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Snorkeling Costa Maya or Cozumel?


3bzmom
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We have to choose one. Both are catamaran trips with snorkeling. Is the snorkeling better in one place than the other? We've both snorkeled before, but not in Mexico.

 

Thanks in advance! (PS, we're also going to Roatan, but we've booked a private island tour. Are we really missing the best snorkeling if we don't snorkel in Roatan?)

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Yes, and it is easy to snorkel from shore here.  As you face the water, the reef is to the left of Infinity Bay.  See this thread 

http://www.snorkeling-report.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/west-bay-snorkeling-map-roatan.jpg

 

Edited by topspot
including link to Roatan snorkeling
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I was in Cozumel in Sept. Rented a car and drove to a few spots to drink, snorkel and explore. We had 8 people so it was much more economical to do it this way.  Money Bar on Cozumel is amazing! The snorkeling is fantastic and you even see people on excursions drop off at their beach to snorkel! Just buy a drink and leave your things on the table and hop in the water. They rent snorkel gear but I'd recommend bringing your own. There was quite a current when we were there so it was some exercise even with fins on but it was fantastic!

 

http://www.moneybarbeachclub.com/

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/21/2018 at 10:28 AM, 3bzmom said:

Ok, since it’s a private tour, we have flexibility. There’s snorkeling right from West Bay Beach, correct?

YESSS! And a marine reserve practically in wading distance. Go all the way to the left near the rocky cliff. Take a cab or a bus.

 

Yes to Money Bar on Cozumel on your own. Or take a boat tour out and do a drift snorkel over the reef.

 

Been a very long time since Costa Maya (they were still building ii) but we went north a good ways and then to where they were going to build a Hilton... Spectacular reef, incredibly pristine. We saw a lemon shark too... Do your homework on where they are taking you. The big preserve is south of there, probably won't take you that far but great if they do.

 

 

Edited by sofietucker
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  • 1 month later...

We drove down to that preserve. I can't recall how expensive it was to get in. We would have gone w/ 2 or 3 people but we had 8 and just didn't want to drop that much cash. I have read the snorkeling in the preserve is fantastic, but I was still on cloud 9 from the snorkeling at money bar so I wasn't too upset we didn't go. Plus we will be going back to Cozumel time and time again so I'll see it one day!

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Cozumel snorkeling was amazing. Just make sure you go earlier compared to later in the day. We had a great time & went off the grid. The locals are great tour guides, just check their reviews. Our boat had engine trouble, however with a 12 hour port, we were back in plenty of time.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I would snorkel in Cozumel. Not necessarily because it's better snorkeling than Costa Maya, but because Costa Maya has access to some of the best Mayan ruins in the area and it would be a shame to miss that when there isn't much difference in the snorkeling in the two places.

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55 minutes ago, btbg said:

I would snorkel in Cozumel. Not necessarily because it's better snorkeling than Costa Maya, but because Costa Maya has access to some of the best Mayan ruins in the area and it would be a shame to miss that when there isn't much difference in the snorkeling in the two places.

I have been to the ruins, and my husband has no interest. I agree with you though!


Turns out we likely won't do a snorkeling excursion anywhere (we had thought we would do a boat excursion), due to my husband having a colostomy bag and being worried about facilities.

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Money bar has good facilities.  If your husband can care for his colostomy in a public restroom, the Money Bar in Cozumel has restrooms and a changing area that you can use.  They just want you to buy food there.  The food is reasonable and good.  I do recall that the changing area though is private when you are in there is outside, and in the shade so it seemed dark when you go in from the sun.

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I've been on Fury Catamaran twice. Great cat and equipment. Time 1 went to much better reefs than Time 2, which excluded Palancar reef. Captain said they are assigned where to snorkel each day. I will do back to them on my next Cozumel tour. Fury knows how to put on a great time. 

 

Never been to Costa Maya or Roatan, which has a rep as a world class snorkeling stop. They are both on my to do list. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

This great news about the Money Bar!  I was going to pay for a shore excursion but I think we(my 10 year old grand daughter) will just snorkel there and then head back into town.  She wants to shop.  I love to snorkel at my own pace.

 

My husband and I would go almost every year to Cozumel in the 90s to dive, we LOVED it there!

 

Any other helpful hints about snorkeling on our own in Roatan and Costa Maya.  My grand daughter wants to do the monkeys and sloths in Roatan,,  we then want to snorkel.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I also have this question and need to choose a snorkel in either Costa Maya or Cozumel. Will be doing a resort dive in Roatan, so that port is already covered. We prefer to snorkel off of a boat rather than from the beach, if that influences the recommendations. The last time I did a boat snorkel in Cozumel, it wasn't that great. I've read elsewhere in this thread that snorkel spots get assigned day by day according to conditions, so maybe we just didn't hit a great day? On the other hand, I haven't seen a lot of comment on snorkeling in Costa Maya. Thanks for any pointers!

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