The Riviera Maya Sea turtle is one of the great natural attractions of the Mexican Caribbean. Beyond idyllic beaches and majestic views, your time touring its shores and waters can bring you closer to this friendly creature. You just have to keep a few points in mind so that your encounter is wonderful for both you and her.
Throughout its passage through the Caribbean waters, the turtle remains in its natural habitat, the sea. During the gestation period, they allow themselves to be seen along the coasts where they lay their eggs, the same that can be seen hatching in the following months.
It is very easy to have an encounter with the Riviera Maya sea turtle and you can even participate in the hatching of their eggs.
Although they are seen all year round, from May to September the coasts between Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche and Chiapas become the preferred ones of 4 species of sea turtles: white, loggerhead, hawksbill and leatherback. All these marine species live in a fragile ecosystem and are protected by various programs. On the beaches where arrive, you will usually see corrals, where volunteers deposit the turtle eggs for their protection.
The hatching commonly occurs at night and a single turtle can lay up to 110 eggs in less than 2 hours. At the end, it withdraws from the shore and returns to the warmth of the waters. The incubation period is 6 to 8 weeks, so from July to November you can witness the release of new hatchlings. Mainly in September and October. The program We Are Ecocentric from Grupo Piñero and the Eco-Bahia Foundation contemplate measures to protect the turtles and the entire spawning and release process, among some of the initiatives is to guarantee the quantity and quality of the sand so that the sea turtles have their space to spawn.
Did you know? The term “Akumal” is a Mayan word, which means “place of turtles”. Therefore, do not be surprised if it becomes quite common to come across sea turtles during your walk through the beaches of the hotels at the Bahia Principe Riviera Maya Resort, a visit to the beaches of the communities of Akumal or Tulum, or during a snorkeling tour. Among other destinations preferred by the Riviera Maya sea turtle are Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Isla Contoy, Isla Mujeres, and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
If you do not have the opportunity to witness the spawning or the release of hatchlings, encountering the Riviera Maya sea turtle is almost guaranteed. There are different key points for snorkeling and diving off the coast where you can see them in their environment. Many of them very close to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres or Akumal, to name a few.
As you can see, a trip to the Riviera Maya is not complete if you don’t come across a sea turtle. We hope that soon you will be able to live this magical experience, a reward from nature when we take care of it.
When traveling with Privilege Club, remember to tag your social media posts with #VacationAsYouAre. Don’t forget to follow and tag our Instagram and Facebook accounts.
