Update July 7, 2016: The Snorkel Xtreme tour no longer takes clients to Akumal Bay to swim with sea turtles. Instead, the activity has been replaced with snorkeling in the nearby tranquil waters of Yal-Ku Lagoon. For a comprehensive guide to our best tours, take a look at our guide to the top 30 Playa del Carmen excursions and things to do in the Riviera Maya.
Zip lines, giant turtles, and the amazing underground world of cenotes were the absolute highlights of our day with the Snorkel Xtreme.
We started the day at the Xtreme ranch, located between Akumal and Tulum, hidden in the jungle. They kitted us out with helmets and the necessary equipment for the rappelling and the zip lines.
With my heart in my throat, I reluctantly climbed to the top of the first zip line. The first one was terrifying yet refreshing once I realized that I was no longer afraid! This was fun! The adrenaline was as amazing as the view of the jungle. Even the 5-year-old “woohoo’ed” all the way!
We then head into the cenotes. The water was crystal clear, and the stalactites and stalagmites were impressive. We were lead through the channels for about 30 minutes and allowed to snorkel, swim and just take in the beauty of the environment.
A freshly prepared, hot buffet was waiting for us to replenish our energy before heading to our next stop. We had to drive about 20 minutes in the van, but we ended up at Akumal beach.
Akumal beach is a gem. Fine white sand, a protected bay so the water is calm, coral reef for snorkelling and the best part – wait for it – Giant Sea Turtles. The guide came with us into the water – we just walked off the shore so fairly shallow waters. Our first snorkel was to the reef, where we saw coral, some fish and even a sting ray. Back to the beach for a rest and then off again to the dark patches in the water. Where there is sea grass, there are sea turtles. We were lucky enough to see 5 turtles during our snorkel ranging in size from 1 foot in diameter to about 2.5 feet in diameter. Incredible experience.
All in all, a totally memorable day!
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