Tips for Swimming with Sea Turtles in Akumal, Mexico
We have been to Mexico several times, and after our first visit, we knew we wanted to swim with sea turtles. We have traveled throughout the Mayan Riviera and the Yucatan area, and Akumal is a great place to check out when you want to swim with the turtles.
However, getting to the beach in Akumal to swim with the sea turtles can be a little bit confusing. Here are some tips.
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Don’t Get Scammed
When you get to Akumal, you may encounter people saying you have to pay to enter the town or that you have to pay to take a tour. You do not have to to do either of those things. You may have to pay to access the beach instead.
You can park in Akumal (and will likely have to pay to park), and walk to the beach via the Akumal Dive Shop turnstiles. We stayed at Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness Resort, and if anyone asked, we just explained we were walking to our resort.
According to a post at Travel Addicts, visitors going through the turnstiles are charged $6 to access the beach, or you can rent snorkel gear to access the beach for free.
You can visit the Akumal Dive Shop at https://akumaldiveshop.com/
I recommend walking down the beach past the boats, although there were tours between the boats and the reef. I think the best place is where there is some sea grass, where the turtles graze. The sea grass area is not particularly large, so even though you can walk down the beach a distance, it will get rockier and is too far from the sea grass.
Consider Staying in Akumal
One of the reasons we wanted to stay on Akumal Bay is because the sea life there is great. You can swim right out and see a variety of different marine life, in addition to the sea turtles.
We stayed at Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness Resort two years in a row, and you can swim right off the beach. We really enjoyed our stay there, and it is a great way to see coral, lots of fish, sea turtles, and more.
Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen
We always choose reef-safe sunscreen that is safer for marine life. Many resorts and other places in Mexico will check your sunscreen and make sure that it is marked safe for reefs. These sunscreens have less chemicals in them and are also better for you and your family. You can also reduce your need for sunscreen by using a long-sleeve rash guard while you swim.
Consider Bringing Your Own Snorkel
You really only need a snorkel mask, and not fins, which is easy enough to bring. If you are in Mexico, it makes sense to have your own snorkel, versus renting a used one. This way, you can know that it has a good fit on your face and that it is clean. You want to make the most of your swim with the turtles!
Be Ready to Take Pictures
Be prepared with an underwater camera, or underwater housing for a camera or phone. You will want to capture these special memories!
Be Respectful & Follow the Rules
Regardless of locals trying to sell tours, be respectful of the beaches and marine life.
Don’t touch the turtles, and give them space.
Also be aware of the reef and other marine life, and try not to make any contact with the reef or sea grass with your feet or anything else.
I have heard that mixed things about snorkeling with fins. Some say it is prohibited, which is fine (they can be bulky in the water, hit the reefs/grass, or stir up sediment, making the water cloudy). If you are able to wear fins, be careful about moving around so that you do not disturb any marine life.
We have heard mixed things about where and how far you can snorkel out. Life jackets may be required in some places, but that is another rule that is tough to pin down.
There are lots of turtle nests on the beach, at least when we went in July. I recommend bringing a red light flashlight or head lamp if you plan on walking on the beach in the evening.
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 would be so much fun to do!! We have turtles here in Florida, but I don’t think we are allowed to swim with them. You can see their nesting areas.
WOW sounds like this was an amazing trip. My kids are headed to Mexico the 21 of August, I’m going to share this with them. Loving the images so cool!!
What an incredible guide for swimming with sea turtles in Akumal, Mexico! Your tips on respecting these majestic creatures and their habitat while enjoying this unique experience are invaluable.
Okay, first, beautiful pics. Congrats on such a beautiful trip! Second, thanks for the heads up about people saying that you have to pay to enter the town. SCAMMERS! I am sure the legit vendors do NOT appreciate. Finally, who knew there was reef-safe sunscreen? Important tip.
Turtles are beautiful! I love watching them babies hatch and find their way to the see, Akumal looks stunning based on your photos, thanks for the tips!
I went to Mexico while on a cruise and it was an amazing experience. I want to go back and explore more places. Swimming with the sea turtles sounds like fun too.
I love that you keep the turtles’ well-being in mind. Many tourists behave as if the whole (underwater) world is a fun theme park and not precious nature. I enjoyed the sight of turtles – and they are mesmerizing creatures – in Curacao recently. There was a fisherman feeding them fish so they swam around him in groups – and I happily snapped a million pictures 🙂
I think it would be awesome to see sea turtles in the sea. I’ve seen the barriers to protect their eggs on the beach, but I’ve never seen one in person.
Your post about encountering sea turtles in Akumal, Mexico, was truly captivating! I appreciate the vivid descriptions and how you shared your experiences with these magnificent creatures.
What an amazing experience, I have not been to Mexico but this is something I would love to do if we got the opportunity seeing them in their natural environment
That is so amazing! I’ve always been fascinated by sea turtles. A few years ago, we went down to the Gulf, and there was a turtle nest roped off. We happened to be there when they hatched!
Swimming with sea turtles in Mexico sounds like an incredible adventure! 🌊🐢 Your tips for navigating Akumal beach will undoubtedly help fellow travelers fulfill their turtle dreams smoothly. Thanks for sharing your experiences and making this once-in-a-lifetime experience more accessible. Happy travels! 🌴✨
Great tips! What a fun and memorable experience to be able to swim alongside the turtles. I would LOVE to go snorkeling one day..it has always looked like so much fun to me!
