Mexico - Akumal Beach
Akumal beach is located 100 kilometers south of the world famous Cancun. It is bounded by the two towns of Tulum and Playa del Carmen in Mexico’s Quintana Roo state. It is situated in the center of the Mayan Riviera. The place got its name from an ancient Mayan language “akumal” which literally means “the place of the turtles”. The town in which the beach is located was established in 1958 by a local businessman, archeologist, historian, and writer Pablo Bush Romero. At first, Romero built the place as a haven for Mexico’s avid scuba divers. However, because of the beach’s beautiful scenery and cool sparkling waters, it has become a tourist destination for all sorts of visitors from across the world.
Furthermore, not only human tourists are attracted by Akumal beach’s majestic landscape. From the months of April to July, aquatic sea turtles are known to nest their eggs in the beach’s white sand. If not laying their eggs in the sand, the turtles can also be seen swimming along the beach’s luminous and bright waters.
Akumal beach is a perfect place for snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, swimming, and some sorts of water sports because of its tropical climate. While snorkeling or scuba diving, you can view its coral reefs that guard the beach against strong waves. Its approximately one kilometer white sand beach is clean and safe. Moreover, the place has a good sight of the Caribbean coupled with its outstanding Mexican sun. At night, the area can offer its visitors several kinds of beach bars, restaurants, theaters, and beach houses.
In the past, specifically during the Spanish Galleon Trade era, the beach has been a constant witness to several shipwrecks. Because of these incidents, the place became one of the first grounds of intermarriages among the Native Americans (such as the Mayans) and the Europeans in South America.