Which Snorkeling Excursion to book? Which reef?

Hi there,

I am so undecided on which excursion to book and hope you can help me. We are going to Cozumel next month and I want to book a private excursion through a company recommended to me by my travel agent. My kids are 14, 12 and 9. My options for snorkeling tours are:

1. Private Boat Charter for 2.5 hours. This is the most expensive option and they do not get in the water with us. The positive is that they can take us wherever we want to go, and guide us based on our interests.

2. Palancar and Columbia Reefs. In reading reviews, the Palancar Reefs are very deep and more a dive site than snorkeling. Even though many people say the snorkeling is good, some say it is better as a dive site and I am wondering if we'd see much given we won't be diving down deep or at all. So I worry it'd be a waste even though it seems to be an amazing reef potentially. 4 hours long.

3. A 3-Reef snorkeling by glass bottom boat but does not identify the reefs. It is the cheapest option. It is also only . 2.5 hours long.

4. Double snorkel at The El Cielo and Colombia Reefs, and then hang out at Playa Mia Beach - a 6 hour tour.

These are my options. I am so torn, and don't want to make a wrong decision. I am tempted by the Palancar Reef but don't want to be disappointed if it is too deep. I don't know much about the Colombia Reef. Also, time options . are morning or afternoon.. I want morning but I read afternoon can be a bit choppier - so am I better to book morning or is that not necessarily true about afternoons?

Any insight you have to these I would greatly appreciate.

Thanks so much!

Fury and Eagle Ray are often suggested for snorkel tours on this board.

There is also good snorkeling from the shore available at the Money Bar and Chankanaab ($10 adult admission, small beach, dolphins, pool, etc.)

We looked at doing a snorkel tour through Cozumel h2o before switching over to their introduction to scuba tour through them, which we are doing in July. They get very positive reviews on TripAdvisor and the cost is quite reasonable. Thus far, their communication has been excellent and we are very much looking forward to it.

Hi there,

I am so undecided on which excursion to book and hope you can help me. We are going to Cozumel next month and I want to book a private excursion through a company recommended to me by my travel agent. My kids are 14, 12 and 9. My options for snorkeling tours are:

 

1. Private Boat Charter for 2.5 hours. This is the most expensive option and they do not get in the water with us. The positive is that they can take us wherever we want to go, and guide us based on our interests.

 

2. Palancar and Columbia Reefs. In reading reviews, the Palancar Reefs are very deep and more a dive site than snorkeling. Even though many people say the snorkeling is good, some say it is better as a dive site and I am wondering if we'd see much given we won't be diving down deep or at all. So I worry it'd be a waste even though it seems to be an amazing reef potentially. 4 hours long.

 

3. A 3-Reef snorkeling by glass bottom boat but does not identify the reefs. It is the cheapest option. It is also only . 2.5 hours long.

 

4. Double snorkel at The El Cielo and Colombia Reefs, and then hang out at Playa Mia Beach - a 6 hour tour.

These are my options. I am so torn, and don't want to make a wrong decision. I am tempted by the Palancar Reef but don't want to be disappointed if it is too deep. I don't know much about the Colombia Reef. Also, time options . are morning or afternoon.. I want morning but I read afternoon can be a bit choppier - so am I better to book morning or is that not necessarily true about afternoons?

Any insight you have to these I would greatly appreciate.

Thanks so much!

Can you share which cruise line and if not a cruise excursion which tour company offers these?

We looked at doing a snorkel tour through Cozumel h2o before switching over to their introduction to scuba tour through them, which we are doing in July. They get very positive reviews on TripAdvisor and the cost is quite reasonable. Thus far, their communication has been excellent and we are very much looking forward to it.

We just did a snorkel/discover scuba tour with them - 3 did scuba and 6 did snorkel. Simply the best!

Our very first snorkeling tour was the Palancar Reef in Cozumel in 1997. Yes, the water can get deep, but you will DEFINITELY see a lot of fish! My husband got in the water first, and I remember him putting his head in and getting so excited because there were so many fish. It was great. We don't dive with snorkels either. You may not see the stuff on the bottom there, but you will be surrounded by fish. And I mean surrounded.

We also went snorkeling once from shore in Cozumel, but I don't remember the beach. It was a ship's tour, and our ship sent a couple of staff members with us.

I don't think there is a bad place to snorkel in Cozumel, except maybe Chankannab Park. We went there once and didn't see much at all.

If you go on a tour, remember that you'll have a snorkel vest on, so the depth of water won't be a problem, and they don't really take you in the really deep water, as in 1500 feet deep. You can tell where it's deep by the color of the water. The darker, the deeper.

If you go on a tour, remember that you'll have a snorkel vest on, so the depth of water won't be a problem, and they don't really take you in the really deep water, as in 1500 feet deep. You can tell where it's deep by the color of the water. The darker, the deeper.

We did not have snorkel vest with Cozumel H2O but they did offer life jackets. The water is so salty there is no need for a vest. I would say at the most you are in 40-60 feet of water. Sometimes much more shallow than that.

Most of the snorkel tour boats go to the exact same sites as they are the ONLY shallow reefs in Cozumel.

Closest to cruise port Puerta maya is Paradise reef (approx 40' deep but lots of coral and fish).

Next shallow reef is Dzul Ha, which is right off of Money Bar. It ranges for 10-30' deep. Great for snorkeling. The boats are out farther from shore than most people want to swim from shore, but this is a reef/coral rubble area with some fish and people really like it.

Almost ALL snorkeling tours will take you to these 2 reefs....not just because they are close to piers, but because they are the best shallow dives in this area.

From there, you need to go south on the island, about 30+ minutes boat ride to an area off of Chankanaab park, but it is probably too deep for good snorkeling. (I have only done it scuba, and its a nice reef but 40-60' depth)

Farther south from there is Caradona reef, off the old Reef Club hotel (not sure the name now). This is also 40' or more deep.

Next would be Palancar... no way I consider this snorkeling but some boats list it. Its gotta be 50-60' deep at shallowest graduating to 100'+ or more. Amazing diving, not sure about snorkeling.

The Farthest south "snorkeling" reef is Columbia Shallows. It is the BEST reef for snorkeling and also lots of scuba diving there for those doing a 2nd dive (you always do deep dive first, then shallower dive second on any scuba trip). I was just diving there last October. Taking a snorkel boat there is $$$ due to distance and cost of gas, so you won't find this often. Most snorkel boat that go there are going to need to make their money by having lots of snorkelers on the boat, and charging more. Keep that in mind...its an hour from the cruise ship pier each way!

I hope this helps.

If you want to see what these reefs look like underwater, scuba diving...I have a few videos from last year.

Chankanaab Reef

Paradise reef and Columbia reef

^^^What she said^^^

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