Cabo - Santa Maria or Chileno ?

[gizmo]

Which area is nicer and perhaps has better snorkeling, Santa Maria cove or Chileno ?

[ReadyToFloat]

Can't speak to Chileno from personal experience, though we have snorkeled at Santa Maria. Clearest water I've seen in Mexico when we were there in 12/06. Pretty good mix of fish, and for more head over towards the rock walls. Not like Hawaii or Caribbean, but still worth it based upon what we experienced. Cove was protected and waves were minimal.

 

We took a trip not organized by the ship, but one we found on the internet. We had a great time.

 

I did hear both were quite similar experiences (Maria vs. Cheleno). I give Santa Maria a thumbs up.

[gizmo]

Thanks :)

[solita]

Both are similiar...same fish and other marine life, same basic rock formations. What is different is the swells...Sta. Maria can get some large ones coming in. It is a much smaller area too and can get over crowded. The beach area is covered in small pebbles. Chileno is nicer in my opinion. They have even added shade palapas on the beach and there are facilities also.

[solita]

oops...

[ajaxgalca]

Just returned today - DH really enjoyed Chileno snokeling - said the water was very clear - about 80 degrees - many fish.

 

Enjoy!

[Islandbuoy]

do the snorkel tours to either beach get you close enough to use the beach?

[ajaxgalca]

do the snorkel tours to either beach get you close enough to use the beach?

 

 

No - they were diving from a catamiran.

[ROWSE]

We went to Chileno Bay in Sept. 2005. It was beautiful. Although they state

they have bathrooms, my husband went to use it and soon came back. It was too gross to go in he said. This may not be the usual case however. We felt the water was very clear and amazed at all the fish we saw. I had heard the snorkeling was not that great on the Mexican Riviera. I felt this was very good. We are returning this Sept. and we might try Santa Maria

this time. If you are on your own as we were, Chileno was a little bit hard

to find. There was a sign on the road for Santa Maria. With persistance we

did get to Chileno. Glad we did.