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Has swimming with sea turtles in Akumal been on your list of things to do in Riviera Maya? If you want to experience a real-life encounter in the wild during your Mexico vacation, this is your sign to add Akumal to your Riviera Maya itinerary. Swimming with the Akumal sea turtles is one of my absolute favorite things I’ve ever done in Mexico!
Sea turtles are one of my favorite animals so getting in the water with them was one of the Rivera Maya attractions that was an absolute no brainer for me. When I finally got to do it, it didn’t disappoint — and now I understand exactly why snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal is considered one of the best wildlife experiences in the entire Riviera Maya.
With blue-green bays, seagrass meadows, and turtles that call this place home year-round, swimming with turtles in Akumal is easily my favorite things to do in Mexico. And if you’re looking for one of the best excursions from Tulum or Playa del Carmen, then look no further.
Before you grab your snorkel gear and head for the water, here’s everything you need to know about swimming with sea turtles in Akumal — from what to expect to why it’s a must-do in Riviera Maya.
For more tips on planning your Riviera Maya vacation, check out these posts:
– Where to Stay in Riviera Maya: Playa del Carmen vs. Tulum
– Things to Do in Tulum: The Tulum Ruins
– When Is the Best Time to Visit Playa del Carmen?
Why Akumal Is So Unique
A lot of people think that if you go to Akumal, you’ll see sea turtles if you’re lucky. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Akumal actually means “Place of the Turtles” in Mayan, and for a good reason — the Akumal sea turtles are abundant!
Akumal Bay is lined with thick beds of seagrass, which happens to be a sea turtle’s favorite food! This means the sea turtles aren’t just passing through the area. They are hanging out here every day, grazing along the ocean floor. It’s the place they call home. And that’s why Akumal is one of the best places in Mexico to see sea turtles.
Akumal is also a nesting site, with turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs during nesting season (May-June). If you happen to visit Riviera Maya later in the year, you might spot hatchlings being released into the ocean. But even if you miss the hatching, it doesn’t matter. The sea turtles at Akumal live here year-round, so this is one of the best things to do in Riviera Maya, no matter when your vacation is.
Although they’re always there, the way you visit Akumal depends on how many turtles you will see. The question is: should you get a guide to see the sea turtles in Akumal?
Why You Should Get a Guide to Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal
This wasn’t my first time visiting Akumal. Back in 2016, I snorkeled in Akumal on my own, sticking to the small public zone near the beach. This doesn’t guarantee you’ll see any sea turtles in Akumal, but I got lucky and ended up seeing two!
This time around I wanted the real deal. I knew I wanted to go snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal, and my goal was to see as many sea turtles as possible. The more the merrier! So, I booked a certified guide to get into the actual feeding zones where the Akumal sea turtles hang out. If you want to swim in the official turtle feeding zones, a certified guide is required (and this is included in all Akumal sea turtle tours!). Akumal Bay is a federally protected marine refuge, and it’s split into zones (the public zone and the feeding zone). To get into the main circuit, you have to be with an authorized guide.
I highly recommend booked a tour with a certified guide if you want an amazing experience swimming with sea turtles in Akumal. The guides work in these waters every day and know all about the turtles’ feeding patterns, habits, and where they’re most likely to be spotted. It’s the type of knowledge that ensures you see way more wildlife during your Akumal sea turtle snorkeling experience.
What Swimming With Sea Turtles in Akumal is Like
Our Akumal sea turtle tour officially started right on the beach, where we had our gear, before we loaded onto a small boat that took us out past the shoreline and further out into Akumal Bay. The water was an incredible shade of blue-green. It was so clear you could see straight down to the seagrass swaying at the bottom of the bay!
The boat crew cut the engine and we were given a rundown on how to safely interact with the Akumal sea turtles. The rules were simple: keep your hands to yourself, no diving or kicking down, no chasing the sea turtles, and no getting above them (in case they breach). When you swim with sea turtles in Akumal, you just float, swim, and watch.
