Akumal is a small tourist resort town south of Cancun between the towns of Tulum and Playa del Carmen. It was founded in 1958 by Pablo Bush Romero as a community for scuba divers. Its fine, white sand beaches lined with beautiful beach house rentals are its greatest draw. Visitors can simply sit under the palm trees, breathe-in the freshness of the sea air, surf a little, swim a little, and sleep a lot on this paradise of a beach.

A creative haven, Akumal hosts the Ondarte International Artist Residency. The locals totally support Ondarte and other homegrown initiatives to preserve the town's natural beauty while promoting and sharing its creative hand with the world.
Akumal is the Mayan translation for “place of the turtles”. All throughout the nesting season from April through October, sea turtles come here to lay their eggs at night or swim in the main bay during the day. Hatching season is from June to November. Because it is also the hurricane season, hundreds of tiny baby turtles will be seen mightily fighting their way to the sea and a big percentage of them do not survive. Through the collective efforts of the local community however, the population of the Green Sea Turtle has remained stable.
Things to do in a Beach Paradise
·    With 3 beautiful bays - Half Moon Bay, greater Akumal Bay and Aventuras; Akumal Bay water sports activities are endless. They are all blessed with teeming tropical reefs, making snorkeling here unforgettable at best. Tourists (the brave and daring ones) have been known to swim with barracudas and sea turtles.

·        Try the Cave and Jungle Tour for another unique experience exploring Akumal's extensive cave systems. Meet native animals and see exotic plant life on your trek through the grounds.

·        Wait by the road and catch a colectivo van just for the heck of it. Get a kick out of guessing how many passengers this intriguing mode of transport can service without bursting at the seams.

·        There is no shortage of beach cottages, restaurants, dive shops and gift shops where Akumal's local artists display their gift for the arts. Just looking at this town's artistic treasures will be enough to fill an entire day of sightseeing.
·        One special place to be in Akumal is the Yal-Ku Lagoon. Snorkeling in its waters so tranquil and clear will make you wish you could stay under water forever. Around the lagoon are many luxurious rental villas and holiday homes to cater to families or groups of any size. If you don't go anywhere else in Akumal but the Yal-ku Lagoon, you still would have had a completely unforgettable beach holiday in the Caribbean.