Akumal Dive Shop
Akumal Dive Shop
5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view

About
The Original Akumal Dive Shop is a 5 Star PADI IDC center. The first dive shop on Mexico's Caribbean mainland. With over 30 years experience, we offer the best snorkeling tours to encounter free turtles, Morninga and sunset Sailing in a catamaran, recreational diving and from Discover Scuba Diving experience to advanced levels of instructor training in Akumal, Tulum at the Riviera Maya.
Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,354 reviews
Excellent
1,178
Very good
124
Average
23
Poor
12
Terrible
17
J-Ro
Spokane Valley, WA15 contributions
Feb 2025 • Solo
Upon arrival I was warned emphatically that winds were high, waters rough and decreased visibility. We did not go to the reef but that just meant more time for turtle and sting Ray spotting. A boat took us a bit out past the ropes. Our guide Diego (dive master) helped us to find a few turtles and rays, it was really a wonderful experience.
Diego kept us safe, knew what he was doing, and managed to avoid much of the crowd while still finding the animals. I would warn that the open waters did get choppy and I only felt comfortable the first part because I’m a pretty strong swimmer and had a life-vest. I would not go this far out with my child for example. Swimming during this part before the ropes did leave me a bit winded to snorkel. Diego was kind enough to trade snorkels with me as I was having a tough time with mine. This made a huge difference. If you have a good mask and snorkel bring it along, the rental ones aren’t great. Once we reached the ropes it got much easier to swim/float.
All and all a great experience and I felt well taken care of. I would come back.
Diego kept us safe, knew what he was doing, and managed to avoid much of the crowd while still finding the animals. I would warn that the open waters did get choppy and I only felt comfortable the first part because I’m a pretty strong swimmer and had a life-vest. I would not go this far out with my child for example. Swimming during this part before the ropes did leave me a bit winded to snorkel. Diego was kind enough to trade snorkels with me as I was having a tough time with mine. This made a huge difference. If you have a good mask and snorkel bring it along, the rental ones aren’t great. Once we reached the ropes it got much easier to swim/float.
All and all a great experience and I felt well taken care of. I would come back.
Written February 12, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aly
9 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
Our family of four (11 & 15 year old boys) visited twice in one day during our stay in Akumal. We did the turtle snorkel in the morning, and saw three large turtles, however, I would recommend going when they first open to get the best views. There was a lot of people when we started our tour at 10 AM and the water was pretty murky, and churned up by then. However, our guide Diego was amazing and it was just our family in his group. We signed up for the sunset sail with Diego that evening. He was such a great guide in the morning that we wanted him to be our guide for the evening sail. Diego, and the catamaran driver, Luis, were incredible hosts who made us feel so relaxed and welcome. They played Bob Marley, who I love! It was just magical! I was so happy, I cried tears of joy! The little lagoon that they took us to was beautiful! When we got out of the water, there was fresh fruit, freshly made guacamole and chips for us to snack on. There was also drinks for everyone, including beers, Coke, water, and tequila. We caught two fish on the way back after the lagoon - a barracuda, and king fish. They let our boys reel them in, which was so special! As a sailor, I will tell you that they put up the sail, but we were not sailing, we were still motoring. No matter! It was still an amazing experience! The sunset cruise was on point!
Written December 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica T
39 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
This was my 3 time to Akumal in 10 yrs- best experience! Having taken a small boat out to the reef and then snorkeling back was a good way to minimize the crowds.
Our group was 5 people + our Guide.
We brought our own gear but now the only people allowed fins are the guides (for good reason)- but if you have your own gear, you can leave them at the room.
Also the boat is small and the ride very short: no need to bring towels or drinks or any other gear- leave it in your locker 😎
Was a smooth trip with ADS and would recommend
Our group was 5 people + our Guide.
We brought our own gear but now the only people allowed fins are the guides (for good reason)- but if you have your own gear, you can leave them at the room.
