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Swimming with Turtles in Akumal, Mexico

by Lisa Stentvedt
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Before heading to Mexico I had never considered the possibility of getting to go swimming with turtles. I’d seen photos of the Akumal turtles and of people snorkeling with turtles but just assumed this was a rare thing that only keen swimmers living in Hawaii got to do once in a lifetime or so.

Boy, was I wrong. 

I quickly learned that swimming with turtles was completely doable on my trip to Mexico, and immediately started researching the turtles in Akumal Beach and how to meet them in their natural habitat. This is actually one of the most popular things to do near Tulum and on the Riviera Maya area!

Honestly, I was so excited about the idea of swimming with wild turtles, and couldn’t believe it when I realised this is an actual thing you can do! I spent a lot of time researching it before my trip, because I wanted to make sure I did it in the best way possible (for both myself and the turtles).

On Mexico’s Riviera Maya there is a beach where you can swim with sea turtles, and I’m going to tell you exactly where and how you can do it too! Swimming with turtles is an incredible experience and one that I will gladly repeat on my next visit to Mexico.

It was absolutely magical (I’m a Disney geek, so that’s a term I use quite often), and I’ll definitely go snorkeling with turtles again!

Side note: Speaking of magical, don’t miss the 25 best magic towns to visit in Mexico!

I have been lucky enough to swim with sea turtles a couple of times before, but this was a completely different experience. When I’ve done it in the past, it was off a boat, with a seasoned snorkel guide who knew exactly where to find them.

When meeting the Akumal turtles, however, you simply walk out from the beach (called Akumal Beach), and there’s a bale (yes, I googled the name) of wild sea turtles just waiting to meet you!

akumal beach, tree tall palm trees on a white sandy beach with a blue sky above
This is Akumal Beach, where you can go swimming with turtles!

Swimming with turtles in Akumal: Where is it?

First things first. Where can I find the Akumal turtles?

Great question. Lots of people have discovered Akumal snorkeling, and it is a popular destination for visitors of the area. The beach itself has lots of fun activities and a few restaurants lining it, but the most popular thing to do here is obvious: snorkeling with turtles. So, if you are looking for Akumal Bay snorkeling tips, this article has you covered.

There are many different places where you can swim with sea turtles in Mexico, but there is one beach in particular where you are almost guaranteed to meet them!

The beach where you can meet these sea creatures in their natural habitat is called Akumal Beach. You will find it right in between Tulum and Playa Del Carmen, just a 30-minute drive from either destination. It is a popular day trip from Cancun.

If you are travelling from Cancun, it’s about a 1,5-hour drive. Alternatively, you can get a tour that will pick you up straight from the Cancun Hotel Zone and your hotel there (here is my hotel review of the Grand Coral Beach Resort).

Fun fact: Akumal is actually Mayan for ‘Place of the Turtle’. Appropriate, right?

Getting there is easiest with a car or a taxi, and you’ll find that there is a multitude of taxis waiting near the beach for when you finish for the day. Alternatively, you can rent a car, which is also a great way of exploring the area, such as the Xel-Há park nearby.

The area where you can swim with the wild sea turtles is also known as Akumal Bay, and there are several hotels in the area if you want to stay near the turtle action. Popular ones include Secrets Akumal (all-inclusive and adults only) and Las Villas Akumal.

The beach itself is located in the northern corner of the bay, and is called Playa Akumal on Google maps.

Side note: after our Mexican adventure I actually bought my friend Ida her first set of snorkels, and she was absolutely ecstatic – especially considering that she learned to snorkel on this trip! I have a long list of travel-themed gift ideas for you if you’re currently looking for presents for someone who loves to travel!

About the Akumal Beach Turtles

My first question upon hearing about Akumal Beach and the turtles was a simple ‘but why?‘. Why do these turtles stay so close to the beach that you can see them just by walking out into the water, and more importantly; why do they stick around with such a large number of tourists flocking the area?

