We stayed in Playa del Carmen, but spent most of our days elsewhere. We went to the main Bay in Akumal and also to Half Moon Bay. The two areas are very different. Akumal is a picturesque coastal town in Mexico, known for its crystal-clear waters and abundant marine life. Named after the Mayan word for “place of the turtle,” Akumal is a popular spot for snorkeling and diving, offering visitors the chance to swim alongside sea turtles and explore vibrant coral reefs.
Parking
Parking is available in multiple locations and there will be vendors trying to get you to park in their lot and use their tours as soon as you reach town. There is a public parking location available for 200 pesos for the day, but you have to run the gauntlet of all the tour guides to reach it. It is located past the Akumal Dive Shop and just before you leave towards Half-moon Bay. You can also park for free if you turn right after the OXXO store on the main road where an attendant is standing next to a rope across a road you need to turn onto. This is the location that you would utilize to access the parking lot for the Lol-ha restaurant. Free is a relative term as you will be required to pay a deposit at the restaurant of 200 pesos per person. This deposit will be used to pay your bill for any food you purchase at the restaurant.
Akumal beach
Access to the beach is limited by all of the establishments along the shore. Everyone will either charge you to enter the beach or to join a tour.
The tour consists of swimming along ropes that are spread through the seagrass that the turtles and manta rays come through to feed on. You are required to wear a life jacket and to stay in contact with the rope.
You can also swim in the bay, but there’s not much to see outside of the grass area only available for tours. There are several islands of coral with fish and small patches of seagrass. You could also see a ray or turtle if it’s moving through, but obviously this is less common than on the tours.
There are occasional islands of coral in the bay with fish to see, but mostly the water is cloudy from all the sand that is stirred from other people.
Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay is much less crowded and has none of the restrictions you find near the sea grass at the main bay. There are many more islands of coral to see as well. The waves were larger and you can spread out as much as you want, so keeping an eye on everyone in the party is much more important. We parked across the street from La Buena Vida and used the restaurant as our access to the water. They have restrooms and somewhere to change and shower off as well. The food there was great. If you are looking to escape the crowds, keep on driving past the main bay and you will be much happier.
