Snorkeling in Cabo

[whowantstheworm]

My wife and I will be in Cabo at the end of October - can anyone recommend the best locations or tours for snorkeling? Is it usually clear, calm, etc.?

[melika091900]

we snorkeled at lovers beach, nice, but the water was rough.

and no bathrooms,

 

alot of people like chileno bay ,

 

hope this helps

[suziehmkr]

Snorkeling in Mexico is nothing like snorkeling in the Caribbean or Hawaii. It is still nice, but just don't expect the super duper clear water. And the water can be quite cold. We had fun snorkeling near the arch. But others we met on the cruise recommended some of the places that were a little farther away. They booked thru the ship, sorry I don't remember the names.

[gottago2mexico]

The best snorkeling locations for cruise passengers are Santa Maria Cove and Chileno Bay. They'll require a tour to get to the best snorkeling areas (accessible only by boat), though you can also take a taxi and try it from the beach (about 15-20 minutes drive). Not as good from shore, but still better and calmer than Lovers Beach.

 

All the boat tours go to one of these two locations for snorkeling, though some add on snorkeling at Pelican Rock as a bonus, such as the Jungle Cruise which goes to Santa Maria Cove, then stops at Pelican Rock for a second round of snorkeling.

 

La Princesa Catamaran goes to Santa Maria Cove, as does the Pirate Ship and Ocean Riders.

 

Cabo Rey goes to Chileno Bay.

 

There are many snorkeling tours run by local shops too that go to these places, that are more pure snorkeling than a boat tour, offering more snorkeling time, but less amenities like Booze, Food, Music, etc.

 

Cabo Pulmo is the best snorkeling in the Baja, but it is a 2 hour drive from Cabo San Lucas, and isn't recommended for cruise passengers for that reason.

 

Visibility is best during the summer months, when it can reach up to 100 feet. The water is less clear in the winter months, normally ranging between 30 and 40 feet, similar to snorkleing in Puerto Vallarta. The water isn't the clear blue you see in the Caribbean, having a bit of a greenish tint, and there aren't living coral reefs (except Cabo Pulmo). However, there are lots of fish and other marine life to see.

 

The water is roughest at Lovers Beach for sure, since that's where the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez meet, and really isn't as smooth as the Caribbean anywhere, but is plenty smooth as you travel up the Baja to Chileno and Santa Maria. Water temperatures range from bathtub warm 85 degrees in the summer and fall to the low 70s in the winter and spring.

 

Hope this helps - have a great time!

[whowantstheworm]

Thanks, everyone for your very helpful information on snorkelling in Cabo!