Also the boat is small and the ride very short: no need to bring towels or drinks or any other gear- leave it in your locker 😎
Was a smooth trip with ADS and would recommend
Written December 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diane M
Manchester, UK100 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
We booked directly with ADS and travelled on the collectivo from our hotel a couple of miles along the coast. Much cheaper than the organised tours.
We went for the 0830 slot as we knew it would get busier as the day goes on.
Diego was our guide and he was attentive and informative and kept us safe. We saw turtles, rays and loads of fish, it was magical.
We went for the 0830 slot as we knew it would get busier as the day goes on.
Diego was our guide and he was attentive and informative and kept us safe. We saw turtles, rays and loads of fish, it was magical.
Written August 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
visitor_from_Bath
bath34 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We were staying at the Secrets Akumal Hotel, and this was a short walk along the beach.
The staff were really helpful, advised when the best time to book a tour was (e.g to come back the next day, so didn't just sell us a ticket regardless), and the price was very reasonable, all equipment included.
They take you a couple of hundred metres out to sea by boat, and then you swim back to shore with a guide.
We were lucky as it was just us two and our very knowledgeable and helpful guide Monica.
We saw Snapper, Parrot fish, huge Starfish, Sting Rays and Turtles - lots of them.
Good advice was to keep high in the water, don't trail your legs, keep a respectful distance from the turtles and keep still when they surface to breathe. Listen to your guide; they have the wildlife's best interests at heart.
The staff were really helpful, advised when the best time to book a tour was (e.g to come back the next day, so didn't just sell us a ticket regardless), and the price was very reasonable, all equipment included.
They take you a couple of hundred metres out to sea by boat, and then you swim back to shore with a guide.
We were lucky as it was just us two and our very knowledgeable and helpful guide Monica.
We saw Snapper, Parrot fish, huge Starfish, Sting Rays and Turtles - lots of them.
Good advice was to keep high in the water, don't trail your legs, keep a respectful distance from the turtles and keep still when they surface to breathe. Listen to your guide; they have the wildlife's best interests at heart.
Written August 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan
North Carolina46 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
The Akumal Dive Shop offers diving and snorkeling tours. We chose to snorkel, which we highly recommend. If you go, try to book a tour early in the morning (the shop opens at 8:00) before crowds arrive. We booked an 8:30 snorkeling tour through the ADS website. If you visit this dive shop for a tour, you receive beach access, lockers, and bathrooms all day long. There are a few great places to eat or buy souvenirs just a 5 - 10 minute walk away. Parking is right in front of the dive shop (and is free!), after you pass the arch, but be careful, as many people will try to wave you over to park. Note that you are not allowed to wear sunscreen because it ia dangerous for the turtles.
The water is clear and there were many fish and turtles surrounding us. There was only one other person in our tour. After receiving a life vest, a mask, and a snorkel (flippers are not allowed, as they damage the seagrass), we boarded a boat which took us out about 500 meters. We snorkeled back to the shore gradually, stopping to see turtles every now and then. Our guide was very nice, and pointed out all of the turtles.
The water is clear and there were many fish and turtles surrounding us. There was only one other person in our tour. After receiving a life vest, a mask, and a snorkel (flippers are not allowed, as they damage the seagrass), we boarded a boat which took us out about 500 meters. We snorkeled back to the shore gradually, stopping to see turtles every now and then. Our guide was very nice, and pointed out all of the turtles.
Written August 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark T
Ottawa, Canada39 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
Great location, right on the beach of playa akumal. I checked around the websites of the dice ships in the area and this one stood out in terms of price and customer satisfaction. I wasn't disappointed. The ship was extremely well-run and produced and every five was smooth, professional and fun. I won't go anywhere else in Akumal.
