Akumal is a small town between [wiki=80641aeee9616559ce67bb5d4837755b]Playa del Carmen[/wiki] and [wiki=f68e43cd78d566c2092c0d3595a7ee52]Tulum[/wiki] on the [wiki=5ade1fa41cf41823fa05a8343dbd3195]Yucatan Peninsula[/wiki] of [wiki=8dbb07a18d46f63d8b3c8994d5ccc351]Mexico[/wiki].
In the heart of the Riviera Maya just 37 km from Playa del Carmen and just one hour south of Cancun, Akumal is one of the best places to visit in the Mexican Caribbean for its great variety of beautiful beaches and tourist services.
Akumal in the Mayan language means "Land of turtles" and it is still one of the favorite places for these marine animals to spawn. However, what makes Akumal charming and fascinating for tourists from around the world, is its spectacular bay with clear waters and underground rivers. Akumal is one of the most peaceful places in the Riviera Maya: one protected shallow bay with a secluded beach and a nearby reef.
With the destruction of hurricane Wilma, the reefs near Akumal were damaged. However, a snorkeling trip is still very worth the time and expense.
There are three options for snorkeling:
#Go on a tour provided by one of the two dive shops in town. It is $40 USD per person.
#Go on an "unofficial" tour. If you stand on the beach with a clueless look on your face, a local may approach you and offer to take you snorkeling on his glass-bottomed boat. It is usually $20 USD per person and includes snorkeling equipment. The guide will attempt to find the famous sea turtles for you and show you different corals and fish. Make sure you are comfortable swimming with flippers as the guide may swim quickly from site to site.
#Rent or buy your own equipment and swim out alone. The coral reefs are not too far from the shore and can be easily accessed by swimming, especially with the help of a life preserver. Much of the bay is not more than five feet deep. Be very careful to stay away from the "fire reef" marked with buoys and a distinctive red colored coral. It stings and excessive contact can be fatal.
Since coral dies on human contact, you should avoid touching coral at all costs. It is also illegal to touch the wildlife, such as the sea turtles, so please do not try to ride them or bother them in any way.
As of January 2006, there were five juvenile green sea turtles living in the bay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj_OzcWUbGY&list=TLAAc7ve0djRrOXprVOco1aMH8Oyrd_NXz&t=20s
Scuba diving. There are three dive shops in town.
* Cenote/cave diving.
* Sunbathing. Enjoy the sunny beaches.
* Ecological Center. Visit the Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA) at the end of Akumal bay to learn more about the area's ecosystems, species and local environmental events.
* Scuba Diving, [url=http://www.alwaysdiving.com]Always Diving[/url]. Diving lessons and professional diving guide in the best dive spots in Cancun Quintana Roo.