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
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Travellers' Choice
2023
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(337 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,328 reviews
Excellent
1,154
Very good
122
Average
23
Poor
12
Terrible
17
aduci
36 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Friends
We took the snorkeling tour with Santos and Diego, bkth were very professional. Santos was extra kind and staid with us in rhe water a bit longer. We have seen stingrays, turtles, barracuda and plenty of nice fishes. I would totally recommend and don t stop for all the other who try to sell you things in Akumal. Communication with ADS was great , via instagram , they always answered very promptly. Thanks so much again!! 🙏
Written November 10, 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.
Gary H
1 contribution
Nov. 2023 • Business
The Akumal Dive Shop
“ADS” is a most awesome dive company to dive with . Ivan is simply an amazing amazing guy and Host . I had not done any major diving since before COVID . They were so accommodating
Then Santos took care of us picking up dropping off ,provided all the assistance with gear , everything . Then , Omg
David was simply outstanding as a buddy/instructor/and guide . We could not have asked for more . Next time we’re back dinner is on us please after more diving .
Gracius Gracius
Gary And Kim
“ADS” is a most awesome dive company to dive with . Ivan is simply an amazing amazing guy and Host . I had not done any major diving since before COVID . They were so accommodating
Then Santos took care of us picking up dropping off ,provided all the assistance with gear , everything . Then , Omg
David was simply outstanding as a buddy/instructor/and guide . We could not have asked for more . Next time we’re back dinner is on us please after more diving .
Gracius Gracius
Gary And Kim
Written November 8, 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.
MelissaHouston
Houston, TX127 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Friends
Robinson Caruso Sailboat Cruise was awesome. Sailed to a lagoon where you snorkel in the fresh water and sea water mix. While you are doing this Captain Luis, (the abuelo) and 1st mates Cynthia prepared fresh fruit tray, amazing ceviche and fried fish tacos. All accompanied by cold beer and margaritas! On the way back they raised the sail and it was a beautiful ride back to the bay.
Written October 31, 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.
tilly1622
Middlewich, UK534 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Couples
A bucket list item ticked off for us! We booked onto the 45 minute snorkelling tour in order to see the turtles. We arrived ahead of our booked time and this was not a problem at all. All staff we encountered were so friendly - I don't think we have been anywhere before where people have been so friendly.
There are 2 toilets and 1 changing room. You pay 100 pesos for a locker which once you return the key is given back to you.
Once kitted up (they will provide everything you need if you do not have your own); we were met by Diego. The 3 of us then ventured by boat further out and then jumped in.
They really look after the marine life and this was great to see. We had rules which we were more than happy to follow regarding our distance etc - sad to see other tour groups not being so careful around the beautiful creatures.
We saw at least 5 turtles - some chose to swim right to us - it was brilliant!
Cannot recommend Diego highly enough he was fantastic.
There are 2 toilets and 1 changing room. You pay 100 pesos for a locker which once you return the key is given back to you.
Once kitted up (they will provide everything you need if you do not have your own); we were met by Diego. The 3 of us then ventured by boat further out and then jumped in.
They really look after the marine life and this was great to see. We had rules which we were more than happy to follow regarding our distance etc - sad to see other tour groups not being so careful around the beautiful creatures.
We saw at least 5 turtles - some chose to swim right to us - it was brilliant!
Cannot recommend Diego highly enough he was fantastic.
Written August 30, 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.
visitor_from_Bath
bath36 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.
Calgarysuntraveller
Calgary, Canada52 contributions
Jun. 2023
My wife and I decided on a vacation to Akumal during the turtle nesting season in hopes of seeing lots of turtles. Prior to booking our diving we contacted all of the local dive shops and the only one to quickly answer our queries was the Akumal Dive Shop (AKS). Numerous emails were followed up with Whats-Up conversations made us realize that AKS takes diving seriously. Some of the other dive shops took repeated emails and Whats-Up conversations before they finally responded to our queries - hence not booking with them.
Once we arrived in Akumal we walked to AKS from our resort and got orientated with the dive operations and did our first dive with Antonio. What a day it was for seeing turtles, over two dives we were lucky to have 26 turtle sightings. Not to be repeated over the following dives but what a spectacular first day. The reef is in excellent shape with colourful corals and plenty of fish live including a large nurse shark.
NOTE: all of the diving is from Panga style boats with backwords rolls to enter the water. If you are looking for a Newton style dive boat experience, Akumal is not the place for you as there isn't any. All dives start with a walk out to the boats from the dive shop with your gear. After the dive you remove your tank/bcd while in the water and the captain loads it back into the boat for you.
Suprisingly, the captains do not use GPS to find the dive sites, not sure how they do it in the middle of an ocean but they always seem to place us on the reef. They are also very good at tracking the dive and are usually not very far from the divers when you surface,
Over the course of a week we did 9 dives in Akumal and 2 dives in Cozumel with 4 guides but mostly with Antonio who is truly passionate about giving his guests the best dives he possibly can. I would like to personally like to thank Antonio for fixing my primary regulator after it failed on my 8th dive. He offered to fix it over night and true to his word the regulator was back in service the next day when we went to Cozumel for two dives.
