Akumal

Akumal is a small coastal community on Highway 307 between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, about 25 to 30 minutes from each and roughly an hour from Cancún International Airport. Its name means "place of turtles" in Maya, and green turtles feed year round in Akumal Bay, a federally regulated refuge.

For buyers, Akumal offers a quiet beach lifestyle on a series of bays, with condos and villas close to the water, while full supermarkets, hospitals and services are 10 to 30 minutes away in Puerto Aventuras, Tulum and Playa del Carmen.

Areas to know in Akumal

Akumal Bay: the original bay at the main entrance arch, with the turtle snorkeling area, dive shops, Plaza Ukana and the Centro Ecológico Akumal.

Half Moon Bay and Yal-Ku: a curved, reef-protected bay north of Akumal Bay, lined with condos, villas and beach restaurants and ending at Yal-Ku Lagoon.

Jade Bay and Aventuras Akumal: a separate coastal community with its own highway entrance, quiet beaches and a small beach club scene.

South Akumal: the stretch of coast south of Akumal Bay, with private villas and condos on quieter beaches.

Akumal Pueblo: the town on the inland side of Highway 307, with taquerías, small shops and the public health center.

Living in Akumal

Akumal Pueblo has a health center for basic care, a clinic with 24 hour emergency care is in Puerto Aventuras about 10 to 15 minutes north, and full private hospitals are in Playa del Carmen. The general store by the arch covers daily basics, and residents do their weekly shopping in Puerto Aventuras or Tulum. To snorkel with the turtles in the deeper part of the bay you need a certified guide, a life vest and reef-safe sunscreen, in groups of up to six people.

Akumal guides

Parks and nature | Arts and culture | Things to do | Restaurants | Shopping | Nightlife and entertainment

Buying in Akumal with a licensed buyer's agent

Playa Realtors is a licensed boutique brokerage that has represented buyers in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and across Quintana Roo since 2008. We work only for the buyer and never represent developers. Plan on closing costs of 7 to 10% of the purchase price, and ask us for a written estimate before you make an offer.

Akumal properties for sale | Tulum neighborhood guide | Talk to a buyer's agent

Banner photo, via Wikimedia Commons: Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA, CC BY 2.0.