November 2020 Trip to Akumal, Mexico.
Some people like traveling to cities. Eating good food. Enjoying entertainment. Exploring the town’s history. Others prefer to escape to the mountains or desert. Hike, bike, really get away from it all. And still others look forward to nothing more than sitting on a beach with a cocktail in hand. If you want a quick adventure trip to Mexico that combines all of the above, Akumal Beach is a great option.
Having just been to the deserts of Utah in August, I was ready to go the opposite route and, with few places open due to the pandemic, Mexico seemed like a natural choice. Plus, the deals were too good to pass up. ($431 for four nights in an all-inclusive hotel on the beach and roundtrip air. I could spend more sitting home online shopping for week!)
I booked through Cheap Caribbean because, as their name promises, they’re cheap and I’ve had a lot of success with them in the past. There were many hotels to choose from, but Sunscape Akumal Beach Resort and Spa stood out. My requirements for hotels on beach vacations are that they’re located on the beach, have a variety of food options and offer good snorkeling onsite. Sunscape fit all of that criteria. Plus, it’s conveniently located near all of the Riviera Maya attractions, which was good since I was only in Mexico a short time.
Why stay at Akumal Beach?
In addition to offering a central location for the area’s attractions, the beach itself is really nice and a breeding spot for sea turtles. The water is crystal clear and the area isn’t overly populated, like Cancun. Akumal is also just 20 minutes from Tulum, many cenotes and an underground river. Everything an adventurer could want in a short stay. And I saw them all.
Adventure Day 1: Visiting Rio Secreto
The first adventure turned out to be the highlight of the trip for me. Rio Secreto is an underground river/cave in the jungle of the Yucatan. If you haven’t heard of it, it may be because it was only recently discovered. In 2004, a man was chasing an iguana through the jungle and stumbled across it. Seriously. That is the official story.
If you visit the Rio Secreto website, you might think it looks like a tourist trap. Maybe a theme park like Xcaret. (Not that there’s anything wrong with Xcaret. I visited it the last time I was in Cancun and actually enjoyed it!) But Rio Secreto, as their website describes, is a true ecological inspiration.
You can drive directly to the site, or take a tour bus. It’s about 20 minutes or so from Akumal. Once there, you learn a bit about its history and then board a shuttle bus that takes you to one of the cave entrances. There are five different trails. The trail you take depends on your tour – you don’t get to choose. The route we took was the Happiness Trail. There were other groups exploring different trails at the same time, but we never saw them – that’s how big the cave system is.
You can also opt to repel into the cave and ride a mountain bike to trail entrance for an additional fee. Both of those options seemed unnecessary to me and would only delay the main event: exploring the cave.
To help protect the cave from you, and your head from stalactites, you’re required to shower before entering and wear a wet suit and hard hat – both provided free of charge. Then, you’ll stop for a quick photo and make the short trek to the entrance. The only annoying touristy aspect of Rio Secreto is the photographer. Throughout the entire experience ours was incessantly snapping photos to sell back to us at the end of the tour, for $25 each! As I forked over the cash for one, I reminded myself that the money goes toward conserving the cave. Plus there was no other way to get a photo inside because cameras and phones aren’t allowed.
Outside of the photographer’s presence that occasionally snapped you back to reality, the tour was a total immersion into the underground world of the Yucatan. You leave behind the sunny jungle for a dark, winding cavern filled to your neck – and sometimes deeper – with cool, clear water. There were narrow spots where you had to climb over rocks. (I became known as the klutz of the group right from the start. But I was proud that I only fell three times in the hour or so journey.) The tight, rocky spots were followed by huge open caverns filled deep with water and covered in white sparkling crystal.
A few times the tour guide instructed us to turn off our headlamps and we stood still in the water in complete blackness and silence. For some on the tour, it was terrifying. To me, utter bliss. I could’ve stayed in that cave all day.
At the end of the tour, once you’ve turned in all their gear, they offer you a free shot of an anise-flavored drink (tasted like Uzo or Jägermeister to me) followed by a complimentary lunch. A nice way to fight off the lingering chill of the cave.
Adventure Day 2: Exploring Tulum, Swimming in a Cenote and Snorkeling with Sea Turtles
I’ve traveled to Mexico at least half a dozen times. Been to Chichen Itza, Coba and the San Gervasio ruins, but never Tulum. Apparently, I saved the best for last. Tulum is on the coast. So, in addition to the rich history it offers, it also provides spectacular views of the turquoise waters below it. Though much smaller than Chichen Itza and Coba, there’s still plenty to see. And it’s only about 20 minutes from Akumal Beach.
After Tulum, the tour took us to a cenote where we had a full hour to swim and explore. It was my first time at a cenote. It was a lot like swimming in a quarry back home, only much prettier. Set in the jungle, surrounded by lush vegetation and cold, clear water, it was like our own secret swimming hole. The water was much cooler than the ocean or Rio Secreto, and it was filled with those tiny little tadpole-like fish that enjoy eating dead skin off your feet. The highlight for me was jumping off the cliffs into the water. It was like a natural playground.
After the cenotes, we headed back to Akumal Beach to snorkel with sea turtles. As with any ocean activity, you’re never guaranteed to see sea life. It’s not a zoo. Turtles come and go. This spot on Akumal Beach just happens to have the sea grass they like to eat and nice nesting spots. We were lucky enough to see not one but several sea turtles. Giant, lumbering creatures chomping away on the ocean floor. Slow and graceful as they came to the surface for air, they were mesmerizing to watch.
Side note: I couldn’t help but wonder if there were any tiger sharks in the area. I know sea turtles are a delicacy to them. Fortunately, we didn’t see any!
Our tour guide, Tonya, was incredibly generous with her time and led us out to a nearby reef after turtle viewing. I booked through Viator Tours. I’ve used them many times and have always had a good experience.
Akumal Beach
The next day was reserved for relaxing at the hotel and snorkeling off Akumal beach, right off the hotel property. Akumal Beach is a great place to snorkel. So many fish and such clear water. There was a nice reef to explore and many smaller clusters of coral and rocks where fish liked to congregate.
The resort also has several pools to enjoy and the property is well maintained. The room was comfortable and quiet. The drinks were good – top shelf liquor and they used real bananas in the banana drinks (no pre-fab slushy machines!). It’s not super fancy, but it has a great location, good food and drinks and an excellent staff that made it feel like a resort rated much higher than the one it earned on Trip Advisor.
Traveling to Mexico during COVID
But what about COVID, you may be wondering. Was the hotel clean? Sunscape Akumal went above and beyond to keep things safe. All of the staff wore masks and the common areas were constantly being wiped down. Before you could enter any restaurant, they took your temperature. All of the tables were spaced out, not that it mattered because the resort was only about 10-15% full. The buffet was open, but instead of grabbing food yourself, the staff served you. And the food at Sunscape was really good – much better than the typical all-inclusive resort.
Didn’t plan this, but I happened to be in Akumal during the full moon. This made for some great nighttime photos. However, I learned that the full moon also increases the intensity of the waves. So, as pretty as it is for a stroll at night, it makes snorkeling by day a little more challenging than normal.
Final Thoughts
Before visiting Akumal Beach, Cozumel was my favorite place to vacation in Mexico. Now Akumal holds that spot. You just can’t beat the location. It has just the right mix of sites and scenery for a great trip whether you prefer adventure, relaxation, or both.