Best Cancun snorkeling spots

Whether you're looking to swim with tropical fish and turtles, see underwater art, or even explore a real shipwreck, you can do it all in Cancun.

By Casey Makovich

Cancun, Mexico is home to the Great Mayan Reef. The coastal waters of Cancun offer some of the best snorkeling anywhere on Earth. You can swim out right from your hotel beach to snorkel, but you are likely to see more of the seafloor than sea life.

For offshore trips, boats staffed with English-speaking guides bring you to the reef areas with the most magnificent snorkeling spots.

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The Extreme Adventure Puerto Morelos is a snorkel trip of a lifetime, with luminescent fish and bright coral. The Puerto Morelos beach is a key breeding spot for sea turtles. An off-road vehicle takes you between two great snorkel spots where you'll spend about an hour at each one. Then there's free time to walk through the lovely village of Puerto Morelos, with its beach and its charming cantinas.

Tip: the leaning lighthouse is the backdrop for selfies!

Underwater Museum Snorkel at Paraiso Nizuc

Take a boat out to Cancun's Underwater Museum, and visit some of the best sea turtle hangouts along the Mayan coast. Snorkel to your heart's content, then take an aquatic sightseeing trip through the 16 statues.

Elier Amado Gil, a local artist, founded this quirky collection and dedicated it to the sustenance of the Great Mayan Reef and its living communities. There's a floating refreshment stand where you can grab a beer or cold drink. Then it's out to the shallow waters of El Cielo, to meander through the places where starfish congregate.

Reef, Turtle, and Shipwreck Snorkeling Tour

The Reef, Turtle, and Shipwreck Snorkeling Tour is a truly mesmerizing snorkel experience. It's a must-see place, and whether you’re an experienced swimmer or a newbie, this snorkel tour is great for people of all skill levels. Gaze at the breathtaking marine life at four reef stops, each with its unique features.

See Cancun's big, beautiful sea turtles, and an awesome variety of fish. Revisit Elier Amado Gil's undersea art collection. Then there's the grand finale! Explore the shipwreck and meet the fish who dwell inside, as their coral habitat slowly takes over the ruins.

Snorkel plus SubSee experience

The Snorkel in Musa Nizuc plus SubSee Experience is a combined tour. First, it features an excursion in the SubSee Explorer from Aquaworld. This unfolds in an air-conditioned yellow submarine! Marvel at the sea life and the Underwater Museum from a totally different perspective – you're dry, moving through the waters in a transparent enclosure.

Bilingual guides narrate, so you can learn a great deal about Musa Nizuc on this tour. Arrive at Punta Nizuc and snorkel through the brilliant reef waters. Return to your ride and take in the onboard entertainment, drinks, and relaxing atmosphere.

Dancer Cruise Cancun with snorkeling

This delightful Dancer Cruise with snorkeling day trip is like a trolley tour you can jump on and off – only with a snorkel and a catamaran! Cruise over the ocean, enjoying a casual breakfast, a hearty buffet lunch, and the boat's open bar. Stop at three different places to swim, snorkel, and admire the timeless Caribbean.

Back on the double-decker boat, enjoy the music and dancing, and the vistas of the Isla Mujeres and Cancun seacoasts. Your Dancer Cruise Cancun with snorkeling is all-inclusive: snorkeling, food and drinks, games, contests, dancing and even dance lessons. Your three stops in the cruise involve:

● The beautiful Meco Reef – one of the best snorkel spots to view Mexico's aquatic life.

● A pause in calm waters, during which time the boat's diving board, waterslide, and trampoline all get a workout. Climb back on board for a delicious lunch.

● Isla Mujeres – a four-mile island where you'll disembark and enjoy two hours of exploring. Hang out in the village, or luxuriate on the beach. Or you might opt to spend your time taking a walk to the breathtaking cliffs, where you'll find an unforgettable island and coastal vistas.

Dance to the DJ and live entertainment on deck en route back to the hotel!

Royal Garrafon Natural Reef Park Adventure

Complement your snorkel trip with the 30-minute boat ride to Royal Garrafon Natural Reef Park and then back to Cancun. The natural reef area is bordered by cliffs. As they come into view, you'll be finishing a continental breakfast on the boat. Disembark and receive access to the Beach Club and its luxury pool.

From the beach, you can take a kayak out to the Isla Mujeres reef, and snorkel in the sparkling waters. Build up your appetite for the midday buffet, meander around the cliffs of Punta Sur, and visit the Mayan ruins. And do try the pre-Hispanic steam bath known locally as the temazcal. It's an indigenous sweat lodge – Mayan style.

