Private Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal Beach

Darwin was an amazing guide. He was brilliant with both of our daughters (7 and 10), particularly the younger, but took care of all of us. We had a morning session at 9am and were incredibly lucky — we saw more turtles than I could count, plus stingrays and lots of other fish. That was no doubt helped by being a family of four rather than part of one of the bigger groups. We thought the experience was well worth the cost. Darwin was also really helpful, contacting us the day before to make sure we had all the information for a smooth meet-up.

This activity provides access to the protected turtle area, and thanks to the guide, equipped with vests, masks, and snorkels, we circulate for 50 min around the area to see as many as possible. We saw 14!

My family and I had a wonderful time snorkeling with the turtles. Darwin led a great tour and gave us many opportunities to observe numerous turtles and other sea life in their natural habitats. He did a great job instructing us throughout to ensure my family and the turtles alike had a safe and enjoyable experience. We got extremely lucky and saw 12 turtles with the help of Darwin!

Darwin was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Perfect experience.

Highly recommend this phenomenal experience for anyone, particularly families with young children. We took our two and four-year-old and they absolutely loved it. Darwin is very communicative and informative, preparing you for what to expect. Everything went smoothly from start to finish! He’s extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and trustworthy. He was also incredible with our young children, demonstrating how to wear their little masks and teaching them about the marine life. He had them hold a ring float and towed them around, including one of us as we held our youngest. We saw plenty of turtles and even from above, our youngest could see them perfectly, esp as they surface. Also saw lots of fish! There were lots of people and other tours happening but Darwin made it easy for us to navigate and feel comfortable. After, he gave both our children a carved turtle necklace they loved. We walked around the little shops and bought more souvenirs before taking a taxi back to our hotel. We have wonderful GoPro footage and memories our girls will enjoy for a lifetime! We are grateful to Darwin for his excellent service and providing an experience our family absolutely loved—a true highlight of our trip! **If you go, please DO NOT wear sunscreen! You will be in a nature reserve and sunscreen is extremely harmful to the wildlife and ecosystem—it is prohibited. Darwin reminds you of this as well. Our life jackets covered our backs and our children wore swim hats. You can also wear a swim shirt. We didn’t burn! I saw a few people using spray sunscreen secretly which is not only harmful to the environment but the worse for your skin bc it’s alcohol-based. Please care for the ocean!

Our trip guide, Darwin, was fantastic (5/5). He spent time explaining all of the wildlife and worked very hard at finding sea turtles and sting rays. We felt very comfortable and safe during the entire experience. The only downside was just the number of other groups nearby which is understandable but made it a little awkward. We were a little late so that may have affected the amount of people snorkeling at the same time. It was physically moderately strenuous so if you’re not a good swimmer, it might not be for you.

One of the most unforgettable experiences of our trip! We spotted 10 sea turtles up close, along with stingrays and a wide variety of fish. Being in the water alongside such magnificent creatures is something our family will never forget. Our guide Darwin was exceptional — clear instructions, excellent English, and a genuine passion for the ocean and the wildlife he works to protect. You could tell this isn't just a job for him. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. Don't miss this!

An incredible experience thanks to Darwin. The tour is totally private which makes the experience unique. Darwin gave us a very early meeting in the morning so that we could be the first and only in the water to enjoy the magnificent spectacle. The photos and videos received at the end are a real plus. You should know that if you are looking for authenticity and a turtle-friendly experience, Darwin is the place to call. The other providers seem to be real tourist catchers next door. Another big thank you Darwin!

We had such a great experience with Darwin from directions to getting our wrist bands the tours has amazing very knowledgeable and passionate about what he does would recommend to anyone

Swimming and being close to those beautiful animals