22 Jan Benefits of snorkeling

For all those who are lovers of the sea wonders, we tell you what snorkeling, which its benefits are and the regulations of Akumal Bay to preserve the ecosystem.

What is snorkeling?

It refers to swimming along the surface of the sea and enjoying the beauty of the underwater world, wearing the appropriate equipment that includes a mask, a snorkel tube, fins, and, in case of not being an expert swimming, the life jacket (mandatory in Akumal).

Snorkeling is mostly practiced in free form in the water near the shore at beaches, coasts, cenotes, lagoons, and other water formations, however, to get deeper you may need a guide assistance and a boat, in the Riviera Maya there are a lot of snorkeling tours.

But without a doubt, the best place to snorkel is in Akumal Bay, which is famous for its turtles, coral reefs, rays, and many colorful fishes.

Benefits of snorkeling
Snorkeling allows you to discover a large underwater world without the need to go into the depth of the ocean, as in diving, it also provides the following positive effects:

• Strengthens muscles
Snorkeling is an activity that allows you to exercise the whole body, the movement of the legs and arms forces the muscles to push against the natural flow of water. Snorkeling provides better exercise for the legs thanks to the increased resistance of the fins.

• Improves cardiovascular health
Snorkeling allows us to develop greater lung capacity, especially when we are forced to hold our breath underwater for a period. The heart rate increases in a healthy way that allows the heart to be stronger.

• Promotes positive mental health
Snorkeling helps relieve anxiety and stress, it is an activity that triggers the release of endorphins, which allows the person to feel better.

• Improves joint mobility
For people suffering from obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, and other problems caused by inflammation, snorkeling is an excellent option for people with this type of limitation because being submerged under water makes buoyancy prevents the pressure of the body weight against the joints.

• Burns calories
With all the effort to swim against the current to reach the destination, you manage to burn a lot of calories, more than we imagine. The buttocks are exercised while kicking, in the same way, the arms are exercised since with them we manage to advance faster.

Protection program in Akumal Bay.
The Akumal Bay Refuge Area Protection Program, prepared in 2017 by CONANP in conjunction with other private and public sector organizations, is an important achievement to save this ecosystem.

Rules for observing and swimming with sea turtles:

Maximum 6 people simultaneously per group, plus an authorized guide.

Distance between groups: Maximum 10 meters in length in each circuit.

Mandatory equipment: vest, snorkel, visor and short fins.

Hours of activity: 9 a.m. at 5 p.m.

Do not touch, disturb, feed, hold or restrain the turtles.

Use of biodegradable sunscreens

Do not remove, extract or cut sea grass or corals.

The activity can only be carried out with permit guides authorized by SEMARNAT.

Maximum stay: circuit #1: 55 min, circuit #2: 65 min. (per group)

Thanks to the rules that are respected in the beautiful Bay of Akumal, you can swim without worrying about damaging the ecosystem, in Akumal you to enjoy a great and safe experience.

With this information, we are sure that you will be convinced to practice snorkeling, remember that we always must maintain an active body and what better way to do it than enjoying the beautiful sea creatures and wonderful views of the undersea.