Visiting Akumal: Adios on Coasts

“To my horror, the mere presence of many humans is a unyielding force of erosion in the areas around us, despite whatever our intentions might be.” – Old Sean

Quintana Roo Expanse

Gradually time has slipped and I’m in my final week of Mexico.  There is very little I haven’t done in Quintana Roo and my remaining time here was spent finishing off the last few items on my local bucket list.

When most people arrive in Quintana Roo, there are a few high-roller tour options that tend to cost a bundle, such as ATV rides through the jungles, the water and bay parks, large full day diving and swimming trips and the occasional cenote tour.  All of these I either did solo at some point or had a friend guide me to a cheaper alternative to save some cash.

Though based in Playa del Carmen, I’ve been exploring up and down the coast with occasional forays inland for fun.

As for now, I’ve made a few exploratory trips to Akumal and Tulum for one final hurrah.

The only place I didn’t visit during this time crunch was Cozumel.  The ferry that generally traverses to the island and back is on a diminished schedule due to COVID, and I couldn’t consolidate enough time away from work to make the trek.

A Day in Akumal

The first nearby location I visited was a full day in Akumal.  It took me a while to hunt down the collectivo station that went to Tulum, (underneath the bridge of Highway 307 and near Av Benito Juarez) but once I found it, it was a swift 40 minute drive in questionable comfort. 

In Akumal, I spent the first portion of my day scuffling towards the beach.  Following the splendid Maya murals along Reforma Agraria, I eventually arrived on the peninsula east of Playa Akumal. 

The peninsula juts into a churning sea where crisp waves shatter on sharp, pocketed stone of dull brown and grey.  A series of derelict beach houses oversee the rocky shoreline, with stubborn blankets of ivy softening the sharp rock surfaces.  Dead coral is abundant here, bleached white and left dry across the shoreline.  Some was used in decorative construction around pots and walls while more simply lounged along the ground.  Thin rivers of salt escaped from snail-encrusted tide pools and great humps of orange, bubbled seaweed were heaped in slick, shallow spots. 

The shore here is basically abandoned, since it’s sharp to the point of precarious and footing is perilous at best.  I saw only two others, who immediately went swimming in the water rather than risk their shoes on the jagged, water-sliced stones.  My own rubber flip-flops are breathing their last breaths, and this small hike nearly shredded right through the rubber.

Beach Day

Circling around this area, I eventually made it to Playa Akumal.  Mostly dedicated to the hotels that lounge on this shoreline, the area is somewhat busy, but nowhere near as bustling as Playa del Carmen’s much larger beaches. 

Mock cannons sit on dead-coral-decorated walls, aimed into the shallow bay.  Numerous boats bob in the bay, long poles rocking with the slightest motion.  The bay is fantastically calm.  Reefs near the mouth halt the majority of incoming waves, making the water immensely clear and the sandy shores perfectly quiet. 

The sand here is generally rougher than other beaches and interspaced with stones, bits of coral and lines of seaweed.  Palms loop out over the sand and light flares off of the bay in strange and beautiful angles. 

The bay itself is a highly vaunted diving area and considered among the best places along the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef to see Akumal’s sea turtles. 

However, only a portion of the bay roped off where a person is allowed to freely swim.  There are a few fish, some sea grass and stones sheltering crabs and clouds of seaweed here, but the main reef is further out.  This area, where currents are stronger, is the realm of certified divers or guides.

Strictly speaking.

However, walking a few minutes up the shoreline results in a much quieter area where free swimming is pretty easy to do.  I ducked into the water after stashing my phone and clothes in a nook behind a palm tree. 

Snorkeling in Akumal

Swimming in Akumal is something of an ecological tragedy.  There are several competing groups either struggling to funnel tourists into the tiny bay or preserve the reefs. 

In many cases, especially with the sea turtles, tourists tend to get way too close for safety or comfort.  Additionally, the use of sunscreen is strictly prohibited, largely due to the excess chemicals that get washed into the coral reefs. 

Furthermore, if anyone sees a mound of sand, they should religiously avoid it, as it may be the nest of a sea turtle.  All of these factors make Akumal in a delicate position, one that isn’t benefited by the number of tourists in the area.  Likewise, the bay and surrounding swimming areas are too small to disperse crowds for a wider, but less impactful viewing experience. 