If there is constantly a crowd of travellers swimming out to look at them, why would they not leave?

It has now been years since my first visit to Akumal Beach and the turtles there, and it is still possible to swim with them. They had been there for years before as well, so it seems that they aren’t leaving.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t opposed to swimming with turtles at all, I’m just a very curious person. Also, as a diver I am very weary of potential tourist traps involving animals, and would never join a tour or go somewhere if I was worried that the animals would get bothered.

In general, I avoid animal tourism like the plague, and try to only interact with animals if they are wild or in their natural habitat. And by “interact” I mean take photos of them. I wouldn’t ever touch or try to bother them.

Side note: There weren’t that many people there. Akumal Beach is nowhere near the number of tourists that crowd Maya Bay in Thailand or Surfer’s Paradise in Australia. Being in the water, I did not feel as if we were crowding the turtles either, as we stayed still and let the turtles roam around us. But still, there were constantly people out there, which is why I didn’t understand how the turtles could be bothered staying put.

However, the answer to my question is simple: seagrass and nesting. When you are in the water you’ll notice plenty of seagrass along the bottom, and see that the turtles continuously dive down to eat it.

If you are visiting the Riviera Maya and the Cancun area, you may be wondering about the seaweed situation (as it pertains to turtles visiting and staying near the beaches).

Here’s a great update on the seaweed conditions on the Riviera Maya.

The reef in the area is highly damaged, and if you go on any boat tours or excursions (read my Cancun Sailing Catamaran Review here), you will have to follow strict rules regarding the sun screen you use, for example.

The Akumal Beach Turtle Season

The turtles nest in the Akumal area for several months of the year (May to November), and there are many programs in place to ensure a safe nesting time for them. Both species of sea turtle that nest in Akumal (green turtle and the loggerhead turtle) are endangered, so these programs are vital. Therefore, it is so important that you stay respectful of the animals when you visit Akumal, and never do anything that can put them in harms way.

Please visit the Centro Ecológico Akumal website for more information before your trip, and remember that there are a couple of simple things you can do to help:

  • Never touch the turtles. Make sure you give them their space when you are near, and remember that these are wild animals and that you’re the one entering their habitat.
  • Help keep the beaches clean. Human waste not only pollutes the ocean but can seriously injure a turtle if they get caught in it or eat it.
  • Use bio-degradable sun screen. Make sure your sunscreen isn’t emitting nasty toxins into the ocean, damaging the reefs and (in turn) the animals. This one is great.
  • Don’t stand up on the seagrass. As mentioned, this is the very reason the turtles are there, and by standing up in the bay you are damaging their main resource for food.

Side note: if you want to snorkel here with your family, it’s often easier to bring your own kids’ snorkel gear to ensure a good fit, as the rentals are often standard size. This also goes if you want full-coverage for your face, like this one my friend uses.

one of the akumal turtles swimming underwater, taken with a gopro when akumal snorkeling
One of the turtles at Akumal beach, heading up to the surface

Akumal Snorkeling Guide: Let’s go swimming with turtles!

Swimming with the turtles in Akumal beach is surprisingly simple. Once you are in Akumal, head straight for the beach. Ignore all tour guides trying to sell you guided ‘turtle tours’, as you do not need to pay anyone to do this. It is a public beach with free entry.

I repeat: ignore the tour guides and salesmen. They will try to make you believe you need a guide in order to see the turtles, but you do not. When I visited the beach, I met a turtle within 10 minutes of swimming.

Accessing the beach

Another thing to note is that many companies are charging $5 to access the beach. If you visit the beach by walking through a shop (such as the dive shop), they will require a $5 payment. My tip is to rent your snorkeling gear at the dive shop, as then the access to the beach will be “included”, unless you find a place to access the beach that isn’t through a business. Basically, using the beach is free, but accessing it isn’t always free. Understand it those who will..

