Snorkeling- Money Bar

Here's a few more

Kinda hard to see, but there are 2 barracudas in this pic...not too far away either...

A few more:

The purple stuff is actually fish eggs. There is at least one fish guarding each patch...they will come at you if you get close...

And the last bit...

thanks again.. I just clicked on the first link and then used the arrows to see the full album.

My husband uses a program that takes care of that washed out look underwater it makes the photos clearer and you can crop the photo too.

Have you used it here? The water is crystal clear!

thanks again.. I just clicked on the first link and then used the arrows to see the full album.

My husband uses a program that takes care of that washed out look underwater it makes the photos clearer and you can crop the photo too.

Have you used it here? The water is crystal clear!

Nope, I just used a Canon PowerShot D20. I used the underwater filter. The water really is that clear! It's amazing. It's like being in the most amazing bath tub ever! :)

Awesome photos. Thanks for sharing.

I do however wonder now...

Everyone always recommends Chankanaab or the Money Bar for the best snorkeling in the area. I have been to Chankanaab twice now because we love it so much. I have never been to Money Bar and have only seen pictures of the "place" online, but never the actual "snorkeling" pictures...until now.

Looking at those pictures, it kinda makes me wonder if the snorkeling there is actually as good as Chankanaab. I do know Chankanaab is loaded with everything the minute you walk into the water and goes along the parimeter of the land with so much to see. These pictures kinda make it look like it's more "open" and with sort of a sandy-like bottom with a few things placed here and there that the fish hide out in and also a bunch of sea fans. I guess I pictured it totally different. ??

Most of the area along the parimeter has rocks that are lined with various things and fish. I have found so many things there that I have never seen before because there's so much.

There's always a lot of live coral there too

Lots of huge fish there

Just wondering if you can confirm that it is anything like this at Money Bar? I have always heard it was the same, now I just wonder.

To be quite honest, it's quite random wherever you go. We went to a number of reefs and had quite varied experiences.

Right in front of our resort (Park Royal) had a LOT of fish and some small rays and over by the cruise ships, there were even some triggerfish.

Chankanaab had some interesting features and areas of good amounts of fish.

Money Bar is still recovering from the hurricane, so it's mostly wide expanses of beautiful scenery with a few structures here and there. Lots of different kinds of fish, but not as deep as Chank...however, you could easily swim farther out to deeper water and possibly have a completely different experience.

Palancar and Columbia reefs had huge expanses of reefs and a few fish... but since they are so vast, the fish are really spread out..

El Cielo had hundreds of star fish and is fairly shallow...not a lot of fish but very pretty!

I think my favorite place was either at Park Royal or Money Bar. Chank was pretty good too...at Chank, I was able to swim down and "through" large schools of fish which was kind of fun!

I can't really say one is better than the other because they are so different and it really depends on the weather/tides and which fish happen to be there... Each one has something interesting that the others don't necessarily have. If you have to choose only one, I'd say maybe try one you haven't seen yet... but that's just me...and could end up a bust if the conditions aren't good... <Shrug>

I've got pictures from the other areas too. I'm working on getting them all up shutterfly. I'll try to hurry.

 

Just wondering if you can confirm that it is anything like this at Money Bar? I have always heard it was the same, now I just wonder.

That's basically what it looked like when we were at Money Bar.

Our day at Chankanaab, we saw a few more larger groups of fish than Money Bar, but also TONS more large groups of humans. The snorkeling was very crowded.

We also found the waves to be harder to fight at Chankanaab, then Money Bar- though the drift stronger at Money Bar.

For me though, the big thing was the price. If I wasn't going to Chankanaab for another reason, it isn't worth the price to snorkel. For two, I can pay half as much get a giant place of nachos and a few smoothie drinks at Money Bar!

(The visits were a year apart...)

mitsugirly and islabonita you can email me at j k i r k n at g m a i l . c o m

Just mention who you are on here and I'll send you a link to my shutterfly page for my Cozumel trip.

At the Money bar the reef is 100' or so from the shore. That is where you will see the snorkel tour boats and the better experience.

Close to shore it is shallow and a good area for beginners.

Can you also take a snorkeling excursion from the Money Bar? If so, any idea the cost?

Can you also take a snorkeling excursion from the Money Bar? If so, any idea the cost?

http://moneybarbeachclub.com/amenities.htm

Thanks for the link caribsun!

mitsugirly and islabonita you can email me at j k i r k n at g m a i l . c o m

 

Just mention who you are on here and I'll send you a link to my shutterfly page for my Cozumel trip.

