Location: Akumal
Top Things to do in Akumal
The 10 Best Things to do in Akumal, Quintana Roo
Akumal means "Place of the Turtle" in the Mayan language, and if you snorkel here, you just might see one swimming alongside you. (Don’t touch it, though. That’s prohibited by law.) You’ll definitely see coral and beautiful fish in the clear, sparkling waters. This tourist-friendly little town is about an hour south of Cancun—but it seems light-years away.
Restaurants in Akumal
1. Cenote Santa Cruz
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 693 reviews
Friends, if you are calling us and we don't answer your calls it is because we don't have good reception. We work only with previous reservations that can be made on our website or direct to our E-mail. We will answer you as soon as possible, we apologize for the inconvenience. Eco-friendly tours. Our excursions are groupal, private and personalized. “We invite you to live an awesome and fun adventure, enjoying the wonders that the Yucatan Peninsula has to offer, its heavenly beaches, Cenotes, Natural Reserves and archaeological sites. We are focused on sustainable, educational and recreational tourism in order to get the maximum and closest experience with the local communities, getting to know the flora, fauna and regional culture.”
Reviewed By jlwilm - Madison, United States
We were told that the Cenote Santa Cruz is a “must see” and we were not disappointed. We were 4 people picked up at our condo by Juan Pablo (JP) and it was immediately obvious that he has a passion for Mexico and the natural beauty. He made us very comfortable and alleviated any apprehensions. He explained everything and told us so much history of the surrounding area. JP kept insisting that this was “our” tour and we could take as much or as little of his time as we needed. The Cenote is breathtakingly beautiful with cool, clear water and we felt like we were in another world. This was not my first visit to a Cenote in Mexico but this was by far, the best, most informative and most beautiful one. I highly recommend Cenote Santa Cruz.
2. EcoRanchoMayamar
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 171 reviews
Reviewed By olympiaruiz - Mexico, null
My favorite part of the experience was the amazing and truly awesome caves with cenotes inside of them, they were unique and special because are 100% natural, and located in middle of the jungle. The tour consist in 4 caves, each one has something different, and Roberto in every moment takes care of you. Also, if you want he gives you time alone inside of the place. Since de first moment you arrived Roberto gives you an exclusive treatment, he will receive you with some lunch at the house, and then he personally gives you the tour. The place it’s pet friendly, and exclusive. It’s an experience you can’t miss if you are around Playa Del Carmen or Tulum, you won’t regret it. It’s perfect to have an adventure, because you explore and swim at the same time. CAN’T WAIT TO GET BACK! PD: each tour is exclusive because you reserve and you will not find more people.
3. Akumal Natura Rescue
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 108 reviews
Wild animals and cenotes environmentalist tour. A guided tour of four hours in which you will meet more than 80 animals of 23 different species plant a tree, know the flora with its medicinal plants of the jungle and at the end you can swim in a magnificent illuminated underground cenote. To get there you have to go first to the meeting point at Akumal Natura Glamping (googleMaps). From there we will take our vehicle to the ranch with the animals, plants and cenotes. All togheter 4 hours experience.
4. Akumal Beach
5. Yal-ku Lagoon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,044 reviews
Reviewed By MinnesotanTraveler
Yal-ku lagoon is an estuary where fresh and salt water meet, so the biodiversity in the lagoon is incredible. The water is teeming with fish. You can rent a snorkel or bring your own. The park around the lagoon features interesting art statues. There is a small snack bar, clean restrooms, and lockers.
6. Half Moon Bay
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 516 reviews
Reviewed By DocRon48 - Dripping Springs, United States
Stay in this area when you go to akumal. Do not rent a car. Get a golf cart. I recommend La Joya for a great condo and awesome location.
7. Aktun Chen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,063 reviews
An underground cave with spectacular rock formations.
Reviewed By jordyguth - Logan, United States
We thoroughly enjoyed our day at this unique and authentic site. It was fun to be off the beaten path in a relaxed setting that hasn't been overrun by tourists. It is a very well run establishment, and the entire staff was friendly and accommodating. The guides were upbeat and patient with us, as well as being very knowledgeable about the caves and the ecology. The prices were very reasonable, and we got a package deal when we went to the Tulum ruins that included a guided tour of the Tulum ruins plus the Aktun Chen cave tour and cenote swim for around $54/each (3 adults, two teens, and two 12 year olds). We tacked on the zipline for a discounted price. We spent all day and enjoyed every aspect of the experience, including the restaurant (reasonable prices and good local fare) and the animals (mostly animal rescues in a semi natural enclosures). We also saw several native butterflies (blue morphos and black/orange longwings) in their natural jungle setting. The absolute highlight was swimming in the underground cenote among the cave formations, fish, and the clearest water I have ever seen. It is incredibly dramatic with the natural light from above through holes in the limestone ceiling. All of the guides we had were wonderful and seemed to love their "office" setting. I would definitely rank our day at Aktun Chen as one of the main highlights of our trip! Thank you for a wonderful experience.
8. Centro Ecologico Akumal
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 503 reviews
9. Dolphin Discovery Tulum - Akumal
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,171 reviews
About 20 miles north from Tulum Mayan ruins and about 20 miles south from downtown Playa del Carmen lies Dolphin Discovery Tulum Akumal. It is located near Bahia Akumal, which is considered one of the most beautiful places in the world because of its biodiversity conservation, pristine waters, and warm tropical breezes, promising a perfect paradise. Come to swim with Dolphins at Dolphin Discovery Tulum Akumal and live the experience of a lifetime!
10. Akumal Monkey Sanctuary & Rescued Animals
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 986 reviews
Our Sanctuary is a place where you can find a great variety of primates and other rescued animals. From the majestic and emblematic spider monkey to beautiful rescued capuchin monkeys and ring-tailed lemurs from the faraway lands of Madagascar. Our biggest success is becoming a home for rescued and donated animals of many other species such as goats, deer, and macaws. Come and have fun interacting with a many of them!
Reviewed By NateF98 - Innisfail, Canada
This was a fantastic experience for my family and I. A guided educational tour with some mixed in Mexican humour. Myself, my wife and two young boys (3.5 yrs and 10 months), did this approx 2 hour tour of all of their rescued anaimals. They do a great job of showing why it’s important to not support some excursions and sidewalk sideshows that you encounter all over the world. My 3 year old boy had a blast, getting a chance to feed goats, deer hold parrots and snakes(with me of course), and then the grand finale of the Brown Faced Capuchins who sit on your head and eat sunflower seeds. My only advise would be to bring a camera, bug spray (it’s in the jungle and fully outdoors) and plenty of water. They take pictures along the tour, but don’t charge as bad as some other excursions for the pictures they take for you. I can’t quite remember the pricing, but it was somewhere between 35-50usd which included everyone in my family, not just per individual. Go support them. They do great things there and was well worth it.
