along the beach where there’s an ocean breeze, but keep reading to see why this isn’t exactly practical.

relaxing in tulum Mexico cenote holiday vacation

Anything beachfront in Tulum is going to be expensive 

Beachfront accommodation in Tulum is eye-wateringly expensive. You’ll be spending at least a few hundred dollars per person each night for even the modest hotels along the beach. For those dreamy luxury options you see all over social media, you could easily be spending over $1000USD per night in peak season due to their popularity.

It’s totally possible to skip the expensive beach hotels – instead, you could just visit a few insta-worthy restaurants and hotels and take a few snaps while you’re there. If you plan on doing this though, be aware that you’ll be paying for the pleasure, and you’ll most likely need a reservation to do so.

Almost all venues along the beach have a minimum spend per person, and it’s usually pretty substantial. To make matters worse, most of these establishment prefer to charge in US dollars if they can, which adds a bit more to the bill once the currency conversion is done. You’re also expected to tip and pay for things like valet parking, so a quick bite to eat can really start to add up! And after all that, you might not even have the chance to take that perfect photo you were chasing, especially if it’s busy.

Most of the beach in Tulum is privately owned 

If you’re not willing to pay for beach access, you might have a tough time enjoying the sun and sand in Tulum. 

There are a few spots along the Tulum shoreline which have public access, so technically if you enter through these areas you’ll be able to walk along the beach. But most resorts won’t let you use their facilities or walk through their premises to get back to the road unless you’re staying there, so you’ll be stuck in limbo if you stray too far from the overcrowded public beaches.

The seaweed on the beach in Tulum is out of control 

Another thing to consider if you’re heading to the beach in Tulum is the infamous seaweed problem. 

Despite government efforts to keep algae offshore, it’s still washing up on the beaches of Tulum by the tonne-load. The only stretches of the beach where this isn’t a problem is in front of luxury hotels, where groundskeepers are constantly sweeping the beach. 

The result is giant piles of decaying seaweed along the beach, with pretty pungent smells and swarms of bugs. Not exactly what you’d plan for when going on a beach holiday! 

So there you have it, a few things to keep in mind about Tulum, so you don’t have an unexpected reality check when you arrive! Don’t let these things stop you from visiting this awesome beach town though – there are plenty of awesome things to do around Tulum that makes visiting totally worthwhile.

Poppy xoxo

Want to read more about Tulum? Check out my solo travel guide.

Going Inside the Pyramids of Giza: What’s Inside and What to Expect 

~ poppybling ~ 2 Comments
3 pyramids of giza

Climbing inside the pyramids should be on every Egyptian itinerary in my opinion – it’s an experience unlike anything else in the world. As impressive as it is to see the great pyramids of Giza from the outside, it’s completely different to see them from within!

Giza pyramids

Do you need a ticket to go inside the Pyramids of Giza?

Climbing inside the pyramids isn’t included in the general admission ticket. The Great Pyramid of Khufu costs 400 EGP and the Pyramid of Khafre is 100EGP. I opted to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Make sure to buy your extra tickets from the ticket booth when you enter, or you’ll have to walk all the way back down the hill to get them later.

How do you get inside the Pyramids?

Now, for the experience going inside. In the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the tunnel at the entrance is wide and well carved out. Once you get to the main tunnel though, it’s a complete different story. You’ll need to climb crouched over for around 40 metres, up a steep ramp. The ramp is in a very small tunnel – the width can really only accommodate one person comfortably, but it’s a two-way street so you’ll inevitably have to clamber over or under people coming from the opposite direction.

climbing inside pyramid Egypt Giza

Once you’re through this section, you’ll walk up another steep ramp, although this one has high ceilings. You’ll duck under some large rocks and then enter the main chamber – at this point, you’ll have reached the top!

inside the great pyramid

What does it look like inside the Pyramids of Giza?

