Xel-Ha is known as a unique eco-park located south of Playa del Carmen, about 15 minutes from our villa in Akumal. It lies on the eastern coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula, the archaeological site of the Mayans in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

Multiple leisure, ecological and natural attractions offer activities for the entire family to enjoy themselves. The unique open-sea aquarium allows visitors to view ocean life in their natural habitats unaltered and not disturbed.

Swimming with trained dolphins is also a popular activity for tourists, which is not found easily in surrounding areas. Animal and nature lovers enjoy spending time in the water with these gentle creatures, and have a wonderful story to bring home to their family and friends!

Snorkeling is also ideal in the local lagoon. The coral is dead there, but regular feeding keeps the many types of colorful fish returning for more. Some snorkelers will have another party feed the fish while they view the swimming visitors from below.

There is a river which starts in a natural spring, and inner tubes are available to float to the end. This provides a relaxing complement to an afternoon nap in a hammock on one of the local beaches as well.

More adventurous spirits enjoy climbing and diving from the local cliffs in Xel-Ha, exploring the Mayan cave, and touring the local Xel-Ha ruins. These ruins are largely untouched and totally original, with a unique look into past centuries and architectural contributions.

Hammock Island, Xpa, Bay of Caprices and The Beach are popular hotspots for those who wish to lounge and experience the leisurely activities at Xel-Ha. Chacah Garden, the Mayan Wall, the Apiary and Plant Nursery provide unique ecological attractions for plant life lovers. Natural wonders are also seen at the Inlet, El Dorado Cavern, Ixchel’s Gulf, the Mayan Cave, Chaac Mangal, and many Cenotes.

When visiting Akumal, Xen-Ha is an easy day trip that will please the entire family and offer plenty of varying activities. Reasonably priced and unique to the area, activities center around relaxation, fun and exploring historical and natural wonders.

Water sport lovers will enjoy the inner tube ride, cliff diving and snorkeling in the lagoon. Nature lovers enjoy swimming with the dolphins and exploring the multiple forms of plant and animal life in the area, and those curious of the historical roots of the Peninsula have plenty of opportunity to explore Mayan ruins and advanced architectural influences for that era.

Our kids and grandchildren always plan spending the whole day at Xel-Ha every time they visit Akumal. There is so much to do they never get tired of returning year after year. They enjoy riding a bicycle through a path in the jungle, jumping off cliffs into the limpid blue sea, swimming with the dolphins, and walking through stingrays on the bottom of the sea.

This year for the first time they signed up for the Sea Trek. They wore a technologically advanced helmet that looks like deep-sea diving equipment. Sea trek required no previous training, diving or otherwise. Experts will be close at hand at all times during the walk, aiding them in every way and satisfying every curiosity concerning the aquatic walk of a lifetime. They all said it was a walk they would never forget!

We highly recommend you visit Xel-Ha on your next trip to the Yucatan.

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The more you know about Akumal, Mexico, the more excited you will be when you visit this paradise. Therefore, in the months or weeks leading up to your trip you should spend a litle time doing research so that you can learn more about Akumal.

To discover more about Akumal, Mexico, you can easily turn to the Internet. The Internet has a wealth of information, providing historical and straight information as well as tips and reviews from other vacationers who have been to the area. The site, AkumalVacation.com, has many interesting stories about the Akumal Mexico area. This type of information can provide everything you need to know about many parts of your vacation, including the good places to eat, stay, shop, and explore. We will tell you what we have enjoyed and what to watch out for, while the other sites will tell you all about other areas that you plan to visit.

In addition to this type of information, you can also learn more through Akumal hotel, resort, and tourism websites. Each site will provide you with pictures of their accommodations, a list of local attractions and activities, and typically, a short history of the area. They may also give information about things that they provide, which will not only help you learn more about Akumal, but also help you organize your daily agenda while on vacation.

Although their objective is to talk you to visit Akumal, the information that they provide about their property and the area needs to be correct or they will start to lose business. So, you can usually believe the information from a website, especially the information that they portray about local actitivies and the history of Akumal.

Alternatively you can learn more about Akumal is through a travel agent. It is the responsibility of a travel agent to know a wealth of information about their main destinations or at least be able to give you the information. Even if you do not expect to use a travel agent, you can still get some information through them.

