Snorkeling sites for my non-diving family

[diver 85]

Is that the same as Faro Celarain or Punta Celerain, near the lighthouse at the south end of the island? I have heard there is a nominal admission fee to the park, and that there are guides that will take you out in a small boat to the flat areas. What I read on trip advisor was that the area was shallow and very nice for snorkeling.

A quick google search found this page, click link
Faro Celarain or Punta Celarain cozumel - Google Search

-----my question, is that the same litehouse that you see while diving Maracaibo(sp)???....TIA...

 

[deborahdelamar]

The park & lighthouse are south of El Cielo and I've enjoyed going there. Climb the lighthouse and take in the beautiful view. There's a small nautical museum on the first floor. Croc viewing areas; pontoon boat trip on Colombia lagoon with a guide to explain flora & fauna; magnificent beach. The snorkel reef is offshore -- a goodly swim -- and they have people in kayaks who will take visitors out there or act as in-water safety nets. IMO, I don't advise going for the snorkeling only -- it's OK but often the wind &/or current are too strong and they don't allow swimming out to the reef.

Yes re Maricaibo; Celerain is the southern lighthouse.

 

[cicopo]

There's a lot of information about the snorkeling at Punta Sur & the lighthouse etc in the album I listed the link to.

 

[ggunn]

-----my question, is that the same litehouse that you see while diving Maracaibo(sp)???....TIA...

Yess.

 

[Blazinator]

Most people find Chankanaab expensive vs the snorkeling you'll get there. Punta Sur is cheaper, but conditions can be iffy if the winds are up in just about any direction. Palancar beach club tour is $35 per person, and there's another good tour offered at Alberto's beach club at roughly that price. Next best choice I've done since Wilma is the area between the Presidenté & Fiesta Americana, but it's not what it once was either.

https://picasaweb.google.com/CozumelTimeCapsules/SnorkelingBetweenThePresidenteFiestaAmericanna#

https://picasaweb.google.com/CozumelTimeCapsules/SnorkelingAtPuntaSur#

Thanks, Cocopo, for posting those pics of the shore area between Fiesta Americana and Presidente.

I've been searching for shore dive info for months now, and your post is the only one where I actually SAW what the shore diving is like, and I liked it - doesn't take much to make me happy.

Many lucky folks that dive all the time and are jaded & cynical, have poo-pooed the shore diving in Coz ("just good enough to check gear"), but I'm from ohio - the land of cold mud water, and not enough money to dive Bonaire.
So my choices of low cost vacation packages (cheapcaribbean, apple vacations, etc) have not included the highly rated palces like Scuba Club Cozumel, or Villa Blanca (with good shore dive reviews). Seems the only places that come up are Fiesta Americana, and Presidente, and a few others, but my wife and I want all inclusive, and she will only snorkel, so this place (FA) looks like the best option all around.

 

[olphart]

If you can hitch a ride on a dive boat, Columbia shallows is a great place for snorkeling

 

[ggunn]

T
Many lucky folks that dive all the time and are jaded & cynical, have poo-pooed the shore diving in Coz ("just good enough to check gear"), but I'm from ohio - the land of cold mud water, and not enough money to dive Bonaire.

I wouldn't say that we are jaded and cynical. When you go to Cozumel you will see for yourself the difference between the boat dives and the shore diving, unless you're planning to only shore dive there, which would be a major league mistake, kinda like traveling 1000 miles to a Grateful Dead show and staying out in the parking lot. I shore dive a bit when I am there; it's definitely worth doing as an adjunct to boat diving, and that's what most Coz veterans will say.

 

[jhayes75]

Take a cab to the Money Bar. To the right is a small little place with stairs leading into the water. Swim out at an angle about yards and let the current circle you back around to the pier to the right of the Money bar.The taxi will cost you around $7. This is one reef that the tour boats take their snorkelers. I would only do this if your family is very confident in the water. They have a map on the wall showing the snorkle route and also rent gear and lockers. The food is excellent at the money bar. It wouldn't hurt to cary some kind of flag to alert boat traffic. They do look out in that area though, because they know peolple snorkle there.