Chankanaab excursion in Cozumel

[wantocruisemore]

My fear was the crowd. There are 7 ships in Cozumel when we we are there. I am trying to decide between Chankanaab and Nachi-Cocom. I really want to snorkel. I saw someones picture and the snorkel area was packed and the poster said there was nothing to see but people. This worries me. Any advice??

 

If snorkel is your goal consider just taking a cab to Money Bar and hanging out there. The reef there is where the excursion boats bring people to snorkel. That's what we did last month and really enjoyed it. Whole day costs us less than the price of one excursion that would have ended up there for a shorter time.

[JohninDC]

My fear was the crowd. There are 7 ships in Cozumel when we we are there. I am trying to decide between Chankanaab and Nachi-Cocom. I really want to snorkel. I saw someones picture and the snorkel area was packed and the poster said there was nothing to see but people. This worries me. Any advice??

 

Chank should not be crowded because the $20 per adult admission fee keeps the crowds down. If you want one stop with both a beach and a separate snorkeling area then Chank is where you need to go.

 

Money Bar is a good choice for snorkeling (no admission fee) with good facilities and good food/drinks. You could snorkel there for an hour or so and then cab to Nachi for the rest of the day. Good luck! :)

[mitsugirly]

My fear was the crowd. There are 7 ships in Cozumel when we we are there. I am trying to decide between Chankanaab and Nachi-Cocom. I really want to snorkel. I saw someones picture and the snorkel area was packed and the poster said there was nothing to see but people. This worries me. Any advice??

 

I can only report our experience. We were there with 7 or 8 ships in port and it did not feel crowded. Yes, it's a little more crowded over by the dolphin swim area (which is quite a ways away from the snorkel area) and yes some times they come over and snorkel after the swim, but I have noticed most don't stick around because they are on an excursion.

 

Also, they only times I have noticed a "group" in the water is because they have done a snorkel tour with Chankanaab (or maybe it might have even been another company that came there for an hour I'm not sure). But I thought it was funny that they had some tour guide swimming with them for something you can obviously do on your own. I mean the coral and fish are RIGHT THERE when you get in the water. You simply swim up and down the shore line. Then you can swim out to the statues in the water (where it's deeper) and you'll see some scuba divers out there. But the snorkeling area is HUGE and there are several steps (maybe 5??) along the edges and really spread out up and down the beach. So if you see any snorkeling people in a group, simply go down to another area by the steps. :)

 

I mean if you look at the maps I provided above, from the brown building and in front of the lagoon all the way down to the left of the picture is snorkeling. That's a HUGE area.

Edited October 15, 2013 by mitsugirly

[alg7334]

My husband and I spent a day in Cozumel during our 5 day Western Caribbean Cruise. We wanted to have plans for the day but also wanted the opportunity to be a bit sporadic and do what we felt like the day of. Chankanaab was the perfect place for us because it gave us a plan of where to spend the day and since they had such a variety of activities we could see what we were in the mood to do once we were there. This was so easy to do on your own that we do not recommend booking through the ship. You’ll pay more and get less time there. Do this one on your own.

 

Chankanaab does not have a great website and it’s hard to find detailed information on the park, so I did my best to gather as much information as I could while I was there to share with anyone interested in going. If others have been and can elaborate on parts I’m missing or share their experiences that would be much appreciated by all I’m sure!

 

Transportation & Check-in:

 

We were able to easy find cabs at the cruise port. The rate for 2 people to Chankanaab was $12 plus tip and the ride was about 10 minutes. Returning the fare was $1 less for whatever reason. Transportation was safe. They will make stops at both cruise ports on the return. Our taxi drivers had a few bucks change to give us each time but I would recommend bringing exact change if you can just in case they don’t have change.

