Akumal, Mexico, is located approximately 1.5 hours south of Cancun. This small coastal town is a quiet place, known for their sea turtles. We have visited Akumal several times now, and stayed in the town for about 3 weeks total over our last couple of trips.
You can get around Akumal by doing a lot of walking, but you can also rent a car, which allows you more freedom to explore. We rented a car from Avant Car Rental in Cancun several times, and we had a blast road tripping through the Yucatan.
Swim with sea turtles!
Akumal is a great place to go swimming and is known for having sea turtles. You can go on a tour or visit one of the beaches, where you are likely to see sea turtles as well as other wonderful sea life. If you are visiting Akumal and not staying in a hotel on the beach, do some research when it comes to swimming with the turtles. You do not have to have a tour guide with you, but be aware of the roped off areas and where you can swim. There have been a few times we went that there were so many tours going on, and we also felt a little harassed by the tour guides, especially when they tell you that you are not allowed to go swimming without a guide.
We took this photo snorkeling in Akumal Bay.
Be respectful of the sea turtles and their habitat. Wear reef-safe sunscreen and maintain distance from the sea turtles. When you are on the beach, watch for sea turtle nests. If you walk on the beach at night, use a red light, so as not to disturb the turtles.
There are many beach areas in Akumal for swimming and enjoying other water sports. We stayed at Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness Resort, but there are other hotels you can stay at right on the beach. Most of these places have amenities such as kayaks or paddleboards, as well as plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the beach.
Yal-Ku Lagoon
Yal-Ku Lagoon is a great place to go for a leisurely snorkel and to check out the marine life. The lagoon is calm, without waves, and is a nice place to see things like fish.
There are not sea turtles in the lagoon, but there is plenty of other marine life, from a variety of fish to herons and iguanas basking in the sun.
A picture we took while snorkeling in the lagoon.
Murals & Art
There is so much artwork in Akumal, you can enjoy it throughout the town. We walked over the pedestrian bridge from the beach side of Akumal to Akumal Pueblo, viewing art all along the way. There are paid tours, but you can read about our self guided walk of Akumal art. Since we had our two kids with us, we enjoyed a more unstructured walk around the town, stopping for lunch and marquesitas.
Nature Tours
We took a 4-hour tour at Akumal Natura Rescue, and had a chance to see lots of wildlife, a cenote, and more. There are other tours in Akumal like the Akumal Monkey Sanctuary. Just outside of Akumal, there are plenty of additional tours, like Aktun Chen.
Visit a cenote
There are cenotes located right in Akumal, as well as nearby. You can take a taxi to a local cenote, or rent a car and explore a little further. There are quite a few to choose from! Some cenotes we have been to include:
There are several ruins that are not far from Akumal. Tulum is just over 30 miles away, and is a nice place to explore if you also want to check out Tulum.
Muyil is a little further, more like 45 minutes away. Further away, you’ll find larger ruins like Coba or Chichen-Itza.
Check Out Other Towns
There are some cities you can check out. Closest, you’ll find Puerto Aventuras (a small town), and Tulum, a busy and popular place. Further out, you can check out towns like Valladolid or Izamal (the “Yellow City”).
Busy blogger and mom of two girls! We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure!Feel free to contact me with questions: marysa@anationofmoms.com
This is fabulous. I’ve been to Cancun but never hear of Akumal, Mexico. I love the idea of swimming with turtles and this really looks like an amazing place. Great pictures, too!
It would be lovely to visit. I would love to go swim with the turtles. Thanks for the reef-safe sunscreen tip.
Blair Villanueva
February 10, 2023 at 6:31 am - Reply
This is a wonderful place, and I wonder if they do host turtle-release activities. A perfect place to relax and get to know the local community while helping to take care of the marine life.
Neely Moldovan
February 12, 2023 at 7:45 pm - Reply
The scenery is so gorgeous! I haven’t been to Mexico in years!
There is a Nor’Easter raging outside my door right now so reading through your description of Akumal put me in travel-dreaming mode. What a lovely place.
Mexico is a short flight from home, so I need to go more frequently. I have been to the Yucatan several times, but never here. It looks like a good alternative to Cancun and other touristy places
Wow, Mexico looks absolutely amazing! That picture you took while snorkeling is breathtaking, and it looks like you had so much fun on your trip with all those great activities. Thank you so much for sharing, it’s been a delight to see!”
Wow, what a comprehensive guide to Akumal, Mexico! From swimming with sea turtles to exploring local markets, there’s something for everyone. The beautiful photos really bring the experience to life.
What an incredible place to visit with the family..so much to see and do. The wild life in south America is beautiful. Never been but hopefully one day hope to visit when things are safer!
This definitely looks like my type of place to visit! We love warm beachy towns for vacation. And swimming with the turtles would be so fun.
This is fabulous. I’ve been to Cancun but never hear of Akumal, Mexico. I love the idea of swimming with turtles and this really looks like an amazing place. Great pictures, too!
Wow, so many things to try and explore. Akumal has to offer! These are found unmissable activities.
Wow! What a really wonderful and amazing place to visit! It would be a really great experience to be there!
How beautiful! I would love to visit Akumal some day and see the turtles. It must have been an awesome experience!
It would be lovely to visit. I would love to go swim with the turtles. Thanks for the reef-safe sunscreen tip.
This is a wonderful place, and I wonder if they do host turtle-release activities. A perfect place to relax and get to know the local community while helping to take care of the marine life.
The scenery is so gorgeous! I haven’t been to Mexico in years!
This is interesting, it looks so cool and the art on the wall is awesome. This place is lovely and have good view,
I haven’t been to Mexico in so many years. Your photos are amazing and really make me want to go back soon!
This place sounds like so much fun! I’d enjoy swimming with the sea turtles the most! Thanks so much for sharing!
Nnniiicceeee….I would love to go see some turtles and animals of the deep waters. Those are a very rare sight!
There is a Nor’Easter raging outside my door right now so reading through your description of Akumal put me in travel-dreaming mode. What a lovely place.
I have never been to that place, but I can say that it is so beautiful.
I would love to enjoy the beach once I visit there.
Mexico is a short flight from home, so I need to go more frequently. I have been to the Yucatan several times, but never here. It looks like a good alternative to Cancun and other touristy places
This looks like an amazing trip! I’ve never been to Mexico but I love seeing all of the places you visit on your trips.
The picture you took snorkeling is absolutely amazing! What a fun trip with such great activities. Thanks so much for sharing!
It sounds like there is plenty to do there. I think I would enjoy feeding the turtles the most, I really love animals!!
Mexico is beautiful. It has a vibe. Those turtles are huge though. I cant wait to visit.
I wonder what it feels like to swim with wild turtles. I bet the adrenaline rush is also high! Would love it!
Mexico is just a great place and there are a lot of things to do here.
Wow, Mexico looks absolutely amazing! That picture you took while snorkeling is breathtaking, and it looks like you had so much fun on your trip with all those great activities. Thank you so much for sharing, it’s been a delight to see!”
Wow, what a comprehensive guide to Akumal, Mexico! From swimming with sea turtles to exploring local markets, there’s something for everyone. The beautiful photos really bring the experience to life.
I’ve never been to Mexico but I hear it is gorgeous! I would love to explore Akumal, it is so beautiful.
I’ve never seen a place like this before! I appreciate you sharing your photos with us. It feels like I am there too.
What an incredible place to visit with the family..so much to see and do. The wild life in south America is beautiful. Never been but hopefully one day hope to visit when things are safer!
Gorgeous snorkeling photos! Thanks for sharing. Pinned this to my wishlist!