Looking for small snorkel tour in cancun or cozumel?

[cruisingforsix]

Hi ,we will be in cancun in feb, 2014 and are trying to find a tour that doea a small group of people.we have done that in cozumel but not in cancun .also where is a good place tosnorkel in cancun ? I have read about a couple of areas . thanks

[blue_water]

While staying in Cancun we took the excursion out of the lagoon (driving a 2-person boat) through the mangroves and out to the reef.

Another time we took a cat over to the reef by Isla Mujeres then spent time on that island. These are offered through most tour operators.

[cruisingforsix]

do you mean you drove yourself in the boat? was there a tourguide that took you to the snorkel spots? sometimes the cat cruises are to crowded ,we are looking for 4 to 8 people. do you happen to remember the companies you used.

[blue_water]

Yes you drive yourself and a friend and follow a guide boat through the mangroves and out into the Carib. We had 5 boats I believe, small outfit. They're located on the lagoon side of the main road, if I come across it I'll post it.

The can is out of a pier by the RIU Caribe resort, great day but it's a full day.

[cruisingforsix]

Thanks ,that sounds like fun, would appreciate it if you find the name .

[blue_water]

We booked through our hotel and I don't have the contact info now but it was through Lomas and the Aquaworld tour I believe, google speedboat jungle tour cancun as well as aquaworld and cancun discounts to find options. It it departs from the lagoon and goes through the mangroves and out into the sea you'll have a good time. There are other tours that include more options as well.

Good luck!

[cruisingforsix]

We booked through our hotel and I don't have the contact info now but it was through Lomas and the Aquaworld tour I believe, google speedboat jungle tour cancun as well as aquaworld and cancun discounts to find options. It it departs from the lagoon and goes through the mangroves and out into the sea you'll have a good time. There are other tours that include more options as well.

Good luck!

 

Thanks ,i will check out aqua world ,I think I remember seeing that name in my search.

[BSQ]

it's called the Mangrove boat tour. Nearly every hotel in Cancun offers it. It's been a staple since the early 1980's.

 

Snorkeling in Cancun is slim pickings. Down (over?) by Club med is a popular spot, but otherwise you need to leave the actual beaches of Cancun. Many take the 45 minute ferry over to Isla Mujeres North Shore.

 

My personal favorite for is EdventureTours. I actually found out about them in the PDC forum on this message board, and booked them during my land vacation. We snorkeled in a cave (Dos Ojos), in a lagoon (YalKu), where fresh and saltwater meet, and along a reef (Akumal bay ... sea turtles!). To this day we consider the day we spend with Ed one of our best days on vacation ever. Their website is: http://www.edventuretours.com.mx

 

for a landbased vacation, you may want to check out CC's sister site Trip Advisor. The Cancun forum is very active.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g150807-i8-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

[blue_water]

There are actually several different tour names and operators doing these mangrove/snorkel excursions and they have many variations that include ATV or other segments.

The snorkeling off Isla Mujures was very good, but it's better to the sough of PDC of course. We've been to Isla Mujeres several times on the ferry, great little island to relax on for a day. But we do prefer Playa Del Carmen and points south for the beach and natural beauty.

[cruisingforsix]

Thanks for all your suggestions, we were going to look into a snorkel trip out of Cozumel which would be my first choice for snorkeling but with a bout an hour and a half bus ride and a 45 minute ferry drive , staying in cancun may be a better option.

[topspot]

We just came back from a week in Playa del Carmen (about 30-40 minute drive south of Cancun).

If you'd like to snorkel with turtles, you can go to Akumal Beach. There is an area with sea grass where the turtles hang out and feed. There is also a reef which is a little further off shore. Located on the beach is also Centro Ecologico Akumal. They do turtle research here. There are guides that will take you out to the reef for an hour. It was 20.00 per person.

If google Akumal beach, you will find information on the turtles and distance from Cancun, transportation etc.

 

There are plenty of Cenotes in the area. Best way to describe these are fresh water lakes in caves. There are fish in there. You can snorkel here also, but the water is very refreshing on a hot day (cold)

[blue_water]

Excellent description of the area top spot, we love it there!