 

Upon arriving we were immediately greeted by a very nice man named Orlando who told us about the park, gave us a park map and walked us over to the desk to purchase our tickets. They accept major credit cards, which was great because we were starting to run low on cash since this was the last stop of our vacation. Admission is $21 for adults. We had printed this $2 off coupon and brought it with us: http://www.cozumelparks.com/eng/chankanaab.cfm

 

I found this great easy to read list online of what is included in your admission and what costs extra:

Included in your Chankanaab Park Admission:

 

 

• Hammocks
  
• Beautiful Beach
  
• Snorkeling
  
• Children's Playground
  
• Restrooms
  
• Guided Snorkeling Tour
  

 

• Sand Wheelchairs
  
• Beach Volleyball Court
  
• Showers
  
• Tranquil Lagoon
  
• Mayan Ruins
  
• Pre-Hispanic Show
  

 

• Underwater Statues
  
• Umbrellas
  
• Beach Chairs
  
• Lifeguards
  
• Space to Watch Dolphins
  
• Guided Walking Tour
  

Available inside the park at Extra Cost:

 

• Snorkeling Equipment
  
• Scuba Diving
  
• Taxi Service
  
• Snuba
  

 

• Bars and Restaurants
  
• Beach Boutique
  
• Towels
  
• Sea Trek
  

 

• Drug Store
  
• Ice Cream Parlor
  
• Lockers
  
• Swim With Dolphins
  

 

They had several different packages that include admission and animal interactions, which are their biggest attraction. You can book direct with them at the link below or decide when you get there.

http://www.**********************cozumel/chankanaab-national-park.asp

 

We still didn’t know what we wanted to do so what was nice is they said at any point during the day if we decided to book an interaction, they’d still give us the discounted combo price of admission + interaction. Perfect!

 

 

 

 

 

[alg7334]

 

 

Facilities & Lockers:

 

There are several restrooms throughout the park. All were very clean. There was an attendant outside of the bathroom that would politely ask you to wipe your feet of sand before entering, which shows they want to maintain the cleanliness of their facilities. There are lots of lockers in several different locations around the park that are available for rent for $3 or FREE with the rental of something (can be anything – a snorkel, a lifejacket or a full experience). The lockers are pretty roomy – we were able to fit all our stuff with no problems. We did not take showers at the park but they do have shower facilities available. There were also several trash receptacles and recycling bins throughout the park to help keep it clean and enjoyable for all guests.

 

 

Food:

 

There are three main restaurants and one snack bar at the park. We did not stop by the snack bar so I only have menus for you from the other 3. Apologies in advance if you are unable to read them very well!

 

Restaurante Dolphin Discovery: this is an indoor restaurant that offers a regular menu as well as a lunch buffet. The restaurant is near the main entrance and animal interactions. This is the only indoor restaurant at the park.

 

 

Restaurant La Laguna: this is an outdoor restaurant near the lagoon.

 

 

Restaurante El Bucanero: this is also an outdoor restaurant near the snorkel and dive houses. I also noticed this restaurants serves people on the beach – I’m pretty sure they will come around and ask you if you want anything because I saw one man running back and forth the entire time we were there with drinks and wrapped plates of food. We ate here and ordered a plate of nachos and the Mexican plate which was a sample of various traditional Mexican foods such as tacos, quesadillas, rice & beans and chimichanga. It was very reasonably priced at $13. We also ordered the Coco-loco which was a delicious mixed drink served inside a fun carved coconut!

 

 

 

 

 

[alg7334]

 

Land Activities:

 

Botanical Gardens – They were gorgeous! Very lush and quiet and absolutely clean! Definitely worth taking a walk around.

 

 

[alg7334]

Crocodile Exhibit – this was really fun! There were a couple of different enclosures with some huge crocodiles. There were also giant boards with interesting facts that turned it into a self guided tour. It also looked like they are building a future activity where you will be able to walk right above the crocodiles!

 

 

 

 

 

Archaeological Prehispanic Replicas – this is a must see. It was really interesting to see replicas of the ruins and the different statues. There were plaques that told you what each one was but didn’t provide the back story on each, which I would have enjoyed. The path leads into a small village that was really neat! Inside the village there are various things to explore such as a house, a steam room/sweat lodge (can purchase tickets to actually participate in it – unsure of cost), a kitchen (there was a woman actually cooking tortilla chips that you can try!), a well and a funeral set up (maybe because it was near Halloween – not sure if this is a permanent exhibit). It wasn’t until we were leaving the area that we saw a tour group come by and realized they offer free guided tours of this area. Bummer! We would have loved to go on the tour and learn all of the fun facts. If anyone from CruiseCritic goes on the tour, please provide the rest of us your thoughts!

