Having lived on the island for two years out of the past five years, I know some snorkeling spots that aren’t mentioned on most travel blogs. I’ll share them with you below.
My Personal Experience
Snorkeling is one of the most fun activities on Isla Mujeres. However, you must keep in mind that Isla Mujeres isn’t Cozumel and that it’s also not Asia. What I want to say with that: the snorkeling here is average at best.
Snorkeling here is a fun activity with which you can definitely fill half a day of your itinerary. However, if you come to Isla Mujeres purely for the snorkeling, you will be disappointed. Nevertheless, I still do it a couple of times per month simply because it’s fun, easy, and I still get to see some fish.
Best Snorkeling Spots on Isla Mujeres
In total, there are seven snorkeling spots in Isla Mujeres that are worth visiting. Two of them you have to see by boat, the others can be accessed by shore. My personal favorite is Garrafon de Castilla, which we’ll start with below.
P.S.: Keep in mind that Isla Mujeres is also a great place to snorkel with whale sharks. Click that link to read my blog about my whale shark trip experience.
Garrafon de Castilla (Paid, beginner)
I’m going to start of with Garrafon de Castilla (this is the location) because it has one of the only small reefs on the island that you can visit from the shore. Let me also make it clear that this is not Garrafon Reef Park (that’s further down on the list). This beach club is located right next to the Reef Park, which is a major tourist attraction on the island.
Because of that, you can go snorkeling for a fraction of the price (it’s 150 pesos entry to the beach club per person, and snorkeling gear can be rented for 50 pesos per piece of equipment).
Because my girlfriend and I stay on the island for months at a time, we often visit this beach club because it’s a quite affordable way to snorkel at a semi-decent reef. When you enter the water, you’ll meet a lot of fish. That’s because people feed the fish here, and they’ve become accustomed to humans.
When you enter the water, swim to the left side, and quite quickly you’ll see one of the only small reefs on the island. It’s fun to see some lobsters, angelfish, and parrot fishes. Don’t expect world-class coral, though, Isla Mujeres simply doesn’t have that.
Muelle Gutsa, Right Side of Playa Norte (Free, intermediate)
On the right side of Playa Norte, you’ll find Muelle Gutsa. It’s basically a pier that extends quite far into the water. Keep in mind that this pier is connected to the island that’s owned by the Mia Reef hotel. You can either swim from Playa Norte, one of Isla Mujeres’ best beaches, directly to this pier, or walk over the premises of Mia Reef and onto the pier. We often just swim/walk through the water from Playa Norte to the pier.
We went snorkeling here a couple of times because it’s the best Mia reef Isla Mujeres snorkeling spot on the island, meaning, it’s right next to the famous hotel. To see cool things, you’ll need to swim a bit further out into the ocean. This is how you do that:
While standing at the end of the pier, you’ll see a barrier of rocks and stones on your right side that extends further into the water. This barrier is meant to break the waves that are coming from the west side of the island. You’ll want to swim along this barrier for the best experience.
You’ll find the local suspects here: mainly parrot fish. The water here can get a bit deeper (up to 24 feet, 8 meters), and it can also be a bit rougher, so make sure that you’re a good swimmer. The good thing is that not a lot of tourists come here so you’ll have most of it for yourself.
Near The Skate Park (Free, advanced)
This isn’t really an official snorkeling spot (location here). The only reason I know about this one is that some of our friends took us here once. We practiced some free diving because the water here can get quite deep (up to 40 feet, 13 meters).
You won’t necessarily see a lot of fish out here, but if you swim out far enough (let’s say, 150 feet, 50 meters), you’ll see cool underwater structures and small caves where animals tend to hide.
There are some things you should definitely keep in mind, though:
- On this side of the island, there are boats going back and forth. ONLY snorkel here if you have a buoy so that boats can see you. If you do not have this, do not attempt to snorkel here.
- Entering the water can be rough. There can be waves, and you’ll need to walk over stone structures; having a pair of swimming shoes can be nice.
How to get there: enter the skate park and climb over the wall to get to the beach. With your back facing the skatepark, just swim straight until you see something cool. Then, swim along the coast. It’s an adventure to say the least.
Playa Hermosa Caleta (Free, beginner)
Playa Hermosa Caleta is an extension of Playa Norte. The snorkeling here is far from world-class, and the water is really shallow. However, there are definitely groups of fish here. This is a good snorkeling spot if you have kids and you want to keep an eye on them.
Garrafón Reef Park (Paid, beginner)
Garrafon Reef Park is probably the most well-known snorkeling spot on the island. However, that doesn’t mean that I enjoyed it the most. We went here once to see it a couple of years ago.
First off, the entrance fee to the park is steep ($59,40 USD per person / $47,40 USD for kids). If you take the boat from the hotel zone in Cancun, you’ll need to pay an extra $15 USD per person for the docking fee.
The snorkeling in the park is good, but I would rather go to Garrafon de Castilla, which is right next to it, and save $50 USD or so that I can spend on food and other things on the island.
I do have to mention that the park doesn’t only offer snorkeling. There’s also a zipline, you can kayak, and there’s an infinity pool. Therefore, this is more of a small theme park on the island than it is truly a good snorkeling spot.
The only people that I would recommend this for are people who don’t really care about the snorkeling, but just want to swim, have some fun, and drink some drinks. If you have kids, this can be a good option as well because they can entertain themselves within the boundaries of the park, whereas adults can lounge with their cocktails in the infinity pool.