Thanks for the fantastic tips on swimming with sea turtles in Akumal, Mexico! Your advice on avoiding scams, staying in Akumal, using reef-safe sunscreen, and respecting marine life is invaluable. It’s evident you’ve had a great experience and want others to enjoy it responsibly.
We love to snorkel when we head south. We always carry our own snorkel gear. And it is always a treat when we find sea turtles in the water. Good to now that we will have to be properly prepared if we want to see them in Akumal.
Akumal seems to be a great place to snorkel with sea turtles. I recently saw one in Okinawa in Southern Japan. This area was not well known for sea turtles, so it got me by surprise. And of course I had my camera not ready. I will take a note that you do not have to take a tour to see the sea turtles.
This sounds like a dream trip! It’s a shame about the scam that’s happening as many people will fall for it I’m sure and pay up. The reef-safe sunscreen sounds great, I never heard of it before.
Oh my gosh, this would be amazing to do. I am keeping this in mind for sure. I love turtles!
What an incredible experience. This is something that I need to do for a trip.
This is a dream of mine. My family and I want to take a Mexico vacation and I hope we get to do this. Thank you for all your helpful tips!
Great tips to consider when in Mexico and out to see the sea turtles!
This would be so much fun to do!! We have turtles here in Florida, but I don’t think we are allowed to swim with them. You can see their nesting areas.
That sounds like a really great and wonderful experience! Thanks for the tips!
WOW sounds like this was an amazing trip. My kids are headed to Mexico the 21 of August, I’m going to share this with them. Loving the images so cool!!
What an incredible guide for swimming with sea turtles in Akumal, Mexico! Your tips on respecting these majestic creatures and their habitat while enjoying this unique experience are invaluable.
wow! This is such an unique experience to make with the whole family!
oh wow, this is amazing. We would love to encounter these graceful creatures in the sea too.
Okay, first, beautiful pics. Congrats on such a beautiful trip! Second, thanks for the heads up about people saying that you have to pay to enter the town. SCAMMERS! I am sure the legit vendors do NOT appreciate. Finally, who knew there was reef-safe sunscreen? Important tip.
Turtles are beautiful! I love watching them babies hatch and find their way to the see, Akumal looks stunning based on your photos, thanks for the tips!
I went to Mexico while on a cruise and it was an amazing experience. I want to go back and explore more places. Swimming with the sea turtles sounds like fun too.
These sea turtles are so cute and these are great tips! I didn’t get to visit this part of Mexico when I was there but I would go back to see them!
I love that you keep the turtles’ well-being in mind. Many tourists behave as if the whole (underwater) world is a fun theme park and not precious nature. I enjoyed the sight of turtles – and they are mesmerizing creatures – in Curacao recently. There was a fisherman feeding them fish so they swam around him in groups – and I happily snapped a million pictures 🙂
I think it would be awesome to see sea turtles in the sea. I’ve seen the barriers to protect their eggs on the beach, but I’ve never seen one in person.
Your post about encountering sea turtles in Akumal, Mexico, was truly captivating! I appreciate the vivid descriptions and how you shared your experiences with these magnificent creatures.
What an amazing experience, I have not been to Mexico but this is something I would love to do if we got the opportunity seeing them in their natural environment
Thank you for all of your tips. We have never done anything like this before, it would be such an amazing experience!
omg these sea turtles are gorgeous…I would love to swim with them, that would be an amazing experience.
That is so amazing! I’ve always been fascinated by sea turtles. A few years ago, we went down to the Gulf, and there was a turtle nest roped off. We happened to be there when they hatched!
Swimming with sea turtles sounds like the coolest thing in the history of cool. They’re such amazing creatures.
You have a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing some tips with us! I will note all of this!
What an amazing experience! Sea turtles are such beautiful creatures, it is such a shame the new hatchlings have to deal with so much after hatching.
Swimming with sea turtles in Mexico sounds like an incredible adventure! 🌊🐢 Your tips for navigating Akumal beach will undoubtedly help fellow travelers fulfill their turtle dreams smoothly. Thanks for sharing your experiences and making this once-in-a-lifetime experience more accessible. Happy travels! 🌴✨
Great tips! What a fun and memorable experience to be able to swim alongside the turtles. I would LOVE to go snorkeling one day..it has always looked like so much fun to me!
Thanks for the fantastic tips on swimming with sea turtles in Akumal, Mexico! Your advice on avoiding scams, staying in Akumal, using reef-safe sunscreen, and respecting marine life is invaluable. It’s evident you’ve had a great experience and want others to enjoy it responsibly.
What an absolutely magical experience this must be! I would love to swim with turtles and need to put it on my bucket list – thank you for these tips.
Wow swimming with turtles it must be an amazing experience. Thanks for these helpful tips you shared.
We love to snorkel when we head south. We always carry our own snorkel gear. And it is always a treat when we find sea turtles in the water. Good to now that we will have to be properly prepared if we want to see them in Akumal.
Akumal seems to be a great place to snorkel with sea turtles. I recently saw one in Okinawa in Southern Japan. This area was not well known for sea turtles, so it got me by surprise. And of course I had my camera not ready. I will take a note that you do not have to take a tour to see the sea turtles.
This sounds like a dream trip! It’s a shame about the scam that’s happening as many people will fall for it I’m sure and pay up. The reef-safe sunscreen sounds great, I never heard of it before.