 

 

 

[alg7334]

 

 

 

 

 

[alg7334]

 

 

 

 

 

[alg7334]

 

Tequila Tour – we did not participate in the tour because honestly we didn’t know about it until after we finished exploring the archaeological area ourselves. I’ve been having trouble finding information online about the tour to provide you with but I’m sure admission can be purchased at the park.

 

Sea Lion Show – we did attend the sea lion show and it was cute and fun. It was about 20-25 minutes long. It was in Spanish so hard for us to know what they were saying. You see three different sea lions that perform a series of tricks. At the end they invite everyone in the audience to come into the enclosure for a kiss from the sea lion. Pictures are taken and available for purchase. We did not participate so we are unsure of the cost of the pictures.

 

 

 

[alg7334]

Other – there were a few other things to see and do. There were a few areas where you could get your hair braided (prices were not posted but I bet it’s negotiable). There were a couple of gift shops in the entrance/exit area. There were several options for massages – see price list below. It also looks like they are building some sort of rope course or something that goes over the crocodile pit – should be fun!

Water Activities:

 

Animal Interactions – as I mentioned earlier there are several options available for purchase for animal interactions that can be done in advance or once you arrive. Right when you walk in is the area with the dolphins and manatees. This is also where all the cruise ship passengers are brought for their excursions. The area was very big with many different “sections” I guess I’ll call them. There were probably 10 groups participating at a time, with 10 people in each group. People seemed to be enjoying themselves and the dolphins seemed happy. We actually didn’t see the manatees from where we were as they are further down. The sea lion interaction is done in the same area that the sea lion show takes place. We did peak through the gates and see a little bit of the interaction, which looked fun.

 

Swimming pool – the pool is just after the entrance and right near the sea lion theater. It has swim up bar with stools built into the water. The pool is a good size. There are restrooms in the back of the pool.

 

 

[alg7334]

Lagoon – we didn’t swim in the lagoon but saw several kids having the time of their life in there. The lagoon is a great place for snorkeling because of the coral formations and fish. The lagoon and beach area were relatively small. This seemed like a good place to take younger kids that you don’t necessarily want on the larger beach and in the ocean where the current is rougher.

 

 

Underwater statues – we only came across the Christ statue, which seems to be the most popular one. It was huge! The map says there are two other statues so keep an eye out.

Water activities– I was able to get a picture of some of the prices of water activities for everyone. In case it’s hard to read snorkeling was $15, snuba was $60 and SeaTrek (helmet dive) was $79. Intro to Scuba diving is $55 per person (no certification required). Free locker included with rental of anything. We didn’t do snuba or SeaTrek here but have done both in the past at other islands and highly recommend them! Very fun and unique experiences – happy to answer any general questions not specific to Cahnkanaab or Cozumel about those activities. They also have clear bottom kayaks available for rental – signs were not posted as to how much they were so unfortunately I don’t have this information.

 

BeachThe beach was huge with plenty of chairs and shade.

 

 

[alg7334]

Scuba Diving – we ended up deciding to go scuba diving for our activity! We booked with El Clavado which was booth # 3 in the snorkel and dive houses (other tour companies there are Zapata Divers, San Miguel and MJ’s Aquatics). Gilmer was the owner and he was so friendly and super helpful in answering all our questions. All the employees are PADI certified and display their certifications on the wall as well as were more than willing to show us their card. They are very reasonably priced – it was $55 per person for Intro to Scuba (we are not certified – this was our first experience diving). It takes about an hour total – 10 minutes of safety & introduction and 50 minutes in the water. That sounds brief for safety but they were very thorough! It was just my husband and I on this tour with our diver Early (not sure on the spelling but it is pronounced like I spelled it).

