Heading to Mayan Riviera - Playa del Carmen.. Anyone know the best snorkeling spots?

[Delphinus]

For reefs, the best snorkeling I did was off the beach at the resort (the resort I went to was in the middle of nowhere ... actually it was really close to Tulum).

For fish sighting the best snorkeling I did was two marine parks (have to pay to enter), one was "Xcaret" (say "Ish caret") and the other "Xel-Ha" ("shell ha"). I forget which one is which now but one of them you can take a ride down an underwater river for about a half kilometre or something. Really cool and creepy at the same time, especially when you can see these crevasses that go down seemingly to the centre of the earth.

Cenotes (sink-holes) are worth seeing too. Again they just go down and down and down into nothingness, hard not to get a sense of vertigo.

Everyone who goes to Cozumel says it's worth it for the diving... I've never been but everyone I talk to says "you really have to go". So .. um .. you really have to go, too.

Enjoy and please take lots of pictures to post back for those of us (ok me) who are stuck in snowy Canada for probably years to come. (Having small kids really changes how easy it is to just "get away for a week or two.")

[calkrog]

take the ferry to cozumel, takes 20 min. then take a cab to palancar reef, where you will go on a small boat trip out to the actual reef. its one of the best diving spots the world.

[Snappy]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

For reefs, the best snorkeling I did was off the beach at the resort (the resort I went to was in the middle of nowhere ... actually it was really close to Tulum).

For fish sighting the best snorkeling I did was two marine parks (have to pay to enter), one was "Xcaret" (say "Ish caret") and the other "Xel-Ha" ("shell ha"). I forget which one is which now but one of them you can take a ride down an underwater river for about a half kilometre or something. Really cool and creepy at the same time, especially when you can see these crevasses that go down seemingly to the centre of the earth.

Cenotes (sink-holes) are worth seeing too. Again they just go down and down and down into nothingness, hard not to get a sense of vertigo.

Everyone who goes to Cozumel says it's worth it for the diving... I've never been but everyone I talk to says "you really have to go". So .. um .. you really have to go, too.

Enjoy and please take lots of pictures to post back for those of us (ok me) who are stuck in snowy Canada for probably years to come. (Having small kids really changes how easy it is to just "get away for a week or two.")

Xelha is not too far from Telum and is certainly worth a look. A shallow "brackish" snorkel with lots of fish.

[mildcustom2]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

For reefs, the best snorkeling I did was off the beach at the resort (the resort I went to was in the middle of nowhere ... actually it was really close to Tulum).

For fish sighting the best snorkeling I did was two marine parks (have to pay to enter), one was "Xcaret" (say "Ish caret") and the other "Xel-Ha" ("shell ha"). I forget which one is which now but one of them you can take a ride down an underwater river for about a half kilometre or something. Really cool and creepy at the same time, especially when you can see these crevasses that go down seemingly to the centre of the earth.

Cenotes (sink-holes) are worth seeing too. Again they just go down and down and down into nothingness, hard not to get a sense of vertigo.

Everyone who goes to Cozumel says it's worth it for the diving... I've never been but everyone I talk to says "you really have to go". So .. um .. you really have to go, too.

Enjoy and please take lots of pictures to post back for those of us (ok me) who are stuck in snowy Canada for probably years to come. (Having small kids really changes how easy it is to just "get away for a week or two.")

I was down in the Mayan Riviera 2 years ago and I would have to say it depend on what you want to see. Xel-Ha is great for fish and the dolphin experience but thats all you will see. Xcaret is better because you get to see a bit of everything fish, cenotes and an underground river. If you want to see lots of fish and coral in a natural reef setting then I would go to Cozumel.

Hope this helps.

Sean