[MJL]

Puerto Morelos is between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. In addition to nice beaches there is a reef several hundred yards offshore. We have snorkeled this reef numerous time and have always had good experiences. We've done Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and other places in that area but tend to favor Puerto Morelos. On our most recent trip we used Almost Heaven Adventures. They were professional and did an excellent job finding colorful scenery.

 

Trip Advisor link: Almost Heaven Adventures

 

Mike

[blue_water]

Mike we normally stay at the Ibero Tucan in Playacar just south of PDC for the gorgeous clean beach and are considering a stay at Dreams Riviera Cancun (discounts available). Have concerns about consistent reports of seaweed in the water along the shore, and it looks like Puerto Morelos is not close and there isn't a lot there.

Are you familiar with this area? We've also stayed in Cancun and visited Tulum and Isla Mujeres several times but have never visited the Puerto Morelos area.

Thanks

[MJL]

Mike we normally stay at the Ibero Tucan in Playacar just south of PDC for the gorgeous clean beach and are considering a stay at Dreams Riviera Cancun (discounts available). Have concerns about consistent reports of seaweed in the water along the shore, and it looks like Puerto Morelos is not close and there isn't a lot there.

Are you familiar with this area? We've also stayed in Cancun and visited Tulum and Isla Mujeres several times but have never visited the Puerto Morelos area.

Thanks

I'm pretty familiar with the area, but certainly don't know every individual beach and every resort. When we go we generally spend a week in Cancun and one in Playa del Carmen. We don't stay at AIs, preferring to get a 2 br unit as we travel with another couple or family most times.

 

That being said, I've heard good things about the Dreams resorts. I had a good friend that visited the Puerto Aventuras resort last year and enjoyed the stay. This location puts you close to Akumal and Tulum, with Akumal generally having the better snorkeling opportunities.

 

I have another friend that booked Dreams Cancun for January, so I recently took a look at their information. While not actually visiting this resort itself, it appears as the beach is different than the beaches further south in the hotel zone as it is on the northern "tip" of the island. That is good for shopping, dining and nightlife as well as catching a boat to Isla Mujeres.

 

Puerto Morelos is a small town situated right on the water. The beaches are more like Cancun, but the wave action more calm since there is a reef offshore. The town is definitely more laid back than Cancun or PDC, but there are decent resorts and some off-site restaurants, including the highly rated John Gray's. As mentioned earlier, the snorkeling is good along the reef. You have to go out on a boat, but it's just a short ride.

 

I still really like PDC because of the many activity, dining and entertainment options. From there it's an easy drive south to Tulum, Akumal or any of the "adventure" parks.

 

I think a lot depends on your interests and how much time you spend on-site vs off-site for meals and activities. Let me know if I need to clarify anything.

 

Mike

[blue_water]

Thanks, that's helpful.

We too like having the flexibility of being close to a town and prime ecotour spots that Playacar offers. Besides liking the Tucan so much because of the jungle atmosphere that's why we return there so often. We also like the small boutique hotels and the beach cabanas around the Caribbean, we don't stay tied to a resort even if it's an AI.

 

We stay at the RIU's in Cancun at the top corner of the "7" and the waves are very calm there as compared to the long leg of the "7". Cancun is an easy getaway being close to the airport and being more cosmopolitan than points south. But it doesn't compare to the areas south of PDC thay you mentioned, these are very beautiful and relatively unspoiled.

 

We stayed at Dreams Puerto Vallarta recently and we have a discount we can apply to another Dreams property and the Puerto Morelos is rated much better than the Cancun property and that's why we're looking at her. We've wanted to stay in the PM area as well as Puerto Adventurous so I guess we just need to try it. We're not big snorkelers but

 

Thanks!

[MJL]

We stayed at Dreams Puerto Vallarta recently and we have a discount we can apply to another Dreams property and the Puerto Morelos is rated much better than the Cancun property and that's why we're looking at her. We've wanted to stay in the PM area as well as Puerto Adventurous so I guess we just need to try it. We're not big snorkelers but

 

 

Looks like you have a couple of good choices to work with. :) Just a note, if you are interested in boating or fishing the PA location would be good. Just a note #2 - They are constructing a huge Dragon Mart just west of PM. I'm not sure that it will have any immediate impact on the resorts at the coast, but in the future it may impact traffic. The development of the Dragon Mart has been a huge issue and there has been considerable press for and against.

 

Have a good trip.

 

Mike