Tulum Women’s Retreat: Sea Turtles, Temazcal, and Sisterhood in Mexico
Our Tulum women’s retreat brought together a group of strangers who did not stay strangers for long. By the goodbye hugs at the end, it did not feel like a week. It felt like years.
We swam with sea turtles and stingrays in the morning and jumped into the ocean when someone dared us to. We met locals who have lived here their whole lives and sat in on traditional Mayan ceremonies that none of us will forget. Between all of it, we talked. Real talk, the kind you usually save for the people who have known you forever.
The Temazcal
The night in the Temazcal, a traditional Mayan sweat lodge, is the one almost everyone named as their favorite. It is dark and hot and stripped down to nothing but breath and voices. People cried. People let go of things they had carried for years. I have photographed a lot of moments, and few come close to that one.
What our Tulum women’s retreat looked like
Sea turtles at sunrise. A group of women who showed up open-hearted and left braver. One of them told me the week restored her faith in sisterhood and gave her a safe place for the first time in years. That is the whole point.
Want in on the next one? We are heading to the desert. Details on our Joshua Tree women’s retreat.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Tulum women’s retreat?
We based it in Tulum, on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, with time on the coast, in the cenotes, and with local Mayan hosts.
What did the retreat include?
Swimming with sea turtles and stingrays, a traditional Temazcal ceremony, cenote swims, Mayan ceremonies with local guides, and a lot of unstructured time to connect.
Who are these women’s retreats for?
Women who want to slow down, meet good people, and open up a little. Most come on their own and leave with a group of friends.
Do you still host or photograph women’s retreats?
Yes. I help run and photograph small women’s retreats and circles like this one. If you want to plan one or have me document yours, reach out any time.
What is a Temazcal ceremony?
It is a traditional Mayan sweat lodge led by a local guide. You sit together in the dark and heat, breathe, and let things go. For a lot of our group it was the most powerful part of the week.
Thinking about a women’s retreat like this?
If you have been looking for a women’s circle, a small group trip with real people and real connection, or a photographer to come document one, this is the kind of thing I love being part of. Tell me what you have in mind and we will figure it out together.
More women’s retreats
Want to join the next one? See my upcoming retreats, or browse all of my women’s retreats. A few more from the archive:
- Grand Tetons, Wyoming
- Iceland (2024)
- Iceland (2025)
- Zermatt, Switzerland
- Dolomites, Italy
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Bryce Canyon, Utah
- Vieques, Puerto Rico
- Pacific Northwest
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
If you are thinking about coming on one, here is how my retreats work.
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