Akumal Sea Turtles: How to Swim with Turtles in Akumal Responsibly (2026)

By the Carey Tours team, local private tour guides in Playa del Carmen since 2018. Last updated: October 2026.

Yes, you can swim with sea turtles in Akumal all year. Green sea turtles feed on the seagrass of Akumal Bay, a protected marine refuge 30 minutes north of Tulum, and the best time to see them is early in the morning, in the marked snorkeling areas, with a life jacket and biodegradable sunscreen. Akumal means “place of the turtles” in Maya, and it is still the easiest place in the Riviera Maya to see turtles in the water.

We are Carey Tours, a family-run company from Playa del Carmen. Our certified guides, who speak Spanish, English and French and have more than 10 years of experience each, take travelers snorkeling in Akumal every week. This guide explains when and where to see the turtles, the rules of the bay, whether you need a guide, what it costs and how to snorkel with sea turtles responsibly.

Why are there sea turtles in Akumal?

Akumal Bay is shallow, calm and covered in seagrass, which is the main food of green sea turtles. Young and adult green turtles stay in the bay to feed, so you can see turtles in the water on almost any morning of the year, swimming slowly, grazing on the bottom or coming up to breathe. Loggerhead and hawksbill turtles also visit the area, and the beaches of Akumal are nesting sites in summer.

Because so many snorkelers came to see them, the bay was declared a marine refuge for protected species by federal decree in March 2016, covering about 1,600 hectares managed by CONANP, according to Royal Resorts. The local nonprofit Centro Ecológico Akumal has worked on turtle conservation here for decades.

What are the rules for swimming with turtles in Akumal?

Sea turtles are a protected species in Mexico, and the rules of the bay exist to protect the turtles and the seagrass they feed on. Your guide will explain them before entering the water:

• Snorkel only in the marked areas of the bay, inside the buoys.
• Never touch, chase, feed or ride a turtle, and keep a respectful distance.
• Do not stand on the bottom: your fins damage the seagrass and the coral.
• Use only biodegradable sunscreen, or better, a rash guard.
• No flash for photos, and do not block a turtle’s way up to breathe.
• Wear a life jacket. It keeps you floating flat on the surface, away from the turtles and the seagrass.

When is the best time to see turtles in Akumal?

The turtles are in Akumal Bay all year, so any month works. The best time of day is early in the morning: the water is calmer and clearer, and you share the bay with fewer snorkelers before the large groups arrive from Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The dry months, roughly November to April, usually bring the clearest water. From late spring to autumn, the beaches of Akumal are a nesting site, and some areas may be marked off to protect the nests and the turtles that hatch.

Do you need a guide to snorkel with turtles in Akumal?

You can visit Akumal beach on your own, but snorkeling in the turtle areas is organized: you enter through the beach access points, rent or bring your snorkeling equipment and follow the local rules, and a certified guide is the easiest way to do it right. A guided tour gives you the life jacket and gear, a guide in the water who finds the turtles without disturbing them, and a time slot before the crowds. If you go on your own, arrive early, ask about the current rules at the beach and avoid anyone who offers to let you touch a turtle.

Our Akumal sea turtle snorkeling tour

On our Akumal sea turtle snorkeling tour, the morning runs like this:

• 8:00 pickup at your hotel in Tulum or Playa del Carmen (7:00 in Cancun).
• 8:30 arrival at Akumal beach; your guide handles the entrance and gives you the snorkeling equipment: mask, snorkel and life jacket.
• 9:00 and 10:00 two snorkeling sessions of about an hour each, with your guide in the water.
• 11:00 free time on the beach.
• 12:30 back in Tulum (1:00 p.m. in Playa del Carmen).

The private tour costs from $160 USD per person for two people and $95 per person for a group of ten, with snacks and water included; lunch is not included. It is our favorite half-day tour for families with young children, because the bay is shallow and calm and the life jacket keeps every swimmer safe.

Combine the turtles with a cenote or the Tulum ruins

Akumal is between Tulum and Playa del Carmen, so it combines easily with other sites in one day:

• Cenote Taak-Bi-Ha and sea turtles: a cavern cenote and the bay, from $200 per person for two.
• Tulum ruins and Akumal sea turtles: the clifftop Mayan city and the turtles, from $210 per person for two.
• Tulum cenote and Akumal turtle snorkeling: a full day of cenote and sea, from $230 per person for two.

See all our private tours from Tulum and private tours from Playa del Carmen.

Akumal or Tulum: which is better for snorkeling?

For turtles, Akumal. The bay is calm and shallow and the green turtles live there all year, while the reef off Tulum is better reached by boat and is about fish and coral rather than turtles. Many visitors do both: the Tulum ruins in the morning and the turtles of Akumal after, or reef snorkeling in Tulum on one day and Akumal on another. Our guide to the best day trips from Tulum compares every option.

Tips for snorkeling with sea turtles responsibly

• Go early for calm water and fewer snorkelers.
• Float flat and move slowly; sudden kicks scare the turtles and stir up sand.
• Watch from above and let the turtle come to the surface on its own.
• Keep your fins up and never stand on the seagrass or the reef.
• Bring biodegradable sunscreen, a towel and some cash for the beach.

FAQ: Akumal sea turtles

Swim with turtles in Akumal with a local guide

Tell us your date, how many you are and where you are staying, and our team will confirm your pickup time. Message us on WhatsApp at +52 1 984 145 2640: we reply within 2 hours, from 7:00 to 21:00. Rated 5.0 by 1,500+ travelers on Tripadvisor, with five Travelers’ Choice awards (2021–2025).