Akumal: Akumal Monkey Sanctuary Tour

We all really enjoyed the tour and learning about the different animals at the sanctuary. The walking around was moderate, and we particularly enjoyed meeting Kimmie ( a white faced capuchin). We would definitely visit again.

We had an incredible experience at the Akumal Monkey Sanctuary. Our guide, Oscar, was excellent—his background as a biologist, fluent English, and deep passion for animal advocacy made the tour both educational and impactful. This was an eye-opening experience for my children to understand how animals used for entertainment or as pets often end up in sanctuaries, if they’re lucky. The monkeys here have emotional trauma and cannot be released into the wild—only one was a truly wild, injured rescue. We also saw many macaws, the same kind often exploited for tourist photos at resorts. It’s heartbreaking that so many animals suffer for human entertainment and greed. While I wish the enclosures were larger, they are still better than many zoos in Canada. This sanctuary is doing important work, especially compared to others I’ve seen. I hope Mexico strengthens its laws on wild animal ownership so these animals can one day live truly free.