Snorkeling gear and life vests

Once you are on the beach, you can find a place to rent a life vest and some snorkeling gear (such as at the dive shop). Please note that fins are banned as they can injure the endangered turtles, but we quickly found that they weren’t needed anyway. You don’t want to swim very fast when you are out there, so fins aren’t needed anyway. What you want to do is simply float and swim very slowly around, so you seem less threatening to the turtles in the area.

There is a rope in the water a little off the beach (150 feet or so), seemingly to prevent boats from driving onto the beach outside of their allocated areas, and life jackets are mandatory once you cross this line/rope. I also believe that this area is roped off so that the guides/tours have their own area where they can bring their groups – meaning you can only go there with a licensed guide. That’s fine, as the turtles are free to roam wherever, and don’t care about the ropes (but you have to).

Side note: I have been told that the ‘mandatory life jackets’ is a rule made up by the locals there so that the lifejacket rentals can make money, but I wasn’t going to argue with the man in the canoe when he told me to put one on. Also, life jackets were included in our snorkel rental, so I don’t see how this theory makes sense. 

The point is: wear a life jacket, regardless of whether it is actually mandatory or not. As of now, it is not mandatory to wear one if you stay close to the shore (within the 150 feet rope). However, in my opinion the life jackets are helpful, and makes for a better experience. This also prevents panic and too many unnecessary movements, which in turn, can bother the turtles. As I mentioned above, what you want to do is relax as much as possible, and a life jacket/vest will help you do this.

Swimming with the turtles

Once you have your gear in place, simply start walking out into the ocean. You don’t have to swim far at all, and once you are out (approximately 30-40 meters off shore), just relax there for a while. Try to float as flat as possible, and just wait. Make small movements, and try enjoy being in the water.

As mentioned above, we saw the turtles in Akumal within 10 minutes of swimming out from the beach, and ended up seeing 5-7 turtles during our swim. Naturally, you are never guaranteed to see the turtles, even during the turtle season, but I’m crossing my fingers for you!

Side Note: While I am telling you to ignore the guides/tour operators trying to scam you out of money, please do not ignore any official information passed on to you. As the turtles are an endangered species, and the beach is public property, the laws and restrictions set by the government are to be respected. 

Tips & tricks for snorkelling or swimming with the turtles

Below are my best tips for snorkelling or swimming with the turtles. Some of these are general, and can be followed regardless of where you are hoping to see turtles. But definitely keep them in mind if you are heading to Akumal.

  • Start early. If you are able to get to the beach early, you can beat the crowds and perhaps get some private time with the turtles. One of my recommendations is to stay in a hotel near (or on) the beach. Scroll to the bottom of the post for a map of available places to stay.
  • Be weary of scams. As mentioned above, there are plenty of companies trying to make money by giving the impression that you have to join a tour or giving seemingly official information. Since Akumal Beach is considered a protected marine area, only actual police officers or a person with a valid proof of ID from the Mexican Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) can actually give you directions on how to use the beach.
  • Stay clear of the crowds. If you see a crowd of snorkelers gathering, chances are high that they have seen a turtle. However, chances are also high that the other turtles won’t want to go over there with so many people (even though they are used to it). So, you are more likely to come across a turtle by staying away from these groups.
  • Many businesses are now charging you $5 to access the beach. This is strictly not necessary to pay, as it is a public beach available for all – but if you access the beach through a business (such as the dive shop or the CEA Center), they will charge you this small fee to access the beach. So, to make the most of this, either rent your snorkel gear at the dive shop, and access to the beach will be included – or (if you brought your own gear), pay the $5 at the CEA Center, where you will also get access to bathrooms and lockers.
  • Stay near “seagrassy” areas. Where the bottom starts looking murkier and darker is where there is seagrass on the ocean floor. Stay near these areas.
  • Avoid kicking up silt. Keep the view as clear as you can for maximum visibility. If someone nearby is kicking up the silt, swim away from them.
  • Keep your distance from the turtles. The turtles are very used to snorkelers, and will stay where the food is (i.e. they won’t swim away). As long as you keep your distance, they’ll go about their business and let you marvel at them in peace.

