8 Steps on How to Swim With Turtles in Akumal: Janine’s Exclusive Guide for 2026
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Are you interested in experiencing a swim with turtles in akumal? This guide so you can have a memorable swim with turtles in akumal will outline everything you need to know about this well-known adventure to swim with turtles in akumal.
I didn’t have to read any further than “Akumal means ‘Place of Turtles’ in Maya” in my Lonely Planet to know that I needed to visit as soon as I got the chance to swim with turtles in akumal.
What more did I need to know? I love turtles; they live in Akumal. Obviously, I needed to swim with turtles in akumal immediately. It was simple math.
…Thankfully, there was nothing about poisonous snakes or flesh-eating bacteria mentioned after that! I just wanted to swim with turtles in akumal!
And that, my friends, is how I found myself in Akumal, Mexico, one August morning, trying to restrain myself from coming to blows with an aggressive life jacket salesman on one of the most serene, peaceful beaches (minus the life jacket salesmen) in the Riviera Maya.
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My excitement grew as I prepared to swim with turtles in akumal, knowing this experience would be unforgettable.
We were eager to swim with turtles in akumal, ready for a day filled with adventure.
The thrill of getting to swim with turtles in akumal made every effort worthwhile.
Fortunately, we had done our research before arriving and were prepared to be confronted by life jacket peddlers (thanks, other bloggers!), but certainly not to the degree that we experienced that day.
The hustlers at the beach in Akumal are not to be taken lightly. Typically I’m a fairly relaxed traveler, but I was NOT in the mood for such an intense sales pitch that morning.
Swimming with turtles in akumal was our ultimate goal that day.
I was already frazzled because we had arrived 30 minutes late to the colectivo station in Playa del Carmen, leaving our friends waiting on the street in the heat.
I HATE being late for anything, and when I am, I become frantic. That particular morning I was starving, and we’d had to make a pit stop for granola bars to stave off hangry-ness for the 30-minute colectivo ride from Playa del Carmen to Akumal.
And now, I was finally ready to swim with turtles in Akumal!
So off we went to swim with turtles in Akumal!
I was concerned (foolishly) that there would be nowhere to buy snacks when we arrived, but of course, there was an Oxxo (Mexico’s version of 7/11, only better) 50m from Akumal beach. Because, Mexico.
We were excited to swim with turtles in Akumal, and that anticipation fueled our energy.
Our excitement to swim with turtles in Akumal overshadowed the distractions around us.
ANYWAY.
We had already resigned ourselves to renting life vests in the name of comfort and convenience (why swim when you can float?!) and were just searching for a reputable place to rent them from.
“We want to rent them, but not from you!” I finally declared, turning my back on the man in the midst of his emphatic sales pitch.
When you swim with turtles in Akumal, you become part of a special experience.
So off we went to rent the damn life jackets.
We opted to rent from The Akumal Dive Shop because they offer bathrooms and showers. Plus, they have locker rentals, so you have somewhere secure to place your valuables while you swim with the sea turtles!
Numerous blogs mentioned that locals on Akumal beach are running a scam to force tourists into renting life jackets in an effort to make extra money.
This may have been a scam in the past, and the locals are indeed persistent, but life vests are now mandatory if you want to swim within the snorkeling route.
Seeing the turtles reminded us why we wanted to swim with them in Akumal.
And to be honest, they’re completely necessary. The turtle snorkeling route is long—it took us nearly 2 hours to complete (had to stop for photos!), and there is no way that I would have made it without a life jacket, despite being a prolific swimmer.
Enough about life jackets, what about the turtles?
We soon discovered that swimming with turtles in Akumal was even better than we had imagined.
Swimming With Turtles in Akumal
How to Swim With Turtles in Akumal: Tips for an Unforgettable Experience
My heart swells with joy at the thought of swimming with turtles in Akumal.
There’s something truly magical about swimming with turtles in Akumal.
If you’re considering adding a day trip to Akumal to your Playa del Carmen itinerary, I can’t recommend it enough.
One of my favorite places in the Riviera Maya is this beautiful beach village, and you shouldn’t miss it!
This was my most rewarding trip to swim with sea turtles, despite my poor snorkel coordination.
The turtles come to feast on the seagrass that grows on the ocean floor in Akumal Bay. They also nest along the beach. This situation equates to a consistent turtle presence in the area.
I attempted to manage my expectations, promising myself I’d be content even if I only saw one turtle, or worse, no turtles (thanks for nothing, Hanauma Bay!). It turns out, this was an unnecessary act of preparation.
