Beach Snorkel: Cozumel, Roatan, Costa Maya

We are on a RC cruise and these are 3 of the ports we are going to. We are 2 adults and an 8 year old child. We have our own snorkel gear, so don't need rental. My husband and I have snorkeled a couple of time but our kid has not. (We are going to bring a life vest for our child.)

I'm looking for a good place to snorkel from the beach on Cozumel, Roatan and/or Costa Maya. I'm looking to do this without going on a RC excursion. If that is not possible, I would like to know that too. We are not going to spend that long snorkeling, but we would like to give it a try and then play on the beach.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Snorkeling in Cozumel from the beach is not the best. There are not to many good beaches in Cozumel and to get out to where the best snorkeling is puts you in the boat traffic lanes and the current there can move you quite a ways from where you entered.

I believe there are some places close to the pier in Costa Maya where you could snorkel from the beach. From what I remember it was nice sand beaches and sandy bottom out a ways.

Roatan has some good snorkeling but I am not sure if any of it is near the ports

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Cozumel shore snorkeling is very limited to coral rubble and some fish. The reefs are farther out than you can swim. Chankanaab park has a snorkel area that many people love, especially if you don't mind lots of people. It can get crowded.

Cozumel.... I would think about doing the catamaran tour that takes you snorkeling just off the beach, easy in and out of water, then to a beach club. If you really don't want to do that, you can snorkel at Money Bar, but it isn't as good as you will get from a boat.

Roatan.... the reefs come right up to the shore, look for good rocky areas, not over the sand, at any beach club. We did the Maya Key excursion last year and they had really good snorkeling plus lunch, beach, and animals on a private island. I have heard that the beaches on the West End have good snorkeling, also.

Cozumel- Money bar is usually referred. We have gone to Paradise beach several times. While not good for snorkeling, it offers a great pool and they have some water toys on the beach. I think we r doing a boat snorkel there this time.

Roatan- West Bay beach is exactly what u want. U will dock at Coxen Hole. U just need transportation there. Bananarama resort offers shuttle service. Several tour operators offer shuttle/tour services. We have used Victor Bodden several times, and they were great.

Once u get to West Bay beach, there is an opening in the coral in front of Infinity Bay resort. It is a football field from Bananarama towards the left when looking at the ocean. A lot of fish, coral, and they have guides in kayaks to help you. Last year we saw a group of little squid there.

Costa Maya- I'm researching. There is a resort and the end of the beach closest to the ships that is supposed to have decent snorkeling.

Blue Honu, so the snorkeling is 100 yards from shore where you suggest? I'm just trying to get an idea since our child is 8. He can probably snorkel 100 yards, but I don't want to tire him out too much.

Is it hard to find the place to enter, once we get to the beach?

Thanks for your suggestions.

Also sounds like Cozumel is not the place to snorkel, which is good to know, I'll look for something else to do.

Blue Honu, so the snorkeling is 100 yards from shore where you suggest? I'm just trying to get an idea since our child is 8. He can probably snorkel 100 yards, but I don't want to tire him out too much.

 

Is it hard to find the place to enter, once we get to the beach?

 

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

Also sounds like Cozumel is not the place to snorkel, which is good to know, I'll look for something else to do.

The reef is probably 25 yards off shore, and it is less than waist deep, even for a child to walk there.

I suggest taking the NCL Tabayana Beach Break excursion. It will include food plus the transportation to the beach, You will have reserved chairs right in front of the reef.

Blue Cay in Costa Maya was easy to get too, comfortable, and had some nice snorkeling right off the beach. We took the tram away from the port - I think it was $4 or so. Get off at the Sr Frogs stop and just ignore the people trying to get you to go in to the bar, but head around across the walkway to the beach. Find a palapa and stake your claim. We spent the whole day there - they have delicious, reasonably priced food and drinks. There are some vendors who come around but they didn't persist. There is a great review of Blue Cay by mitsugirl in the Ports of Call, Caribbean, Costa Maya forum - her review is what convinced us to try it and we had a fabulous day there. It's a quick and inexpensive taxi ride back to the port.

West Bay Beach in Roatan has great shore snorkeling! We were there recently and camped out at the Grand Roatan Resort -- you can sit on their deck at a table as long as you buy some food/drinks (had the most amazing seafood chowder...). It's on the end of the beach, so not as "busy." You do have to be careful if snorkeling right in front of it as the reef is quite close to the surface there (a little ways out), but you can go in anywhere along the beach. Plus, your son can just play in the water if he tires of snorkeling. You can take a taxi there or check for tour companies that do a "shuttle" service.

Roatan: Tabyana Beach Resort [there is an excursion on RCI].

Cozumel: There are not really any good beach entries that put you on the reef. There are a number of boat and beach trips. Most of these put you in the water for 45 minutes and then take you to a beach for a couple of hours.

Roatan

Pay for an excursion if you like, but for $20-30 per person you can take a taxi from the dock to West Bay Beach....the driver will stay until you are ready to return.

There are multitudes of beach front resorts with chairs in and out of the shade...usually $10/day. And they have beach front drinking/dining areas and access to clean rest rooms.

The ones we have used are all family friendly and food and drink prices are reasonable.

Side note: there will be local vendors on the beach to sell you baubles, bangles and beads....just tell them no.

Walk into that warm, wonderful water.....put on your mask and snorkel and you are in an aquatic paradise.

Lastly....on YouTube do a search for Roatan snorkeling.