Confusions about rules and regulations

The beach in Akumal is very popular amongst scammers and businesses taking advantage of tourists, and in addition to the (very) aggressive tour guides trying to sell their tours and convince you that you have to join a tour in order to swim with the turtles, there is some confusion regarding what’s mandatory and what isn’t on the beach.

  • Life jackets: life jackets are only mandatory for tour groups and participants on tours, and beyond the 150 feet rope. If you are snorkeling on your own, and stay within the 150 feet rope on the beach, you do not have to wear one. In spite of this, many pretend “officials” will tell you it is mandatory, and even the shops will say the same (obviously, as they are the ones renting out the life jackets). Regardless, I believe it makes sense to rent a life jacket, as it makes for a more enjoyable experience.
  • Fins/flippers: apparently, it is not illegal to wear fins. I was told it was on my first visit, and 100% believed it (it just makes sense, as you don’t want to kick up silt, ruin the seagrass or injure the turtles). However, even though it is not illegal, I highly recommend you don’t wear fins.
  • It is not mandatory to join a guided tour. “Licensed” guides will try to tell you this, but it is simply not true. Anyone can swim on the beach.

What do I need to know about the Akumal turtles this year?

Naturally, Covid has affected the tourism industry all over the world, and whilst this means there may be less crowds on Akumal beach these days (which I am sure is great news for the sea turtles), the local businesses are likely to have taken a hit. I got this insightful comment from Jacquelyn that I wanted to share with you:

Great post, Lisa! While I got out of the more expensive package tours as I speak Spanish, they [have] the area so roped off now that you can’t get away with just swimming out on your own unfortunately. I understand people need the tourism money from taking a hit with covid shutting things down so I am sure that may be why. I brought my own gear and a guide from the dive shop said he would take me out for $200 pesos (which is way less than the $35 everyone kept telling me when I was driving in) I did appreciate his help finding the sea turtles and some rays though!

As I mentioned further up in this article, there are some ropes in the water indicating where you can (and cannot) swim. I first assumed that this was to prevent boats crossing to close to the water, but now my second guess that it is for the tours and guides to have their own little “private” area of swimming with the Akumal turtles is strengthened.

Still, the turtles will swim wherever they want, so if you don’t want to join a tour, you can swim nearby, float comfortably (with the life vest I already told you to wear) and wait around for them. It just seems that after the pandemic, the tour guides and companies hoping to make money have started working a little more intensely, and roping off a larger part of the beach.

underwater photo of a person swimming next to one of the akumal beach turtles, slightly blurry
Always keep a safe distance from the turtles

Akumal Turtles FAQ

Got questions? You’re not the only one! Here are some frequently asked questions about the Akumal turtles and swimming with turtles. Have a question that I didn’t answer? Leave it in the comments below!

Where can I swim with sea turtles?

Well, you sure found the right post to answer your question! If you jumped right to this section to get your question answered; you can swim with sea turtles in Akumal Beach, Mexico. This beach is found on the Riviera Maya, not too far from Tulum and Playa del Carmen.

What is the address of Akumal Beach?

The actual address of the beach is Carretera Federal Cancun-Chetumal Km.104, Yodzonot, 77760 Akumal, Q.R., for those of you driving yourself.

What do I need to bring to swim with the turtles?

You don’t need to bring anything, but I would recommend an underwater camera like a GoPro, biodegradable sunscreen that won’t harm aquatic life (such as this one), and your own snorkel if you have one.

When is the best time to see the Akumal turtles?

The best time to see the turtles on Akumal Beach is from May to November, which is the nesting season for the turtles. The best time of day is early morning, from 6-9.

What is the Akumal turtle season?

May to November is the nesting season for the sea turtles in Akumal, Mexico, and when you are most likely to see them near the beach.

How do I get to Akumal from Cancun?

