Akumal, Mexico Reef & UW Life Quality

[mwood9]

Four of us are considering trying a dive trip in September to Akumal instead of Cozumel, for a change of pace. How would you characterize the reefs there? How is the diving? What other Caribbean reef would you compare it to?

Having a hard time finding dive reviews from experienced divers. If Akumal is something like Little Cayman, I'm there! If it's more like Belize/Ambergris Cay, count me out. It doesn't have to be spectacular, just good enough for a week's time for a change of pace. I'm a photographer, so macro is a bonus if there is any there.

How is the viz?

Thanks!

Michael Wood
mwood9

 

[TSandM]

I have only done one dive off Akumal, and I was really unimpressed. But we did a couple of reef dives off Puerto Aventuras on this last trip, and my opinion was quite different -- very healthy, diverse reef environments, with beautiful corals and huge sponges. But I haven't dived either of the places you are comparing to . . . but neither of those has cenotes!

 

[driftwood]

Most of the medium and deep reefs off Akumal are finger and groove. It's been a few years but Belize was much better than Akumal. Akumal has three things going for it. One it has drop dead beautiful beaches. Two, you can rent a beach front condo very reasonably. Three, it is close to the majority of cenotes.

One other thing is that September is the very tail end of the turtle hatching season. The CEA does nightly turtle walks that they let people join.

 

[SMAE]

We booked a week vacation in Akumal last January. After diving the first morning, we got on the ferry and headed over to Cozumel to finish our vacation. The diving was a huge disappointment and the visibility was mediocre. I endeared the stress of leaving our resort without having a Plan B, but it all worked out and the diving was amazing in Cozumel.

Akumal does have beautiful beaches . For a change in pace, you may want to consider doing the cenotes. I haven't yet had the pleasure, but it's on my list (hopefully later this year).