Updated November 2026 · By Terry Barkhuizen, NOM-08 certified tour guide (credential N012608).
Part of our Wildlife & Nature guide.
Every summer, sea turtles return to the beaches of Cancun, the Riviera Maya and Cozumel to lay their eggs – often on the same stretch of coast where they hatched decades earlier. Volunteers and authorities protect thousands of nests each season. If you’re visiting in summer or autumn, you may see a nesting turtle or hatchlings heading for the sea. Here’s how to make sure your presence helps rather than harms.
When
- Nesting: roughly May to October, peaking in early to mid-summer.
- Hatching: eggs incubate for about two months; hatchlings emerge mostly from July to November.
Which turtles nest here
Four species nest on the coast of Quintana Roo: the green turtle, the loggerhead, the hawksbill and, rarely, the leatherback. All are protected by Mexican law.
Where
Nests are found along much of the coast, including Cancun’s beaches, Akumal, the Xcacel-Xcacelito turtle sanctuary near Tulum, Cozumel and beaches inside Sian Ka’an. Protected nests are often fenced or marked with tape.
Rules for visitors
- No lights on the beach at night – no torches, phone screens or flash. Light disorients turtles and hatchlings.
- Keep your distance from nesting turtles. Don’t block their path or crowd them.
- Never touch turtles, eggs or hatchlings, and don’t help hatchlings to the sea yourself.
- Stay away from marked nests and don’t dig holes or leave sandcastles and furniture on the beach at night.
- Remove litter and avoid plastic.
- If you see a turtle in trouble, tell your hotel or local authorities.
Seeing a hatchling release responsibly
Official turtle camps and some hotels with licensed conservation programmes hold supervised releases. Choose those run by recognised programmes, follow the staff’s instructions, and be wary of any “release” that involves handling hatchlings or flash photography.
Snorkelling with turtles
Outside nesting season, you can see green turtles in the water all year at Akumal. See our Akumal turtle snorkelling guide.