The Mexican island Cozumel in the Caribbean Sea is a short (40 minutes) ferry ride from Playa del Carmen. It’s located on Mexico’s East Coast between Cancun (this links to our Cancun snorkel review) and Tulum (this links to our Tulum snorkel review).

One of the best things about the island are it’s amazing off-the-shore snorkel spots. Yes, we will cover some of the nearby reefs that you can visit by boat, but if snorkeling is part of your “holiday package” this beach-snorkeling should be more than enough.

In this article we cover our Top 4 Off-The-Shore snorkel spots, after which we share our Top 3 outer coral reefs to visit by boat.

Off The Shore Snorkel Spots

1. Money Bar

Let’s start with our personal favorite: Money Bar. You’ll notice that many snorkel spots on the island come in some sort of bar/restaurant setting. Just don’t let that fool you because in some of these locations the snorkeling is absolutely amazing. Money Bar is one of them, in our opinion.

One of the things that sets this park apart is the fact that they set our artificial reefs which attracts a bunch of various fish species. Combined with the rocky areas (which act as an attractant too), expect to spot some spotted moray eels, angelfish, damselfish, tiny stingrays and many more. Even though you’re able to swim towards some of the deeper areas, the shallow areas right next to the beach are probably enough for most of us.

Another thing to know about is the restaurant. Freshly prepared foods and a daily happy hour between 5 pm and 7 pm (and even local bands during the weekend) make this more than just a great snorkel spot. The whole vibe is just pure relaxation which is part of an enjoyable sunny day.

If you’re interested, here’s the link to Money Bar’s website. Below you find a video of both the area and the marine life (the snorkeling part starts at the 2:30 minute mark).

2. Buccanos Beach Club

Second on our list is Buccanos Beach Club. It’s quite similar to Money Bar and we consider them equally amazing. Great snorkeling combined with a relaxing beach day is all what this area is about. You enter the water from a sandy beach or from a stair if that’s what you prefer. Clear turquoise water with a vibrant marine life makes this a great day trip to say the least.

Expect to observe angelfish, butterflyfish, damselfish, needlefish, sergeant major, trumpetfish, goatfish, maybe a smal stingray and many more. Both shallow and deeper areas contain a good amount of rocky areas which should provide enough marine life for every snorkeler.

Grab some dinner at their restaurant, enjoy the pool, chill out in one of their hammocks or simply do some sunbathing. Here’s a link to Buccanos Beach Club’s website. The video below shows you exactly what snorkelers can expect.

 

3. Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park

So this is probably the most popular snorkeling area on the island, called Chankanaab. It is actually a park with (if we remember correctly) 3 restaurants and lots of areas to relax. You pay an entrance fee of around 20 bucks and you’re able to rent snorkel gear for the day (additional costs). We brought our own equipment so we don’t know how much rental costs, however, we heard from other people that they paid 15 bucks for the entire day. On top of that, in our opinion, food and drinks aren’t exactly cheap.

Besides these expenses, be prepared for a lovely scenery with a little sandy beach in between the restaurants. The best area for snorkeling and entering the water is pretty obvious, but if you’re uncertain, head on over to the area where the cabanas are located. Entering the water from the beach or a stair takes your right towards all the underwater action.

Chankanaab is popular among tourists so be prepared for crowds. We arrived on time in order to grab a chair and an umbrella. Even though this can be a crowded area, the marine life makes up for it. Various fish species enjoy the coral reefs and especially the rocky areas attract a diverse marine life. In our opinion this is a fun and pretty way to snorkel in combination with a relaxing beach day.

Here’s the link for more information about Chankanaab Adventure Park. Below you find a video that gives you a good impression of the area and what to expect. If you’re in a hurry, the snorkeling part starts at the 6 minute mark.

 

4. Sky Reef Beach Club

Sky Reef Beach Club is quite similar to Buccanos Beach Club. The ambiance and the marine life is equally enjoyable in our personal opinion. You enter the water from a wooden step which immediately takes you to all the underwater action.

The marine life is comparable to Buccanos as well. Things to notice at Sky Reef are sponges, sea rods, sea fingers and venus fans. Appealing fish species include squirrelfish, parrotfish and blue tang. Watch out for sea urchins and possible jellyfish.

Here’s the link to the Sky Reef website. The video below should give you a good idea of what to expect when snorkeling.

 

 

Outer Coral Reef Tours

If you read ur article then by now you should already understand that Cozumel offers a lot of different snorkel spots combined with cozy beach bars and sandy shores. Since there’s a chance that some of our readers aren’t interested in crowded or popular destinations, here are our 4 favorite reefs to visit by joining a boat tour.

Pro’s of joining a tour: These outer coral reefs are part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) which is the second-largest reef in the world. This reef stretches over 600 miles (or 1000km) and is home to more than 1000 marine species.

 

Columbia Shallows, Palancar Gardens and El Cielo

Your most convenient way to enjoy these 3 reefs is by joining a boat tour that combines a visit to all of them. You’ll be accessing the water from the boat directly so keep that in mind. Furthermore, consider if you experience motion sickness before booking one of these trips.

Compared to snorkeling directly off the shore, these reefs increase your chances of spotting a sea turtle and bigger sting rays. Columbia Shallows is, as the name suggests, a quite shallow area to explore. Nearby you’ll be visiting Palancar Gardens which offers some deeper spots with plenty schools of fish to observe. El Cielo (and nearby El Cielito) are close to the shore on the southeast of the island. You’ll be amazed by the clear blue water and its god amount of sea stars.

 

Final Thoughts

Snorkeling directly off the shore in Cozumel is both good fun and impressive from one of the many beach bars. You’ll get a good glimpse of the diverse marine life in clear turquoise water whilst enjoying the bar and a freshly prepared meal.

For a more diverse marine life with sea turtles, it’s best to join a boat tour which takes you to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. You’ll get to explore various locations in one single trip which makes this a more diverse experience compared to staying at a beach bar on the shore.