Akumal means “place of the turtles” in Mayan, and the name tells you exactly why people come here. This small bay about 35 kilometres south of Playa del Carmen is one of the few places in the world where you can reliably snorkel with wild green sea turtles in their natural feeding grounds. The turtles graze on seagrass in the shallow, calm waters of Akumal Bay, and swimming alongside them is an experience that stays with visitors for life.

The bay itself is beautiful — a gentle crescent of white sand sheltered by the reef, with water calm enough for children and non-swimmers. A small collection of hotels, dive shops, and restaurants line the beach and the road behind it. The atmosphere is quiet and residential compared to the busier towns up and down the coast.

Half Moon Bay, a short walk north of the main bay, is a stunning secondary beach with excellent snorkelling along the reef edge. It is generally quieter than Akumal Bay and offers some of the best coral viewing on this stretch of coast. Yal-Ku Lagoon, at the northern tip, is a natural inlet where freshwater from underground rivers mixes with the sea, creating an extraordinary snorkelling environment with tropical fish in crystal-clear water.

Akumal has a strong conservation ethic. Turtle encounters are now regulated to protect the animals — guides are required, group sizes are limited, and touching the turtles is strictly prohibited. The Centro Ecologico Akumal runs conservation programmes and monitors the local reef and turtle populations.

From Playa del Carmen, Akumal is about 25 minutes south by car or colectivo. It works perfectly as a half-day or full-day trip, and the combination of turtle snorkelling, Half Moon Bay, and Yal-Ku Lagoon can fill an entire day without rushing.