El Farito Reef (Tour only)
El Farito is a little island with a lighthouse that you can only get to with a paid snorkeling tour. It’s one of the main hotspots on the island for snorkeling and is a short 5-minute boat ride from the mainland.
The snorkeling is decent, and there are definitely a bunch of fish out here. However, like all snorkeling on the island, it’s not as good as you would want it to be. I don’t think I would pay for a tour to get here again.
MUSA (Tour Only)
MUSA is an underwater museum. The statues have been placed here to relieve some tourism pressure from the local Manchones-reef. The park was opened to the public on the 26th of November in 2010 and has been a popular tourism hotspot ever since (with 800,000 yearly visitors). It’s a fun place to snorkel, although it’s more popular as a place for scuba diving.
If you go on a tour, make sure you go here because it’s one of the places that make a paid tour worth it. That’s also because you can only get here by boat. It’s also important to note that it’s not only the statues you see in the image. The exposition consists of 12 galleries that are home to a bunch of marine life.
Snorkeling Tours on Isla Mujeres: Are They Worth It?
Are snorkeling tours in Isla Mujeres worth it? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re only here for a couple of days and you want to fit as much into your itinerary as possible, then yes, snorkeling trips are worth it.
They allow you to explore the marine life, you get to see fish, rays, maybe some turtles, and the local underwater Museum. All of it in 3 hours of snorkeling and for less than $1.000 pesos ($50 USD) per person. Snorkeling gear and a local guide who speaks English are included, as well as a life jacket.
Depending on the season, your boat may not be the only one at the snorkeling spot. However, Isla Mujeres is a small island, and it never becomes as crowded as some places I’ve seen in Asia were 10 boats line up for the same spot. In Isla Mujeres, there are 2-3 boats maximum.
What Snorkel Tour To Pick?
In terms of recommendations, I only have one. My favorite dive school/snorkel trip provider on the island is Poc Na Dive Center (I’m actually sitting in the cowork next to this dive center while writing this article). I’ll include the link to their website here. They’re the biggest dive school on the island, and I’ve done a bunch of snorkeling, as well as my scuba diving courses with them.
They’re well-organized, have good facilities, and I know a bunch of the instructors on the island personally. It’s a friendly bunch overall. A snorkeling trip will cost you $990 ($50 USD), and they start at 1:30 PM daily.
Best Time of Year for Isla Mujeres Snorkeling
As you can see in the image, the water temperature in Isla Mujeres is a pleasant 26 – 29 degrees Celsius (79 – 84 Fahrenheit) the whole year round. This means that you can snorkel without a wetsuit without any problems.
However, that doesn’t mean that snorkeling is fun to do the whole year round. Snorkeling is best during the January – April period. During this period, the weather is calm, which means no waves and no rain. That means that the water doesn’t become murky.
From May to September, it starts to rain a bit more, which can ruin the visibility for snorkeling. October – December is hurricane season, which means the water is murky and waves are a real possibility.
One thing to keep in mind is that Sargassum (seaweed) has become a bigger problem in recent years. The main reason for that is climate change, since this type of seaweed grows a lot easier in warmer water.
Luckily, most of the seaweed hits the island on the east side, whereas most beaches and most snorkeling are done on the west side of the island. Playa Norte often gets covered by seaweed, but the local government cleans that up before the tourists arrive.
Depending on ocean currents and the wind direction, you may have some problems with Sargassum while snorkeling in Isla Mujeres.
Is Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Worth It Compared to Cozumel?
Easy answer: no. If you’re looking for the best place to go snorkeling or the best place to dive, I highly recommend you go to Cozumel. In my opinion, Cozumel isn’t as charming an island as Isla Mujeres is (Cozumel is basically designed for cruise ship tourism), but the reefs and the marine wildlife are orders of magnitude better than what you’ll see in Isla Mujeres.
Quick personal story: the first time I went snorkeling in Cozumel, I walked into the sea from the shore, swam 60 feet out, and saw two eagle rays drifting by. Later I learned that, unfortunately, you don’t always see eagle rays when you go snorkeling. Seriously, Cozumel is another island worth visiting.
FAQ About Isla Mujeres Snorkeling
Do you need a tour for snorkeling on Isla Mujeres?
No, you can do Isla Mujeres snorkeling on your own because there are snorkeling spots that you can enter from the shore. There are both paid and free options available. Examples are Garrafón de Castilla, Garrafón Reef Park en Muelle Gusta.
How much do snorkeling tours on Isla Mujeres cost?
Expect to pay 1.000 pesos ($50 USD) per person for three hours of snorkeling. This includes gear, the boat ride, and a tour guide.
Is the water clear enough for snorkeling year-round?
The best season for snorkeling is December to April. After that, it starts to rain more, and in September, hurricane season starts picking up. This means the water is murkier.
Are there sea turtles around Isla Mujeres?
Yes, there are sea turtles around Isla Mujeres. You’ll either need to take a paid tour or go scuba diving to see them because they don’t often come near the shore.
Can beginners go snorkeling on Isla Mujeres?
Yes, there are beginner-friendly snorkeling spots on Isla Mujeres. Examples are Garrafon de Castilla and Garrafon Reef Park.
Is snorkeling better in Cozumel or Isla Mujeres?
Snorkeling in Cozumel is far superior to snorkeling in Isla Mujeres. The deep waters in Cozumel invite a lot of wildlife. Isla Mujeres has quite shallow water and not a lot of reef structures, which makes snorkeling a fun activity, but not necessarily mind-blowing.
Are there sharks around Isla Mujeres reefs?
There are nurse sharks around Isla Mujeres; however, they don’t often come near the shore.