Everyone on the Akumal sea turtle tour, jumped into the water, one by one, and started making our way back towards to shore. Our guide led the way, and we followed closely behind her.
It wasn’t long before our guide’s arm shot up, pointing and signaling for us all to circle around. There, grazing along a patch of seagrass like it didn’t have a care in the world was our first Akumal sea turtle. Then another. And another. We kept swimming and continued to spot them.
By the end of our guided sea turtle tour in Akumal, we saw a total of eight — eight! — sea turtles gliding, feeding, and drifting past us.
Swimming with sea turtles in Akumal was a truly unforgettable experience. There was one turtle, in particular, that I’ll never forget. I was following the ground and trying my best to keep up. Suddenly, the group stopped. Before I knew it, the guide signaled to us that there was a sea turtle in front of us, and everyone began to circle around me. I somehow ended up almost directly above the sea turtle! It was enormous and easily the biggest Akumal sea turtle we saw that day. It was completely unbothered by our presence and just happily grazing at the bottom of the water. It’s the type of surreal moment you don’t really process until you’re back in the van, replaying it in your head, once the shock wears off.
After spotting that sea turtle, we swam back towards the beach where we rinsed off, returned our gear and headed back to the van. Our time was over, but snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal was an experience I’ll never forget!
What to Know Before You Go Swimming with Turtles in Akumal
If you’re thinking of adding swimming with turtles in Akumal to your list of things to do in Riviera Maya, here are a few things to know before you go.
- Book a guided tour if you can. You can snorkel without a tour guide in the marked areas, but a guide dramatically increases your chances of having multiple encounters with Akumal sea turtles. Book a guided tour here!
- Be a confident swimmer of snorkeler. The current in Akumal Bay is strong, so you should be a strong, so you should be a strong swimmer and have some experience snorkeling. This isn’t the place to try snorkeling for the first time.
- Go with the flow on timing. Sea turtle nesting season runs from approximately May through January, with hatchlings released in November. But turtles live in Akumal Bay year-round, so you don’t need to time your Riviera Maya vacation around it.
- Do not wear sunscreen. This is one of the most important things to know when you swim with sea turtles in Akumal. The chemicals in sunscreen can contaminate marine environments. Regular sunscreen is not safe for the reef or seagrass beds the turtles rely on for food, but reef-safe sunscreen irritates the other turtles’ eyes, so it’s best to wear none at all. You will have to rinse off before entering the water as a precaution.
- Pack an underwater camera, waterproof phone case, or a GoPro. You’ll want proof that you were basically nose-to-shell with a sea turtle. Capturing underwater photos is a great way to remember snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal.
- Respect the turtles’ space. It can be tempting to want to touch or chase the Akumal sea turtles, but it’s against the rules. Just let the turtles do their thing while you float alongside them.
Should You Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal? Absolutely.
If you want a genuine, up-close wildlife encounter, swimming with sea turtles in Akumal is it. If you take a guided tour, there will be the opportunity to come across plenty of sea turtles in Riviera Maya! Book your Akumal sea turtle tour guide here.
If you’re looking for truly unforgettable things to do in Riviera Maya, the Akumal sea turtles should absolutely be on your to-do list! It’s the type of excursion that sticks with you long after your trip is over.
Trying to decide where to stay in Riviera Maya? Check out my hotel spotlight on Hotel Riu Palace Riviera Maya! I highly recommend this all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen!
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Want to learn how to make money traveling to places like Riviera Maya? Check out Booked While You Sleep, my guide to ways to get paid to travel! Or learn how to make money traveling by taking photos and videos with my ebook, Check-In & Ca$h-Out!
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For more tips to plan your Riviera Maya trip, check out these posts:
– Where to Stay in Mexico: Playa del Carmen vs. Cancun
– 15 Top Things to Do in Riviera Maya
