Riviera Maya · AKUMAL SEA TURTLE SNORKELING TOURS

Akumal Turtle Snorkeling: The 15 Best Tours

36 tours  ·  from $37

Green turtles feed on the seagrass in Akumal bay in water shallow enough to stand in, and access is regulated with guides and life jackets. These 15 compare price, group size, gear and which ones add a cenote afterwards.

Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya - Akumal Beach and the Sea Turtle Search
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Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya

1.Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,039 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $99Our pick

Start early for guided snorkeling at Akumal Beach, where you may see sea turtles, rays, squid, and tropical fish. Then walk through Parque de Cenotes Yax-Muul and swim in a clear cave cenote. Guides such as Max, Marina, and Daniel are praised for patience, humor, and safety.

“Our tour guide, Daniel San Francisco, and photographer Maxi, were amazing. Daniel was extremely knowledgeable about the areas we visited, was very friendly, funny, and easy to get along with. Maxi was very nice, though quiet, but his photography spoke volumes. The photos he showed the group at the end were amazing. They were a great pair, and took good care of the group. It was a little bit of a colder day (by Mexico standards), so the cenote and snorkeling with turtles were not busy at all. We saw multiple turtles, sting rays, and beautiful coral formations.”

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Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote tour - Tulum: beautiful ruins above the Caribbean
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Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote tour

2.Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,706 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $129

Visit the coastal ruins of Tulum, take a short boat ride to snorkel with turtles and rays in Akumal, then swim through the cave-like Yax-Muul cenote. Guides such as Alejandro, Yul, Mimi, and Suly are praised for friendly, attentive service. Expect an active, long day with lunch after the water activities.

“Mimi was wonderful. The tour of Tulum was very educational. We saw sea turtles while snorkeling, and some amazing fish. The cenote was completely amazing. Swimming/snorkeling through the cave system was other-worldly. Highly recommend!”

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Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch - Snorkeling with turtles at Akumal Beach
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Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch

3.Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,222 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $169

You’ll swim through a cool, cave-like cenote with a guide such as Omar, Iker, or Paulina, then boat out near Akumal Beach to snorkel back toward shore among sea turtles and tropical fish. Lunch at Punta Venado Beach Club follows. Expect mandatory life jackets, no cameras in the cenote, and possible long transfers.

“Was a great experience Jesus showed us around like a friend. Was very kind and informative. The turtles and cenote were fantastic.”

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Full Day Tulum Ruins Tour Cenote and Swimming with Sea Turtles - A cool freshwater break at Cenote Nohoch
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Full Day Tulum Ruins Tour Cenote and Swimming with Sea Turtles

4.Full Day Tulum Ruins Tour Cenote and Swimming with Sea Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,171 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $131

Spend about nine hours visiting Tulum, swimming through Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich, and snorkeling with turtles at Akumal. Guides such as Nancy, Yaris, Oto, and Pablo have earned praise for keeping groups safe and informed. Lunch, gear, water, and transport are included.

“The cenote was the highlight of the trip! The turtles was a bit disappointing with sooo many people and murky water where everyone was trying to see the turtles. People in our group saw a few but I just saw the head of one peaking up. It was pretty cool anyway. Lunch at the Cenote was surprisingly good. The ruins were packed but our archaeological guide was knowledgeable.”

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Private Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote Adventure - Akumal Beach and the search for sea turtles
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Private Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote Adventure

5.Private Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 581 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $375

Start with Tulum’s coastal Maya ruins and a private bilingual guide, then snorkel with turtles and rays at Akumal Beach before swimming through a freshwater cenote. Your private group gets hotel pickup, equipment, tacos, bottled water, and a driver. Guides such as Claudia, Carlos, and JP are available by assignment.

“Claudia at Ocean tours was amazing. She was an amazing guide and thought of all the details. Would highly recommend her for this tour!”

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Tulum, Snorkeling with Sea Turtles, Cenote and Beachside Lunch - Cenote El Sueño and its cave formations
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Tulum, Snorkeling with Sea Turtles, Cenote and Beachside Lunch

6.Tulum, Snorkeling with Sea Turtles, Cenote and Beachside Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 446 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $189

Spend about 6.5 hours visiting Tulum, swimming at Cenote El Sueño, snorkeling near Akumal’s sea turtles, and eating at Punta Venado Beach Club. Round-trip transport, a bilingual guide, gear, snacks, and lunch are included. Expect an active day, bumpy roads, and a late lunch.

“The day of the experience, after we were on the bus, we were told that we could not do snorkeling with turtles. And that was the reason I booked the experience! It was marketed as a 5 hour tour, but we were gone 7:35 until 4.30. We ate lunch at 3:30… my kids were starving. The cenote was amazing. But the snorkeling we did in lieu of the turtles was too crowded. The beach club we ate at had good food, but you couldn’t go in the water due to sea urchins. So what was the point. Our guides were very nice and very good, but overall it was too…”

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Swim with sea turtles - The turtles and other wildlife you may see
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Swim with sea turtles

7.Swim with sea turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 445 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $45Best value

Meet at Akumal Beach for a private snorkeling trip in water about 2 meters deep. Guides such as Angel, Santiago, Francisco, and Orlando help you spot turtles, rays, fish, squid, and reef life while respecting the animals. Equipment, entrance fees, showers, bathrooms, lockers, and insurance are included.

“It was fun experience… make sure not to wear sunscreen. Bring your own towel and make sure you bring cash/pesos”

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Private Turtles & Cenotes Adventure - Starting early from Playa del Carmen
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Private Turtles & Cenotes Adventure

8.Private Turtles & Cenotes Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 424 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $310

Leave your hotel or condo with a private bilingual guide such as Alejandra or Juan Pablo, snorkel with sea turtles near Puerto Aventuras, then swim in a freshwater cenote surrounded by stalactites. Gear, snacks, transport, and flexible pacing are included.

