1st timer help for Akumal!
 

Hello-I am hoping for some advice for our first trip to Mexico. Staying in Akumal 1st week of May! We will be celebrating our 25th Anniversary. There will be two couples mid 40's. Love to be active and explore. Snorkeling, beach time and a little party here and there. We are staying in Akumal at Half Moon Bay. Staying at the Hacienda de la Tortuga condos in #4. Has anyone stayed here? Any advice, suggestions or pointers for a safe and fun trip would be appreciated.

Riggsie....You will have a great time down in Akumal. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Playa Del Carmen- some shops to look around at with numerous restaurants
2. Take a boat from Playa Del Carmen to Isla Mujueres for a day trip
3. Tulum Ruins(there is also an option to see another set of ruins inland. I can't remember the name but you can research it and set the trip up in the US with a tour company)
4. There are a few local boating excursions which will take you on snorkeling trips. There is a also a great reef over in Aventuras Akumal

Hope this helps

Rock

Great suggestions Rock but I'm pretty sure you meant take a boat from PDC to Cozumel. The ferry to IM is out of Cancun.

Lucky you Riggsie, this is a fabulous area for vacationing. As much or as little entertainment you want. I warn you though, you'll never be the same.

Geez-Thank you for the fast replies. We have been to Maui several times and I have never been the same. I hope Mexico does the same to me! Great suggestions! I am wondering about money. What works best? A little of everything or mostly small bills in cash and travelers checks? Are the ATM's reliable? Do I need to convert how many dollars to peso? Also is phoning home to the states easy to do? Do most of you rent snorkel gear or bring your own. Don't want to hassle with taking our gear if easy to rent in Akumal. Thanks again for your replies! Will mosquitoes be a big problem 1st week of May?

We were at half Moon Bay in January, I'll try and answer your questions:
Money - most places in Akumal take pesos or dollars, get pesos just to be safe. There is one, unreliable ATM in Akumal, so get your pesos at the airport before Akumal. About 1/2 the places accept plastic.
Snorkelling - There are at least 2 dive shops in Akumal that rent gear. We brought our own however.
Don't know about mosquitoes in May - we had none in January.
A few comments: Half moon Bay is very beautiful and quiet, but the bottom is rocky with sea urchins, so you'll need bathing slippers or fins to wade out to snorkel. Akumal Beach however, is all sand bottom(15 minute walk).
Akumal has a handful of nice places to eat - the Buena Vida on Halfmoon Bay was our favorite. Not too much else going on at night. For nightlife, drive 1/2 hour to Playa del Carmen.
Don't miss Yal-Ku lagoon at the northern end of Akumal, it's truly amazing and not too touristy.

The exchange rate at the airport was the worst we saw last month (10.1 pesos to the dollar). Rates were 10.6 to 10.9 in Playa del Carmen. You can exchange at Akumal Travel Services, near the beach - an okay rate.

Most people accept dollars but we liked having pesos because if a price is posted in pesos and you pay in dollars, you'll usually get only 10 to 1. However, you don't want to be stuck with a lot of pesos at the end of your trip.

In addition to La Buena Vida, good restaurants in Akumal include Lol-Ha and La Cueva del Pescador; also Turtle Bakery for breakfast.

We like taking our own snorkel gear - esp. mask and snorkel.

Yal-Ku is walkable from your condo.