Swimming with turtles is an activity you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Mexico, especially in Playa del Carmen!
There are several places around Playa del Carmen to swim with them.
Sian Ka’an, Akumal, Cozumel and Tulum are all places where you can swim with turtles near Playa del Carmen.
Playa del Carmen
Contrary to what many travel agencies and tour operators say, you can see turtles in Playa del Carmen, but it’s not the most reliable place to see them.
You can see turtles in the water on a try dive, and more rarely right on the beach.
From July to November, on Xcacel beach, about 40 minutes south of Playa del Carmen, you can see tiny baby turtles come out of the sand and start their race to the ocean.
Try diving
If you dream of discovering the underwater world of the Riviera Maya without a certification, a try dive in Playa del Carmen is the best way to enjoy your first dive safely.
Led by a certified instructor, you’ll learn the basics of diving before exploring the shallow coral reefs and marine life right off the beach.
This experience is open to anyone aged 10 and up, requires no prior training and always takes place in small groups to guarantee personalized attention and a friendly atmosphere.
At Triton Diving, everything is designed to make you feel confident: a full briefing, pool exercises, a small group, recent equipment and personalized attention.
The try dive also includes free GoPro videos, so you leave with great memories of your first scuba dive.
Learn more about diving in Playa del Carmen!Cozumel
The island just across from Playa del Carmen is also a place with abundant marine life and exceptional water visibility for seeing its different turtles!
Besides turtles, you’ll also come across nurse sharks, rays, barracudas, lobsters, moray eels, starfish and lots of fish species!
In Cozumel, you can see 3 different types of turtles: if you go snorkeling, you’re more likely to see green turtles, while if you go diving, you’re more likely to see hawksbill turtles.
Learn more about diving in Cozumel!Akumal
You may have already heard of the small village of Akumal, which means “place of the turtles” in Mayan. Just 30 minutes from Playa del Carmen, it’s one of the places to see sea turtles in their natural habitat.
Thanks to its calm, shallow waters, you can easily see turtles both snorkeling and scuba diving. The seagrass beds in the bay attract many green turtles that come to feed there all year round.
Akumal vs Cozumel for seeing turtles
In my opinion, Cozumel is the best place to see different turtles in crystal-clear water. There are also several reefs and an incredible wreck to explore on a scuba dive!
Akumal is still a very good option, especially for a simple, easy swim, but for a more complete experience, Cozumel is the place to go.
Which turtle species can you see?
In the Riviera Maya, you can mainly see the green turtle and the hawksbill turtle, sometimes joined by the loggerhead turtle, on snorkeling or diving trips!
These species live on the coral reefs, in the seagrass beds and in the crystal-clear waters of the region, especially around Cozumel, Akumal and Playa del Carmen.
Thanks to its rich marine life and excellent underwater visibility, the Riviera Maya is one of the best places in the world to see sea turtles in their natural habitat, both snorkeling and scuba diving.
What’s the best season to see turtles?
The best time to see turtles is from April to October, with peak activity between May and July, during nesting season.
During these months, the water is warm, marine life is very active and your chances of seeing green, hawksbill or loggerhead turtles are particularly high.
Even though you can see them outside this period, April to late October is when your snorkeling or diving trip with turtles is most likely to be unforgettable.
Key takeaways
If you want to see sea turtles during your stay in the Riviera Maya, several spots around Playa del Carmen let you see them while snorkeling or scuba diving.
- Akumal is the easiest place to see turtles, thanks to its shallow waters and seagrass beds.
- Cozumel offers a more complete experience, with excellent underwater visibility, several coral reefs and very rich marine life.
- In Playa del Carmen, you can also see turtles, especially on a try dive, even though they’re seen less consistently.
- The best time to see turtles in the Riviera Maya is between April and October, with peak activity between May and July.
Whether for easy snorkeling or an unforgettable dive, the Riviera Maya is one of the best places in the world to see sea turtles in their natural habitat.