snorkeling in puerto vallarta

karazy · #1 07-20-2009, 11:49 PM

hey everybody,

im heading out to puerto vallarta mexico on saturday, so i thought i'd ask if anyone knows about snorkeling there.

where are good snorkeling places there? how far form the main street of hotels?

ive heard people talk about los arcos, but is that just around the actual formation, or is it from the beach all the way to the formation?

thanks

loveless · #2 07-21-2009, 01:11 AM

I was there a few years ago for my sisters wedding. Saw some sea turtles, and some dolphins from the surface but the snorkeling was garbage. At the time the water was so murky one could not see 5 feet. Will definitely go east coast next time. Although others reported good snorkeling at other time they had gone.

Good luck and hope you get better conditions than I

karazy · #3 07-21-2009, 03:37 AM

did you have red tide, or was it just that bad?
at the very least ill find some cool tide pools

RuGlu6 · #4 07-21-2009, 05:25 AM

The problem there is that there are rivers that bring sediment etc.
So if you are away from rivers you might get some clear water.
Cozumel is way better, i fed a huge green parrot fish from my hands.

loveless · #5 07-21-2009, 02:54 PM

No red tide. I think that it was just the heavy load of plankton and what not in the water column. I think that on the Pacific side of Mexico the currents at the time were running south. The water there reminded me of the west coast of Canada, not as cold mind you, but if you have seen the green murkiness of the west coast it wasnt much unlike that.

On a better note a freind of my sisters grew up there. He said that the water does clear up and isnt like what we experienced, all the time.

Haloreef · #6 07-21-2009, 08:46 PM

The rivers bring sediment into the bay so the viz ain't great. Los Arcos had very good viz but the only way to access it was by boat. A lot of fish could be seen but, I don't recall any coral. Acapulco was just as bad. If you get a chance try the Mayan Riviera side. Snokeling from the beach resorts is awsome. There are snorkeling tours offered also. I did not like it much because they make you were a life jacket. How the heck do you snorkel in a life jackett?
The scuba diving is incredible!
I'm going back this October to do some cave diving!