Palancar Reef Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Palancar Reef. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Catamaran Snorkel Adventure to El Cielo and the Money Bar Beach

• El Cielo Cozumel Snorkeling by Private Boat

• Deluxe Private Boats - 40 Ft Catamaran

• 4 Hours of Shared Snorkeling to El Cielo

• Cielito Cozumel: Mexican Caribbean Snorkeling Tour

Snorkeling tours to Palancar Reef start at US$23 per person and include the boat ride, use of snorkeling gear, and often, light snacks and drinks. The National Marine Park fee may not be included in the ticket price; it’s US$13 and is generally paid in cash—pesos preferred—during your check-in.

Yes, Palancar Reef is worth visiting, as it's part of the second-largest barrier reef in the world and home to an array of sea life you won't see snorkeling from the shore. Whether you're an experienced scuba diver, new to snorkeling, or just want to get out on the water for a sail, booking a guided experience is the way to go since it is only accessible by boat. There are a variety of tours available, many of which make stops at other reefs and even a beach for more snorkeling opportunities.

Per one customer who booked the Cozumel Snorkeling Tour: Palancar, Columbia and El Cielo Reefs, "We had a wonderful time on this snorkeling tour. We stopped at three different spots, saw loads of marine life at Palancar reef, then at Columbia reef we saw sea turtles and at another stop we saw loads of starfish! At El Cielo beach we had a quick bite of fish ceviche and drinks and manta rays were swimming all around us in waist deep water. Crew was excellent. Always concerned with our safety."

Palancar Reef is one of the most popular snorkeling and scuba diving spots in Cozumel, thanks to its colorful coral, diverse marine life, and excellent visibility. Part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, it’s located off the southwest coast of Cozumel, near Palancar Beach (Playa Palancar).

Palancar Reef features four main areas. Palancar Gardens is ideal for beginner snorkelers and scuba divers, with moderate current and a large coral wall; Palancar Caves has swim-throughs, caves, and canyons; Palancar Bricks is named after a shipwreck carrying bricks; and Palancar Horseshoe is an area of the reef that looks like a giant horseshoe.

Yes, there are numerous guided tour options for exploring Palancar Reef, including half-day and full-day snorkeling tours, scuba diving tours, and combo tours that include visits to nearby reefs and/or a beach club or beach party. Guided boat tours typically depart from the marina in downtown Cozumel or Palancar Beach.

Palancar Reef is home to a wide variety of marine life, including hundreds of species of coral, hawksbill turtles, loggerhead turtles, nurse sharks, white tip reef sharks, parrot fish, trigger fish, groupers, spotted eagle rays, sting rays, splendid toadfish (endemic to Cozumel), moray eels, lobsters, and seahorses.

No facilities or amenities are available at Palancar Reef. However, most people visit on a guided boat tour, which may include amenities such as restrooms on board. Snorkeling and scuba diving tours typically provide the necessary equipment. Amenities such as restrooms and rentals are at Palancar Beach.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Palancar Reef. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in and around Cozumel:

• Quintana Roo

• Mr. Sancho's Beach Club Cozumel 

• Chankanaab Adventure Beach Park

• Akumal

• Punta Sur Eco Beach Park

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Cozumel.