We spotted our first turtle about 10 minutes into our swim. It was far off, and the churned-up sand (go early in the day to avoid this!) made it challenging to see clearly. But it was a turtle nonetheless! “Mission accomplished,” I told myself.
Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the moments when you swim with turtles in Akumal!
When you swim with turtles in Akumal, don’t forget to discover the wonders that lie ahead.
Seriously, take in every moment as you swim with turtles in Akumal. These are moments that very few people on earth have the opportunity to experience. It’s a luxurious moment; that’s how it felt to me.
Finally, we moved on from that first turtle… and encountered about a dozen more. At one point, turtles surrounded me in every direction, leaving me uncertain of where to focus.
Perhaps the dominant and boldest turtle chose to cross directly in front of the group of snorkelers, requiring us to take care to avoid colliding with it.
After a beautiful experience, I felt grateful to swim with turtles in Akumal.
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How was your experience swimming with turtles in Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico?
Swimming with sea turtles in Akumal was absolutely magical! Swimming with turtles in Akumal is one of my best experiences, not only in Mexico but also anywhere else!
There’s something so incredible about seeing these creatures up close. I loved looking at their funny turtle expressions and admiring the colors in their shells.
I left the snorkeling route with a warm feeling in my heart, a big smile on my face, and no residual resentment for the pushy life jacket salesman.
It is remarkable how observing a sea turtle can transform your entire outlook on life!
A few things to note before you swim with sea turtles:
- You should never touch turtles. In addition to traumatizing the turtles, touching them is a federal offense.
- Apply biodegradable sunscreen generously to protect the delicate habitat, as well as to prevent sunburn during extended periods in the water—especially on your butt, girls (trust me). These are my favorite sunscreen brands.
- Swimming with fins in this area is banned, but you don’t really need them
- You are not permitted to dive underwater on the snorkel route, which is why life jackets are required.
- You cannot be within 9 feet (3 meters) of the turtles, but they are allowed to swim near you. Just be sure to give the turtles space so they don’t panic.
- Do not swim on top of the turtles, as they need space to come up for air!
I felt lucky to have swum with turtles in Akumal.
Other Things To Do In Akumal
Have a Picnic
After a delightful afternoon (or morning, if you’re more organized than I am) of swimming with turtles, you are sure to be hungry.
I recommend taking a picnic lunch with you. There is a restaurant called Lol-Ha on the beach in Akumal, but it’s often very busy, and it can be tough to get a table.
Plus, if you’re backpacking Mexico, it will probably be a bit of a splurge. Plan to spend about $200–300 MXN per plate and $60 MXN and up for alcoholic beverages.
IIt is easy to understand why many people are eager to swim with turtles in Akumal.
Packing a delicious picnic, which I did on my second visit to Akumal, and saving your pesos for beer from the Oxxo are wonderful ways to save money on a trip to Akumal.
Visit Yal-Ku Lagoon
This lagoon is formed right where one of the Riviera Maya’s rivers meets the Caribbean Sea. The sheltered lagoon provides a tranquil swimming spot and the chance to see sea creatures such as turtles, rays, and tropical fish.
Access to the lagoon is managed by two different companies. You can visit alone, for a fee, or as part of a tour.
Click through to learn more about this adventure!
Take a Walk on the beach after swimming with the turtles. in Akumal
After enjoying a relaxing picnic lunch, I highly recommend gathering the energy to take a beach walk along the bay. It’s enjoyable to gain a fresh perspective of the small snorkeling bay from further down the beach.
Additionally, there are some very luxurious resorts that you might want to consider for a future visit!
Although the sun sets over the land in Akumal, the area still experiences incredible sunsets!
When the sun goes down, the entire bay begins to glow with beautiful blue and yellow hues. It makes you wonder whether this place is something you dreamed up. But nope! It’s real!
If you ask me, a snorkeling trip to Akumal is a must if you’re visiting the Riviera Maya. The Riviera Maya is home to many stunning beaches, but Akumal is particularly noteworthy.
The turtles are just a bonus.
What to Know Before You Go to Swim with Turtles in Akumal
Turtle Rules
Because the rules regarding the Akumal sea turtles frequently change, I highly recommend conducting research before your visit.
During my visit in October 2023, we attempted to enter the snorkel route without a guide, but an aggressive man confronted us and insisted that we were required to swim with one.
It was reported that the inspector was observing from the beach, and if we proceeded without a guide, we would be breaking the law.
