Tulum Ruins, Cenote & Sea Turtles Tour: Snorkel with turtles

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.83 (1,353 reviews) 89% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/25

Duration9h

GroupUp to 18

LanguagesEN · DE +2

PickupAt your hotel

Three stops in one day: Mayan ruins, jungle cenote, and snorkeling with sea turtles

A full-day guided tour from Tulum or Playa del Carmen that visits the clifftop Tulum Ruins, a cenote swim in the jungle, and snorkeling with sea turtles in Akumal Bay. The tour includes round-trip transport, an archaeological guide at the ruins, aquatic guides at both water stops, lunch, bottled water and snorkeling gear; live guides speak English, Spanish, French or German depending on your departure point. Tulum Reserve Tax and a turtle protection program are optional add-ons paid on the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tulum ruins, cenote and sea turtles

Explore Tulum Mayan ruins
Swim in jungle cenote
Snorkel with sea turtles in Akumal

The Experience

If you land in the Riviera Maya with a free afternoon or want to pack the region's three signature experiences into a single day, this tour stacks them without the logistics. You start at the Tulum Ruins—an ancient walled city perched on a cliff above turquoise water—where an archaeological guide walks you through the site and explains why it sits where it does. From there the route heads inland into the jungle to Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich, a natural limestone sinkhole filled with mineral-rich freshwater where you swim and float surrounded by rock walls and jungle canopy.

The third stop is Akumal Bay, a calm inlet where sea turtles graze on seagrass year-round. You enter the water with snorkeling gear and an aquatic guide, and the turtles are there—not in an enclosure, not on a schedule, but in their own habitat. The guide keeps the group at a respectful distance and explains what you're watching. It's the kind of encounter that doesn't require a boat ride to an island or a special permit; the turtles share the bay with swimmers most days.

Transport is round-trip from either Tulum or Playa del Carmen depending on which option you book, and the vehicle is air-conditioned. Lunch is a buffet with local dishes, and you get bottled water throughout the day. The tour runs about nine hours door-to-door. Two fees are optional: the Tulum Reserve Tax (10 USD per person) and a turtle protection program (15 USD per person), both paid on the day. Sunscreen is not permitted during the snorkeling stop to protect the turtles and the reef.

What’s included

Round-trip air-conditioned transport from Tulum or Playa del Carmen.
archaeological guide at the Tulum Ruins.
cenote entry and aquatic guide.
snorkeling equipment and aquatic guide for the sea turtle encounter in Akumal.
buffet lunch.
bottled water throughout the day.
live guide in English, Spanish, French or German depending on your departure point.

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by NS Vacations Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Tulum's three most-visited attractions in a single day without renting a car or coordinating separate guides—the route, timing and transport are locked in, so you show up and the day unfolds. Children from age 4 can join if they're comfortable swimming. If you prefer a smaller group or a different pace, look for private options or cenote-only tours instead.