Neo Tulum

The onetime boho retreat is ratcheting up the luxury

- Hugh Garvey

Call it the Burning Man effect: Where the bohemians go, the billionaires follow. And it’s happening in Mexico’s Tulum. Just as the Black Rock alternative-lifestyle bacchanal now attracts Fortune 500 execs camping out in sleek air-conditioned Airstreams, Tulum is luxing up the spot’s erstwhile beachy jungle vibes. For decades this wild stretch of the Riviera Maya was the secret hideout of the world’s rich hippie set, who’d come here to meditate by the Mayan temples and chill out on the white-sand beach that separates thick jungle from the turquoise of the Caribbean. Over the years, the slow and steady influx of cosmopolitan travelers was joined by the Instagram set, speeding up the evolution of the eminently photographable town. Tulum now has enough five-star accommodations, DJ-fueled nightlife options, and world-class restaurants to make CEOs as happy as the creative class. And while early adopters may grumble about the newcomers, you won’t likely hear them complain about their favorite restaurants staying open year-round.