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Christmas in Cancun

Swap your snow boots for your flip-flops and your scarfs for your bikini bottoms by spending Christmas in Cancun. With sands so white you could easily mistake them for snow, Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year on Mexico’s Caribbean coastline. However, this gives the resorts of the hotel zone a phenomenal atmosphere, whilst the glorious high season weather means nothing is off the menu when it comes to attractions. Add to this a platter of feast days and special events and you’ve got a festive season like no other! Here’s our guide to everything going on at Christmas in Cancun and the surrounding area. Early December In this devoutly Catholic country, the Christmas period doesn’t begin with December 1, but the first day of advent, four Sundays before Christmas Day. Traditionally seen as a time of preparation, churches such as Iglesia de San Servacio in the old quarter of Valladolid sparkle with nativity scenes and candles, echoing the lights which add another layer to the buzz of Cancun’s hotel zone. Just 45 minutes away from Valladolid stands Chichen Itza, one of the most important Mayan sites in the entire Yucatan. Immortalized on a hundred T-shirts and as thousands of souvenir models of all sizes, it contains the impressive El Castillo pyramid, a structure perhaps even more impressive today than when it was built 1600 years ago. Las posadas The next big marker is Las posadas, beginning on December 16. It is a nine day event typified by candlelit evening processions through the streets of Cancun. Residents dress up as the Holy Family, and seek a place to stay for the birth of Jesus. After being rejected from entering two homes, as in the Bible accounts of the birth, they are welcomed into the third, where a party with food, drink and pinatas are often evident. Homes are decorated with red-leaved poinsettias – native to Mexico – and other evergreen plants. In addition, children cut the sides of paper bags into a variety of shapes that are then illuminated by candles – a little like a festive version of a jack o’lantern. They’re called farolitos and are placed on windowsills and doorsteps. Christmas shopping In between the nightly processions there’s plenty of opportunity to explore the independent and big name stores that make up Cancun’s retail spaces. For souvenirs and other handmade items we’d suggest downtown’s Mercado 28, followed by a trip to the boutiques of US-style mall Plaza Las Americas. Decked out in all its Christmas finery, it has a friendly rivalry with Kukulkan Plaza a short distance further south, whose elegant flat-domed ceilings provides the perfect spot for the free nightly performances from December 20 – 31. Head to Punta Cancun (the Party Zone) for the best of the city’s nightlife. Around 25 major clubs do their best to attract you, offering open bars, giant dancefloors and DJ sets that extend towards daybreak. Nochebuena Rather than December 25, it’s Christmas Eve – or Noche Buena – the last day of Los Posedos which is the big day for family gatherings in Mexico. Children lead processions into their local churches, at which point the baby Jesus is placed in the manger of the nativity scenes. Most people attend midnight mass with church bells ringing out and fireworks exploding to mark the Holy birth. The feasting continues long into the early hours of Christmas morning, so don’t be surprised if some places are slower to open up than usual. It’s also Christmas Eve when children receive some of their gifts, especially those from Papa Noel (Santa Claus). When it comes to closures, you’ll see nothing like the complete shut down that takes place on Christmas Day in the US or Europe. Generally speaking, resorts and attractions remain fully open, although it’s well worth checking out individual places if you plan a Christmas Day visit. Christmas Day For a sense of the dishes enjoyed at this time of year in Cancun don’t miss your chance to explore the city’s puestos (market stalls) in search of the best seasonal street food. Christmas dinners usually begin with an oxtail soup containing beans and chilies. Bacalao (dried cod) and revoltijo de romerito (stewed greens with potato and dried shrimp) are also common. These are followed historically by a suckling pig, although the US influence has made turkey and glazed hams much more common. Adults then set about consuming large quantities of ponche con piquete, a hot alcoholic drink flavored with seasonal fruits and cinnamon that’s a little like mulled wine. Children get to play with luces de Belén, or Bethlehem lights, a type of sparkler. Holy Innocents Just a couple of days later, on December 28, comes one of Mexico’s more unusual celebrations. Although it commemorates the massacre of the Holy Innocents by King Herod after the birth of Christ, it has become the Mexican version of April Fool’s Day, with pranks played on those deemed ‘innocent’. Everyone seems to save their best tricks for the day, with newspapers and television programs also getting in on the action. Past stories have included reports that Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, was leaving Britain’s Prince William for a Mexican soccer star. New Year’s Eve Christmas in Cancun continues into January with the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6. This is when many children receive the bulk of their gifts, just as Jesus was gifted the gold, frankincense and myrrh from the Three Wise Men. But for most, the season ends on New Year’s Eve. Celebrations take a number of forms, with dining out a particularly popular choice for the evening hours. As the clock turns towards midnight, many holidaymakers head to the bars and clubs, whilst still more await the fireworks which erupt over Cancun on the stroke of twelve. Save at Christmas in Cancun Packed full of special events and traditional insights, there’s even more reason to visit Cancun at Christmas than at other times of year. For the most part your favorite attractions will remain open, so don’t forget to do the sensible thing and travel with Go City. Do this and you’ll make huge savings on admission costs to top attractions – it’s really as simple as that!

Ian Packham

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Things to do in Cancun for adults during your vacation (Ideas for couples & groups of friends)

Cancun boasts gorgeous beaches, crystalline waters, and tons of activities to keep the whole group entertained for days.

