Three swims in one day: sea turtles at Akumal, Cenote Mariposa, and the Tulum ruins between, from $88 with hotel pickup. Fees paid on the bus.
- Free cancellationFree cancellation - Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
- Duration10 hours
- LanguagesSpanish, English
This cenote and turtle snorkel tour is a 10-hour day from Cancún, from $88 per person, run by EKINOX Tours. It includes hotel pickup in Cancún or Puerto Morelos, a guided snorkel with sea turtles at Akumal Beach, entry to Cenote Mariposa with life jacket and locker, a guided visit to the Tulum ruins, a buffet lunch and two bottles of water. It holds 4.5 on 381 reviews of this tour on GetYourGuide. The price leaves out the conservation and gate fees: the listing puts them at 40 US dollars per adult and 25 per child, collected when you board the bus. Turtles are wild, so no tour can promise you will see one.
Compare Cenote ToursKey facts
combo with turtle snorkel (Akumal)- Duration
- 10 hours
- Meeting point
- Hotel pickup in Cancún and Puerto Morelos
- Price
- $88 per person
- Entry ticket included
- No — official ticket MX$265 extra
- Languages
- Spanish, English
- Group size
- Shared bus; a private-group option is listed
- Accessibility
- Not suitable for children under 2 or people with recent surgeries
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation - Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Included
- ✓ Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned bus
- ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off from Cancun and Puerto Morelos
- ✓ Guide
- ✓ Guided tour at archaeological site of Tulum
- ✓ Entry ticket to Mariposa Cenote
- ✓ Snorkeling guided tour at Akumal Beach
- ✓ Life jackets
- ✓ Lockers
- ✓ 2 water bottles
- ✓ Lunch
Not included
- ✗ Tulum archaeological site, Parque del Jaguar, Cenote's park and government fees: 40 USD per adult / 25 USD per child
- ✗ Mexican visitors with an INE ID have reduced fees
- ✗ Drinks during lunch
- ✗ Tips
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Cancún and Puerto Morelos — Pickup covers most hotels in both areas. Airbnb rentals, residential areas, hostels, boutique hotels and places with restricted street access may be given a nearby meeting point instead. Your pickup time is earlier than the tour start; be ready at the confirmed time.
Swimming with turtles at Akumal: the rules
The turtle swim is a guided snorkel at Akumal Beach, a protected bay a little over an hour south of Cancún. Snorkelling there follows federal rules for the Akumal Bay refuge area, as reported in 2024: groups of up to 6 people with one authorised guide, a life jacket, mask, snorkel and short fins, activity hours 9:00 to 17:00, and biodegradable sunscreen only. You must not touch, chase, feed or hold a turtle. The Centro Ecológico Akumal asks snorkellers to stay at least 3 m from a turtle, for no more than 2 minutes each, and never to stand on the reef. The life jacket is included.
The cenote stop: Mariposa at Canamayte
The cenote swim is at Cenote Mariposa, in the Canamayte eco park near Tulum. The listing describes it as an open cenote and includes the entry ticket, life jacket and locker. Lunch is a buffet at the same stop; drinks with lunch cost extra. 2 of the 10 latest reviews say they swam in two cenotes there, although the listing names only Mariposa. For more cenotes in the area, see the best cenotes in Tulum.
Tulum ruins on the same day
The day also includes a guided visit to the Tulum archaeological site, the Maya city on the cliffs above the Caribbean. The listing's description puts Tulum first, then the cenote and lunch, then Akumal, but one recent review snorkelled first, so the order can change. Plastic bottles are not allowed inside the Tulum site; bring a reusable one. Luggage, large bags, drones and tripods are not allowed on the tour. If you would rather skip the turtles and add Playa del Carmen, see the Tulum ruins and cenote tour.
