Affiliate disclosure

How we make money.

We believe you should always know how a website earns its keep, because that's the only way you can judge whether to trust it. So here's ours, stated plainly and completely. Last updated 2026-07-15.

Affiliate links, explained simply

Some of the links on Tulum Unlocked are affiliate links. If you click one of these links and then make a booking or purchase — for example, reserving a hotel, booking a tour, or buying travel-related products or services — we may earn a commission. This comes at no additional cost to you whatsoever; you pay exactly the same price you would have paid otherwise. The commission is paid by the provider, not by you.

These affiliate relationships exist across the travel providers, booking platforms, tour operators, and related services we reference. They are a standard way that independent travel websites fund their work, and they're a big part of how we keep Tulum Unlocked completely free to read.

What this never changes

Here is the most important thing on this page, and we want it to be unmistakable: our recommendations are based on merit, and affiliate relationships never dictate them.

We recommend hotels, restaurants, cenotes, tours, and experiences because we genuinely believe they're worth your time and money for the right traveler — not because they pay us the most. If the honest answer is a free public beach, a budget taquería, or a spot that earns us nothing at all, that's exactly what we'll tell you. And when something isn't worth it, or comes with real trade-offs, we say so plainly. A recommendation you can't trust is worthless, and we're not willing to trade our credibility for a commission.

Other ways we earn

In addition to affiliate commissions, we may earn revenue through featured business listings — where Tulum hotels, restaurants, and tour operators pay to be highlighted in our directory — and through advertising. Where a listing is sponsored or paid, our intent is always to be transparent about it. Paid placement never buys a dishonest endorsement; we don't claim something is great if it isn't, regardless of any commercial relationship.

Why we use affiliate links and partnerships

Producing honest, useful, well-researched Tulum content — and keeping it current in a destination that changes constantly — takes real, ongoing work. Affiliate commissions and partnerships let us do that work while keeping the entire site free for you: no paywalls, no subscriptions, no locked content. Just as importantly, funding the site this way lets us stay independent and keep our incentives aligned with giving you genuinely helpful guidance, so you plan a better trip.

Our commitment to you

We commit to always disclosing that our links may be affiliate links, to never letting commercial relationships shape our honest editorial judgment, and to recommending based solely on merit and fit for your needs. Our reputation depends entirely on your trust, and we will not risk that trust for any commission or partnership.

For Tulum businesses

If you run a business in Tulum and are interested in featured listings or partnership opportunities, we'd love to hear from you. Being featured connects you with travelers actively planning their trips. To learn more, reach out through our contact page.

Questions or concerns

Transparency is the entire point of this page, so if you ever have a question about our affiliate relationships or partnerships — or if you ever believe a recommendation was influenced by anything other than merit — we want to hear from you. Email us at hello@tulumunlocked.com and we'll give you a straight answer. You can also read more about our standards on our About page.