The 12 Best Snorkeling Trips in Cozumel

1.ATV 4×4+Snorkeling+Beach Club+ Lunch+Sabores de Cozumel

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,468 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $89Our pick

Ride a semi-automatic ATV through Cozumel’s jungle trails, taste chocolate and eight artisanal tequilas at Sabores de Cozumel, then eat lunch and snorkel from Coco’s Beach Club. Guides such as Tony, Edwin, JJ, and Christopher help keep the day moving, though seaweed and rough water can change the beach portion.

“Firstly Ernesto, our guide was absolutely amazing! He was super helpful and knowledgeable and kept us perfectly on schedule. We arrived with enough time for the ship’s departure and as soon as we started the tour he assured me that we’d be perfect on schedule. The tequila tasting was super interesting and fun and the ATVs were great and exciting. We were also welcomed with a complimentary Paloma. The beach resort was a little under whelming but the food was good there.”

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2.Cozumel Snorkeling Tour: Palancar, Columbia and El Cielo Reefs

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,462 reviews · 4 hours (approx.)

Spend about four hours snorkeling Palancar and Columbia reefs, then visit El Cielo’s starfish-filled sandbar. You’ll use provided gear, ride in an insured shaded boat, and have water, sodas, beer and a snack. Groups are limited to 16, with several departure times.

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3.3 Reefs Boat Tour with Drinks and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,080 reviews · 4 hours · from $57

Join an English-speaking guide and captain for a four-hour Cozumel boat trip to Palancar, Columbia, and El Cielo. Expect guided snorkeling, clear shallow water, turtles, rays, starfish, drinks, and a snack, with a small-group feel on many departures.

“Loved this whole experience. We saw sting rays sharks and all sorts of fish. The guides were kind personable and made a great margarita.”

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4.Private Jeep Excursion in Cozumel with Lunch and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 718 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $74

Build a half-day Cozumel outing around your interests with a private Jeep, local guide, snorkeling gear, lunch, and hotel or port pickup. You may visit Punta Sur, El Mirador, Chankanaab, San Gervasio, El Cedral, and the local market. Guides such as Julio, Carlos, Bibi, and Emily are often praised for personal service.

“It was super personalized and we learned so much about the history of the island. The mayan cultural experience was fantastic!”

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5.Cozumel Coral Reef Snorkeling by Glass Bottom Boat with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 543 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $35

Spend about two hours cruising from El Cid La Ceiba to Villa Blanca Wall and shallow and deep Paraiso Reef. A bilingual guide leads three snorkeling stops, with equipment, water, soft drinks, and a post-swim beer included. Small groups, patient guides, and close-to-shore reefs make it a good first snorkeling trip.

“This was easy to book. I had several emails with details and instructions. I was met with a friendly guide immediately telling us what to do and where to be. The family owned business was well-run, kind, efficient, and we enjoyed the snorkeling. We had ages 10 years old to 76 years old. Everyone enjoyed the excursion. A few people stayed on the boat and were entertained and saw through the glass bottom. The boat was older but did its job well. 10-57 year olds snorkeled with ease, some for the first time. Excellent.”

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6.Jade Caverns Private Jeep Tour with Lunch and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 525 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89

Explore Cozumel by private Jeep with a guide such as Marco, Miguel, Johnny, or Paco. Visit El Cedral, Jade Caverns, El Mirador, and Chen Rio, then snorkel and eat lunch at Coco’s Beach Club. Chocolate, tortilla, and tequila tastings are included, though beach time can feel rushed.

“It is exactly what you expect; and fully customizable. Jared was great on asking questions about what we wanted to do/see, and tailored to trip to us specifically. Very accommodating, had a lot of knowledge, and made us very comfortable away from home. Would recommend Jared, specifically, 100%.”

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7.VIP Glass Bottom Boat & Snorkeling 3 Reefs Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 210 reviews · 2 hours · from $35

Meet a white-shirted host outside El Cid La Ceiba, near Cozumel’s cruise piers, for a two-hour glass-bottom boat trip to three reef areas. Guides such as Arturo, Miguel, Juan, and Julius have helped swimmers and beginners alike, while non-swimmers can watch from the boat.

“Highly recommend!! We only had a few hours to enjoy Cozumel so we booked this tour, for the price it is I can’t believe the experience we received! The guys were amazing super friendly and knowledgeable. We went snorkelling in 3 different spots and its was amazing. Perfect amount of time in the water and a great experience”

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8.Private Buggy Tour with Lunch & Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 172 reviews · 5 hours · from $89

Drive a private open-top buggy around Cozumel with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Visit a tequila ranch, San Martin and Chen Rio beaches, El Mirador, and Tortugas Beach Club for Mexican lunch and snorkeling. Guides such as Fernando, Tomas, Tania, and Ricardo tailor the day to your pace.

“Our guide was amazing. Knew a lot about the island and took us to great places.”

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9.Cozumel Private Jeep Tour with Lunch and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 70 reviews · 5 hours

Take a private Jeep tour around Cozumel with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. Visit a tequila ranch, east-coast beaches, El Mirador, and Tortugas Beach Club for Mexican lunch and snorkeling. You drive the vehicle, choose your stops, and can add sites such as San Gervasio or Punta Sur.

“We were a group of 4 and arrived a bit earlier than the agreed time so we were happy that our guide (Angel) was already waiting for us. After a short explanation and instruction, he gave us the keys. He said that we could stop whenever we liked to take pictures. His suggested stops were very interessting (e.g. we saw turtle nests, a crocodile and we climbed a lighthouse). The Tequila tasting was fun and it was fine that we didn't buy a bottle. The highlight was the swimming and snorkeling at the end of the tour. The food was very good and free of charge (except the drinks). That…”

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10.snorkeling on reefs + visit to “El Cielo”

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 63 reviews · from $14Best value

Meet Paloma at module 6 by Cozumel’s fiscal pier for a four-hour snorkel trip to Palancar Reef, Columbia Reef, and El Cielo. Guides speak English and Spanish. Expect shaded boat transport, reef viewing, starfish, possible manta rays, drinks, ceviche, fruit, and a split payment in Mexican pesos.

“It's okay for them to treat tourists like merchandise. The arrival directions were very bad, the tourist does not have to know a location if he is not from the place and although it can be searched on Google Maps, at no time is it said that it is more than 30 minutes walk from where the cruise leaves you (it must be said that they came to pick us up very kindly, perhaps when expressing our surprise at the distance) once we arrived at the dock where the boat picks us up, the manners were very unpleasant, as if we were cattle, they are almost able to ask, as…”

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11.Cozumel Catamaran Snorkeling Tour & lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 42 reviews · 6 hours · from $90

Cruise Cozumel’s coast by catamaran, snorkel with a PADI-certified guide at Palancar Reef, then visit starfish-filled El Cielo Bay. Your six-hour outing includes gear, drinks, beer, margaritas after snorkeling, and lunch at a beach club. Bring comfortable shoes and arrive 30 minutes early.

“Aucun intérêt excepté si vous adorer la foule, que ce soit sur le bateau, en snorkeling, ou à table : une cantine”

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12.Mayan Ruins Guided Tour with Snorkeling & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 35 reviews · from $85

Spend 5.5 hours touring Cozumel by buggy, visiting the San Gervasio Mayan ruins, snorkeling from Playa Uvas, and eating a Mexican lunch. Guides such as Alexis, Pablo, Sergio, and Victor have led recent departures. Expect extra site fees, shared vehicles, and a busy beach-club finish.

“the guide was excellent and we got to see and do so much for our money worth... would recommend 100 times over”

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