A trip to Akumal and the Mayan Riviera area of Mexico would not be complete without a visit to one of the many Mayan ruins in the area. This area is in the heart of this ancient civilization that still influences the art, food and culture of the Yucatan today. Akumal and its surrounding area were major trade routes for the Mayans and historians are continuing to uncoverstill uncovering many ruins of this once mighty civilization.

One of the nicest ruins to visit not only near Akumal but in all of the country is Tulum. There are also the Coba and Xel-Ha which are all conveniently located not far from Akumal and other areas in the Mayan Riveria region. They are an easy drive by automobile or if you prefer, you can arrange to take a tour bus.

A trip to Akumal, Mexico can be a learning and bonding experience for the whole family. Discover the history and the culture of the land. Learn about the sea and what activities you can enjoy in the water. Plan your trip based on the subject that interests you most. The more you learn about Akumal, the more interesting it will be once you finally arrive.

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Whether you’re an experienced diver or wanting to learn the art, Akumal provides the perfect ecological setting to view amazing specimens of natural beauty underwater.  Akumal is a tourist resort community located 62 miles south of Cancun, between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, with a small local population of 1,198.

The name “Akumal” means “place of the turtles” in Mayan language.  Surrounding bodies of water and fine, white sandy beaches provide the perfect setting for many sea turtles’ breeding grounds.

Akumal was founded in 1958 specifically as a community for scuba divers to experience the many species and types of turtles which call the area “home”.  Akumal Bay and Half Moon Bay provide optimal opportunities to survey the land and underwater life via diving tours and expeditions.

For experienced divers, local dive shops offer a variety of exciting diving trips to the 30 reef sites which include shipwrecks, cenotes and caverns and a breathtaking amount of marine life that you can see. The dive shop makes all the arrangements and you can rent a tank, mask, flippers and anything else you need. You can book an all day diving excursion or if you are more adventurous, you can dive the caves, caverns and cenotes that make Akumal famous. People from all over the world come to explore the cenotes and caves of Akumal and this small village is truly a diver’s paradise.

Dive shops also teach courses so you can get certified to dive in open water. They teach at all levels from resort course to advanced cave diving.  And what better place to learn to dive than Akumal, one of the best places in the world to go diving? These PADI Certified Instructors will guide you through the process of certification so you can enjoy exploring the wonders of the reef that awaits you in Akumal.

Cavern and cave diving is a popular activity for tourists.  These caves are called “cenote”, which means “sacred well” in Mayan.  Dive packages offer several destinations and different depths of diving, group packages, equipment rental and instruction to fit varying diver needs.

One of the shallow diving sites which are very popular is Cuevas de Tiburones.  This site features reef overhangs which provide an optimum sleeping spot for nurse sharks.  Las Redes offers an abundance of marine life, schools of fish, barracudas, stingrays, lobsters and sea turtles.  Yal-ku is a popular feeding site chock full of Elkhorn coral structures, tunnels and lobster.

Other shallow dives are found at Dick’s Reef and Motorcycle Reef.  Motorcycle Reef is named so for the 15-year-old motorcycle which is now covered with live coral and plankton that nourishes local ocean life.

Deep divers enjoy an afternoon at Tzimin-Ha, which features ruins from a 20-foot fishing boat wreck.  Dives up to 100’ deep are found at Trigger Fish, which is a favorite deep dive spot for locals.  Here, widespread patches of coral contrast with the sandy white beaches among various forms of tropical fish for a colorful array of rare surroundings.

Xaar Beach and Gonzalo’s Reef offer various types of feeding grounds for several different species of sea turtles for a once-in-a-lifetime diving experience.  Xaar features reef fingers reaching 30’ up from the ocean floor, as well as turtles, nurse sharks and stingrays.  Gonzalo’s Reef is famous for its large and vivid reef fingers; visitors are virtually guaranteed a view of Hawksbill, Green, or Loggerhead turtles which use the area for feeding and play time.

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If you bring the kids to Akumal on vacation, there are many activities available which are perfect for the younger members of the group.  It’s important to keep the kids busy and entertained in all of the exciting activities available in Akumal.

Aside from touring the local Mayan ruins, snorkeling is perhaps the most popular activity for all travelers to Akumal, and some of the locations are especially perfect for the kids.  With a few safety precautions, the kids can partake in this fun with little possibility of injury or accident.