The main chamber at the top is a small room with high ceilings. It’s completely bare apart from a large stone structure, which resembles the remains of a sarcophagus. The Pyramids of Giza were built before hieroglyphs became popular, so the walls inside are have no carvings or decorations. Since they all look relatively the same from the inside, it is recommended that you only need to go inside one pyramid for the experience.

room inside pyramids Egypt Cairo

After you’re done here in the main chamber, it’s back out the pyramid the same way you came in. You can expect the total time to go up and come back down to be about 30 minutes. Be aware that the further inside you climb, the warmer it gets. Even in winter, I was sweating heavily once I got up to the top. Bring a bottle of water as you’ll get thirsty!

If you have joint problems or suffer from claustrophobia, it’s probably best not to venture inside the pyramids, as you don’t want to injure yourself in the small tunnel.

camels outside the pyramids of giza,

Is it worth going inside the Pyramids of Giza?

All in all, paying for the extra ticket to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would highly recommend. Going inside the pyramids gives you a completely different perspective to the one you’ll get from seeing them on the outside. Seeing the size of the stones and thickness of the walls from the inside makes you appreciate how difficult it would have been to build these pyramids with ancient technology. It really gives you a true sense of how great an architectural feat these ancient structures are.

Poppy xoxo

If you liked this post, check out my post on How To See The Pyramids of Giza Without a Tour or Guide.

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How To Visit The Pyramids of Giza, Without a Tour or Guide

~ poppybling ~ 5 Comments
sphinx in cairo Egypt

Before I went to Egypt, I knew I wanted to visit the Great Pyramids of Giza without organising a guide or tour. I really wanted to spend a full morning roaming around the pyramids at my own pace, without having the pressure of other people waiting on me. I did a lot of research but there wasn’t much information online, so I went and hoped for the best.

The good news is visiting the pyramids without a guide is totally doable. Here are all the tips and tricks I learnt from my experience so you can do it yourself when you visit Egypt.

Man with camel in front of Great pyramids of Giza

How do I get to the pyramids?

The easiest way to get to the pyramids is by Uber. It’s best to put your drop off location as the ticket booth, as this is where you’ll need to enter. If you search on google maps for ‘Giza Pyramids Ticket Office’ you will find the location of the ticket booth. It’s directly in front of the Pizza Hut. You’ll buy your admission tickets (200 EGP) and enter through the metal detector at the ticket office into the Giza complex. If you want to go inside any of the pyramids, you’ll need to buy seperate tickets at this point before entering the complex (more info about going inside further down).

Map for visiting Pyramids of Giza

When should I arrive at the pyramids?

I’d recommend arriving at the pyramids in the morning when the complex opens at 8am, or as close to 8am as you can. If you go in the morning, you’ll almost have the place to yourself, which makes for a special experience. It also means you’ll have done the majority of your walking before the midday sun starts beating down. Nobody likes a sweaty selfie.

Where should I start exploring from?

Most organised tours drive further up the road and start exploring the site near the base of the Pyramids, but by entering down at the ticket booth you’ll be treated to a panoramic view of the 3 main pyramids and the Sphinx as soon as you walk in. This view is what you came to Egypt for!

How do I get to the Sphinx?

To get down closer to the Sphinx, turn left to walk past the bathrooms and through the open gate (as if you’re exiting the complex from the side). Straight after the gate, take a right and follow the path where you can see the row of souvenir vendors set up. From this path you can go right (straight into the dirt) and walk around to get an iconic picture of the Sphinx head-on. Alternatively, you can jump the barriers to the left of the bathroom entrance and get to the same position. The security situation is hit and miss, and it really depends on the time of day and if the guards are bothered to punish you or not!

sphinx and pyramids in cairo Egypt

To the left of the Sphinx is the stone mummification temple with two entrance doorways. Go through the entrance on the right to go inside the mummification temple. This the only place where you might need to show your ticket to the guard, as they do have guards here most of the time (usually in civilian clothing which can be confusing). Once you go in, you’ll go around the corner and head up a ramp into the section where you can take the typical pictures kissing the Sphinx from the side!

kissing the sphinx

How do I get to the base of the pyramids?

