Nestled between Tulum and Playa del Carmen is Akumal, a charming town with white sand beaches, clear water, and a casual vibe that made for the ultimate laid back family vacation.

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Every February, my kid’s school takes a Winter Break and closes for one week. We seized this oppurtuniy of no school, no homework and no sports and booked an escape to Akumal, Mexico. This lesser known beach town means “Place of the Turtle” in Mayan. It is bordered by white sand beaches and two crystal clear water bays that are part of the Meso-American Reef; the second longest reef system in the world! It is the perfect beach setting for sunbathing and snorkeling. Akumal is small, with only one offical road running through it. Travelling with kids, we deliberately bypassed the party scenes and tourist traps of other Mexican hotspots. It felt like time stopped while we were in Akumal so it was the perfect week of rest and relaxation. In this post, I’ll share the highlights of our vacation and why Akumal proved to be an unforgettable destination for our family.

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How to Get to Akumal, Mexico

Akumal is a a 90 minute drive from the Cancun airport. We opted to rent a car to have transportation for the week. The route is simple and straightforward; 80% is highway driving. We hit heavy traffic en route to Akumal and the “intensity” and “aggressiveness” of other drivers made the ride somewhat stressful. Well, for me at least. My husband, who was driving the rental car, thought it was fun.

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Where We Stayed in Akumal

We stayed at the La Sirena condo complex and it was perfect for our family of four. The 2 bedroom 2 bath rental was on the ground floor and we could walk out to the complex’s private beach. The condo itself was a bit dated (think early 90’s colors, decor and fixtures). The hand painted tiles in the kitchen and bathroom and the carved wooden doors, while dated, gave the place a sweet charm. And it was in pristine shape. There was dailyhouse keeping, on site security, free parking, a full kitchen, WIFI, and plenty of space for our family to sprawl out.

The property was beautifully landscaped with lush tropical plants and orchid gardens. There were plenty of beach chairs and palapas for all the guests to enjoy. The large pool had a tanning ledge and lap lane (we spent all our time at the beach and never used it). And lots of wildlife. There was a friendly iguana that liked to hang out near our front door and greet us daily.

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What We Did In Akumal

Zipline, Tour A Cave & Swim in a Cenote at Aktun-Chen

Aktun-chen is a nature park that combines the beauty of the Mexican flora and fauna with the thrill of adventure. It literally feels like you’ve walked into a tropical jungle; lush greenery, howling monkeys, wild birds and a shaded canopy of trees. We pre-booked all the activities and enjoyed every single one. Seriously, how could ziplining upside down not be a highlight of the adventure? Our cave tour was breathtaking and eerily beautifully. Our guide was extremely knowledgable and made the tour educational and interesting. We finished the day swimming in the cenote (another bucket list activity for me). The water was unbelievably clear; it was hard to grasp that it wasn’t man made. There were professional photographers throughout each excursions so we were able to purchase over 100 photos to remember our day at Aktun-chen forever.

Sail on a Catamaran & Snorkel In a Private Cove

This 5 hour Robinson Crusoe excursion on the water was a favorite for the whole family! We boarded a 36 foot catamaran and sailed with 4 other people to a private cove. Drinks (alcoholic and non), snorkel gear and lunch were provided on this tour that we booked through the Akumal Dive Shop. Lunch is an understatement because we had an incredible mexican feast. The crew made fresh salsa, ceviche, and guacomole once we anchored. They grilled fresh fish, had delicious cut tropical fruit, and the tequila, beer, and maragritas were flowing. The water in the cove was extremely clear and we had fun exploring the inlets and snorkeling under the mangroves.

Snorkel in Yal Ku Lagoon

Just a 5 min walk from our condo was the Yal-Ku Lagoon, a crystal clear cenote and snorkeling paradise. We saw the most fish and wildlife at this lagoon. Lockers and snorkel gear were available to rent. There were multiple staircases built into the lagoon for easy water entrance and exits. I would recomend getting to Yal-Ku early; the lagoon defintely got busier as the day wore on.

Explore the Town

Most everything we did in Akumal was walking distance (other than Aktun-chen) making it easy to explore and shop. The Akumal boutiques are authentic with vendors making their wares by hand in the back room. My daughter bought a hoodie from a local merchant and he showed her his book of hand drawn illustrations of all the designs in his t-shirt shop.

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Where We Ate in Akumal

Akumal may be small but there is no shortage of delicious places to eat. Since our condo had a full kitchen, we chose to eat most of our breakfasts and snacks in. There is a small grocery store (Super Chomak) at the center of town that had all the essentials (bread, eggs, cheese, meat). Plus fresh baked goods, fruits, vegetables and a large liquor section so we had no problem stocking the fridge in our condo.

La Lunita

This restaurant was our favorite. It was intimate, romantic and right on the water. The service was attentive, the menu was eclectic, the food was beyond gourmet and they had an extensive wine and martini list. Do not miss out on the coconut shrimp; it was delicious! Try to get there before dark because the lighting is sparse and once the sun sets it is hard to see your food.

La Cueva del Pescador

This restaurant is located in the center of town and came highly recommended form our condo’s owner. They claim to have the freshest seafood in town. Supposedly the head chef is a fisherman and cooks whatever he catches that morning. And as we were told, the fresh fish did not dissapoint. Both my husband and son ordered (and devoured) the grilled whole fish, it was so good. There are many non-seafood options on the menu as well and the margaritas were delicious.

The Jungle Cafe

This coffee and breakfast spot is built into the mangroves and offers a serene and beautiful place to sip your latte. Besides a full espresso bar, The Jungle Cafe offers fresh smoothies, pastries, quiches and a breakfast menu ranging from pancakes and french toast to chilequiles and huevos rancheros. One morning during breakfast here, we were entertained by a group of playful coatimundi running through the mangroves.

La Buena Vida

This popular beach bar and restaurant can get busy and loud (live bands and karaoke nights are not exactly quiet) but it is definitely worth a visit. The tables are right on the edge of the water and the view of the bay at sunset is incredible. Service is slow but when you are on vacation and you have a massive margarita in hand, that stuff doesn’t really matter. The happy hour specials are great and we actually enjoyed the non-seafood dishes the most. I highly recommend the Botanero Dish for a little taste of everything!

Loncheria Akumalito

Authentic home-cooked Mexican food at it’s finest. This small breakfast and lunch restaurant made fresh to order traditional dishes that do not dissapoint. And the prices were very reasonable!. We ate here two times, once for breakfast and once for lunch, and both meals were filling and delicious. I definitely recomend ordering the fresh squeezed watermelon juice. So refreshing!

Lucy’s Homemade Ice Cream

In my opinion, there are very few things better than ice cream. Then when it’s homemeade ice cream made with fresh ingredients served in homemade waffle cones and cups…that’s pretty much dessert heaven. This tiny ice cream shop is also nestled in the center of Akumal. It’s small and easy to miss but trust me, don’t pass this by!!

Lol Ha

Located right on Akumal Bay, this casual restaurant is THE definition of beachfront dining. The tables are literally on the white sand beach. They have an extensive menu of Mexican and American dishes and the drinks are tasty! I make it a point to order ceviche as much as possible when we are on a tropical vaction and this restaurant’s version did not dissapoint.

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Akumal is a quiet town with extremely laid back vibes. Everyone was extremely friendly and I loved how safe it was. I never felt uneasy walking around town, day or night. There was a pleasant mix of families and elderly couples during our stay and no one was in a rush or hurry. Like I said in the beginning, we went on vacation for rest and relaxation. And Akumal, Mexico definitely delivered.