Well fitted life vests should be worn by each child. Most houses provide these life vests free of charge.  These will not only stop deadly accidents in the water, but will help to cover their body and stop sunburn in this area.  It should also be applied frequently to avoid major skin damage from the tropical Caribbean sun!

Yal-Ku Lagoon offers an optimum site for young snorkelers.  The calm waters of the area are free of choppy waters and multiple waves, allowing them to see the bright sea life easily.  The bay in front of the villas in South Akumal also is excellent because of the reef blocking the waves.

A day at the beach is loved by all, and the kids can busy themselves with the pliable sand all day long.  Buckets and shovels provide the chance to make sand castles while you rest and watch the kids play.  A sandy beach in front of your rental is a huge plus.  Most rental houses also have a fresh water pool with a deck for the family to enjoy.  Many also have kyacks for you to paddle.

Always discuss with the kids the importance of being aware of your surroundings before a day at the beach.  They should not walk on turtle nests or dig around in them for fear of destroying eggs buried beneath the sand.

The Jungle Place is a great place to take the animal-loving kids in the group.  It is a sanctuary for spider monkeys situated four miles south of Akumal neat the town of Chemuyil.  Here, they can see many of the local wild animals which are caged or chained for safety.  They may also play with the monkeys and talk to the many colorful parrots located here.

Places like Xel Ha, Hidden Worlds, Dolphin Adventures and Actun Chen offer something for everyone in the family, and are good for even the small kids.  Hike the jungle to cenotes, visit a cavern, ride the zip-line in the jungle, swim with the dolphins, tube down a river, jump from a cliff, or eat homemade ice cream available at many of the local eateries.  They are all within a few minute drive of Akumal.

Determining whether your children are adventurous, interested in animals and nature, or simplyenjoy to play in the water all day will help you to pick the best for them to partake in.  Discuss with your kids about what they would prefer to see and do while in Akumal, and try to do at least one thing that even the kids want to experience.

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If you like history, sports or a wide variety of ocean and land based activities you will have a great time in Akumal Mexico. There is a huge array of activities that will please everyone no matter how discerning the traveler.

Akumal is a divers paradise.  With the world’s second largest reef just offshore and several sunken ships in the area, the choice of dives is unlimited  There are numerous PADI Certified dive shops in the area with resort diving, certification courses, open sea dives, night dives, cenote dives or cave dives.  Diving and snorkeling are both readily available for anyone who wishes to visit the area reefs. You will be able to rent all of the equipment you need and have an experienced diver take you out to explore the ocean.

There are plenty of fishing activities to keep you occupied for days at a time. You can charter a boat in Akumal Bay to take you deep sea fishing.  The run to deep water is measured in yards instead of miles!  Or make the short run south to Xcalak for world class bone fish and permit fly fishing.  Local guides are available.

You might enjoy visiting the exibits at Centro Ecológico Akumal, a non-profit organization which provides academic studies, ocean research, marine studies, environmental education and cultural exchange. CEA has a wide range of programs aimed at studying and protecting the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System from the effects of unsustainable development.  CEA is a good place to visit if you want to learn more about sea life and how it can be protected.

Xel-Ha, Mexico’s Natural Wonder and the largest Natural Aquarium in the world await your discovery.  You can easily spend the day enjoying and exploring a wide variety of fish and animals in their natural habitat which has been protected for your enjoyment.

History buffs will particularly love the wonderful ancient Mayan Ruins in the Akumal, Mexico area. There are several of these sites in the area that are currently being uncovered by archeologists. A particularly popular site location is the Tulum ruins.

When you visit the Mayan Ruins you will see some of the expansive jungles around the Akumal area. A day trip through the jungle is a great experience and an adventure that you are sure to remember.

You can participate in kayaking and cave diving activities in Akumal. Cave diving is an exhilarating experience that you won’t soon forget and is especially enticing for the adventurous traveler.

No trip to the area would be complete without including many of the shopping opportunities in and around the Akumal area. Here you can find local crafts, necessities and even high end formal wear in the shopping area’s located in the town of Akumal. If you want to add a cultural touch to your home then you will particularly be fond of the vast selection of traditional Mayan crafts and linens.

After your shopping trip you are sure to enjoy the local cafes and fine dining restaurants in this charming village. With menu selections ranging from fresh seafood and fish to the more traditional Mayan dishes there is plenty for the traveler to choose from.  You will relax, refresh and be revitalized in Akumal, Mexico!

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