3 Hour Costa Maya Snorkeling Excursion - La Leyenda ECO-TOURS
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Costa Maya, Mexico
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover the wealth of flora and fauna in the Great Mesoamerican Reef, the world’s second-largest coral reef system. Visit three snorkeling sites for the chance to encounter hundreds of vibrant tropical fish, including damselfish, puffers and stoplight parrotfish–and maybe even some sea turtles. Spend time relaxing on the white, sandy beach in Mahahual afterwards or opt for more time in the pristine turquoise sea on a kayak or stand-up paddleboard.
- Learn about the reef’s wildlife from experts with 50 years’ experience there
- Get action shots of you snorkelling taken by your guide
- Enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks on the boat
- A maximum of eight travelers per group for a more intimate experience
What's Included
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Soda/Pop
- Snacks
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Coffee and/or TeaUpon request.
- Pick up or Drop off from cruise terminal.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Malecón 3, 77940 Mahahual, Q.R., Mexico
Our stand is right on the beach in front of Hotel 40 Cañones.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 05/15/2023 - 04/08/2027
Monday - Sunday : 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- The minimum age for alcoholic beverages is 18 years of age and above.
- Snorkeling can be for everyone! So just let us know of any particular health/physical restrictions ahead of time so we can be prepared for your needs.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Anthony_R
This was definitely an amazing trip. From start to Finnish. The staff was very polite, kind and respectful. Not to mention, very knowledgeable of the waters. They gave us water,sodas or beer and even made us guacamole fresh while you watched. I would do it all over again soon. You should try this.we booked it from home without the cruise. And still had a blast.
Reviews
4.9
based on 115 reviews
Marlene_A, Mar 2026
We had the best time, very knowledgeable! Fun times! Was able to see fish and turtles! Thanks for having us!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thanks so much for coming with us on our 3 hour snorkeling excursion! We're glad you enjoyed your time :)
Abby_F, Mar 2026
Had the best time with Zach and we had the trip a perfect 10/10! Great great great 100% do it. I would go back and do it again
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thanks so much for coming with us!
Amanda_C, Mar 2026
This was an amazing experience! My family of four including 17 and 10 yr old girls had a private and personally tailored experience. From the cruise port we took a taxi about 2 miles at $5 pp to the meeting spot. We were so amazed by our Captain Zach and guide Jesus! The two of them know the reef and area so well. They took us to the most amazing spots to snorkel! We saw so many different fish, unique coral, a HUGE Manta Ray, a couple of sting rays and before we were done even a sea turtle!!!! This day hit so many family bucket list items. Jesus not only kept us together and safe in the water but knew all the places to look to find amazing sea creatures and treasures. Captain Zach treated us like royalty. We snorkeled for a good long time in one spot covering a sizable area. He was always close by if needed. Then we got back in the boat where we were treated to fresh made and delicious guacamole and chips, fresh fruit, water, soda and beer. Jesus even taught us the correct way to cut and eat a mango. Capt. Zach took us to a protected marine park and worked with Jesus to find a sea turtle. Snorkeling with a sea turtle was a true bucket list item for us and it was magical watching the endangered turtle munch in sea grass right below us! Capt. Zach was so knowledgeable about the area and was so happy to answer all my kids curious questions. We loved how much our guides respect and work to care for the reef. We did two other snorkeling experiences while on our cruise vacation but nothing compares to how amazing this experience was! To have the 3 hours to take time to really explore and see so much, to be treated so well and have such a great experience set this tour far apart and above and beyond all others.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for coming with us and for such a great review! We're so glad you enjoyed your experience with us.
Anthony_R, Mar 2026
This was definitely an amazing trip. From start to Finnish. The staff was very polite, kind and respectful. Not to mention, very knowledgeable of the waters. They gave us water,sodas or beer and even made us guacamole fresh while you watched. I would do it all over again soon. You should try this.we booked it from home without the cruise. And still had a blast.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much!!
Jeff_P, Mar 2026
It is “wild” snorkeling. Not swimming around fish stations where they feed them. If you don’t mind choppy but warm clear water it’s a great place! We saw (swam with) a sea turtle too which was awesome.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thanks! We're so glad you had a great time! Turtles are always one of our favorite encounters.