Sure enough, the inspector was present on the beach, wearing a uniform and monitoring the area.
As you can imagine, I felt frustrated. Just six weeks prior, we had snorkeled without a guide and encountered no problems.
Feeling disgruntled, we returned to our beach towels and waited for the inspector and the grumpy water supervisor to leave for lunch before entering the snorkel route.
I do not advocate breaking the rules; however, at that moment, I felt like a victim of a high-level scam.
Numerous other bloggers have reported this situation as a scam, and I believed they were likely correct. However, it appears that the situation in Akumal has changed, and it may now be necessary to use a guide.
Do you have to snorkel with a guide in Akumal?
According to my research, the number of visitors to Akumal Bay each year is increasing. There is concern that the increased human presence is harmful to the delicate ecology of the region.
According to a 2014 study by the Akumal Ecological Center (AEC), the presence of swimmers within 5 m caused stress to the turtle population, while a parallel study indicated that the number of turtles leaving Akumal Bay was directly proportionate to the increasing number of tourists present.
To preserve the health of the turtle population, the AEC and the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) are working to introduce guidelines that will limit the number of tourists allowed in the water at any given time.
To my knowledge, the implementation of a management program and the establishment of management processes are still pending.
This lack of implementation is likely why communication about the actual laws and regulations is so unclear.
However, it appears that these groups are taking steps to implement laws requiring tourists to snorkel with a guide.
My advice to you, to avoid possible fines, is to either purchase a tour or try swimming with turtles in a different location.
Additional Readings & Resources
These are some resources I found while researching this post. It’s challenging to find anything conclusive, but it may be useful if you’re preparing for your visit.
- (Spanish) Bahía de Akumal ya cuenta con Programa de Protección
- About Centro Ecologico Akumal: CEA
- Centro Ecologico Akumal (Home Page)
- Ancient Mayan “Place of the Turtles” Copes with Modern-Day Tourism
What To Pack For Akumal
- Reef-safe sunscreen will protect your skin AND the environment.
- A swimsuit cover-up will keep you from feeling exposed in between swims.
- A microfiber towel is perfect for the beach—it is compact and will dry quickly.
- These Flip flops are simple to slip on and off, making them the most convenient sandals that you need to buy before visiting beaches in Mexico.
When you swim with turtles in Akumal, make sure to savor every moment.
Prepare to be amazed by the experience of swimming with turtles in Akumal!
Getting to Akumal
Akumal Bay is located 38 km from Playa del Carmen and 27 km from Tulum. This makes it the perfect day trip from either Playa del Carmen or Tulum.
By car:
To get to Akumal from Playa del Carmen, head south on the highway towards Tulum. It will take about 25 minutes to drive from Playa del Carmen to Akumal.
Just follow the signs that indicate “Playa Akumal.” Upon arrival, you will find numerous parking lots to choose from.
You can expect to pay approximately 20 MXN per hour.
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By colectivo:
The most cost-effective way to get to Akumal is by taking a colectivo (a public shuttle van).
In Playa del Carmen, colectivos depart from Calle 2 Norte, located between Avenues 15 and 20. Look for colectivos that have “Tulum” written in the window and join the line.
There are numerous companies to choose from, but all of them offer the same service at the same rates (25 pesos from Playa del Carmen to Akumal).
When you board, tell the driver your destination is Akumal, and they will announce when you arrive.
The colectivo will drop you off on the side of the highway outside Akumal.
You will need to cross the highway using the pedestrian walkway and then follow the road to the beach. This task should only take you 5 to 10 minutes.
When it’s time to go home, simply return to the highways; they are frequently passed, so you shouldn’t have to wait more than 10 minutes to encounter one.
If it is full and you can’t board, don’t worry; another will be along in a few minutes.
By Taxi:
Personally, I haven’t used a taxi to go to Akumal, but I am sure any taxi driver would be pleased to take you.
The cost of a taxi from Akumal should range from $30 to $40 USD, as of the summer of 2025, so be prepared to negotiate.
Taxis are always plentiful, so you shouldn’t have trouble encountering one.
Our goal was clear: we wanted to swim with turtles in Akumal!
Many people dream of the opportunity to swim with turtles in Akumal, and it’s easy to understand why.
Further Reading: The Ultimate Riviera Maya Transportation Guide
Visited Yal-Ku Lagoon a few years ago and it was peaceful but understand that nearby Akumal is very different. Hopefully the “inspector” and the “guide” needed to snorkel are indeed to protect the turtles and ecosystem.
