VIP Snorkel, GoPro Photos

This tour puts you in Akumal Bay with green sea turtles, inside a protected natural area, with a licensed local guide who takes GoPro photos during the swim.

Overview

The outing starts from the meeting point at Akumal Mayan Trips. You check in, get your wristband for Tsuuk Akumal Nature Park, and receive a mask, a new snorkel and a life jacket before anyone gets wet.

The structure is simple. A short safety briefing at the park, then guided snorkeling on the official protected circuit, staying close to the guide the whole time. Beyond turtles, the bay holds tropical fish, coral formations and stingrays, and reviewers regularly report seeing several turtles plus rays and reef fish on a single swim. First-timers get a basic briefing before entering the water, so no prior snorkeling experience is needed.

The photos are a real part of the package rather than an upsell. The guide shoots the swim on a GoPro and sends the images the same day or the next day, provided contact details are given on arrival. After the tour you can stay at the beach for the rest of the day, with restrooms, showers, changing rooms and palapas available, subject to availability for the palapas. Hotel pickup is not included, so travellers make their own way to the meeting point near the white arch beside the Shomak store.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet At Akumal Mayan TripsArrive 15 minutes before your reservation time. The meeting point is beside the white arch, past the Shomak store, in Akumal.
2. Walk To The ParkA 5-minute walk from the meeting point to Tsuuk Akumal Nature Park.
3. Safety BriefingA 15-minute briefing at the park covering the rules of the protected area and snorkeling basics for beginners. Gear is provided before entering the water.
4. Guided SnorkelA 1-hour guided tour of the bay on the protected circuit, looking for green sea turtles, rays, fish and coral while the guide takes GoPro photos.
5. Return On FootA 5-minute walk back to Akumal Mayan Trips. Beach facilities remain available for the rest of the day if you want to stay.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape how this tour goes, from parking costs to how the photos arrive.

• Getting there. There is no hotel pickup, so plan your own transport to Akumal. The parking lot nearest the meeting point is not run by the operator, costs 100 MXN for the day, and there is no free parking in Akumal.
• Timing matters. The operator recommends booking a slot between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, having added an extra hour of availability to dodge crowds. Turtles appear at other times too, but other tour operators bring more people then.
• Pace and ability. The water portion lasts about an hour at a relaxed pace, with life jackets provided and guides who stay close. One reviewer described a young child tiring and being pulled along on a swim ring by the guide, so families with kids do take this tour.
• What to bring. Pack light: the listing says just a towel and beachwear. The operator asks for no sunscreen at all, while the refuge rules allow only biodegradable sunscreen and also ban touching marine life, feeding animals, littering and diving.
• The photos. GoPro photos are included, but you must give your contact details on arrival, such as a WhatsApp number, your name and your guide's name, and they are usually sent the same day or the next day.
• Follow the guide. This is a protected natural area with an official circuit, so you must stay with the guide and keep a respectful distance from the animals. One reviewer specifically praised their guide's respectful conduct around the turtles.

Common issues. Weather can cut things short: one reviewer reported leaving the water early as a thunderstorm approached, though they felt the guide handled it responsibly. Another mentioned choppy seas and reduced visibility, while still seeing turtles. Some travelers mention that photo delivery could be more reliable, and the listing notes photos are usually sent the same day or the next day, with a contact route if they lag. Otherwise the limits are practical: no hotel pickup, no lockers included, and turtles are wild animals, so sightings can never be promised.

Common Questions