Dana, Jan 2026
We took a taxi from the cruise port to the boat location. Taxi drivers were familiar with the boat company, and getting there was easy. The guides were excellent. We had a group ranging in age from 8 to 70, and everyone had a wonderful time.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for coming with us on our 3 hour snorkeling experience!
Greg_B, Jan 2026
We had a great time. When we got to port on our cruise, we learned that multiple snorkeling trips were cancelled, but not ours! I called the phone number to see if we were cancelled thinking no one would answer and sure enough, David answered and confirmed we were good to go. The location was a quick cab ride from the port.
We saw a good amount of sea life.. turtles, big sting rays, and lots of fish. We were glad to enjoy the experience.
We spent time after the excursion chatting with Bri and she was just lovely to spend time with and shared a lot of information with us about the area and the reefs and helped with any and all questions.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thanks so much for coming with us!
DANIEL_H, Jan 2026
This was a perfect shore excursion for us. I took my twin 8-year-olds and 12-year-old snorkeling and saw the beautiful reef and turtles. The guides were extremely friendly. Location was easy to find. Even with last minute changes to our port times and limitations, David and the team made things seamless and easy. His crew knew just how to support a family with young children and ensure we all had a great time and felt like we were with extended family.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thanks so much for choosing us and for such a kind review! It was our pleasure, and we certainly hope to see you again in the future. Saludos!
Tonya_C, Dec 2025
Pros:
- 3 Turtles
- good snorkel gear
- small boat
Cons:
- English was not spoken by our guide or Captain (Jesus & Jesus)
- Started 20 min late
Unfortunate for us:
- the reef is dead
- water visibility was low
- current made swimming rough
We snorkel a lot and the reviews of this trip were wonderful. It was not what we hoped for BUT we saw turtles, so we can't be too upset.
Jody_P, Nov 2025
Snorkeled for 20 min in 2 different spots. Neither spot was tropical. Didn't see many fish. Asked questions and they had no idea what i was saying because they didn't speak English. The guide was overzealous yelling. The beach was mucky grose sand. Only gave a 3 and not less because the couple at stand were nice but they didnt come on boat.
David_H, Oct 2025
One of the best snorkeling experiences in all of Costa Maya and Mahahual! We went to reef where we were the only people there. The sea life and reefs were fantastic and our guide and captain even more so. On the way back, the guacamole was fresh made and tasty. We will definitely do it again when visiting.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much!
Alexey_K, Oct 2025
The excursion itself was very enjoyable! Although we didn’t see many fish due to windy weather and murky water, the overall experience was still excellent. The operator provided beverages along with delicious guacamole and chips during our return sail, which was a nice touch.
However, I’m giving this experience 3 stars because the operator filmed the trip with a GoPro and promised to share the video shortly afterward. It has now been three weeks, and we have not received any follow-up or video links as promised.
Steve_E, Oct 2025
Awesome excursion! Very friendly, very safe, and brought delicious food for our diving. They worked hard to give us the best experience possible. We’re experienced snorkelers, but Joe was never far away with a floating ring just in case. They know the local topography and really went all out for us. This is good for beginners and advanced snorkelers, lots to see and a good crew. I’ll be back next time we’re in Costa Maya
Urszula_H, Aug 2025
Brie and David were extremely caring and accommodating. I have a tendency to get motion sickness. Brie made sure that I was ok and was checking on me the whole time. I was able to see the beautiful reef, different types of fish, spotted stingray, and a turtle. Guacamole was very tasty 😋. Would recommend this activity and would do it again if I am back in Costa Maya. Thank you!
Lisa_O, Aug 2025
We had such a fantastic experience and cannot thank the team enough for their encouragement and reassurance to young nervous snorkellers. Bri lead our excursion and we cannotbthank her enough my daughter was very nervous and didn't manage to Snorkel but Bri was absolutely wonderful with her and encouraged her into the water for a short time.