“Our entire team was great, Juan Paplo was our guide. Explained everything well and it wasn’t rushed. Highly recommended.”

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Private Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal Beach - The one-kilometer swim through the protected circuit
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Private Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal Beach

9.Private Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 364 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $65

Meet Darwin and Marlene at Akumal Beach for a private, one-hour swim through the official CONANP circuit. You’ll wear provided gear and a required life jacket, then look for guaranteed green turtles, rays, tropical fish, and reef life. Bring swimming skills, water, and patience for changing sea conditions.

“Guide was great ! We saw turtles and amazing fish. Highly recommend! Guide was very knowledgeable. He was very informative.”

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Full Day Tour to Tulum Cenote and Swim with Turtles in Akumal - Tulum: Maya ruins with a Caribbean backdrop
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Full Day Tour to Tulum Cenote and Swim with Turtles in Akumal

10.Full Day Tour to Tulum Cenote and Swim with Turtles in Akumal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 277 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $89

Start with Tulum’s Maya ruins and Caribbean views, then swim in the semi-open Mariposa Cenote at Canamayte Ecopark before snorkeling with turtles in Akumal. Guides such as Mildred, Jorge, and Ricky add cultural context. Pickup, lunch, lockers, vests, and transport are included, but the stated admission fee and lunch drinks cost extra.

“This tour was amazing. Only 4 of us so it felt like a private tour. Mildred and Ricky were great guides. I loved the opportunity to see the cenotes off the beaten path, and the food there was amazing. The sea turtle location was incredibly crowded with other tours and we couldn’t even rent a locker. Mildred had to hunt down a life vest for 2 of us and there was a lot of just wait time. But it was worth it to see and swim with turtles in the wild.”

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Bestseller! Tulum Private Tour with Turtles and Cenote Snorkeling - Choosing the right cenote at Parque Dos Ojos
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Bestseller! Tulum Private Tour with Turtles and Cenote Snorkeling

11.Bestseller! Tulum Private Tour with Turtles and Cenote Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $279

Start early with a private guide and air-conditioned van, then visit Tulum, choose an open-air or cave cenote, eat a local Mexican lunch, and snorkel from shore with turtles at Akumal. Guides such as Alex, Arturo, Joshua, and Manuel are known for clear history talks and easygoing service.

“Alex and Rodrigo were amazing. Alex was super informative and friendly, exactly what you wanted on a private tour. ZERO AWKWARDNESS!! Rodrigo was on point with the car, super clean, even the windows were perfect in the van to see while you went around. Our choice of cenotes and then a great turtle experience. We have done tours before in other countries, this was the best we have had.”

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Cenote Cavern Tour and Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal - Casa Tortuga and the cool cave water
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Cenote Cavern Tour and Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal

12.Cenote Cavern Tour and Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 256 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.)

Spend a half-day at Akumal Beach and Casa Tortuga, snorkeling with sea turtles before swimming through a cave cenote. Guides such as Nancy, Cristobal, Mario, and Genaro have led departures. Expect cold water, a possible large-group handoff, and an extra MX$500 turtle-care fee.

“The cenotes were filthy. We had our snorkeling mask and could see band-aids and trash on the bottoms. The water was sedentary, not flowing. I have been sick for two days. I have scuba in many other cenotes and the waters were clear high visibility and flowing. These cenotes are very unsanitary.”

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Swim with Turtles in Akumal + GoPro Photo Session - The turtles of Akumal Bay
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Swim with Turtles in Akumal + GoPro Photo Session

13.Swim with Turtles in Akumal + GoPro Photo Session

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 253 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $53

Meet at Akumal Mayan VIP Tours for a private snorkel in protected Akumal Bay. Guides such as Fernando, Alejandro, Rodrigo, and Ulises help beginners, point out turtles, rays, fish, and reef life, then send you GoPro photos and videos after the swim.

“This was one of the most beautiful snorkeling experiences! We would recommend everyone to book this private tour, which is a lot more relaxed and you also get a lot of Gopro pictures (included in the price). The team around our guide Alejandro and Fernando was great! If you are thinking of seeing the turtles in Akumal, book this tour! We saw about 10 turtles 🐢Auto-translated”

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Tour to Tulum and cenote with swimming with turtles from Riviera Maya - Starting in Playa del Carmen and along Highway 307
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Tour to Tulum and cenote with swimming with turtles from Riviera Maya

14.Tour to Tulum and cenote with swimming with turtles from Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 208 reviews · 11 hours 50 minutes (approx.) · from $89

Start in Playa del Carmen at 7:00 am for a bilingual guided day at Tulum, Canamayte’s Mariposa cenote, and Akumal’s turtle cove. You get an air-conditioned vehicle, lunch, life vests, and lockers. Plan for nearly 12 hours, walking, water time, and an extra entrance fee.

“Great trip with the family to see a bit of everything. Nice lunch and location to have food in the forest.”

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Private Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Swimming with Turtles - Tulum before the crowds at 9 am
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Private Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Swimming with Turtles

15.Private Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Swimming with Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 195 reviews · 5 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $410

Leave Playa del Carmen at 7 am for a private, guided day at Tulum, Taak Bi Ha cenote, and Akumal Bay. Expect air-conditioned transport, bottled water, snorkeling gear, site fees, and a licensed guide. The schedule can include a local taco lunch for an added cost.

“The day is yours to spend time as you wish. Our tour operator Ivan was amazing. He kept our family laughing. We enjoyed his professionalism, kindness, patience (to one in our group that needed assistance) and his all around friendliness. He made our day fabulous!”

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