Snorkel with Turtles in Akumal Bay and in the Enigmatic Cenotes

Snorkeling with turtles is a magical experience. It is nearly guaranteed to see turtles in Akumal bay, especially with a guide. They feed on the turtle grass that grows on the bottom of the bay. Akumal Bay is known for its assorted species of sea turtles which use the beaches for breeding, feeding and rearing their young.  Akumal is the home of Centro Ecológico de Akumal CEA, a non-profit group dedicated to environmental~marine research, education and sea turtle protection. This protected environment provides an optimal opportunity to see the animals in their natural habitat, including the many different species of fish and plant life. 

Akumal is a small community with sandy white beaches, swaying palms, sun, surf, and a feeling of paradise.  Buffet lunch at a beachfront restaurant, chairs, drinks and more are included in both the half and full day tours. 

The full day tour also includes snorkeling in the Cenotes (pronounced “say-no-tays”) which are surface connections to a complex system of underground rivers and caves formed over 6,500 years ago. Being porous, caverns and caves formed where the fresh water collected in the underground river system – cenotes are areas where sections of cave roof have collapsed allowing us to access the underlying river and cave system.

The water that gathers in these subterranean cenotes is crystal clear with a slight turquoise color with a very pleasant temperature of about 77-78° F (25-26º C). Cenotes are beautiful, enigmatic and unique in the world, the stalactites and stalagmites that form inside the cenotes are true natural works of art. In many, holes in the ceiling allow the sunlight to filter into the cenotes, giving the scene a magical feeling unlike anything you have ever experienced before.