Once you’re done here, exit through the gate and head up the pathway towards the middle pyramid of Khafre. If you look to your left you’ll see ruins of priests’ tombs. If you look back toward the entrance, you’ll start to see a great view of Giza city.

When you reach the top of the path, you’ll be at the base of the pyramid of Khafre. From here, you can step over the barriers and go right up to the pyramids and touch the stones!

exploring in Giza

Where is the best view of all 3 pyramids?

If you walk around the base of the pyramid of Khafre towards the smaller pyramid of Menkaure, you’ll start to get some amazing vantage points of the pyramids without many tourists in the way. You can keep going through the dirt all the way over to the pyramid of Menkaure for a great view of all three great pyramids. This area is probably the best place for pictures. You’ll get some unique angles that most people won’t get to due to time constraints of a regular tour.

When you’re ready, you can head back through the dirt towards the great pyramid of Khufu.

Can I go inside the pyramids?

It’s possible to go inside the pyramid of Khafre for 100EGP and the great pyramid of Khufu for 400EGP – just remember to buy your seperate ticket down the bottom when you start, otherwise you’ll have to walk all the way back down to the entrance ticket booth. Many people say it’s not worth going inside the pyramids since there’s nothing inside, but I really enjoyed going inside the great pyramid of Khufu! You can read more about going inside the pyramids and what to expect here. You’ll only need to go inside one pyramid, since they’re all very similar from the inside.

inside the great pyramids of Egypt

Can I climb up the pyramids?

By law you aren’t allowed to climb the pyramids, although since the security is minimal many people do (or at least try to). I witnessed a man blatantly ignoring the guards screaming at him to get down. There are plenty of stories of people going to jail for climbing the pyramids, so climb at your own risk. At the end of the day, I think being respectful of these amazing structures and their history is more important than a few pictures for your socials. If you really want to get a picture of you climbing, it can be done around back side of the Great Pyramid of Khufu on your way inside the pyramid.

Is it safe to visit the pyramids solo?

The biggest problem you’ll have going to the pyramids without a guide is being touted by the local vendors. While it can be annoying and difficult to deal with, it’s important to understand that Egypt is a developing country where these people are trying to make ends meet through tourism. They will be very persistent, so make sure you are well prepared so it doesn’t rattle you and spoil your experience.

Beware of anyone who asks for your ticket and says they’re there from the Ministry of Tourism to help you. Their famous lines are “I’m not a camel or a horse man, you don’t need to worry, I don’t want money”. They can be extremely pushy trying to guide you around and even tell you that you can’t visit certain areas without a guide (which isn’t true). Be firm with declining their help and they’ll eventually leave you alone.

The men with camels and horses will ride up to you offering a cheap price for a trip to the top of the complex or out to the panoramic view – again, be polite but firm in saying no and they’ll continue on their way. If you come in the morning they’re more likely to target you since the complex is quiet and there are not many people to hustle. If you do happen to find a friendly guide or camel man and wish to have them help you, make sure you negotiate a good price before setting off.

You’ll be able to snap a few pictures of camels around the complex as there are plenty around, but if you want to pose with a camel be prepared to pay a tip for doing so. Although if you’re nice and the camel handler likes you, he might let you take them for free – that’s what happened to me!

camel tour in giza

What should I do once I’m finished exploring?

Once you’re finished exploring the site, you can walk down the sealed road back to the front entrance where you entered.

It’s easy to order and catch an Uber from here back into downtown Cairo. If all the walking has made you hungry, you can grab a pizza from Pizza Hut, or walk around the corner to have some traditional Koshary from a local restaurant called Koshary Hekaya (64 ش ابو الهول السياحى، Nazlet El-Semman, الجيزة، Giza Governorate, Egypt).

Hopefully this guide helps you to enjoy the Great Pyramids of Giza solo!!

Poppy xoxo

Need more pyramid inspiration? Check out my post on going inside the pyramids: what’s inside and what to expect.