Akumal with Kids — Which Tour for Which Age

Akumal means "place of the turtles", and the bay is a calm, shallow place to enter the sea on foot from the beach. There is no boat ride: you walk in with a life jacket and a guide, and kids can float and look down at their own pace.

On our group tours there are at most 6 people per guide, so the guide has time for the kids. If you prefer, the private option is only your family. Everything is booked and paid online, and you get free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Turtles live free in the bay, so nobody can promise a sighting. What we do promise: if you have not seen turtles when the hour ends, the guide keeps looking for up to 20 more minutes.

These are the real age rules on our tour pages. In every tour, all minors go with an adult aged 18 or older.

• Babies 0–2 years: free on the turtle snorkel, the Yal-Kú Lagoon and the turtles + Yal-Kú combo, always with an adult. Tell us when you book.
• Kids 3–5 years: kids' rate on the turtle snorkel and the combo. On the Yal-Kú Lagoon, the kids' rate covers ages 3 to 11.
• Ages 6 and up: general rate on the turtle snorkel and the combo. The turtles + Cenote Dos Ojos + Bat Cave tour starts at age 6, with the same price as adults. It is not for people with claustrophobia, and you need your own car or private transport.
• ATV adventure: the turtles + ATV + Cenote Alux + zipline day accepts kids from age 5 as passengers on a double ATV, behind an adult. To drive you must be 16 or older with a valid licence (at 16 or 17, a parent or guardian signs).
• First time in the sea with kids? Start with the turtle snorkel: 1 hour in the water, 1.5 hours in total. Want a second stop? The combo adds Yal-Kú Lagoon, for 3.5 hours in total.

Per person, group option. Prices shown in USD; the booking form shows the exact total for your group.

• Turtle snorkel: ages 6+ $48 · ages 3–5 $39 · babies 0–2 free.
• Yal-Kú Lagoon: ages 12+ $67 · ages 3–11 $50 · babies 0–2 free (group needs at least 2 people).
• Turtles + Yal-Kú combo: ages 6+ $104 · ages 3–5 $79 · babies 0–2 free.
• Turtles + Dos Ojos + Bat Cave: $112 per person from age 6.
• Turtles + ATV + Cenote Alux + zipline: from $151 per person on a single ATV; $182 for a double ATV (2 people per ATV).

The life jacket is mandatory for everyone, and it is included together with a sanitised mask and a new snorkel that you keep as a gift. Your guide stays with the group the whole time.

• An adult aged 18+ with every minor. This applies to all tours.
• Swimming level: basic swimming skills, or feeling comfortable floating with a life jacket where you cannot touch the bottom.
• Fins are not allowed in the bay, to protect the seagrass the turtles eat. Do not touch, chase or feed the turtles; always follow the guide.
• Health: the tours are not suitable for recent surgery, heart conditions, serious breathing problems or serious spine injuries. Yal-Kú and the combo are also not suitable during pregnancy.

• No sunscreen in the water — not even biodegradable, and no tanning oil or repellent. If you already put it on, rinse it off in the showers. A UV shirt works better for kids.
• Wear your swimsuit under your clothes, and bring a towel, dry clothes, sunglasses and a hat.
• Cash and a card: parking at the group tour is $100 MXN in cash, and a locker is $100 MXN card only. Food and drinks are not included, so bring snacks for the kids.
• Showers and restrooms are available; lockers, showers and restrooms close at 17:30.

The turtle snorkel leaves every hour from 9:00 to 15:00, and the combo every hour from 9:00 to 13:00. Yal-Kú turns are at 9:00, 10:30, 12:00 and 14:00. Arrive 15 minutes early (8:45 for the 9:00 turn); the maximum tolerance is 20 minutes.

With little ones, an earlier slot leaves the afternoon free for lunch and a nap. If your kids wake up slowly, a late-morning slot is fine too. For the combo, choose an earlier start, because Yal-Kú closes at 17:00.

We confirm your exact time by email after you book.

• Meeting point: 7-Eleven Akumal, Calle 16.
• Parking: next to the meeting point, from 9:00 to 21:00. It costs $100 MXN in cash on the group tour and is included on the private tour.
• Lockers: $100 MXN on the beach, card only. At Yal-Kú, 1 locker per group is included.
• Transfers from your hotel are arranged only by WhatsApp. Message us before you book.
• Photos are not included on the turtle snorkel; ask the guide about the optional price.