Playa Paraíso lives up to its name — a long arc of fine white sand bordered by turquoise water and palms, beginning just south of the archaeological zone. It is one of the few easily accessible public beaches on the Tulum coast that has not been entirely fenced off by hotels and beach clubs; there is a public access path, free entry, and a handful of palapa restaurants and bars along the back.
The beach is wide enough to find your own space even when busy, and the swimming is excellent — calm, shallow at the entry, with the reef breaking up the swell well offshore. Sargassum seaweed can blanket the sand during the summer months, which the beach clubs rake clear; check current conditions before committing to a beach day. From the Pueblo, take a taxi or cycle the eight kilometres of beach road.