Snorkeling with Akumal Turtles in Mexico – TRAVEL IN STYLE

I’m so excited to share my favorite experience in Mexico with you today: snorkeling with turtles in Akumal Beach! This has been on my bucketlist for years, and I was so happy to make it a reality on my Riviera Maya trip. If you only do one activity outside of laying on the beach, book this: it was the highlight of my trip!

Everything you need to know about my favorite experience in Akumal Mexico: snorkeling with the famous endangered turtles of Akumal Beach Mexico! Learn about the best time of year to see the turtles, what snorkeling tour you should book, and how to help turtle conservation in Akumal Bay. #thingstodoinakumalmexico #akumalmexicopictures #akumalturtles

Akumal Beach is home to two varieties of endangered sea turtles: green turtles and loggerhead turtles. Although the turtles live in Akumal throughout the year, turtle nesting season runs from May—November. You’ll see more turtles during nesting season, but it’s important to give them space and respect nesting areas. You can also take special tours during this time of year to learn all about turtle nesting season 🙂

There tends to be a lot of misinformation out there about the turtle snorkeling rules in Akumal. As of this post (April 2019), you must purchase a special wristband to snorkel with the turtles in a tour group. So if you don’t book a tour, you’re not allowed to set foot on the beach.

People used to be able to snorkel solo at Akumal Beach. But there are new regulations in place to limit snorkeling to small groups. This rule protects the turtles from feeling threatened by keeping fewer snorkelers in the water.

It’s super easy to book a tour, and they’re very well-priced: I booked my tour through AirBnB Experiences for $46. The tour time lasts about 90 minutes and includes snorkel gear, a lifejacket and a guide. My guide, Sergio, was very knowledgeable and has been snorkeling with the turtles in Akumal for years: I’d definitely recommend booking with him! You can find his tour on AirBnb here.

You can also book a tour in Akumal Pueblo the day of. I’d definitely recommend going by 9:00am because the water is less crowded and the turtles are more active.

Here’s a little snorkeling tour packing list to prepare for your adventure:

Swimsuit
Coverup
Beach Towel
Snorkel mask (if you want to bring your own!)
Reef-friendly sunscreen—This is a super important but often forgotten necessity: you can only snorkel with the turtles if you’re wearing eco-friendly sunscreen. Normal sunscreens use chemicals that are toxic to the turtles and the reefs, and you won’t be permitted to snorkel while wearing them. Akumal takes turtle conservation very seriously 🙂

I was really looking forward to sharing some underwater photography of the turtles with you. Unfortunately, my camera had other plans and got waterlogged 🙁 It’s honestly so hard to capture on camera how beautiful it is to see these turtles swimming in the reef. I linked a few photos from Creative Commons below to show you how majestic the turtles look up close.

There are also lots of colorful fish and sometimes stingrays swimming around in the reef with the turtles. This was my first time getting to see a coral reef up close, and that part of the snorkeling adventure would have been worth the money to me on its own.

It takes a lot of resources to protect these beautiful animals, and pollution has had a large part in destroying their homes in the coral reefs. Both green turtles and loggerhead turtles are currently on the endangered species list due in part to plastic pollution and habit destruction. Centro Ecologico Akumal is a local Akumal foundation that does incredible work to protect the turtles and their nests. You can adopt an Akumal turtle or donate to help protect them here. Do you have any questions about snorkeling at Akumal Beach? Let me know in the comments 🙂