Level: Resort nearby
This spot has been added by
Last updated on April 14, 2021
Located just in front of Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal, this small “lagoon” sheltered by a coral reef, is well suited to snorkeling. The coral is essentially in poor condition, but a large variety of Caribbean fish, such as angelfish, butterflyfish and tangs, can be seen here.
This spot is located right in front of the Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal, a resort located a few kilometers south of Akumal Bay, known for snorkeling with turtles and stingrays.
The beach has public access from route 307 (location here), which gets you directly to the reef. It is also possible to walk on the beach from hotels in the area by following the Akumal Trail, which starts from the village of Akumal and arrives at Bahia Principe (2,8mi/4.5km).
Enter the water from the beach, facing the reef.
At this location, the beach is protected by a 300m-long reef. You can snorkel in the whole area between the beach and the reef, where the sea is calm and well sheltered.
In this area, you’ll snorkel over sandy bottoms and shallow coral reefs (↕3-10ft/1-3m). The coral is essentially in poor condition, even if pretty lettuce coral, star coral and gorgonians can be found in some places.
A great diversity of fish can be seen in the area. Sergeant majors, grunts, tangs, wrasse and snappers are easy to spot around the reefs. French angelfish and queen angelfish, which are among the most beautiful fish in the Caribbean, are also pretty common here.
Some sightings of nurse sharks are also reported on this spot, often hidden under the coral overhangs.
This spot is accessible from the different Bahia Principe resorts.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
It’s not possible anymore to snorkel at the reef. Only few meters from the beach
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