The snorkelling was a great experience for my son and I, stopping in a number of areas and viewing reef points, providing amazing memories we can hold forever.
Thank you so much x
Clay_T, Aug 2025
Reef was beautiful, lotta marine life. Water was pretty cloudy (hard to beat Cozumel), but still well worth it. Second snorkel site much better than the first. Crew was friendly.
Laura_B, Aug 2025
Wonderful family operating the boat, good meet-up instructions. They were very attentive to my sister in assisting her with learning to snorkel. The family with young children on our boat (total of 6 on the boat) had a great first snorkeling experience.
Note the reefs are suffering bleaching, and the fish are minimal. Might have chosen another activity if I had realized how advanced it has become.
Tammy_M, Jul 2025
Fun day snorkeling! We took a taxi from the port and it was easy to find. Huge benefit to not booking through the cruise ship, we had the small boat to ourselves. Our guide was in the water with us the whole time trying to find turtles, or anything else for us to see. The drinks and guacamole tasted great after being in the water. It’s a great family run company that I would recommend to anyone!
Lauren_C, Jul 2025
We the best experience with the whole Le Leyenda team. My family and I have booked previous excursions through the cruise company and opted not to do that this go around. I worked with Dianne, at Viator, to plan all the excursions at each port. My husband and I and our 3 kids (13,12,11) visited 3 different places on the MesoAmerican reef. We were able to swim with 3 dolphins! This was a first snorkeling experience for our family and couldn’t have asked for a more incredible experience!
kway_s, Jul 2025
We were on a cruise to Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, and did a snorkel excursion at each destination. Costa Maya was the best snorkeling. I’m a certified scuba diver and have dove and snorkeled all over the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Bermuda. Costa Maya is definitely one of the best. We saw a sea turtle, yellow stingray, a couple regular stingrays, spotted eagle ray, flounder, barracuda, lobster, spiney sea urchin, 6 squid, and lots of fish and coral. It was great. I highly recommend this snorkel excursion.
Kelly_L, Jun 2025
Great outfit. Real pros from the captain to the snorkeling hosts. And they are in the water with you actively looking for wildlife. The reef is in ok shape (better than much of the Caribbean) and is widely protected by locals. Worthwhile. Great deal.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you!
Emilee_L, May 2025
Did not love this at all and have been on many many excursions. I am a travel content and informational creator and booked this to check out this company and was so disappointed after all the amazing reviews. We paid a lot of money to basically just ride around in a boat getting soaked and splashed with sea water, like I mean pelted in the face because the boat is so small. The snorkeling was awful. I think we only saw two fish. Save your money this excursion is not worth it.
Tracy_T, May 2025
A lot of fun and you’re supporting a family owned company. We had a windy , rough sea day and they really took care of us. We got to see many fish, a turtle and a stingray. Spent time at their beach location after snorkeling. We relaxed while they made us homemade guacamole. Very tasty.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thanks so much!
Eric_W, May 2025
Later excursion time of 10:30, family had snorkeling boat to ourselves, treated like VIP with fresh fruit, guacamole & chips, drinks. Crew made sure our guided experience was safe as well as viewing abundant marine life at our own pace.. This included 2 different areas to snorkel. We saw coral, fish, rays, a green turtle….as well as the rare sighting of 2 manatees.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you!
Stephen_M, May 2025
A fun time with a team that wants you to enjoy your snorkel and enjoy the area. Prepare to be wet in the water and out if you are sitting near the back - so bring a dry bag if you want your belongings dry.
+++
The meeting point is literally a small wooden kiosk on the beach behind the hotel. Owner David and his wife, along with their staff want to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time. If you arrive early, they have hammocks and paddle boards that they offer to let you use as you wait.
+++
My wife and I, both in our 60s, found this adventure to be well run and enjoyable. The crew on the boat will make sure you are safe, given snacks and drinks, and taken to the best snorkeling spots for the conditions.
+++
Give this family run tour group an opportunity - the price is reasonable for the experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thanks for joining us!
