Swim with turtles & private jungle cenotes

Meet your guide at Lara & Luca at 10 am. Your day begins at Lara & Luca Restaurant in Playa del Carmen. When you arrive, simply let the staff know you are with Soul Experiences Mexico; they will welcome you while you wait for your guide. Take a few moments to meet your guide, ask any last-minute questions and discover what awaits before setting off together. From the very start, you will feel the relaxed, personal approach that makes this experience unique. If your booking includes lunch, we will return here at the end of the tour to share a delicious meal together. Prefer to be picked up? Hotel and Airbnb pickup and drop-off can be added for an extra charge, depending on your location. Our trusted drivers will take you in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle, so you can simply relax while we take care of the logistics.

Journey to Akumal. We head south along the Riviera Maya, about a 30-minute drive, toward the charming seaside town of Akumal, whose name in the Maya language means "place of the turtles". On the way, you get to know the group while your guide introduces the region's unique ecosystems and the connection between the Caribbean Sea and the underground rivers that shaped the Yucatán Peninsula. Your guide also explains how the snorkeling works, how to use the equipment and how to respect the turtles and their habitat, so that whether it is your first time or you are an experienced swimmer, you arrive ready to enjoy one of the Riviera Maya's most extraordinary natural encounters.

Swim with wild sea turtles in Akumal Bay. Akumal Bay offers one of the Riviera Maya's most unforgettable wildlife encounters: snorkeling alongside wild green sea turtles in their protected natural habitat. The experience begins at the area's main diving center, with lockers, bathrooms and warm showers available before and after the activity. Unlike most tours that start from the shore, we first take a short speedboat ride to the nearby reef, to explore colorful tropical fish, coral formations and crystal-clear Caribbean waters. As you snorkel slowly back toward the bay, you are very likely to encounter wild turtles feeding peacefully on the sea grass and rising to the surface to breathe, while your local guide shares insights about the turtles, the reef and why Akumal is one of the most important turtle habitats in the Mexican Caribbean. To protect this fragile ecosystem, life jackets are required at all times, touching the turtles is strictly prohibited and sunscreen cannot be used before entering the water. A rashguard or wetsuit is recommended, and it will also keep you comfortable in the cenotes later in the day. Feel free to bring a GoPro or waterproof phone, without long selfie sticks or extensions, so everyone can enjoy the encounter while keeping a respectful distance from the wildlife.

Journey to the private jungle. After leaving Akumal Bay behind, the adventure continues inland. In less than 20 minutes, the turquoise Caribbean gives way to lush tropical jungle, where a completely different natural world awaits. We arrive at a private jungle property with several cenotes, all just a short walk from one another and visited by only a few authorized guides. Along the way, your guide explains how these crystal-clear sinkholes were formed over thousands of years and why they held such deep spiritual meaning for the Maya. As the sounds of the road fade into birdsong and rustling trees, you move from the sea to the jungle; two extraordinary ecosystems in a single day.

Discover three hidden cenotes. Inside this private jungle property, the cenote experience unfolds in three stages, each with its own atmosphere, at a relaxed and enjoyable pace. We begin at an open cenote, where crystal-clear waters invite you to swim beneath the tropical sky. The journey continues to a semi-open cenote, where sunlight filters through the vegetation and creates beautiful reflections on the turquoise water; a perfect spot for swimming and photos. Finally, you enter a fully covered cavern cenote, where silence, dramatic rock formations and crystal-clear water reveal why the Maya considered cenotes sacred gateways to the underworld. All three cenotes are within the same property, so there is no driving between them; just a short, relaxed walk through the jungle, surrounded by birdsong and far from the crowds. Life jackets and goggles are provided, so everyone can enjoy each cenote at their own pace.

Journey back to Playa del Carmen. As our time in the jungle comes to an end, you have time to dry off and change into comfortable clothes before we begin the relaxed drive back to Playa del Carmen. Along the way, conversations naturally turn to the day's highlights; the first turtle rising to breathe, the colors of the reef, the light inside the cavern cenote. From the Caribbean Sea to the underground world of the cenotes, you have explored two of the Riviera Maya's most remarkable natural environments in a single day. Of the millions of travelers who visit the Riviera Maya every year, only a small few experience it this way; today, you are one of them. If your booking includes lunch, one final highlight still awaits at Lara & Luca.

Celebrate the day at Lara & Luca (lunch option). After a day exploring Akumal Bay and the hidden cenotes, it is time to slow down and enjoy a well-deserved meal at Lara & Luca, a welcoming international restaurant in Playa del Carmen with a cozy atmosphere and refreshing air conditioning. From Monday to Friday, our chef prepares a weekly menu with three starters and three main courses to choose from, made with fresh ingredients and followed by dessert or coffee. On weekends and public holidays, you enjoy a main course. Your meal always includes your choice of water, a soft drink or an ice-cold beer, and vegetarian options are always available. More than just lunch, this is the final shared moment of the experience; a chance to exchange stories, laugh about the day's highlights and end your adventure exactly as it began: together.

Ending with memories, not just photos. Every great adventure comes to an end, but hopefully not forever. Whether it was swimming beside wild sea turtles, discovering hidden cenotes or sharing stories along the way, we hope you leave with much more than beautiful photos; genuine memories of a day that felt personal, authentic and truly yours. Optional: hotel drop-off can be added for an extra charge, so you can return comfortably to your accommodation in our air-conditioned vehicle, ending the day as relaxed as you began it. Thank you for sharing this adventure with us; we hope to welcome you again on another Riviera Maya experience.