 

Early was phenomenal – I can’t say enough things about him! I was pretty nervous to dive and he offered to literally hold my hand until I felt ok. He stayed with me hand in hand for a good 20-25 minutes of the dive. Also I had to come up twice due to problems regulating my ear and the second I gave the up signal he was swimming me to the top without hesitation. He was extremely professional and helpful. He was doing everything in his power to make sure I was safe and comfortable. I ended up not being able to go very low due to the problems with my ear so once I was comfortable I let Early head down a bit with my husband and I stayed above them. Early did a great job of showing us various fish and crabs and other neat things during the dive. He also stopped to take our picture together a couple of times. We had a great time and were so glad that we tried scuba!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall

We are so glad that we chose Chankanaab for our day in Cozumel. What a wonderful park! There is so much to do! We feel like we did a lot while we were there, yet there was still so much left to see and do. It was a wonderful way to spend the day and we would highly recommend it. All of the staff we encountered were super friendly. The park was safe and clean. The water was absolutely beautiful and the snorkeling was very good. We will definitely be visiting again next time we are in Cozumel!

 

I hope this review has helped. Please let me know if you have any questions.

[chellecruise12]

Thank you very much for your review & photos.. Looking into taking our daughter's there & your review was very helpful! Thanks for taking the time!! :)

[Leo's Rule]

Thanks a million for this!

 

Now I can't wait to go here!

[wantocruisemore]

Thank you so much for your thorough review. We will likely end up there. I would like to try the Snuba since I love to snorkel.

[teetee6263]

Wow...between alg7334 & mitsugirly I can't wait to go. I was orginally going just for the dolphins, but now I wanna do it all.

[mitsugirly]

Wow...between alg7334 & mitsugirly I can't wait to go. I was orginally going just for the dolphins, but now I wanna do it all.

 

If you're going for the dolphins, at least you know it includes your admission to the rest of the park. :D Have a great time.

[chellecruise12]

How easy would it be to go around on an electric scooter? My father in law has some mobility issues..

[chaosdreamer]

@alg7334 Quick point of clarification: is what you're calling the "Lagoon" the same as the "Inlet Swimming Area" on the map as opposed to the pond-like area labeled as "Chankanaab Lagoon" on the map?

Edited November 20, 2013 by chaosdreamer

[alg7334]

If you're going for the dolphins, at least you know it includes your admission to the rest of the park. :D Have a great time.

 

Mitsugirly - you inspired me to write this review! I couldn't find anything on Chankanaab until I came across your review and it was because of your detail that I decided to go. So thank you for helping me find such a wonderful place to spend the day!!!

 

P.S. Also I'm sure you noticed, I borrowed a picture of food from you..... hope you don't mind! I ordered the mexican plate based on your recommendation but forgot to take a picture. :D

[alg7334]

@alg7334 Quick point of clarification: is what you're calling the "Lagoon" the same as the "Inlet Swimming Area" on the map as opposed to the pond-like area labeled as "Chankanaab Lagoon" on the map?

 

Good catch! I am probably confusing the two. There was another pond-like body of water that no one was in - I think that was probably the lagoon and was just to look at. Sorry for the confusion!!

[alg7334]

How easy would it be to go around on an electric scooter? My father in law has some mobility issues..

 

I think he would be ok. The animal encounter area and sea lion show are on a boardwalk near the pool. There are ramps. The replica area is a dirt path but very flat and clean of rocks and such, so he should be ok there. The beach would probably be the only place he'd have trouble.

[alg7334]

Thank you so much for your thorough review. We will likely end up there. I would like to try the Snuba since I love to snorkel.

 

Snuba is great! I did it in Bermdua and loved it. I highly recommend giving it a try! :)

[mitsugirly]

Mitsugirly - you inspired me to write this review! I couldn't find anything on Chankanaab until I came across your review and it was because of your detail that I decided to go. So thank you for helping me find such a wonderful place to spend the day!!!

 

P.S. Also I'm sure you noticed, I borrowed a picture of food from you..... hope you don't mind! I ordered the mexican plate based on your recommendation but forgot to take a picture. :D

No problem, thanks for letting me know.

 

I looked everywhere for your review (using the links in your signature and couldn't find it). Then I just looked on the Cozumel boards and found that your review had been moved HERE. lol It's late and I had a long day at school. What can I say.

 

So glad you had a wonderful day. It looks like they've added on more stuff since we were there (the alligators). There wasn't anything like that the two times we went. I may have to go back some day.

Edited November 21, 2013 by mitsugirly