Regina_B, May 2025
Snorkeling was good but overpriced for what you get. Not enough food or drinks to accommodate our entire party of 6. When drinks were gone they offered water in a jug they had filled which we didn’t feel comfortable drinking. We have repeatedly asked for the photos but never did get them. Definitely would not book again.
Response from Host, May 2025
Hi, we're sad to hear that you weren't satisfied with our services.
Photos: the download link for your photos and videos were sent via WeTransfer to the email address you provided for us, but were never downloaded.
Water: Since we are an agency which focuses on sustainability, we minimize our reliance on single-use plastics, which is why we offer perfectly safe, purified drinking water in a 2 gallon thermos, rather than individual plastic bottles. We also always provide some fresh fruit, guacamole, and other sodas/beer for guests to enjoy.
We are happy, however, that the snorkeling experience was good.
Have a great day.
Trixie_M, Apr 2025
Cristian (Captain) and Jose (tour guide) was fantastic! They were very helpful especially since it was my sisters first time snorkeling. We saw 2 stingrays, turtle, and schools of fish! They will take you two different spots. Fresh refreshments and food were great too.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thanks for choosing us!
Leo_G, Apr 2025
Hands down our favorite excursion of our 7 day cruise. It was easy to take a cab from the cruise terminal at Costa Maya to 40 Cañones. We are a family of four with 8 yr old and 4 yr old sons. What a treat to find we had the tour and boat completely to ourselves. They treated us like family and were so kind to our kids. Our 4 yr old stayed on the boat while the rest of us snorkeled the bluest most beautiful open ocean waters. The boat is small but a bimini top provides enough shade. We saw tons tons of colorful fish, some giant stingrays and a turtle! The snorkeling is through open ocean with waves so make sure you are ready for lots of swimming. Our 8 yr old used a life vest and was happy as a clam. Special thanks for Carlos for taking time to show and teach us along the way and for showing a special interest in my oldest son’s curiosity. The apre-snorkel guacamole our captain made on the ship is the stuff of legends. As were the cold beers and fresh fruit and juice for the kids. Loved supporting a small, family-owned, local business. If you are looking for your sign on to book a most magical, memorable adventure, this is it!!! Afterwards we hung out in their beach in hammocks and they walked us down to a beachfront restaurant for more amazing food and spectacular water views. Thanks, La Leyenda EcoTours!!!!!!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you so much for joining us!
Vicky_S, Apr 2025
These guys go above and beyond! We had 2 elderly and a 5 year old with us that after an hour were done. They were so nice to return to the dock to drop them off. They even set them up with beach chairs and made sure they were fine while the rest of us when back out for the rest of our adventure. There is an English speaker that met us, directed everything and made sure we were 100% taken care of.
Jane_M, Mar 2025
We had an amazing time with these guys in July 2024. I'm writing the review now because I'm in the process of booking more excursions for our 2025 cruise and saw this in my previous Viator bookings list. They are small and family-run, with just your basic zippy no-frills shaded dive boats. But the boats are clean and well-maintained and that's all we've ever needed from a snorkel boat -- and small usually means maximum water time, which this was. A couple young men (one was an owner's cousin, I believe) took us out and fairly far south along the coast to the very best snorkel spots. Our in-water guide took care of us the whole way, finding some unusual wildlife treasures for us too, like tiny baby lobster spawn! This was the most living reef we saw of our entire 2-week Caribbean cruise - and we had been to St. Thomas, Cozumel, Belize and Roatan as well, where I was very saddened to see the state of the coral there. We were very surprised to find this here, as Mahahual is not known for snorkeling and the other companies were obviously just sticking to the north side of the shore by the cruise ships. I'm sad that the increasing tourism is likely to ruin the reef at Mahahual (and I do see the irony of saying that), but at least the good people at La Leyenda are attempting to do something about it. Their ecological focus is admirable. We truly had a great time with them and are so glad we decided to branch out a little from the Costa Maya tourist trap. It was an easy cab ride from the port each way, and afterward we strolled a long way back up the beach and grabbed a beach massage from one of the 500 vendors there before taking a cab the rest of the way. I recommend this company highly. They were well worth the extra effort to get to and took great care of us.
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