I hope so too! I totally understand the need to restrict the number of people present in the area, but I don’t know that a required guide is the best way to do it.
Love turtles too and love seeing them in the wild. Hopefully the tours are also doing their most to protect the turtles from tourists as well as allowing people to see them.
Totally agree. I always support efforts to protect the environment, but I hope the turtles won’t be exploited by this.
Swimming with sea turtles sounds fun! I’ve only seen them in Hawaii, and it felt like they were playing with us, riding the waves just like we were. When we stayed in Akumel for a week, we were lucky to miss all of the hustlers you mentioned, but did encounter a sea urchin – man, their thorns are sharp. Loved the beach, ate dinner every night on the beach, as our kids played in the sand.
Ouch! Sea urchins are sharp! I hope it didn’t do serious damage! Glad you enjoyed yourself there, it’s a lovely spot.
I’ve never gone swimming with the turtles, sounds like an interesting activity. I was in Bali a few months back and they organised tours for swimming with the turtles but due to lack of time, I had to skip the activity. I love your pictures, looks like you guys had a great time!
It’s a really cool experience! I loved seeing them up close! Hopefully you’ll get a chance to do it someday!
This sounds like such an amazing experience! I love snorkeling, turtles and Mexico so I this is definitely going on my must-do list!!
It really is special! It’s crazy how many of them we saw! And there’s a protected section in the middle where they can hide, so they don’t have to approach you unless they’re curious (which they seem to be!!)!
This is one of my ultimate dreams, I was lucky enough to volunteer with a sea turtle conservation program in Greece and see them in swimming in the Caribbean … I have yet to swim beside them though.
That’s awesome! They are such graceful swimmers!
This is a GREAT post and something that has been on my bucket list for YEARS! You’re so lucky to have had such a wonderful experience! I’ll be referring back to this when I plan my trip to Mexico 🙂
Thanks so much! There’s tons to see in this area, but Akumal is one of my favorite places, and only partly because of the turtles! It’s just gorgeous there!
This is seriously an amazing post! I’ve always wanted to swim with turtles and this post just made me want to do it even more! I love that you provided some fun facts and even rules to follow when swimming with them. I had no idea it was a federal offense to touch them! I’m glad you had a good time!
It’s so much fun and they’re incredibly beautiful! I hope you get to do it sometime soon. I’ve tried in other places, but this was the first spot where there were lots of turtles that seemed happy to hang around! Glad you enjoyed the post!
What an interesting experience it sounds. I had no idea that touching the turtles traumatizes them…I mean they look quite tough, don’t they? The beach is so clean and the water is so blue!
Hehe, looks deceive I guess! We’re a lot bigger than them so I can see why they would be scared! I can never get over how blue and perfect Akumal Bay is. It really seems like something from a dream.
Sweet post! Loads of useful info, thanks for sharing ❤ #glt
Thanks lady, glad you enjoyed it!
It’s a good thing, really, if they are wanting to protect the turtles, even if it is very frustrating to have to sort out rumour from the truth. Glad you had such a rewarding visit. It does sound rather fabulous. But not I want to know what makes the convenience store Oxxo so good too!
Haha, I agree, I’m all for protecting the turtles and their habitat! Oxxo is just the ultimate convenience store. You can buy everything you could ever need (food, candy, beer, fruit, tortillas, medicine, sunglasses) as well as pay your bills there! Plus they’re on almost every corner (convenient indeed!).
This was sucha helpful post! Ive never been swimming with turtles but after reading the post and watching your video I feel as though I have! Im sorry you had the experience of the ‘turtle police’! Its frustrating when you are not sure as to whether its a scam or not isnt it? It probably wasnt, like uou say, they have probab;y just tightenend up.
The turtle police were kind of a pain, but all of my anger and frustration melted away when I saw the turtles!
Akumal is so gorgeous! And the fact that you guys got to swim with turtles while you were there is amazing! I’ve swam with them a few times in various places around the world, and it’s always special.
It’s true! They are so majestic 🙂
We have swam with the turtles in Akumal several times – such an awesome experience! The first time we went, we visited the town and felt harassed by people claiming you have to pay and by tour guides. Subsequent trips we stayed at a resort on the beach, which was so much easier. I would love to go back when the turtles are hatching!
I’ve experienced that harassment too. It’s really frustrating how aggressive they are. But staying at one of the beach resorts is a good compromise!
What a fantastic guide! Swimming with turtles in Akumal sounds like an unforgettable experience. Thanks for the tips on sunscreen and life jackets – I can’t wait to visit!