Akumal - Surroundings

Numerous Mayan ruins, water holes (cenotes) and tranquil little bays are found along the coast north and south of Akumal. The geology of the Yucatán peninsula is such that most of the cenotes and lagoons in the otherwise almost dry limestone plateau have subterranean links with the sea. In the little bays and the lagoons situated close to the shoreline, freshwater and seawater meet, giving rise not only to a "mixed" underwater fauna but also to a unique visual effect which can be observed by anyone snorkelling or diving. Small fissures occur even in the seabed, from which freshwater flowing through underground channels spews out into the ocean.