Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen vs. Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya
By Melissa Woods, Destination Wedding Specialist Updated
Choose Secrets Moxché if you want pools, food, and energy with downtown Playa del Carmen just minutes away. Choose Secrets Akumal if the ocean is the point of the trip and snorkeling with sea turtles sounds like the best morning of your life. Both are adults-only (18+), both are part of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection, and both are solid picks for honeymoons and couples trips. They just deliver very different days.
- Best For
- Secrets Moxché Playa del CarmenFoodies, pool lovers, and couples who want options
- Secrets Akumal Riviera MayaSnorkelers, beach lovers, and couples ready to unplug
- Vibe
- Secrets Moxché Playa del CarmenModern and social, with live music and a speakeasy behind a pharmacy door
- Secrets Akumal Riviera MayaLush jungle meets beach, laid back and authentic
- Beach
- Secrets Moxché Playa del CarmenWide and walkable with rocky entry; the lagoon pool picks up the slack
- Secrets Akumal Riviera MayaCalm turquoise cove with sea turtles right offshore
- Standout
- Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen7 pools, including 3 cenote-style pools, plus 10 restaurants
- Secrets Akumal Riviera MayaAAA Five Diamond, with turtles steps from your lounger
- Insider Tip
- Secrets Moxché Playa del CarmenRoads through Mexico night is Tuesdays
- Secrets Akumal Riviera MayaPack your own snorkel mask and beat the morning tours
- Airport
- Secrets Moxché Playa del CarmenAbout 45 minutes from Cancun
- Secrets Akumal Riviera MayaAbout 80 minutes from Cancun, or 60 from Tulum
| Category | Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen | Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Foodies, pool lovers, and couples who want options | Snorkelers, beach lovers, and couples ready to unplug |
| Vibe | Modern and social, with live music and a speakeasy behind a pharmacy door | Lush jungle meets beach, laid back and authentic |
| Beach | Wide and walkable with rocky entry; the lagoon pool picks up the slack | Calm turquoise cove with sea turtles right offshore |
| Standout | 7 pools, including 3 cenote-style pools, plus 10 restaurants | AAA Five Diamond, with turtles steps from your lounger |
| Insider Tip | Roads through Mexico night is Tuesdays | Pack your own snorkel mask and beat the morning tours |
| Airport | About 45 minutes from Cancun | About 80 minutes from Cancun, or 60 from Tulum |
At a glance
- Location
- Secrets MoxchéPlaya del Carmen (gated Corasol community)
- Secrets AkumalAkumal, south of Playa del Carmen
- From Cancun airport
- Secrets MoxchéAbout 45 min
- Secrets AkumalAbout 80 min (60 min from Tulum)
- Pools
- Secrets Moxché7, including 3 cenote-style pools
- Secrets Akumal3
- Restaurants
- Secrets Moxché10 + coffee shop
- Secrets Akumal8 + coffee shop
- Beach
- Secrets MoxchéWide, walkable, rocky entry, can be murky
- Secrets AkumalCalm turquoise cove, sea turtles offshore
- Dinner reservations
- Secrets MoxchéBook on arrival in the app, up to 3 days out
- Secrets AkumalFirst come, first served (except teppanyaki)
- Opened
- Secrets Moxché2022
- Secrets Akumal2016, renovated 2025
| Category | Secrets Moxché | Secrets Akumal |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Playa del Carmen (gated Corasol community) | Akumal, south of Playa del Carmen |
| From Cancun airport | About 45 min | About 80 min (60 min from Tulum) |
| Pools | 7, including 3 cenote-style pools | 3 |
| Restaurants | 10 + coffee shop | 8 + coffee shop |
| Beach | Wide, walkable, rocky entry, can be murky | Calm turquoise cove, sea turtles offshore |
| Dinner reservations | Book on arrival in the app, up to 3 days out | First come, first served (except teppanyaki) |
| Opened | 2022 | 2016, renovated 2025 |
Who should book Secrets Moxché
- Foodies. The food here is a real step up from most Secrets resorts in Mexico. Order the beef Wellington at Bisou and the grilled oysters at Ember.
- Pool people. Seven pools, including cenote-style pools and a lagoon pool with sand that feels like a beach. When the ocean isn't cooperating, nobody misses it.
- Couples who want options at night. Live music at the beachfront pool, the Dark Horse Bar, and Gypsy Club, a speakeasy you enter through the "pharmacy."
- Golfers. Gran Coyote is walking distance.
Skip it if a long, swimmable beach is the whole reason you're going to Mexico, or if you have mobility concerns.
Who should book Secrets Akumal
- Snorkelers. Sea turtles show up right off the beach. This is the reason to book it.
- Couples ready to unplug. Lush, shaded, laid back, and far from the city noise.
- Sun-sensitive travelers. There's more shade here than at most beach resorts.
- Spa people. The outdoor hydrotherapy circuit is worth the add-on.
Skip it if you're doing a short stay (the drive eats into it), you want nightlife, or you have mobility concerns. The layout is a winding maze of paths.
What you won't find on the resort website
At Secrets Moxché:
- Pack water shoes. Ocean entry is rocky.
- Roads through Mexico runs on Tuesday nights. Don't skip it.
- Book hydrotherapy the minute you arrive. Appointments are required.
- Preferred Club unlocks a rooftop infinity pool, bar, and restaurant. Ask me to price Impression Moxché next door too, since it often comes in lower with better perks and still gets you on the Moxché side.
At Secrets Akumal:
- Bring your own snorkel mask so you can get in the water before the morning tours arrive.
- Free bike tours run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:30 am, with only 15 bikes. Get there early.
- Book dinner at Oceana around sunset. It's outside by the ocean.
- "Ocean view" can mean treetops unless you're in the first buildings. I steer couples toward the right buildings or Preferred Club so the view you pay for is the view you get.
How to choose
Ask yourselves one question: are we beach people or pool people? Beach and snorkel people go to Akumal. Pool, food, and nightlife people go to Moxché. If you only have 4 nights or less, lean Moxché for the shorter transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both work. Akumal fits a quiet, nature-first honeymoon. Moxché fits couples who want great food, pools, and nights out.
Secrets Akumal. Its calm cove is known for snorkeling with sea turtles. Moxché's beach is wide but rocky and can be murky.
Secrets Moxché is about 45 minutes. Secrets Akumal is about 80 minutes, or 60 minutes from the Tulum airport.
Yes, both are 18+.
Why trust this comparison
I'm Melissa Woods, founder of Enchanted Woods Travel. I've been a travel advisor since 2017, with 2,000+ trips planned and 120+ five-star reviews from real clients. I match couples to resorts based on how they actually like to spend their days, not on which resort has the most restaurants.
Still deciding between the two?
Tell me how you picture your days, and I’ll tell you which one fits.
