The fame that Cozumel and the Mexican Caribbean has for incredible dive spots first spread from Akumal in 1958 when a group of ex-WW II Mexican frogmen salvaged the Spanish galleon, Mantanceros, sunk against the Palancar Reef in 1741. They called their group CEDAM, the Club de Exploracion y Deporte Acu ticos de Mexico. In 1968 they donated Xel-Ha and over 5,000 acres of their coconut-palmed land around Akumal as a national park.
Before Cancun, Akumal (Mayan for 'Land of Turtles') was the only resort along the Quintana Roo coast. Since then the shoreline has been built up to a point where condos, villas and hotels line the formerly deserted half-moon bay beach. It's a fine place to stay if you're after the amenities of the Cancun hotel zone without the crowds.
And Yal-Ku Lagoon is a must!!! where canals of fish-filled emerald water provide wonderful snorkeling. It's an 800-meter (half-mile) stroll north of the road that loops Half Moon Bay in Akumal, or there's an unmarked road on the left (opposite Rancho San Miguel) before the resort at about the 98 Km marker. There's also a teeny tiny Maya building there.
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