Mexico · SEA TURTLE ENCOUNTERS
The 15 best sea turtle encounters tours you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Half-day tour from Cancun and Riviera Maya snorkeling for sea turtles at Akumal, then swimming in a crystal-clear Yucatan cenote.
“Dona was a fantastic and funny guide. Would book again with her! We saw squid, stingray, and sea turtles”
See Tulum ruins, snorkel with sea turtles in Akumal, then swim Yax-Muul cenote. Hotel pickup and tacos included.
“Had a great time. Andreas was an amazing host and gave us a lot of useful information at each location. Tulum was really interesting (we enjoyed it more than Chichen Itza), and the cenote was fascinating. I have to say that the snorkelling with turtles, whilst enjoyable, was much busier than we had expected, and you can’t help worrying about the environmental damage being caused.”
Cancun’s 5-in-1 snorkeling tour combines calm-reef swims, turtles, MUSA statues, a shipwreck stop, and a cenote finale, with pickup only in Cancun.
“I had a very disappointing and unprofessional experience with this company. The night before my snorkeling tour, they texted me saying the activity was cancelled due to “weather conditions” and offered either a refund or a different activity. I asked for a refund. A few hours later they messaged again saying suddenly there was an opening for a different time slot and I could go if I wanted. Then again they said the weather was bad and suggested I switch to another activity. I checked the alternative activities they offered on Viator, and both were listed at $49, which is $10 cheaper than what I originally paid for snorkeling. Naturally,…”
Swim a Tulum-area cenote, snorkel with sea turtles at Akumal, then relax with lunch at a beach club on a small-group tour.
“We had a wonderful time on our visit. Our guide Paulina's enthusiasm and passion for the cenotes in particular was obvious, and had no problem fielding question after question from two newly-wed scientists. She went above and beyond to maximize our time with her, and combined with the professional and organized infrastructure of Cancun Adventures made our day truly unforgettable.”
Full day Tulum, cenote swim, and Akumal turtle snorkeling from Playa del Carmen with guides, lunch, gear, and round-trip transfers.
“It was a great day with an awesome guide and driver. Kept things moving but not pushy. Very helpful and informative. Lots of fun”
Small-group snorkeling in Cancun with shipwreck, reefs, cenote stops, and possible sea turtles, plus hotel pickup and included gear.
“Awesome tour! Guides and captain were phenomenal. They checked in the entire time while we were in the water and made sure we were always comfortable.”
Cozumel turtle sanctuary and El Cielo starfish snorkel with snacks, drinks, and a sunset sail. Small group, easy pickup options.
“This was well organised, a fantastic itinerary, excellent service but most of all it was so much fun!! Music was on all day, nothing was a problem and they were VERY generous with the tequila.”
4-hour Cozumel catamaran with reef snorkeling, sea turtles, starfish sand, Mexican snacks, and a sunset return, from $77.50.
“Everything was great. Captain was skilled. Crew was excellent and we all had a blast! Such a great way to snorkel.”
Private Tulum ruins, Akumal turtle snorkeling and a cenote swim from Playa del Carmen, with lunch, pickup and snorkel gear.
“Wonderful trip, Wonderful people, Wonderful day. Such a fantastic experience, must do...so fun. Thank you.”
Tulum ruins, cave cenote swim, and sea turtle snorkeling with beach club lunch, plus hotel pickup from Cancun and Riviera Maya.
“Felix (aka Chewy) was an awesome guide, very knowledgeable & a lot of fun. No regrets going to Tulum, but found it kind of underwhelming. The Mayan history is very interesting. With so many groups, it was hard to hear everything Felix was saying, so felt like we missed some things there that might have made the ruins more interesting. The view of the coast was incredible. We got nachos and passion fruit smoothies at the little tiki Baja bar right in front of the gift shop- so.good. Next was the cenote. 10/10 recommended. It was incredible. Be aware though, they make you shower off (hair & all!!) before getting…”
Private Akumal sea turtle snorkeling with entrance fees and gear included, swim in a 2-meter bay in about 1h15 from Playa del Carmen.
“Walked off the beach, cool turtles, reef was nothing spectacular but nice. Lots of people. Didn't get salmonella.”
Private turtles and cenotes adventure from Playa del Carmen with guaranteed sea turtle sightings, snorkel gear, hotel pickup, and a private-style cenote swim.
“This tour was full of incredible memories from start to finish. Rachelle was the very best guide and we loved the photos that Luisa took for us. Everyone went above and beyond to make it a great experience. The food was amazing and rachelle was so friendly and knowledgeable. We saw multiple sea turtles. One of the turtles was so close to me coming up to the surface I almost got a kiss. 😂 Our driver Esdras was very good also. Highly recommend!”
Private snorkeling in Akumal Bay through a protected 1 km circuit with guaranteed green turtles, guided by Darwin and Marlene.
“Positives: The providers were kind and flexible in our booking, allowing us to reschedule due to weather for a date that worked for us. They also provided a prescription mask upon request for our family member with bad eyesight - a lifesaver, and Marlene loaned us her own 100 peso bill for the locker rental. Darwin graciously pulled us (3 adults) all around the reef on a life raft, even as decent swimmers we would've struggled to keep up without it as the snorkels added an extra layer of difficulty. He also managed to locate many turtles for us and it was wonderful to see them so close up. He…”
Cancun day trip to Tulum ruins, Mariposa cenote and Akumal turtle snorkeling, with lunch, lockers, and guided stops.
“If you only do one activity in Cancun, do this one. Our guide Mauricio Dzul was phenomenal. He is kind and knowledgeable, proud to share his culture with us. I cannot recommend him enough. The turtles were the highlight, but the denotes were amazing too, and Tulum is beautiful too. Good food.”
Full-day Tulum ruins, Canamayte cenote swim, and snorkeling with Akumal sea turtles, with Cancun pickup and lunch for $89.
“We had a wonderful day! Jorge was a hilarious and engaging guide. We loved him! The overall experience was unforgettable. The sea turtles were a highlight, and the lunch spot after the ruins was delicious. We enjoyed swimming in the cenotes as well and meeting a Mayan shaman.”
Pick the day out first, then the town it happens in.
