Top Spots For Playa del Carmen Snorkeling 2018

cenote snorkeling

One secret that many people do not realize is that for a great Playa del Carmen snorkeling experience you do not need to travel very far out of Playa!

There’s so many great places in and around Beach for a snorkeling that it can be overwhelming trying to decide which to try. I will provide you with my current review for 2018 to understand your options and decide if you would rather try to do something guided or on your own. Something local or a little out of town. A cave and cavern cenote experience or are you in search of whale sharks or sea turtles? Let me start off with the 3 best spots and why:

  1. Playa del Carmen Reef Snorkeling
  2. Cave and Cavern Cenotes
  3. Snorkeling with Whale Sharks

Playa del Carmen Reef Snorkeling

In my opinion, this is the best snorkeling experience in Playa. Just a short boat ride off the coast of Playa to the reef area and you are certain to see all kinds of exotic fish, be it turtles and sometimes rays or barracudas. Although it is not far off the coast of Playa it is best to do this with a guide who can take you directly to the best spots on the reef. It is possible to go snorkeling just off Coco Beach in front of the  Diablito Cha Cha Cha Beach Club . I would not recommend this for inexperienced snorkelers, however, because to swim out to the reef area you will need to go through a boating area and it is a bit of a swim. I had a good friend who used to go spearfishing in this spot and claimed it was teeming with fish and sea life.

Akumal snorkelingEvery time I have taken a tour of the reef I have seen amazing fish that I had not seen before and I always loved it because it was easy and close to home. Sometimes you will find the fish and turtles on your own but they are much more likely to be seen if you go with a guide who knows where to find them. For the best value Playa del Carmen snorkeling tour I recommend The Snorkel Shop’s Sea Lover’s Tour.

Click Here to Learn More ….

 

Cave and Cavern Cenotes

I have heard that there may be as many as 7000 cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula area, many not yet discovered! You may know that there are 2 different kinds of cenotes. One is the Swimming Hole type like the Garden of Eden which is a popular destination for swimmers and snorkelers. I really like this cenote as a swimming hole but actually prefer the cavern type for snorkeling and exploring.

In the cavern cenote tour  from the The Snorkel Shop you get to visit the best local cenotes that are close by but not everyone knows about. You will see amazing underwater rock formations and chasms along with the spectacular stalactites and natural beauty of the location. I would recommend Jardin of Edin for people who like to swim and the snorkeling is not that important, and perhaps a guided tour in one of Playa’s cave or cavern type cenotes if you really want an incredible adventure. For the very best snorkeling adventure in a cave cenote visit The Snorkel Shop with the link here for info or to book now:

Click Here to Learn More ….

Playa del Carmen Snorkeling With Whale Sharks

From June to September each year it’s possible to Snorkel with Whale Sharks. The tour leaves from Playa del Carmen and after just a short drive to the north coast of the peninsula you will glide alongside these gentle giants. For the best value and fun click the link below to find out how to see these amazing beasts safely and up close:

Playa del Carmen Whale Shark Tours Learn More …

 

Carmen Beach Snorkeling

Best Playa del Carmen Snorkeling Tours

 

Meet the other side of Puerto Morelos.

Have you ever heard of the Chicxulub ring? The ring of cenotes that, according to some studies, surrounds the impact of the asteroid that extinguished the dinosaurs more than 70 million years ago. These cenotes were very important for the Maya, since they were considered sacred places; in the cenotes the Mayans carried out different types of rituals, besides that they considered them like the door to the underworld.

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Near Puerto Morelos there is an astonishing cenote corridor that extends approximately 35 km towards Leona Vicario. This corridor is better known as “The Cenote Trail” where you can find a great variety of underground rivers connected to each other.

 

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Among the activities you can do in these cenotes are: snorkeling, diving, zip line, cycling, abseiling, off-road excursions, diving, and of course, relax in the middle of nature; as well as restaurants and souvenir shops on the way and inside the cenotes. It is important to mention that some of them have entry costs ranging from 80 pesos to 300 pesos per person.

Making this route is very easy, all you have to do is pack your things, prepare your bathing suit, take the highway to Puerto Morelos and follow the signs that will guide you through the Route of the Cenotes.

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If you travel from Cancun, the route of the cenotes will be about 35km away and you will see it from your right side, if on the other hand you come from Playa del Carmen drive towards Cancún and reach the roundabout and turn around as if you were back to Playa del Carmen, you move less than a mile and you will find the entrance on your right.

Some of the cenotes you can visit are:

Cenote Las Mojarras

Cenote Siete Bocas

Cenote Boca del puma

Cenote Verde Lucero

Chilam Balam

La Noria (Tres Reyes)

KinHa

Cenote Zapote

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We are sure that, like us, you will be fascinated by the magic of this route. The crystal clear water, and the tranquility that emanates these places, will make you understand why these places were so important, and sacred, for our ancestors.

Finally, we would like to remind you that these are ecological places, so it is important to cooperate by using biodegradable sun blocker, and not contaminating the natural areas with garbage.

Prepare your things, and get ready to follow the fascinating Cenotes Trail!

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About the author…

Laura Torres is a Psychologist with experience in digital marketing and human resources, passionate about tourism, advertising, gastronomy, cultural diversity and extreme sports such as diving with sharks and sky dive. Lover of independent cinema, literature, writing, photography and music. Creative and curious to experience new things constantly. She has directed digital marketing strategies for different brands in Playa del Carmen and Los Cabos. She has been a social network consultant for more than 30 brands in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Los Cabos, among them The Baja California Sur Tourism Promotion Trust, the Tourism Promotion Trust of the Riviera Maya, the Association of Hotels of the Riviera Maya and the Association of Real Estate Professionals of Playa del Carmen.

Follow her on twitter! @BeSocialEdu