Akumal Bay, Playa del Carmen, Q.R.

Akumal Bay

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO

While cruising the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the coastal resort town of Akamul is a wonderful place to discover when cruising Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Akamul was founded in 1958, making it a little older than Playa del Carmen, Cancun, or Tulum. Akumal is a small beach front tourist community between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It is known for its incredible snorkeling. You can actually swim with endangered green sea turtles while they feed on sea grass in the shallow bay.

“Akumal” is a Mayan word that means “Land of Turtles”.
Akumal is one of the most secluded and peaceful places on the Mexican Riviera. There is the Akumal Beach Resort nearby and it is owned by the Pablo Bush family.
The snorkeling at Akumal Beach is free since it’s a public beach.
The turtles survive on seaweed and so the coral bay creates a fantastic microclimate that lends itself to the growth of 3 types of seaweed.
Because the eco system is very delicate, there are some important steps you should take when swimming with these very delicate turtles in this fragile ecosystem.
You should remember that there is NO human contact allowed with the turtles. You should NOT pee in the water. No sunscreen is allowed as well because it can take 1-2 weeks to dissolve. When snorkeling around the turtles, be sure to stay horizontal and don’t stir up any sand. Always stay 6 feet away from the turtles.
Prior to Covid, the turtles in the area seemed to not be thriving like in years past due to the crowds that frequented the area. But once Covid hit and the crowds thinned out, and the turtles have returned and are thriving once again.
Most of the beaches in this area are closed. In order to swim with the turtles, you will need to book a tour with a local agency there in town that does that. There are only a few accessible roads to the beach area where you swim with the turtles but those can only be accessed via a tour.

Learn more about Yucatan tours and attractions and cruising around Akumal, Mexico with Yucatan Cruises.

- A variety of different activities are offered daily -
- Please check internet for specific information -

Updated 12/31/20 - lls