One other observation I would like to point out is that some of the dive shops we contacted prior to booking the trip actually use the AKS boats even though the diver has not directly booked with them.
My wife and I have used many dive shops in the 10 years we have been diving and AKS certainly ranks up withthe best of them Thanks to all of the AKS staff for a great dive vacation.
Brian and Jackie
Once we arrived in Akumal we walked to AKS from our resort and got orientated with the dive operations and did our first dive with Antonio. What a day it was for seeing turtles, over two dives we were lucky to have 26 turtle sightings. Not to be repeated over the following dives but what a spectacular first day. The reef is in excellent shape with colourful corals and plenty of fish live including a large nurse shark.
NOTE: all of the diving is from Panga style boats with backwords rolls to enter the water. If you are looking for a Newton style dive boat experience, Akumal is not the place for you as there isn't any. All dives start with a walk out to the boats from the dive shop with your gear. After the dive you remove your tank/bcd while in the water and the captain loads it back into the boat for you.
Suprisingly, the captains do not use GPS to find the dive sites, not sure how they do it in the middle of an ocean but they always seem to place us on the reef. They are also very good at tracking the dive and are usually not very far from the divers when you surface,
Over the course of a week we did 9 dives in Akumal and 2 dives in Cozumel with 4 guides but mostly with Antonio who is truly passionate about giving his guests the best dives he possibly can. I would like to personally like to thank Antonio for fixing my primary regulator after it failed on my 8th dive. He offered to fix it over night and true to his word the regulator was back in service the next day when we went to Cozumel for two dives.
One other observation I would like to point out is that some of the dive shops we contacted prior to booking the trip actually use the AKS boats even though the diver has not directly booked with them.
My wife and I have used many dive shops in the 10 years we have been diving and AKS certainly ranks up withthe best of them Thanks to all of the AKS staff for a great dive vacation.
Brian and Jackie
Written June 6, 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.
Mike P
9 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Thank You Antonio for guiding Loretta and I on an Amazing Two Tank Dive off of Cozumel !! You make the dive relaxing and fun while keeping the Top level of safety and respect that is required ! You Are The Best ! We look forward to coming back and diving with You again ! Until next time…. Stay well !!
Cheers 🍻
Mike Piazza and Loretta
Cheers 🍻
Mike Piazza and Loretta
Written June 1, 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.
Michael K
Grand Rapids, MI37 contributions
Feb. 2023
Such a beautiful reef to dive and snorkel at. There are many species of fish and coral to see here as well as rays, turtles, barracuda, nurse sharks, transparent shrimp, lobsters and more.
The folks at ADS know the area well and lead some well curated trips to some of the highlight areas on the reef. Their pricing is very fair and all the equipment I rented from them was in great shape.
I recently worked with Saul to upgrade my PADI Scuba Diver certificate to the PADI open water certificate. He was a great instructor, very safe and has a wealth of diving knowledge. Saul was also a very nice and friendly person as well.
The folks at the front and very kind and helpful as well. Can't wait to see the folks at ADS again next year!
The folks at ADS know the area well and lead some well curated trips to some of the highlight areas on the reef. Their pricing is very fair and all the equipment I rented from them was in great shape.
I recently worked with Saul to upgrade my PADI Scuba Diver certificate to the PADI open water certificate. He was a great instructor, very safe and has a wealth of diving knowledge. Saul was also a very nice and friendly person as well.
The folks at the front and very kind and helpful as well. Can't wait to see the folks at ADS again next year!
Written February 22, 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.
Samantha R
28 contributions
Feb. 2023 • Couples
We had Luis for our guide and he was absolutely amazing! My husband was extremely nervous and didn’t think he would be able to do it, but thanks to Luis he did. The dive itself was incredible. We saw a huge Morray eel and so many turtles! We highly recommend the shop and Luis as a guide!!!
Written February 21, 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
7 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.
Sandy F
Evansville, IN59 contributions
Hello, Does this place still rent lounge chairs and lockers ? Thanks
michneill
Peterborough, Canada36 contributions
How long is the drive from your dive shop to the Whale Sharks?
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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!
Mark
Gloucester, UK
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
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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!
4ureyes1221
Lakewood, CA22 contributions
Want to go to swim with whale sharks any place I can get info.
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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!
Kenneth C
2 contributions
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
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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!
tracynbuzz
194 contributions
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.
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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)
Gerald W
Frankfort, MI203 contributions
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?
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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!
Collie
scotland201 contributions
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.
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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.
Charlotte2929
London, UK2 contributions
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!
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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.
4ureyes1221
Lakewood, CA22 contributions
Is there any huka diving near akumal or do we need to to Cozumel?
theakumaldiveshop
Akumal2 contributions
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!