You can rent a car or catch a cab, but as it is a little further to Akumal from Cancun, I recommend going by the local Colectivo (the white shared vans). Catch it from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, and change there. From Playa del Carmen, it is only a 30 minute drive, just make sure to say that you are getting off at Akumal Puente. This is a bridge, which you will have to cross in order to get to Akumal Beach.

How do I get to Akumal from Playa del Carmen?

In addition to renting a car or catching a taxi, from Playa del Carmen you can also get to Akumal by the local Colectivo bus, just make sure to specify that you are getting off at Akumal Puente (meaning bridge, you will have to cross it in order to get to the beach).

How do I get to Tulum from Cancun?

This question might not feel super relevant to swimming with turtles and Akumal turtle snorkeling, but since Akumal is quite close to Tulum, it’s a natural thing for anyone visiting the Riviera Maya to wonder.

To get from Cancun to Tulum, you can either go by private transfer, taxi, your own car, or by the ADO public bus. The latter is great if you are on a budget.

Is there a bus from Cancun to Tulum?

Yes, there is. As mentioned above, you can go by bus from Cancun to Tulum.

Is it difficult to swim or snorkel in Akumal Bay?

No, it is actually quite easy! This is because the bay is protected by a reef, and so there aren’t any big waves to bother you.

Are there any Akumal snorkeling tours I can join?

Yes! Most of the snorkeling tours in Akumal are sold directly on Akumal Beach, and as I mentioned above, I recommend ignoring them and going swimming with the turtles on your own (it’s really not necessary to pay for something when you can just wade out unto the ocean yourself). However, joining an organised tour can give you peace of mind if you are a little unsure about what to do, and supports local tour operators.

Are there lockers available on Akumal beach?

Yes, both the dive shop and the CEA Center have lockers to rent on the beach.

When can you see turtles in Akumal?

The nesting season for the Akumal bay turtles is from May to November, however it is possible to see them year-round.

Is Akumal beach free?

Lots of people are currently wondering about Akumal beach free access, since businesses are now charging entry to access the beach through them.

Recommended Akumal Turtle Tours

Below are some of the highest rated snorkelling tours that let you swim with turtles Akumal. Of course, as I mentioned above, it is not necessary to join a tour – but if you prefer being in a group and having a guide with you, you can browse the ones below.

The best hotels in Akumal, Mexico

There are some great hotels in the Akumal and Tulum area, and in the below map you can see what’s available around Akumal Bay for your travel dates.

I highly recommend staying in the area and getting up early to see the turtles if you can, to avoid the crowds and get the most of your time on the Akumal turtle beach.

Booking.com

Read next: The best things to do in Bacalar, Mexico

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12 comments

Sarah Kim, Tales From a Fork 30/03/2017 - 09:06

That’s a great tip to ignore people about the tour guides. Always hustling! I’d definitely wear a life jacket regardless of whether it’s mandatory or not. I get a little panicky in the water hehe.

Lisa // Fjords & Beaches 30/03/2017 - 17:27

It’s so easy to get convinced to buy things you don’t need, especially as a tourist not knowing the language! Haha, my friend was the same! I prefer swimming without it, and grudgingly put mine on after being stopped, haha 🙂

Becky @Disney in your Day 30/03/2017 - 16:51

This looks so cool! I’d definitely love to try something like this. Great photos too!

Lisa // Fjords & Beaches 30/03/2017 - 17:26

Thank you! It sure was a beautiful experience! 🙂

Clazz - An Orcadian Abroad 02/04/2017 - 10:47

This looks amazing!

Lisa // Fjords & Beaches 02/04/2017 - 11:01

It was! Such a beautiful experience! 🙂

Teesh Osita 02/04/2017 - 15:29

I’ve tried numerous times to go swimming with turtles, but have always failed. This looks so much fun!

Teesh ♥ || Adventures of Cupcake Girl

Lisa // Fjords & Beaches 03/04/2017 - 05:48

Fingers crossed you get to do it some time soon! 🙂

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