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Located just in front of Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal, this small “lagoon” sheltered by a coral reef, is well suited to snorkeling. The coral is essentially in poor condition, but a large variety of Caribbean fish, such as angelfish, butterflyfish and tangs, can be seen here.

Juvenile queen angelfish at Bahia Principe Akumal
A juvenile queen angelfish is one of the most beautiful fish found in the Caribbean.

How to get to the Bahia Principe snorkeling spot

This spot is located right in front of the Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal, a resort located a few kilometers south of Akumal Bay, known for snorkeling with turtles and stingrays.

The beach has public access from route 307 (location here), which gets you directly to the reef. It is also possible to walk on the beach from hotels in the area by following the Akumal Trail, which starts from the village of Akumal and arrives at Bahia Principe (2,8mi/4.5km).

Bahia Principe Akumal snorkeling map

Water entrance for snorkeling Bahia Principe

Enter the water from the beach, facing the reef.

Bahia Principe reef snorkeling exploration

At this location, the beach is protected by a 300m-long reef. You can snorkel in the whole area between the beach and the reef, where the sea is calm and well sheltered.

In this area, you’ll snorkel over sandy bottoms and shallow coral reefs (↕3-10ft/1-3m). The coral is essentially in poor condition, even if pretty lettuce coral, star coral and gorgonians can be found in some places.

Nurse shark at Bahia Principe Akumal
Nurse sharks are sometimes seen resting in the rocky caves.

A great diversity of fish can be seen in the area. Sergeant majors, grunts, tangs, wrasse and snappers are easy to spot around the reefs. French angelfish and queen angelfish, which are among the most beautiful fish in the Caribbean, are also pretty common here.

Some sightings of nurse sharks are also reported on this spot, often hidden under the coral overhangs.

Grunts and snappers at at Bahia Principe Akumal reef
Juveniles grunts and snappers are frequently seen schooling together.

Restaurants and accommodation in Bahia Principe

This spot is accessible from the different Bahia Principe resorts.

 

  • Level required Beginner
  • Maximum depth10ft/3m
  • Water entranceFrom a sandy beach
  • LifeguardNo
  • Visitor numbersMedium to high
  • Access costsFree

MAP Spot

These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life.

This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.