From May to October, female sea turtles haul themselves onto the beaches of the Riviera Maya at night, dig, lay around a hundred eggs, and return to the sea. Two months later the hatchlings run for the water. Here is the sea turtle season explained — and how to be present without doing harm.
Who Nests Here
Mainly green turtles and loggerheads, with occasional hawksbills. Green turtles feed on the seagrass beds at Akumal — which is exactly why that bay is a feeding area, not a swimming pool, and why guide rules there exist.
The Calendar
May–July: peak nesting. Females come ashore at night, usually to the beach where they hatched.
July–October: hatching. Nests incubate 45–60 days; hatchlings emerge at night and orient by the brightest horizon — naturally the sea.
November–April: quiet season.
The Two Things That Kill Hatchlings
Light and obstacles. Artificial light from beachfront property draws hatchlings inland, where they die of exhaustion or predation before sunrise. Sun loungers, holes dug in the sand and tyre ruts trap them. Both problems are entirely caused by people and entirely solvable by people.
How to Behave in Turtle Season
No white lights on the beach at night — no phone torches, no flash photography. Fill in any holes you dig. Keep off nesting areas marked by conservation programmes. Never touch a nesting female or handle hatchlings. Do not “help” them to the water: the crawl imprints the beach they will return to decades later.
Where Sian Ka’an Fits
The reserve protects long stretches of undeveloped, unlit coastline — which is, bluntly, the most valuable thing you can give a nesting turtle. Nests inside the biosphere are monitored, and the beaches are dark. That protection is what the entry fee and the reserve’s management plan pay for.
A Note on “Turtle Tours”
Night nesting visits are strictly regulated and run by authorised conservation programmes, not by tour operators. Anyone selling a guaranteed turtle encounter should be treated with suspicion — the same rule we apply to every species we cannot promise.
Meet the Community Behind the Tour
In just two minutes, discover who we are — the Maya families and cooperative members who make every experience authentic and regenerative:
Frequently Asked Questions
When is sea turtle season in the Riviera Maya?
Nesting runs roughly May to July, with hatching from July to October. Green turtles and loggerheads are the main species.
Can you swim with turtles in Akumal?
Yes, under regulated conditions with guides, distance rules and no touching. Go at opening, follow the rules and use reef-safe products or none.
What should I do if I find a nesting turtle or hatchlings?
Keep your distance, use no lights, do not touch or move them, and report the location to the local conservation programme or your hotel.
Protect the Dark Coast
Spend a day inside the reserve that keeps these beaches unlit — book your Sian Ka’an experience.
Questions? Contact us at reservacionesctsk@siankaantours.com.mx or WhatsApp +52 984 114 0750