I just emailed you. :)

At the Money bar the reef is 100' or so from the shore. That is where you will see the snorkel tour boats and the better experience.

Close to shore it is shallow and a good area for beginners.

Hmm, with our (just now turned 6 year old), I don't like to swim out too far (even though she has been snorkeling since she was 3 yrs old). If it's snorkeling right from the shore and not far, she goes. Or if it's from a boat tour and in the middle of the ocean, then she goes because the boat is near by and she can swim back to it (versus swimming all the way back to shore).

mitsugirly and islabonita you can email me at j k i r k n at g m a i l . c o m

 

Just mention who you are on here and I'll send you a link to my shutterfly page for my Cozumel trip.

Ok, I have to know, are all of the pictures from the 19th of Park Royal? (Including the snorkeling ones?) I'm already in love with that place. It looks beautiful. :D

Ok, I have to know, are all of the pictures from the 19th of Park Royal? (Including the snorkeling ones?) I'm already in love with that place. It looks beautiful. :D

Yes, They are all from the Park Royal. (also from the 20th & 21st) The snorkeling there was probably one of the best places on the island. On our last day there, the surf was a bit rough at first so there weren't any snorkelers... but I went out and the fish followed me around like crazy. I was even able to touch a couple...(they're usually way too fast). And then when I was getting out a bunch of them (I think they're called Permit) came up into the shallows with me and kept brushing up against me...they felt so soft...it was weird but it felt like they were saying goodbye! :)

The Park Royal was a wonderful resort and it was so nice to be able to go out to a great snorkel spot any time I wanted...even in rough surf it wasn't that bad... It was neat when the big cruise ships came in or left too...they made the waves bigger...that was fun!

Snorkel Pictures:

Park Royal = 19th, 20th, 21st and 26th (just a couple since the surf was rough, the water wasn't clear)

Columbia, Palancar, El Cielo = 22nd

Akumal = 23rd

The Money Bar = 24th

Chankanaab = 25th

Here's the type of fish that brushed up on me a few times. I only saw them around the pier by the Park Royal...I don't think I saw them on any of the other snorkeling trips around the island.

Yes, They are all from the Park Royal. (also from the 20th & 21st) The snorkeling there was probably one of the best places on the island. On our last day there, the surf was a bit rough at first so there weren't any snorkelers... but I went out and the fish followed me around like crazy. I was even able to touch a couple...(they're usually way too fast). And then when I was getting out a bunch of them (I think they're called Permit) came up into the shallows with me and kept brushing up against me...they felt so soft...it was weird but it felt like they were saying goodbye! :)

 

The Park Royal was a wonderful resort and it was so nice to be able to go out to a great snorkel spot any time I wanted...even in rough surf it wasn't that bad... It was neat when the big cruise ships came in or left too...they made the waves bigger...that was fun!

 

Snorkel Pictures:

 

Park Royal = 19th, 20th, 21st and 26th (just a couple since the surf was rough, the water wasn't clear)

Columbia, Palancar, El Cielo = 22nd

Akumal = 23rd

The Money Bar = 24th

Chankanaab = 25th

Thanks for the clarification on where the pictures are from. I was trying to figure it out.

Can you do Park Royal as a day pass from the cruise ship? It looks beautiful and close by.

I think I'm in love with El Cielo. It reminds me of Grand Cayman and going to the sandbar in the middle of the ocean. The water looks like the same color and this looks like an awesome day. Can you do it all on a cruise while in port? Or is there just not enough time for it during those short few hours?

It's late and I'm about to go talk to Mr Bunny about hiding eggs tonight and will have to finish looking at the rest of the album days tomorrow. Man, I'm excited to see them all. I know I will have a bunch of questions for ya. :)

While is Cozumel we have been to Chankanaab twice, Playa Mia, Nachi Cocom, and Mr Sanchos. We're really looking for something different next time. I think I may have found a new place(s) thanks to you. :)

Here's the type of fish that brushed up on me a few times. I only saw them around the pier by the Park Royal...I don't think I saw them on any of the other snorkeling trips around the island.

 

Yep, those are Permit fish. We have ran across them several times (even on the eastern side in St Thomas as well). They love to follow you around and always seem friendly.

Thanks for the clarification on where the pictures are from. I was trying to figure it out.

