Snorkeling or diving in Cozumel or Puerto Morelos
If you dive, you have almost undoubtedly already heard of the world famous Palancar Reef off Cozumel Island, one of the world’s best drift dives. If you don’t dive and might like to try snorkeling instead, Palancar is only one of a multitude of good locations on the south and west side of the island to see the gorgeous fishies. Cozumel was a dive destination for many years, long before it became inundated with cruise passengers each day. Appallingly, some of the best (former) dive sites were sacrificed to build the mammoth piers that host anywhere between three and 15 ships daily. At any rate, the tourist industry is well set up to handle your group of any number for a dive trip or a snorkel trip or a combo to various spots.
Puerto Morelos is much lesser known and therefore much less trafficked. It lies right midway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen and features a reef system just a few hundred yards off the coast, easily accessible by small boat from the village’s main pier. There is more snorkeling done here than actual diving, but both are relatively high quality. One factor to take into consideration is that this reef is exposed to wind, waves, and currents moreso than on Cozumel, so it can potentially get a little rough, especially in the afternoons. Just something to keep in mind while planning.
Booze cruise from Puerto Aventuras or Cancun
Catamaran launches from either port will take your group out onto the ocean for either a relatively short or even an all-day cruise. The boats are well stocked with food and drink and are great for groups just looking to hang out and relax. Most offer snorkeling, but only before the drinking starts. Our personal recommendation is to combine a cruise like this in the afternoon with another morning activity, such as the Tulum ruins.
Underwater museum Cancun
Several years ago a local Mexican sculptor had the idea to create an underwater “garden” of clay sculptures jutting up from the sandy bottom of the sound between Cancun and Isla Mujeres. The water here is so amazingly clear that on most days you can see the sculptures from the surface of the ocean, but it’s not particularly shallow! It’s still a wonder to see how the sculptures have become havens for sea life. It’s something unique to this area, and totally worth a quick trip out from either Puerto Juarez on the mainland or Isla Mujeres.
Swimming with whale sharks in summer (Isla Mujeres or Holbox)
Whale sharks are said to be the largest fish on earth—they’re sharks so big that they look like whales! But no worries, they don’t eat people, they have rows of teeth called baleens that actually filter tiny plankton out of the water. They’re completely harmless and it’s an amazing experience to swim and snorkel alongside them as they make their annual migration through these waters each summer Because of worries about too many tourists stressing the fish, the government has now put daily limits on the number of tourist boats allowed to pursue the sharks. Thus if you’re interested in this activity, it’s important to book relatively far in advance, and even then, there’s never a guarantee of a sighting.
Deep sea fishing
Fishing boats can be rented from Puerto Aventuras or Cancun to take you deep-sea fishing in the Caribbean Sea. Almost all the normal warm-water sport fish can be found here, marlin, sailfish, and others. Depending on the size of the boat, they can typically accommodate anywhere from 5 fishers to 25.
Swim in Yal Ku lagoon in Akumal
One swimming hole in the Riviera Maya that is less heralded than the ones that have become theme parks is called Yal Ku Lagoon, just right north of Akumal village. Here, a fresh-water cenote disgorges just meters in from the ocean and forms an inlet and lagoon surrounded by the jungle (and a couple of houses that have been built on its shores). As you swim and/or snorkel around, you’ll begin to see how the colder, clearer fresh water interacts with the warmer, hazier salt water. You’ll want to swim upstream to the cenote to see all the spectacular fish there, and then you can just kind of drift back downstream to where you start to feel the ocean currents ebb and flow, and you start to lose the visibility within the water. It’s very fun and a good first trip for beginning snorkelers. There aren’t any facilities there like a restaurant, but it’s not far at all by taxi back into Akumal village where there are several restaurants worthy of a visit.
Parasailing in Playa
Along with the normal mix of motorized water sports common to beach cities around the world, Playa del Carmen offers several opportunities for parasailing. And because the water is so spectacularly blue and clear, the views from up above are said to be just stunning. My personal fear of heights will forever prevent me from taking part, but I hear good things about it!