Thanks for the info reef geek, its a real toss between akumal an tulum but akumal beach resort is looking really good the last few days!

Went there in beginning of Dec, about same time as Reef Geek. Was very disappointed with the snorkeling. Lots of turtles, but not much for corals, and seas were rough. Stayed at the Grande Bahia, and corals there just off the beach were mostly dead skeletons and branch rubble. I think all the sediment from the resort and beach area development probably killed them.

Guess, I've been spoiled by Maui, which is where we usually go. Great snorkeling everywhere there.

yeah, there wasn't much in terms of reefs for snorkeling. When I was there in Dec, the best diving was in cozumel. Lots of good stuff, especially the deeper dives 80-100ft, but my wife doesn't dive so in March we'll settle for sea turtles... she's got a thing for them (she did a volunteer stint for Pretoma in Costa Rica, see http://www.pretoma.org/).

Here's my video from my favourite dive (Cozumel) from December.

http://youtu.be/Llml0Jo2MjU

Here's my video from snorkeling off Akumal with sea turtles... it's just sea grass beds there mostly, and some reef remnants. It's the sea grass bed that attracts the turtles.

http://youtu.be/4bSNwr7t5s4

Just came back from staying at Akumal Beach Resort. (resort is only 3 stars... but beach and location... 6 out of 5!)

Great snorkeling right off the beach there. Reefs start 30 feet from front of the resort, sea grass bed just a few hundred yards to the north where sea turtles and sting rays graze (yes, I know rays aren't herbivores). I'm guessing that from the beach to about a km out is the reef flat and the fore reef is just beyond the breakers (best reached by boat).

Here's some photos with just my Canon point-n-shoot in an Ikelite housing.

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...75592645_n.jpg

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Co-op hunting:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...13816213_n.jpg

With such great snorkeling that I could do with the wife, I only snuck off for one dive with Akumal Dive Center (about a 4 minute walk down the beach to shop) for a cave dive in the "Taj Mahal Cenote"

Here's a video with my GoPro
http://youtu.be/_HeqGUIgs_c

There's bats at 3:16 in the video. Be sure to click on the wheel at the bottom right of the player to set resolution to 1080p for HD.

http://www.aluxdiver.com/cenotes-riv...8/TAJMA_HA.jpg