vacationbound

Hello. My husband and are going the Mayan Riviera & are looking forward to doing some snorkeling in Akumal. We will be staying at the Aventura Palace Resort. Will a taxi be our best bet for getting to Akumal? Does anyone know how far Akumal is from our resort? Will it be easy to rent snorkel gear somewhere there? Is there anywhere in particular that someone can suggest to rent gear as well as a place to go snorkeling? Any suggestions that anyone has for the would be greatly appreciated. From what I've read, it is amazing Thanks!

zootsi

We just came back from 4 nights in North Akumal. The snorkelling is amazing nearly everywhere. The best spot is Yakul Lagoon, which is at the northern end of the small road thru North Akumal. I believe they rent equipment there. If not, there are several dive shops in Akumal, one near the Vista Del mar hotel, one in the small cluster of shops near the entrance to Akumal. We also snorkelled at Half Moon Bay, which is crystal clear and fairly calm, but a little tricky entering due to the rocky bottom. Akumal Bay beach is also great - a wide, sandy beach with some interesting reefs just a short way out. I saw two sea turtles there. Akumal has some good places to eat, our favorite was the Buena Vida. You sit outside right in the sand. The fish tacos, enchiladas, and everything elso on the menu is great, and inexpensive. Have you gone to locogringo.com?

cdt

We just returned from 9 days at the Akumal Beach Resort. I'm not sure where Aventura Palace is, but presumably you can either pay for a taxi, or else walk out to Route 307 and flag a collectivo (15 or 20 pesos per person, depending on distance).

We snorkeled Akumal Bay, Half Moon Bay, and Yal-Ku Lagoon, and we liked Akumal Bay the best. There are two dive shops near the public beach for renting gear.

vacationbound

Thanks so much for the tips. It looks and sounds incredible. Thanks for the specifics on snorkel spots. Also, for the fish taco tip. Yum!

What is a collectivo? Is that the bus?

Is there anywhere in particular that we should be let out if we take a taxi? Is it a small town? It looks amazing; like 1 day certainly won't be enough.

cdt

A collectivo is a white van that will pick up and drop off passengers anywhere on Route 307 (the road from Cancun to Tulum). They usually have a mix of tourists and locals. They hold 11 to 14 people (and sometimes squeeze in extras).

Just stand by the side of the road and watch for white vans. If one flashes its lights, wave, and they'll stop. To go to the beach at Akumal, just tell the driver "Akumal." You'll have to walk in about 200 yards from the highway.

If you take a taxi, ask for "Akumal Playa."

It's about a 15-minute walk north from Akumal Beach to La Buena Vida (Half Moon Bay).

vacationbound

Thank you cdt!

Dorgal

Suggest you rent a car - the area is pretty widespread from your hotel and it is VERY hot walking anywhere. The walk from where the collectivo drops you is very long. Yakul Lagoon was at the end of a very long winding road. We were disappointed in the snorkeling there - the water was murky and we didn't see much. Akumal Bay was too rough for us that day - a storm had been through the day before. Beautiful area tho - away from all the hustle and bustle.

zootsi

I can't believe you were disappointed in Yakul - we found it totally amazing. We saw hundreds, possibly thousands, of fish of every size and description. The water was very clear. Perhaps the storm had something to do with it?

SweetD

This message is for cdt. You stayed at Akumal Beach Resort. That's where we are going in December. Could you email me at [email protected] and give me some pointers. I've been to Akumal but it's been 5 years. I appreciate any help you can give.

NanfromNapanee

This message is for the poster prior who loved Yalku. Just after we got out of the lagoon several vans pulled up and unloaded quite a few people. Suddenly there was about 100 people in the lagoon and the clarity of the water changed dramatically. Where we stayed on Half Moon Bay, there never seemed to be more than 5 or 6 people in the water at any one time. The snorkeling there was fantastic but it was harder for novice snorkelers to swim there because there was waves which we didn't have to contend with at Yalku. I'm glad we went and saw Yalku but our snorkeling experience wasn't as good as what we experience in Half Moon Bay.