That being said, Akumal’s snorkeling is much like Puerto Morales.  Large swaths of stone support the bizarre and alien shapes of the reefs.  Fish drift near the bottom, many outlandishly colored and all somewhat resigned to humans bobbing around overhead.  Sea grass dots the bottom, sandy patches of the sea-floor where ocean currents create endless low dunes in mesmerizing patterns.  I didn’t personally see any turtles and the currents kept me somewhat distant from the taller reefs where rocks peeked shyly over the water before vanishing with each incoming swell. 

When I finally trudged back to shore I spent some time hiking through the jungle areas on my way back to the bus.  There was a monkey sanctuary I wanted to see in Akumal, but the tickets were more expensive than I was willing to pay.

Tulum Tours

My next trip outside of Playa del Carmen was to Tulum.  I’ve been to Tulum before, enjoyed it before and this time was no different. 

However, for the first time, I had the opportunity to visit the decidedly famous Zona Arqueologica de Tulum, a series of cliff-side Mayan ruins expertly restored, overlooking a vast, crystal-turquoise ocean.

Getting to  Zona Arqueologica de Tulum took another collectivo, which I took  with my friend Jacqueline to practice my Spanish during the trip.  I was pleased to find deep jungles sheltering us from the sun when we arrived, as the heat was absolutely hammering down. Sadly, the ruins themselves aren’t particularity shady.

 Zona Arqueologica de Tulum is a wide series of blocky Mayan buildings in various states of repair.  The surrounding gardens and grounds are expertly managed, with easy-to-traverse dirt trails networking the ancient structures.  The grass is low, the trees are trimmed, flower tunnels are planted and the jungle is kept back by low, stone walls.  Unique to all of the Maya ruins I’ve visited thus far,  Zona Arqueologica de Tulum is the most garden-like. 

The crowds, however, where a bit of a turn off.  People bottlenecked in many areas and tour guides were happily trooping their charges from one ruin to another, providing useful tidbits of interesting information about the sites. 

For example,  Zona Arqueologica de Tulum was a major walled city and trading port in the region, with enormous geopolitical influence and an imposing visage for arriving sailors.  Tulum wasn’t actually built by the Mayans. The site predated them.  Mayans were just the most recent inhabitants who abandoned their cities during the Spanish occupation after disease took it’s lethal toll on their population.  Furthermore, Tulum’s original name was something close to Zama (The-Place-of-the-Dawning-Sun) and Tulum (Wall-in-Maya) was a later title. 

All said, there were enough informative plaques to educate any visitors.  There is also a fair amount of beach access for anyone willing to walk down the cliffs and the color of the sea makes that a very enticing option.

Iguana Counting

To be perfectly honest, Jacqueline and I arrived too late and the heat of the sun (there’s relatively little shade) took a huge chunk of our energy.  The crowds weren’t fun either, and we ended up ranging around the fringes rather than cutting through the center.  And, all said and done, between Sian Ka’an, Uxmal, Playa del Carmen, Merida, Cancun, Campeche, Izamal, and random road stops, I’ve seen more than enough Maya ruins to last me a good half decade or so. 

My favorite part of  Zona Arqueologica de Tulum was the abundance of animals.  There are numerous birds, some shy coati, a fair number of sereque and a grand array of butterflies. 

However, the most populous residents are the iguanas.  They have minimal fear of humans and plaster virtually every stone structure basking in the sun.  Often, smaller ones are tucked into crevices and bolder ones drag themselves across gravel paths with their mouths partially opened. 

Many do an odd head bob that makes it seem like a rock concert is happening somewhere exclusively in the reptilian hearing range.  Jacqueline and I had a competition to count how many of the reptiles we could spot and she won at 60 iguanas (whereas I only mustered 38). 

The rest of the day was spend eating pizza and finding ice cream.  Tulum turned out to be a very short trip since the heat essentially put us both to sleep on our feet. 

And so ends my time in Mexico.  I really only have three things left to do.  A farewell party in Playa, a antigen Coronavirus test promising that I’m not carrying a plague back to the US, and a drive to Cancun for my flight. 

I’ll cover my remaining time in the wonderful town of Playa del Carmen next post. 

Until then, best regards and excellent trails,

Old Sean

Written March 3rd 2021

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