Azulik Adventures
If you’ve been on Instagram say…ever, you’ve probably seen photos of Azulik. This eco-conscious paradise with it’s winding wooden pathways and deliberate (yet glamorously orchestrated) lack of modern amenities make it the perfect adventurous alternative to the cement encased mega-resorts that line the two hour drive between the Cancun Airport and the boho-chic town of Tulum. However; if you aren’t willing to fully embrace living like Tarzan and Jane for a few days, you might just want to play it safe.
Arrival at Azulik
Upon our arrival at Azulik, we were warmly greeted by the staff, who informed us that all parking was complimentary valet (super convenient), and we were led to the main lobby through a little jungle passage lined with tiki torches and rose water basins. I tried to act cool, but I’m pretty sure my mouth was open for the entire walk, because this place immediately shows you that it’s unlike anything you have ever seen before.
However beautiful, the smell of whatever hippie smoke they burn in those chalices will just about give you an immediate case of mesothelioma because it is GOD AWFUL. Kurt was also not a fan of the “welcome ceremony” which consists of them covering you in even more smoke and playing drums accompanied by the Spongebob magic conch being blown, but we had to get those demons out of him so we could enjoy the vacation, right?
Traveling in Azulik
Word to the wise: DO NOT BRING HEELS. Thank God I married a short man and didn’t even think of packing any, because you will surely break your neck and die. All of the paths at Azulik are made of natural materials, and are winding and irregular. The entire place is beautifully lit up by candles and soft globe lights at night, which is basically a majestic death trap for anything other than flat footwear. I’ve linked my favorite sandals here (they come in tons of colors)!
The Room
In case you were unaware, Azulik does not have air conditioning (unless you stay in the Oprah budget villas, which we were not doing). When we walked into our room, it was HOT. Absolutely stunning, but hot as Hades and panic immediately creeped into my brain. I was just about to run when our guide opened up both sets of french doors onto the balcony and the cool ocean breeze flooded the stifling room. So, to answer a burning question that leaves many people skeptical of this place…you WILL be okay without air conditioning. We left both sets of doors open at all times (yes, it was safe), and just kept the mosquito net around the bed closed. The breeze is pretty strong though, so I didn’t see any bugs or critters (other than lizards).
No Showers, but tons of Water
Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE a bath. Azulik shares that philosophy, and there are no showers in the rooms. Instead, there is a huge mosaic tile tub (complete with a hollowed out coconut bowl for rinsing). They also include the neatest all natural soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, bath salts (which ended up in the jacuzzi) and aloe gel. I used their toiletries both days, so I should have left the Pantene at home, but this hanging travel organizer was such a space saver and even had slots for my makeup brushes!
There are showers for guest use behind the spa, if you are not a fan of the bathtub but even Kurt enjoyed it! The Mayan Villas also include a private hot tub on the deck (you can use it as a mini pool if you leave the heat off). Room service was awesome and filled it with clean water for us automatically on our second day.
Electricity at Azulik
Azulik has limited electricity (and Wi-Fi in common areas only), which we both needlessly worried about. There is one outlet in each room for charging devices or plugging small things in. If you plug a hairdryer in, you will probably blow the place up so I do not recommend that…BUT the outlet was strong enough to support the straightener that ended up staying in my suitcase during the whole trip. It is pointless to style your hair in any other fashion except for just slapping some product in it and hoping for the best. I used Monat air dry cream and curl cream, and it worked great! I also became a huge fan of the “half-up top knot” while on this trip, as well as the best beach hat that you can snag here. Kurt bought a rechargeable USB-powered fan that I used while putting my make-up on, and the beds have fans in the top of the mosquito nets to keep you cool while you sleep.
Every evening, the staff lights all the candles in each room and across the resort, making everything look like something out of a dream. It was basically impossible to capture it on a phone camera after dark, but it was still magical before sundown.
Food and Drink at Azulik
I am well aware that I failed in my blogging duties because we did not eat at the famous Kin Toh restaurant with nets in the floor and nests on top of the roof. Upon checking into Azulik, you do get a certificate for the sunset ceremony up by the nests (which includes a free glass of champagne). We were going to do this on night #2, but as Kurt so aptly put it, “that looks like a hot crowded mess up there” and we opted out, instead snapping a picture of it from the bridge above our room. You can also it from below in the video I snapped one morning while exploring.
You can see the rooftop scene at Kin Toh in the distance. Sorry, we did not do it for the gram
Cenote is a more casual restaurant that is nestled beside the second lobby, and we ate there for breakfast both days. Tulum is a sleepy little town, and we were up before the sun on both days. Thankfully, Cenote opens at 7am and I was able to get my coffee fix. They also had “energizing” breakfast smoothies, which Kurt fell in love with. He later stated that he felt like he could run 25 kilometers through the jungle after we ALMOST made it to the biosphere, but that’s a story for my next post. I had these beautiful banana cream cheese waffles two days in a row because they were so delicious!
We also visited the beach bar both days (think delicious gallon-sized mojitos), and enjoyed the swing seats that overlooked the beach. Azulik’s beach has loungers and daybeds, as well as giant hammocks that you can climb up into via rope ladder. The bar and drink service is great on the beach, and I honestly regret not trying the overpriced guacamole!
There is also a third restaurant on the property that serves Japanese fare called Tseen Ja, but we only snuck in one morning for a neat photo because it was connected to our room’s building via upstairs bridge.
All-in-all, we had heard that the dining at Azulik was extremely pricey, and wanted to get out and experience the town of Tulum, so I stick by our decision to miss out on the whole “Azulik dine in a nest” deal. However, I might try it if we weren’t staying at the resort. Azulik is definitely something that has to be seen if you are ever in Tulum.
Cliffnotes instead of Cenotes
The Bottom Line
Azulik is certainly an experience that I will never forget, but I can understand why it gets mixed reviews. While the resort is undeniably beautiful and a paradise for photo enthusiasts, there is staff EVERYWHERE. When just casually walking around, they seem to pop out of nowhere (which sucked when we were trying to peek into the high dollar villas). We had to lie and say we were thinking about upgrading for the night (at the bargain price of $500, who could resist?) *eye rolls self into next dimension*
Surprisingly, the disconnect from modern conveniences like wi-fi and electricity didn’t really bother us. Like I said, you have to be willing to completely immerse yourself in the Azulik “join the tribe” mentality. We made a promise that we were going to put our hearts and souls into this trip, and it paid off tenfold. My motto has been for a long time, “Never touch anything with half of your heart,” and I feel like Kurt and I truly lived by this while in Tulum.
Without hesitation, I recommend Azulik for couples who need a romantic escape, but also might need a little “assistance” provided by the sheer beauty (and lack of Wi-fi) that Azulik boasts, basically forcing you to stop and enjoy the moment. My hyperactive husband sat in the hot tub with me for hours and braided my hair one night. You read that right, Kurt Gerald does a mean braid. You’d be amazed at what happens when you can’t just turn Netflix on!
xoxo, That Basic Belle
That Basic Belle 