Every October, as the nesting season winds down, this stretch of coast throws a party for its sea turtles. The Festival de la Tortuga Marina reaches its 24th edition this year, and the Akumal sea turtle festival day once again opens the celebration, right here in the town whose Maya name means place of the turtles.

Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA) hosts the Akumal day on Friday, October 23, 2026, starting at 3:00 pm. Admission is free, the afternoon is built around families, and it ends with prizes for the craziest hats in town.

What the festival celebrates

The festival began in 2003 as a tribute to the people who put in long hours on the beaches during nesting season: the tortugueros who patrol the sand at night, protect the nests and watch over the hatchlings. Today it runs across the municipality of Tulum, with events in Akumal, in Tulum and at the Xcacel-Xcacelito sanctuary, and much of it is aimed at kids and young people, the ones who will carry the work forward.

CEA has been part of that work in Akumal since 1993. The nonprofit’s sea turtle protection program focuses on the green and loggerhead turtles that nest on these beaches, alongside its coral restoration, reef monitoring and environmental education programs.

Schedule for Friday, October 23

• 3:00 pm: Maya ceremony at Parque Tsúuk
• 3:40 pm: Caravan to the pueblo dome, next to the delegación
• 4:10 pm: Activities and games
• 4:30 pm: Official opening
• 5:00 pm: Jarana by Grupo Nuevo Amanecer, and the crazy hats are handed over to the judges
• 5:30 pm: Dance contest
• 6:00 pm: Sombreros Locos awards

Admission is free.

Where to find the Akumal sea turtle festival

The afternoon begins at Parque Tsúuk, the park at the entrance to Akumal Bay. At 3:40 the caravan heads across Highway 307 to the pueblo, where the rest of the festival takes place at the domo (dome) next to the delegación, Akumal’s municipal office.

If you can’t make the ceremony, go straight to the dome. Games start at 4:10 and the official opening is at 4:30.

It starts with a Maya ceremony

The festival opens the way it should, with a Maya ceremony at Parque Tsúuk, a few steps from the bay where the turtles feed.

If you’re coming to watch, arrive a few minutes early, keep your voice low and ask before taking photos. It’s a ceremony first and a festival opening second.

Jarana and the dance contest

At 5:00 pm, Grupo Nuevo Amanecer performs jarana, the traditional dance of the Yucatán Peninsula. Jarana is usually danced in traditional dress, all in white, with embroidered ternos for the women and footwork fast enough to make you dizzy. The dance contest follows at 5:30.

Sombreros Locos, the crazy hat contest

A hat contest has been part of the festival in Akumal before, and this year it gets the closing slot. The hats go to the judges at 5:00 pm, and the winners are announced at 6:00.

We have no inside information on the judging. But turtles, coral, jellyfish and anything built from materials you’d otherwise throw away all seem very much in the spirit of the day. If you or your kids want to enter, contact CEA ahead of time to ask how entries work.

Tips for the afternoon

• Plan for heat, then bugs. It’s still warm at 3:00 pm, and by the 6:00 awards the mosquitoes are out. Bring water, a hat (a normal one is fine) and repellent.
• October is still rainy season. Keep a light layer or an umbrella in your bag.
• Bring the kids. The festival was made with them in mind.

Keep the celebration going

Akumal opens the festival, and the events in Tulum and at Xcacel-Xcacelito have traditionally followed over the weekend. For this year’s dates and full program, follow Festival de la Tortuga Marina Tulum-Akumal-Xcacel on Facebook.

If the festival leaves you wanting to do more, you’ll find ways to volunteer with CEA’s turtle and reef programs, or to donate, at ceakumal.org. And the next time you’re in Akumal Bay, the simplest support of all: hire a certified guide, give the turtles space, and never touch or chase them.

Stay for Hanal Pixán

Eight days after the festival, Hanal Pixán begins. That’s the Maya name for the Día de Muertos season here on the peninsula, and the altars are worth staying for. Here’s our guide to when to set up your Día de Muertos altar.

Coming for the festival? Show us your hat, or ask us anything before you go: hola@akumalMX.com