Nicole Muto

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Things to do in Cancun in July

Take a quick turn around the web and you’ll soon discover that July falls within Cancun’s wet season. But although it’s low season, don’t give up your dreams of visiting Cancun in July just yet. The month’s wet season designation tricks many into believing July isn’t a good time to visit Cancun. However, the reality on the beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula is very different to what you might be imagining. Five days of rain is all you’ll experience on average, and even then, this generally consists of a nothing more than heavy afternoon downpour of as little as 15 minutes. They rarely last longer than two or three hours. And whilst there’s an outside chance of a hurricane making landfall at this time of year, the last time this happened was way back in 2005. Wet season? We hear you ask. What wet season? Here’s some of what you can get up to in Cancun in July. Seek out the sea breeze With temperatures on land maxing out at 34°C and humidity levels which can top 80%, sticking close to Cancun’s Caribbean shores is a good way to minimize the heat. Getting out onto the water is incredibly easy in Cancun, with catamaran cruises to Isla Mujeres, shipwreck snorkeling tours and even the galleries of an underwater museum to consider. Between them they offer an incredible array of ways to enjoy the region’s turquoise waters and teeming coral reefs. The Caribbean’s only seafront amusement and water park, Ventura Park provides a heady mix of high-octane rides and calmer ways to appreciate the water, such as its Lazy River and Wave Pool, making it a great shout for families. All ages are also welcome at the majority of Cancun’s cenotes. Natural sinkholes formed from collapsed limestone caves and flooded by a mix of underwater rivers and rain water, they are a stunning addition to the region’s geography. Ranging from simple holes in the ground to magnificent forms with diving platforms up to ten meters high, their cool waters will soon see you adopt the right frame of mine. Take a road trip With the Riviera Maya on your doorstep, Cancun is the perfect starting point for a coastal road trip in search of Mayan ruins and tiny coves. So why not rent a car for the day and head down Federal Highway 307? Whether you ramp up the air-con or wind down the windows is entirely up to you, as you head south from Puerto Morelos to the beaches, bars and boutique stores of Playa del Carmen and the archeology site of Tulum – where temples stand guard over the coast. Along the way, consider stopping for a couple of hours at the ecoparks of Xel-Ha or Xcaret. Xel-Ha counts jungle and river trails amongst its highlights, whilst Xcaret is best thought of as part water park, part cabaret show and part wildlife reserve. Meet Cancun’s most-loved creatures Animal lovers certainly won’t be short of things to do in Cancun in July. Since May at least three species of turtle have been dragging themselves up onto the beaches after dark in order to dig holes in which to lay their eggs. This continues through July, with the added bonus of the very first eggs to be laid starting to hatch, carpeting the sands of Isla Mujeres with newborns eager to reach the relative safety of the open ocean. Though the giants of the deep, the turtles don’t face any threat from the whale sharks which linger in Cancun’s warm tropical waters at this time of year, since they eat nothing larger than microscopic plankton. Swimming and snorkeling beside these magnificent creatures are unforgettable experiences, celebrated on the island at the annual Whale Shark Festival at the end of July. Discover the nightlife Another end of July celebration to mark in your diary is July 25’s El Día Fuera del Tiempo. Translating as ‘the day out of time’, it marks the Mayan year end, and is a traditional time to reflect on the past twelve months. There are festivities right along the Riviera Maya. Originally focusing on Tulum, they now include events in Cancun itself. But whatever day you turn up in July you can be sure of a good time. With a reputation as one of the best places to party south of the Rio Grande, Cancun’s hotel zone is awash with neon signs and dance floors just waiting to be filled. One of the top spots for many years has been Congo Bar, whose DJs spin the decks until close to sunrise. Take in some culture If the thought of those occasional afternoon downpours is still leaving you unsure of what to do in Cancun in July, remember that the city isn’t all about outdoor adventures. There’s also plenty to discover under cover, with a pick of great museums and galleries thanks to a thriving cultural scene. Museo Maya displays a wealth of important artefacts linked to the region’s historic inhabitants, including items discovered at Chichen Itza and Comalcalco. They reveal many of the secrets to the Mayans’ success and ultimate demise at the hands of the Spanish conquistadors. Forming part of Xcaret ecopark, the Mexican Folk Art Museum details the nation’s modern culture, including items such as ghoulish Day of the Dead dolls in a dazzling series of colorful galleries depicting everyday life. The 3D Museum of Wonders in Playa del Carmen lives up to its name and is a museum that will keep the kids entertained until the clouds clear. Filled with three-dimensional optical illusions, it is the work of artist Kurt Wenner, whose 60 creations literally leap from the walls in all manner of sizes and shapes. Save on Cancun July attraction admission Comparatively crowd-free by Cancun standards and budget-friendly to boot, July is a great month to visit despite being placed within the region’s wet season. Take it easy in the building humidity by sticking to the shoreline or heading to the range of water-based attractions and activities on offer. Take Go City with you and you’ll save big on admission costs at the same time!

Ian Packham

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