Overview
Itinerary
What's Included
Available Add-ons
Reviews
About this tour
Swim With Wild Sea Turtles in Akumal Bay
Akumal means "place of the turtles" in Maya, and the name is earned. The bay is a shallow, protected crescent where green sea turtles feed on the seagrass beds just a few meters from shore — no cages, no feeding, no enclosures. Everything you see is wild and free in its natural habitat.
This is a 100% private tour. Your vehicle, your driver, your schedule. We pick you up at your hotel, villa or Airbnb, take you straight to the bay, and bring you back when you are ready.
The Guided Snorkel
A certified guide takes you out for a 45-minute guided snorkel in a small group. Along the way you may spot green sea turtles, stingrays, spotted eagle rays, tropical fish and living coral heads — all within a short swim of the beach. The water is warm, shallow and calm, which makes this one of the easiest snorkel experiences in the Riviera Maya, even for first-timers.
These are wild animals in open water. Turtle sightings are extremely common but can never be guaranteed.
You Go Out by Boat — Included
No long swim from the beach. A short boat ride takes you straight out to the reef, which is where the coral, the fish and the clearest water are. Turtles swim in and out of the reef throughout the day. This is the version our guides prefer, and it is included in your tour at no extra cost.
If you would rather do the bay circuit instead — swimming out from the beach over the seagrass beds, where turtles come up to graze — just let us know when you book. It is the better choice if your priority is watching the turtles feed, and it works best before 1:00 p.m.
Timing Matters — Go Early
The bay fills up between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Even on a private tour, you are sharing the water with everyone else in Akumal at that hour. These are the three start times we recommend — please arrive 15 minutes before your start time for check-in and gear fitting:
- 9:00 a.m. — our top recommendation. Arrive at 8:45. Calm water, good light and the bay still quiet.
- 8:00 a.m. — the first departure of the day. Arrive at 7:45. The earliest you can get in the water and the emptiest the bay will ever be.
- 1:30 p.m. — good second option. Arrive at 1:15, once the midday crowds have thinned out.
A 3:00 p.m. start is possible, but it is not our recommendation. We suggest avoiding the 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. window altogether.
Your pickup time is set so you arrive with those 15 minutes to spare — roughly 1 hour before your start time from Cancún, 45 minutes from Playa del Carmen and 40 minutes from Tulum. For a 9:00 a.m. start, that means a pickup at about 8:00 a.m. from Playa del Carmen.
Build Your Own Day
Your vehicle stays with you, so Akumal pairs easily with the rest of the Riviera Maya. Add the Tulum archaeological site, a cenote circuit at Casa Tortuga, an ATV ride, or simply extra beach time. Everything is available in the add-ons below, and the total updates instantly.
Good to Know
- Minimum age: 2 years — this is the smallest life vest available. Infants under 2 cannot participate.
- Pregnancy: a doctor's letter authorizing the activity is mandatory. Boarding and exiting the boat carries a slip-and-fall risk, so we honestly recommend sitting this one out.
- Bring: swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes. Lockers and showers are available at the dive shop.
- Sunscreen: reef-safe / biodegradable only, and please apply it well before entering the water to protect the corals and seagrass.
- Same price for adults and children.
Booking, Payment and Cancellation
- Payment: your tour is prepaid online to confirm it. We accept Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Zelle and AMEX (AMEX through a special link in Mexican pesos). We do not accept cash.
- Cancellation: cancel at least 48 hours before your pickup time. Cancellations made after that point, once the vehicle has already been dispatched, are not eligible for a full refund.
- Transportation: priced by pickup area. Select your hotel zone, number of passengers and any add-ons and the site shows your exact total before you pay — no surprises at the end.
- Prices and availability are subject to change without notice.
Itinerary
Hotel Pickup
Your private driver meets you in the lobby of your hotel, villa or Airbnb. The vehicle is air-conditioned and stocked with a cooler of cold drinks and snacks.
Arrival in Akumal
We drive south along the coast to Akumal. On arrival you check in at the dive shop, store your things in a locker and meet your certified guide.
Safety Briefing & Gear
Your guide fits your mask, snorkel, fins and life vest and explains the rules for approaching turtles: keep your distance, never touch, never chase.
45-Minute Guided Snorkel
Into the bay. Your guide leads you over the seagrass beds and coral heads where turtles, rays and tropical fish live, pointing out everything along the way.
Showers & What's Next
Rinse off and change into dry clothes. Then you decide: straight back to your hotel, or on to another activity — Tulum, a cenote, lunch or more beach time.
What's Included
- Private round-trip transportation from your hotel, villa or Airbnb
- Certified snorkeling guide (45-minute guided tour)
- Boat ride out to the reef and back
- Complete snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins, life vest)
- Access to lockers and showers
- Bottled water during the activity
- Onboard cooler with cold water, sodas, juices and snacks
- Bilingual driver and flight/traffic monitoring
- All taxes and tolls
What's Not Included
- Professional photo package (available as an add-on)
- Meals and drinks at the beach club or restaurants
- Gratuities for your guide and driver
- Personal expenses
Complete Your Experience
Want to arrive with your whole day already covered? Add your park pass and activities now and land with everything prepaid — no lines, no ticket counters, nothing to figure out when you get there. You just show up and enjoy. You'll add them on the next step of your booking.
Akumal Bay Guided Snorkeling
45-minute guided snorkel with a certified guide, reached by boat. Gear, lockers, showers and bottled water included. Minimum age 5.
Per Adult
$
45.00
USD
Per Child
$
45.00
USD
Professional Photo Package
A professional photographer captures your swim. One price covers your whole party — solo, couple, family or group.
Per Group
$
65.00
USD
Tulum Archaeological Site
Entrance to the Maya walled city of Tulum, set on a cliff above the Caribbean. Adult ticket, ages 11 and up.
Per Adult
$
18.00
USD
Per Child
$
8.00
USD
Per Infant
$
0.00
USD
Certified Guide in Tulum
A licensed guide walks your group through the ruins and explains the history of the site. One price for your whole party.
Per Group
$
52.00
USD
Casa Tortuga Cenotes — Básico
Guided cenote circuit at Casa Tortuga, on the road to Tulum. Basic package.
Per Adult
$
31.00
USD
Per Child
$
31.00
USD
Casa Tortuga — Silver
Guided cenote circuit at Casa Tortuga with the Silver package inclusions.
Per Adult
$
71.00
USD
Per Child
$
71.00
USD
Casa Tortuga — Golden
Everything in Básico, plus the Río Tortuga, the zip line and the Menú Carey meal — the complete package.
Per Adult
$
89.00
USD
Per Child
$
89.00
USD
Private Park Guide
The park guide is shared by default. Upgrade to a guide exclusively for your group and skip the wait for the next departure.
Per Group
$
42.00
USD
ATV Tortuga Xtreme — Single
One-hour guided ATV ride through the jungle with a stop at the private Nai Toh cenote. One rider per vehicle, helmet included. Drivers must be 18 or older.
Per Adult
$
48.00
USD
ATV Tortuga Xtreme — Double
The same one-hour guided ride with the Nai Toh cenote stop, two people sharing one ATV. The passenger must be at least 1.30 m tall.
Per Group
$
77.00
USD
Extra Hour (beach time, Tulum Pueblo)
One more hour with your vehicle and driver — beach time in Akumal, lunch, or a stop in Tulum Pueblo on the way back.
Per Group
$
40.00
USD
