One hour. One turtle. One memory you keep forever.
Go face to face with sea turtles in their natural home
The moment your face breaks the surface, the noise of the world cuts out and all that is left is blue — and then a green sea turtle appears, not at a safe distance but right there, at eye level, pulling itself through the water with slow, unhurried sweeps of its flippers. It moves like it belongs here, because it does: these turtles have been grazing this bay since long before most of your memories were made. That silence, that proximity, that realisation — it is the thing people message us about, months later.
Fourteen years in this bay is not a career milestone — it is the difference between knowing which exact patch of seagrass the turtles graze on at dawn and guessing. Xarou positions his group in a half-circle so no one is ever in front of the animal. He gives the hand signal before you even register the turtle is approaching. He knows every species you will see by name, and where to find the nurse sharks resting in sandy patches between the reef heads. This is what it feels like to be guided by someone who treats this bay as a home, not a workplace.
Join a small group or go fully private
- ✓ Intimate group: max 6 guests
- ✓ Expert local guide at your side
- ✓ Personal video recap on lucky days
- ✓ Your own guide, 100% focused on you
- ✓ One full hour, exclusively yours in the bay
- ✓ Ideal for families, couples, and close friends
Jump in every hour, all day long
⚠️ Arrive 20 minutes early to gear up and meet your guide
Rules that keep the reef and turtles alive
- All sunscreen is strictly prohibited — including biodegradable. It may only be applied on the beach, outside the water. This is the law.
- A quick mandatory rinse before you enter removes chemicals that damage the ecosystem
- You are swimming in a National Sanctuary, home to protected green and hawksbill sea turtles
Zero risk, total flexibility
- Secure online payment: book and pay your spot in seconds
- Cancel free of charge with 24 or more hours notice
- Full refund if the park closes for weather: you never lose a dollar
- Cancellations within 24 hours or no-shows are not eligible for a refund
Your complete $45 USD experience
Ready to use the moment you arrive, no fins required
Wear it or skip it: your guide adjusts to your comfort in the water
14 years navigating these waters, knowing exactly where turtles feed and rest
Six guests max: your guide knows your name and keeps you close to the action
Secure online payment: book and pay now, cancel free with 24 hours notice
What guests say
"The turtle stopped right in front of my mask. I completely forgot to breathe."
"Xarou has been reading this bay for 14 years. It shows in every moment underwater."
"We saw four turtles in 45 minutes. Our group of six felt like the only people in the bay."
Pack these essentials
⚠️ All sunscreen is strictly prohibited in Akumal Bay — including biodegradable. You may only apply it on the beach, before entering the water.
"We were visiting last week with an idea to see the sea turtles. We were met by an individual by the name of Ricardo that fronted the money for parking and beach access until our big group arrived. We were able to enjoy everything as we waited for the rest of the family to arrive without any worries. This company was patient and catered to our 13 person group. We went out during the rain with 2 guides that showed us several sea turtles, sting rays and several different species."
"Loved the experience. Ricardo was awesome helping us with every step. Definitely recommend using him for furture tours 💪"
"Great experience with the turtles 🐢🌴 Wonderful experience 🥰 next time again with akbay-tours 😍🤿"
"We had a verry good time last week, the tour was perfect the people how helped us where very good and we have enjoyd our day and we see a lot of turrtles. Thanks a lot!"
"Fantastic snorkeling experience 😍 We saw so many turtles, lots of colorful fish and much more. 🌊🐢👏 After the snorkeling trip we were able to spend the day on the beach. The beach visit is included in the snorkeling price so we didn't have to pay the beach entrance fee again. Just a wonderful day. Thank you Akbays Tours - next time we will book a tour again through Akbay Tours 🥰"
"Ricardo was a prompt and thorough communicator. He was waiting for us to arrive and was with us every step of the way. Raul was our guide for private snorkeling with the turtles and he was amazing, too! We saw so many turtles and he helped us swim right next to them! He also showed us a lobster, stingray, octopus, coral, and a bonefish. 6/5 stars!"
"Wonderful experience with the turtles 🐢 ❤️ thank akbay-Tours for this great experience 🥰"
"I had an incredible time in Akumal thanks to Ricardo. He's super kind, friendly, helpful, and trustworthy. He really helped to make Akumal one of the highlights of my holiday!"
"Kann ich nur empfehlen!! 😍 Wir hatten Ricardo durch Zufall getroffen. Er hat uns zu einer Schnorcheltour mit Schildkröten überzeugt. Wir hatten bei der Tour einen privaten Guide, dieser hat sich viel Zeit für uns genommen. Wir haben viele Schildkröten gesehen und waren begeistert, es hat außerdem sehr viel Spaß gemacht. Ricardo hat uns gut beraten und war sehr kommunikativ und freundlich. Der Service und das Preis-Leistungs Verhältnis sind sehr gut. Wir würden immer wieder über diesen Touranbieter buchen. Danke für alles. Wir werden definitiv zurückkehren!! 🐢🌴 🇲🇽❤️"
"Wow! We had the most incredible experience snorkeling with turtles and we have Ricardo to thank. I feel so lucky to have met Ricardo from Akbay Tours. My two adult children and I signed up for a snorkeling experience with Ricardo and he helped us every step of the way — from explaining to me how safe it is to being patient when we were running behind, to meeting us and letting us follow him to the snorkeling location. We got to see many huge turtles as well as stingrays and other cool marine animals. And Ricardo put together a very cute and fun video of us with pictures from our trip. Ricardo was friendly, funny, patient, kind, and helpful and we absolutely recommend him and his company Akbay Tours!!"
"Snorkeling at Akumal Beach with Akbay Tour was an incredible experience! ✨😍 Under the guidance of a friendly guide, we explored the entire underwater world with detailed explanations. We observed turtles of various sizes, rays, fish, and beautiful coral reefs accompanied by colorful fish. 🐢🐟💧 A huge surprise for us was a snorkeling video created by the kind and helpful beach manager, allowing us to capture this beautiful memory. ❤️ We highly recommend this experience! We will definitely return to this beach someday. 🤝"
"We had a really nice and fun experience. Ricardo convinced us to do a private snorkel trip with a guide and we didn't regret it. We enjoyed it very much and had a blast :) During the snorkel trip we saw many turtles, a manta ray and other fish. It was just a nice atmosphere. And the beach is beautiful. Many thanks to Ricardo."
"Highly recommend! They super nice and helpful! I did a small group tour ( 3 ppl ) . See the turtles and stingrays was super fun! Thanks for the wonderful experience !"
"I highly recommend!!! We had an amazing experience with Akbay Tours! So glad we met Ricardo and that we were able to see the turtles and stingrays 🐢 One hour experience was the perfect amount of time and we got it for a perfect price! Thank you so much for the amazing experience 💙"
"My two kids and I had a fabulous morning with Ricardo in Akumal. He looked after us as soon as we got off the collectivo and made sure we had the best time ever. He made sure the kids were looked after so well too and made sure they had a buoyancy aid to hold onto when swimming out. We saw so many turtles including a baby, a ray and a puffer fish as well as loads more. I really couldn't recommend him and his tours enough. Five star day! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"
Where do we meet?
📍 Meeting point...
📍 7-Eleven Akumal, Calle 16, Akumal, Q.R. 77776
Sea turtles. Crystal water. Your spot is one click away.
Max 6 guests · Expert guide · Free cancellation · Secure payment
Xarou will get back to you as soon as possible · No commitment · Free to ask