How To Choose a Snorkeling Tour in Cancun

Snorkeling tour reviews in Cancun recommend this snorkeling tour as an excellent option if you’re snorkeling for the first time. The number of snorkelers is limited to a maximum ratio of five snorkelers to one guide, so you'll have plenty of instruction and assistance as you learn the ropes. Plus, you'll get to snorkel in a variety of spots—including a shipwreck, a cenote, a natural sinkhole and underground cave.

Visitors looking to fill a whole day with the best activities in Cancun should choose this highly rated tour, which includes a visit to the Tulum ruins and a nearby cenote, as well as time dedicated to snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea. You'll start your day with a pickup from the Cancun Hotel Zone before heading out to learn about Maya cultural traditions. The tour includes a hearty lunch to refuel you before an afternoon of snorkeling and cenote swimming.

Feel the need for speed? This Cancun snorkeling excursion gets you set up on your own mini speedboat to zip through the Nichupté Lagoon as you head out to your snorkeling spot. Learn about how mangrove trees protect the coast from storms and provide crucial habitats for fish and other marine creatures. When you reach the reef, your guide will provide snorkeling instruction and point out fish as you swim on the Punta Nizuc coral reef.

Did you know that Cancun has its very own underwater art gallery? This snorkeling tour in Cancun will take you to the Underwater Museum of Art (MUSA), where you'll see some of the 500 sunken art pieces that have become a reef for marine life. This eerie, underwater world is a sight to see, full of stone statues that you can float above. Book an early morning tour to have a more personalized experience—a great option for families and those new to snorkeling.

One of the top tips for booking a snorkeling trip in Cancun is to visit during whale shark season, which runs from June through mid-September. This full-day snorkeling tour will take you out to swim in an area frequented by whale sharks, the largest fish on Earth. After snapping some underwater photos, you'll be treated to lunch on the boat near Isla Mujeres before you hop in for some more snorkeling. Pickup and drop-off at Cancun and Riviera Maya hotels is included, making for an easy day of adventure.

If a Cancun reef snorkeling tour is on your must-do list but you don't want to spend all day in the water, this tour is for you. Your group of up to 10 snorkelers will head out to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef from Puerto Morelos, where you'll hop in the water to look for sea turtles, fish, and other underwater sea life. You'll have a professional guide with you to ensure everyone stays safe, and there's even a cenote where you can swim after the tour, if you've got a little extra time to spend in the water.

A snorkeling tour with a ton of guests can be overwhelming for some visitors, especially if this is your first time snorkeling. On this private snorkeling experience (departing from Playa del Carmen, about an hour from Cancun) your guide takes you to Turtle Bay in Akumal for a day in the water before spending some time in the rainforest. Plus, turtle sighting is guaranteed on this tour, so you know you'll be in for an experience you won't soon forget.

Cancun snorkeling guides will tell you that the waters off Isla Mujeres offer some of the best snorkeling in the area. Hop aboard your catamaran in Cancun for a quick trip to the island, enjoying tropical drinks along the way. You'll have time for shopping and exploring in Isla Mujeres before you head over to Playa Club Isla Mujeres for a buffet lunch and time in the sand. Snorkeling equipment is provided and you'll have plenty of opportunities to look for sea turtles and sea stars before heading back.

Kids will get a kick out of this family-friendly snorkeling tour in Cancun that starts with a speedboat ride through the Nichupté Lagoon, where your guide will point out any crocodiles and sea birds they see along the way. This tour also stops at MUSA which is fun even for beginners, as the area is not very deep and there's a lot to see. Plus, you'll depart right from Cancun's Hotel Zone, making it an easy adventure for visitors staying in the area.