What is included, and the fees paid on the bus
The $88 price covers transport, the guide, the Tulum guided visit, Cenote Mariposa entry, the Akumal snorkel, life jackets, lockers, lunch and two bottles of water. The conservation and gate fees are not in the price. The listing puts them at 40 US dollars per adult and 25 per child, paid when you board the bus. Part of that sum is the Tulum entry: officially 165 pesos (MXN) for foreigners for the ruins and the national park, plus 100 pesos for Parque del Jaguar, under a federal decree in force since 20 July 2026. No official figure was found for the cenote park or any Akumal charge. Mexican visitors with an INE card pay less. EKINOX's own website lists this day at $189, so the GetYourGuide price was lower when we checked.
Who should book a different turtle tour
Book the Akumal turtles and two cenotes tour if you would rather swap the Tulum ruins for a second cenote and a shorter day. Book the Tulum ruins and cenote tour if you do not need the turtles and want to save about $43. This tour is not suitable for children under 2 or people with recent surgeries, according to the listing. Every option is compared on our page of cenote tours from Cancún.
| Compared on | This tour | Akumal turtles and 2 cenotes | Tulum ruins and cenote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per person | from $88 | from $81 | from $45 |
| Duration | 10 hours | 8 hours | 10 hours |
| Turtle snorkel at Akumal | Yes, guided | Yes, guided | No |
| Cenotes | Cenote Mariposa | Cenote Mariposa and Cenote Chen-Ha | Cenote Mariposa |
| Tulum ruins | Yes, guided | No | Yes, guided |
| Fees paid on the day (per listing) | 40 USD adult, 25 USD child | 25 USD per person | 40 USD adult, 20 USD child |
| Rating on GetYourGuide | 4.5 (381 reviews) | 4.8 (27 reviews) | 4.6 (465 reviews) |
What reviewers consistently say
- All 10 of the latest reviews (28 May to 27 October 2026) give 5 stars
- 6 of 10 praise the guide; 5 name the guide or driver
- 3 of 10 say they saw turtles; 1 more says the snorkel guide helped slower swimmers see the wildlife
- 3 of 10 praise the food
- 2 of 10 say they swam in two cenotes
- 2 of 10 warn about a long, hot day or a cold, air-conditioned bus
- 1 of 10 says phones and action cameras were allowed in the water at Akumal
Who should not book this
- Children under 2: the listing says the tour is not suitable
- People recovering from recent surgery
- Anyone who wants all fees paid in advance: about 40 US dollars a head is collected on the bus
- Travellers carrying luggage or large bags, drones or tripods: none are allowed
-
From Cancun: Akumal Reef Turtle & 2 Cenotes Swim Tour
from $81Drops the Tulum ruins for a second cenote, Chen-Ha, in an 8-hour day. Same operator; 4.8 on 27 reviews.
Check availability -
Tulum ruins, Cenote Mariposa and Playa del Carmen
$454.6 465 reviews
The same ruins and cenote without the turtle snorkel, with free time in Playa del Carmen, for about half the price.
Read the full page
How to book
Use the button on this page to open the listing, choose a date and enter your hotel. Be ready at the confirmed pickup time, and bring cash for the fees collected on the bus: 40 US dollars per adult and 25 per child, according to the listing. Reserve now, pay later is available, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start. This site may earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you.
This site may earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Will I definitely see sea turtles at Akumal?
No tour can promise it, because the turtles are wild. 3 of the 10 latest reviews of this tour say they saw turtles.
Which cenote does the turtle tour visit?
Cenote Mariposa, at the Canamayte eco park near Tulum. Entry, a life jacket and a locker are included.
What fees do I pay on the day?
The listing puts the conservation and gate fees at 40 US dollars per adult and 25 per child, paid when you board the bus. They cover the Tulum ruins, Parque del Jaguar, the cenote park and government fees.
Can I touch the turtles?
No. The rules for Akumal Bay forbid touching, chasing, feeding or holding turtles. The local ecology centre asks you to stay at least 3 m away.
Is snorkel gear included?
The listing includes the guided snorkel at Akumal Beach and life jackets. It does not list masks or fins separately, so check the listing before you go.
What sunscreen can I use?
Only biodegradable sunscreen is allowed in Akumal Bay, and many cenotes ask you to shower and skip creams before you swim. A sun shirt avoids the problem.
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