Swimming with Sea Turtles in Akumal
Face to face with green turtles, snorkelling.
MexicoHalf-dayEasy
Best time
Nov – Apr
Currency
MXN
Climate
Tropical Caribbean
Flight
11h
Language
Spanish
Akumal — 'place of the turtles' in the Maya language — is a bay sheltered by a coral barrier where green turtles come to graze on the seagrass beds. You swim from the beach, without a boat, in shallow water.
The meeting time is set early in the morning, when the sea is calm and visibility is at its best. The briefing stresses the rules: a minimum of three metres' distance, no contact, no feeding, no chemical sunscreens, and a limited number of swimmers in the zone at once. You also come across stingrays, parrotfish and tropical shoals. The package sometimes includes a nearby cenote to rinse off the salt.
Good to know: transport is not included, and the outing starts from Akumal. Two formats are offered, one entering the water from the beach, the other starting at the reef, reached by boat.
Highlights
Green turtles in the seagrass
Entry from the beach
A mandatory three-metre distance
Stingrays and parrotfish
Morning slot
What's included
Fins, mask, snorkel and life jacket
Accredited guide and a briefing on the site's rules
Itinerary
- 1
Arriving in Akumal
Thirty minutes to an hour depending on the pick-up point.
- 2
Briefing
Distance, restrictions and the number of swimmers allowed in the zone.
- 3
The swim
Forty-five minutes to an hour in the seagrass beds.
- 4
A nearby cenote
An optional stop to rinse off the salt and extend the morning.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Local partner
Globeasy local partnerRiviera Maya
Runs the excursion on the ground