 

Can you do Park Royal as a day pass from the cruise ship? It looks beautiful and close by.

 

I think I'm in love with El Cielo. It reminds me of Grand Cayman and going to the sandbar in the middle of the ocean. The water looks like the same color and this looks like an awesome day. Can you do it all on a cruise while in port? Or is there just not enough time for it during those short few hours?

 

It's late and I'm about to go talk to Mr Bunny about hiding eggs tonight and will have to finish looking at the rest of the album days tomorrow. Man, I'm excited to see them all. I know I will have a bunch of questions for ya. :)

 

While is Cozumel we have been to Chankanaab twice, Playa Mia, Nachi Cocom, and Mr Sanchos. We're really looking for something different next time. I think I may have found a new place(s) thanks to you. :)

 

 

 

 

Yep, those are Permit fish. We have ran across them several times (even on the eastern side in St Thomas as well). They love to follow you around and always seem friendly.

I do believe there is a day pass you can purchase from the Park Royal. I don't know how much, but I believe it gives you access to the beach and the buffet and the snack stations. It's a pretty short walk from Puerta Maya...a couple blocks. You just need to look for the giant pointy roof...that's their lobby. You can see it from the port.

I saw a bunch of people getting in to snorkel in front of the El Cid hotel also. It's practically part of the cruise ship pier. If you don't care about all the extras at the Park Royal, you could easily get into the water by the El Cid and swim over to the park royal area. You just have to swim under the dock...no big deal if there isn't a boat there. There is a plane that was sunk over by the cruise ships...not much left of it. You can see it in a couple pictures on the 21st. If you do go to the Park Royal, you have to swim past the first set of bouys (and rope) and under the dock...then south east towards the boats and the Red Bouys... That's where the plane is. You don't want to swim past the red ones though...you'll get too close to the boat traffic.

El Cielo is absolutely gorgeous! But it's an hour or two away. You can make it there on a snorkel tour easily. But you won't get much time there because of all the stops. I'd look for Tiger Tours.

You can do one or the other...but you won't have time to do the Park Royal AND the El Cielo tour...

Chank, PM, NC and MS are all pretty much the same... The snorkeling tour is farther out in the water...it's gorgeous...but not a lot of concentrated fish to see. The hundreds of starfish near El Cielo is pretty amazing though too.

If you haven't been to the east side of the island and can skip snorkeling, you might enjoy that too. There is an AMAZING beach by Andales. It's in my pictures from the 24th. It's not a good place for snorkeling because of the rougher waves...but it's very shallow...I think I went out a hundred yards or two before I couldn't stand any more. And Andales has the most amazing fajitas!!! Here's a couple of the pictures... it's completely clear water...where it gets a dark blue is where it gets deep...WAY out there. But like I said, the waves are bigger here, so you can't really see the bottom with all the churned up sand.

thanks for sharing your photos :-)

10 days and counting before getting to Playa del Carmen for 3 days then off to Cozumel for 5

We too have been to GC 4x and absolutely love it there, may go again next year.

So after reading here and on TA where we are staying is within walking distance to the Money Bar ( El Presidente) where we plan to snorkel plus right off our resort.

I too want to explore the southern end since it is closer to us, so I was told to get to Playa Palancar then just board a boat tour to get to El Cielo ? (not sure if it goes there but we can find someone who does.) and the Columbia reefs nearby.. $35 http://buceopalancar.com/index_en.html

thanks for sharing your photos :-)

10 days and counting before getting to Playa del Carmen for 3 days then off to Cozumel for 5

We too have been to GC 4x and absolutely love it there, may go again next year.

So after reading here and on TA where we are staying is within walking distance to the Money Bar ( El Presidente) where we plan to snorkel plus right off our resort.

I too want to explore the southern end since it is closer to us, so I was told to get to Playa Palancar then just board a boat tour to get to El Cielo ? (not sure if it goes there but we can find someone who does.) and the Columbia reefs nearby.. $35 http://buceopalancar.com/index_en.html

Did you see my previous post about my email address? If you'd like to see all my pictures from my recent trip to Coz, I can send it to you...just email me.

Thanks JK

Well I have been Spring cleaning our basement and found some wrist Sea-bands that I claim do not work..

So I just packed my ginger root, refill prescription of meclizine and ginger rock candy... I want to be ready for that ferry across PDC to Cozumel.

Will use all of the above too when we cruise and do boat tours.