I traveled to Tulum's brand-new airport. It's bright and beautiful, but I was shocked by the hidden transportation fee.

• I recently took a trip to Tulum, flying in and out of its brand-new airport.

• The airport is peaceful, pristine, and beautifully designed in tribute to Tulum's jungle.

• But there was a surprise airport pickup fee, costing over $200 for a 45-minute drive.

Traveling to Tulum just got quicker — but is it any cheaper?

I decided to find out on a recent trip to Mexico, flying in and out of Tulum from its brand-new airport.

The Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport is bright, peaceful, and a closer alternative to Cancún. But traveling to and from the new airport wasn't as cost-effective as I had expected — it was actually more expensive.

Here's how my journey went.

After past trips to Tulum through Cancún and Cozumel, I was excited to see its brand-new airport.

Tulum is a gorgeous vacation destination, but it's never been the easiest trip from California.

On my first trip for a bachelorette party, we decided to save money by flying into Cozumel and taking a ferry to Playa del Carmen, followed by a 40-minute shuttle to our Airbnb in Tulum. The trip, which included a layover in Miami, was exhausting — and not one I'd recommend to anyone.

When I went to Tulum the second time, I knew I wanted to fly nonstop to Cancún. My friends and I rented a car to drive two hours from there to Tulum. We took the ADO bus on the way back, which took two-and-a-half hours. It's not the quickest journey before and after a five-hour flight!

The new Tulum airport — which began accepting international flights in April — is 20 miles from the city's hub. It's a quicker trip than Cancún, located about 80 miles away. However, you should still expect at least a 45-minute ride to and from your destination (depending on where you're staying).

Round-trip ticket prices to Tulum and Cancún from LA were generally the same when I traveled there in May.

The jungle immediately greeted me as I touched down on a Monday morning.

Alas, there were no direct flights from Los Angeles to Tulum when I took my trip, so I made my way on an American Airlines flight with a connection in Dallas. Four of the 10 airlines that fly into Tulum are from the US — Delta, JetBlue, American, and United.

There are also two Canadian Airlines (WestJet and Air Canada), two Mexican Airlines (Aeroméxico and Viva Aerobus), and one each from Panama (Copa Airlines) and Germany (Discover Airlines).

The airport was nearly empty as I made my way through customs.

I touched down in Tulum just after 3 p.m. and walked into an airport that was almost dead silent. It appeared only one other flight, from Miami, was among the arrivals.

There was no line at immigration just around the corner, so my passport got stamped within seconds. It couldn't have been more seamless.

As I made my way to baggage claim, I was greeted by a huge sculpture…

An art piece resembling a rock, with branches and green plants snaking all around it, was hanging from the ceiling.

It was a striking showpiece and one of the many decorations in the airport that paid tribute to the jungle in Tulum.

… and a glowing tunnel.

The tunnel's arch appeared made of branches, lit in bright blues and greens that gave it a club-like vibe.

A video screen on the ceiling played galaxy-like visuals, with stars dancing across.

The baggage claim was peaceful and pristine.

Bright-red lights illuminated the back wall of the baggage claim area, highlighting the palm fronds and tree branches that decorated it.

Both of the arriving flights were placed on the same bag carousel, which snaked across half of the room. There was plenty of space for everyone to stand and wait for their bags.

A Duty-Free store, which was not yet open during my trip, sat at the back of the room. I admired the jade-green color that danced across much of the floor as I waited for my luggage.

Within 10 minutes, I had my luggage and was past customs.

I made my way out to the spacious arrivals area on the ground floor, where a Starbucks and Domino's Pizza instantly greeted me.

There was also a large convenience stand selling snacks, candy, and sodas.

The arrivals area was also decorated to fit the airport's jungle aesthetic.

I was definitely getting into the vacation spirit as I strolled by the bright and beautiful plants — only later realizing that many were artificial.

A long hallway at arrivals was lined with different transportation options.

I counted seven different taxi, rental car, and shuttle booths, as well as a stand for the ADO Bus. The 40-minute bus ride to Tulum Centro is the cheapest option. ADO's website shows the current rate is 220 pesos, or about $12. It's about $10 cheaper than the ADO bus from Cancún's airport.

I got sticker shock when I inquired about the cost of a private shuttle pickup with my resort, which was $230 one way. The concierge explained that Tulum has a government-imposed airport pickup fee, which is meant to cover the costs for security, staffing, and arrangements not needed during drop-off. It's a fixed cost, although the government hasn't disclosed the specific numerical value or percentage added to each fee.