Written January 19, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael K
Grand Rapids, MI94 contributions
Feb 2022
On our most recent trip to Mexico, I completed my certification dives with David from ADS. He was a great instructor who was extremely knowledgeable, patient and a genuine nice guy. Everyone else at the dive shop was very friendly and helpful as well. They rent snorkel and dive equipment, fill tanks and have guided dives also. All of their equipment seemed to be in great condition. Their facility had lockers for rent, toilets, showers and changing rooms. They also sell diving / snorkel equipment and some cool clothing. All of their products and services seemed to be very fairly priced. This is a beautiful area to dive in and the folks at ADS make it easy and affordable to enjoy.
Written March 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelliann A
Portland, OR20 contributions
Jul 2021
My 16 yo son and I did the Robinson Crusoe cruise yesterday and it was an absolute delight! It turned out we were the only guests on the catamaran that day, so bonus! The lunch prepared by Chino was exceptional, and the helpful guidance by Santos was exemplary. Both hosts were wonderful!
Please note that we came across someone on the beach who "sold" us the sunset cruise a couple of nights prior. We ended up on a fishing vessel without life jackets because the sunset cruise was supposedly "sold out." When I mentioned this experience to the people at Akumal Dive Shop they noted that the only place to buy experiences through their organization is at Akumal Dive Shop. (So... we were bamboozled for the sunset cruise...)
I'm so glad we did the Robinson Crusoe cruise to get the real treatment from the kind team at Akumal Dive Shop.
Please note that we came across someone on the beach who "sold" us the sunset cruise a couple of nights prior. We ended up on a fishing vessel without life jackets because the sunset cruise was supposedly "sold out." When I mentioned this experience to the people at Akumal Dive Shop they noted that the only place to buy experiences through their organization is at Akumal Dive Shop. (So... we were bamboozled for the sunset cruise...)
I'm so glad we did the Robinson Crusoe cruise to get the real treatment from the kind team at Akumal Dive Shop.
Written July 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AnaLondon
London31 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
Booked a day before directly with Akumal Dive Shop through WhatsApp. Dana dealt with me and helped me to book a 45 minute turtle snorkel for 4 of us, 2 adults and 2 teens. All my questions quickly answered, a link for a small advance payment was sent to me and voila all booked. We took a cab on the day from our resort in Riviera Maya and reached Akumal soon. We paid the balance in their shop, got changed there (there is a changing room and lockers) and met our guide for the snorkel. Rebeka took us out on a small boat, only us, and we had the most delightful time seeing fish and many turtles. Great day, great guide Rebeka, bravo Akumal Dive shop.
Written November 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, Does this place still rent lounge chairs and lockers ? Thanks
Written August 27, 2021
How long is the drive from your dive shop to the Whale Sharks?
Written January 20, 2020
Hi michneill,
Thank you for your question, it takes roughly 1 hour and a half to arrive to the Whale Sharks from the pick-up point.
For more information, such as Whale Shark season or what the tour includes, please visit our website or contact us directly :o)
We hope to see you soon michneill!
Written January 21, 2020
Mark
Gloucester, United Kingdom
Hi, myself and my future wife will be arriving end of March 2020 on our honeymoon and was wondering if you do private boat trips/snorkelling. This would be a lovely surprise for her
Thank you
Written July 26, 2019
Hi Mark,
Wonderful! Yes, please do contact us directly via our website (TripAdvisor does not allow links; otherwise we'd provide them) and we'll gladly explain what options we can offer... or feel free to call us:
Phone (52) 984 875 9032
Toll free in Mexico 01 800 462 1212
Thank you for your question... and a special thanks to Jim Y for his excellent answer!
Written July 27, 2019
Want to go to swim with whale sharks any place I can get info.
Written June 19, 2019
Hi 4ureyes1221,
Sure! Please visit our website, type "Akumal Dive Shop" on Google Search to find us (TripAdvisor does not allow links; otherwise we'd provide them), under Whale Shark Snorkeling you'll find the info you're looking for... book from here if you like!
Feel free to call us:
Phone (52) 984 875 9032
Toll free in Mexico 01 800 462 1212
Thank you for your question!
