Puerto Morelos Snorkeling:
We have snorkeled this reef a couple of times and it is always amazing. We took our 3 young kids snorkeling with us and they had a great time. If plan on snorkeling with your kids, be sure to check the weather report to ensure calm seas and good snorkeling for your kids. On this trip, we saw: barracuda, Trumpet fish Stoplight Parrot fish, Spotted Moray Eel, Sharptail Eel, and Spotted Scorpionfish. This snorkel spot is a protected National Marine Park, "Parque Nacional Arrecife de Puerto Morelos," and it is part of the Great Mesoamerican Reef. The reef is about 550 yards off shore and it is only permissible to reach it by boat (in case you’d even consider a strenuous swim). You can book a snorkeling tour, usually with lunch included, through hotels in Cancun or the Riviera Maya. However, if you book in advance you will be able to save some money. If you just show up in Puerto Morelos, you will easily be able to find a snorkel tour company either by asking in a beachside restaurant, a palapa, or asking the fishermen along the shore. If you go this route, you will most likely get a better rate but arrive early or you may miss the boats. They take dollars everywhere… remember to bring enough for the tip can plus you’ll need $3 US dollars for the National Park entrance fee (they’ll give you a Tyvek wrist band to show that you’ve paid the fee). Plan ahead and be sure to bring reef-safe sunscreen… anything else is not allowed and purchasing this in Mexico will be more expensive than buying it in the states. Great family snorkeling trip!
What to Expect: You must wear a vest which all the licensed snorkel companies will provide as part of the included equipment.
The largest reef system in the Western Hemisphere.