Opting for a shuttle via the airport might be a little cheaper than your resort. According to rates on the airport's website, a one-way shuttle to Tulum Centro ranges from $176 to $199, depending on your group size. Shuttles to Tulum's Hotel Zone, where most resorts are located, can cost between $199 and $221.

By comparison, shuttles from Tulum Centro to the airport range from $106 to $128, while shuttles from the Hotel Zone to the airport range from $128 to $151.

The difference in transportation costs is pretty staggering compared to Cancún. According to the Cancún airport website, a shuttle to or from the airport to Tulum's Hotel Zone would cost around $110 to $125. That means a round-trip shuttle to Cancún could cost the same price as just a pickup from the Tulum airport.

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative but don't want to take a bus, taxi rates from the airport to Tulum Centro or the Hotel Zone tend to range between $70 and $110.

My shuttle was waiting for me right outside the airport.

As someone who regularly deals with LAX, being able to walk right up to my private shuttle — which I ended up booking through my resort — truly felt like a gift from the heavens.

The 45-minute trip to my resort went by fast, especially with an ice-cold Corona in my hand.

I saw the rest of Tulum's airport before I caught my flight back to LA.

What I love most about the Tulum airport is how bright and airy it is. Light pours into the space thanks to the translucent roof and floor-to-ceiling windows.

And much of the airport was designed with light wood fixtures mixed with green furniture and accents, giving it a warm and serene vibe — two words I never thought I'd say about an airport.

Just as with immigration, there wasn't a line in sight at the check-in desks.

A roof of branches hanging over the desks continued the jungle theme. I also loved the Mayan meander art, which was a recurring motif throughout the airport. I spotted it along the floors, the stairs, and the walls.

My Greek mom, who came along with me, was especially delighted by the design — it reminded her of art from Ancient Greece.

After passing through security, I walked through the departures area and found that the food options were still extremely limited.

Storefronts were covered in signs advertising restaurants that would soon open their doors, including Applebee's, Burger King, and Carl's Jr. — selections clearly catered to American tastes.

A Starbucks was also open, so I grabbed a Retro Pink Frappuccino — available in the chain's Latin America and Caribbean locations — to tide me over while waiting for my flight.

Also open was a Duty-Free and a large souvenir shop.

The souvenir shop featured your classic tourist gifts — shot glasses, magnets, hats, etc. — as well as travel pillows, stuffed animals, and apparel. I grabbed my boyfriend a few packages of Mexican cookies.

The Duty-Free was well-stocked with a variety of alcohol, as well as perfumes and cosmetics. Also open at the time of my trip was a specialized tequila shop, a jewelry store, and a clothing shop.

The WiFi and air conditioning were spotty as I waited for my flight.

My flight got delayed almost two hours due to a storm in Dallas, so I became extremely familiar with the small departures area. I found that the WiFi didn't really work near the gates, and the air conditioning didn't seem to be fully running.

Large black fans — each emblazoned with the label of the "Big Ass Fan" brand — helped cool down the seats by the gates. I also noticed columns throughout the area offering plenty of power outlets to charge phones and laptops.

I admired the airport's unique ceilings as I walked around to pass the time.

Each light fixture was surrounded by wood panels and looked almost sun-like in its design. It was a nice touch that added more warmth and modernity to the airport.

There was ample space to sit, and two new indoor playgrounds for kids.

I loved the rows of green chairs, their shades cascading like a sample sheet of paint from Sherwin-Williams.

The bathrooms at the Tulum airport were also pristine, and there were signs for a VIP lounge coming soon. I also appreciated that there were numerous screens with departure information — all in green to match the overall aesthetic.

Tulum's new airport is lovely, and I'd travel there again despite the pickup fee.

The transportation costs from the airport are hard to swallow, but my resort's concierge said they've heard the fee could be removed by the end of the year. Plus, there are cheaper options you could use if you don't want to go the private shuttle route.

And flying in and out of Tulum is still easier than Cancún. Not only does it cut down the travel time to your lodging by over an hour each way, but there were almost no lines to deal with in the airport.

Now that there's a direct flight from LA to Tulum — thanks United! — the trip has become even easier for me, and the ticket cost is the same as it would be from Cancún.

Tulum has become a huge vacation destination over the past few years, and its popularity will only soar now that it's easier than ever to get there.

Read the original article on Business Insider