Written June 19, 2019
HI. I will be coming to Akumal with my 12 year old daughter in the beginning of July to snorkel and hopefully see sea turtles as well as other fish. We want to start as early in the morning as possible so am wondering what time you open. Also want to make sure that we both will be able to just rent equipment and not have to do a tour. Is that possible? Thank you
Written June 6, 2019
Hi Kenneth,
We’re happy that you've chosen to visit Akumal with your daughter… we think you’ll have a delightful time experiencing the remarkable sealife here! Yes, you may rent equipment without a tour; and entrance to the bay opens at 9:00 am.
See you both soon Kenneth!
Written June 7, 2019
The street right in front of your business is very dangerous for pedestrians and people riding bikes. A big part of the problem is the tour vans parking on the street to drop off guests. Would it be possible for tour groups to park in the parking lot near the library and walk in. Many of the vans just stay parked in the area clearly marked no parking. Someone is going to get hurt.
Written March 17, 2019
Hi Tracynbuzz,
Thank you for your thoughtful comments and genuine concern—we appreciate that you took the time to share these detailed observations with us regarding your experience in Akumal, Tracy.
First, you wrote that ‘The street right in front of your business is very dangerous for pedestrians and people riding bikes’—here we must emphasize the ‘sidewalk system’ that Fred mentions. Please consider the street is not meant for pedestrians; we understand there should be signs clearly highlighting this and the designated areas for walking and riding bikes. Fred makes a valid point, this ‘system’ could be bettered and we’re striving to do our part (although there’s only so much we can do as one business), however, for the time being, it serves its purpose—and it’s much safer for pedestrians than the street!
Regarding your question about the possibility of ‘tour groups [parking] in the parking lot near the library’ and the ‘Many [vans that] just stay parked in the area’—we only receive 3 of these tour vans a day; therefore, the rest of the vans are not our clients.
We hope you found our comments helpful, Tracy... and thank you Fred and Ray for adding to this discussion as well :o)
Written March 18, 2019
Hi. Our last visit was at least a decade ago but we had some enjoyable diving. Anyway, we are thinking of a trip in November or December. Do you experience the northerlies that can limit diving by creating rough seas? We also do not like being swum around and enjoy a more relaxed pace on our dives especially for photography. Can you accommodate to that? Night dives?
Written August 31, 2018
Hi Gerald,
Awesome that you've done some memorable diving with us... and thank you for your well-written question!
Could you please e-mail us your query so that we can provide a satisfactory answer?
Oh... and we appreciate your input Jodey!
Written September 2, 2018
Hi, do you pick up from Bahia Principe Akumal hotel? We are 2 certified divers coming July and looking to do several dives including Cozumel. Do you do any easy cenote dives for us who have never dove caverns? Thanks.
Written May 15, 2018
Hi linc133,
Thank you for your questions! We're delighted to read that you'll be visiting in July :o)
Regarding the dives you're looking forward to, including Cozumel and the cenote dives, we'd love to show you around and share unforgettable adventures with you!
On our website you can see the prerequisites for the cenote dives (TripAdvisor does not allow sharing contact information, just type Akumal Dive Shop on Google or similar search engine)--or e-mail us and we'll provide further details.
Unfortunately, we currently do not pick up from hotels.
Written May 15, 2018
Hi. Is it still possible to rent snorkelling equipment from your shop to use without a tour guide (on the beach) please? If so, what’s the cost and are there any other charges when arriving on the beach? Thanks!
Written April 2, 2018
Hi there Charlotte!
Yes, of course!
At the time of this writing, the rental cost for snorkeling equipment is $17 USD and access to the beach through our shop is free of charge—otherwise, if you do not pass through our shop, it's $100 Mexican Pesos per person to have access to the restrooms and showers.
Written April 2, 2018
Is there any huka diving near akumal or do we need to to Cozumel?
Written March 26, 2018
Hi 4ureyes1221!
Sorry, no Hookah Diving that we know of... neither in nor near Akumal (for the moment :)
Thank you everyone for your answers!
Have a great day!
Written March 27, 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.