Can You Snorkel In Cabo Mexico (Is The Snorkeling Any Good Here)?

Looking For More Water Activities To Add To Your Cabo, Mexico Trip And Wondering If This Is A Good Place To Snorkel?

I’ve been to Cabo, Mexico a couple of times and I definitely think adding plenty of water activities to your itinerary is a great idea here, but if you want to snorkel, there are a few different options, one you can do for free, some that are on typical Cabo tours, and a few that have some extraordinary marinelife viewing opportunities.

🤿 Is Cabo, Mexico A Good Place To Snorkel?

You can't swim here because the water is too dangerous.

Depending on the season and the condition of the water, Cabo can be a decent place to snorkel, although some places further north (in the Sea of Cortez) offer better snorkeling opportunities.

The ocean in Cabo can be pretty rough and dangerous at times though (Lovers Beach waves pictured above), so you do have to be careful when out in the water here. See the helpful tips section further down for some ideas on staying safe.

➡️ Although you can pretty much snorkel anytime of year in Cabo, typically the best month for snorkeling is in July because the weather is hot, the water is warm, and the water is clear

📍 Where Can You Snorkel In Cabo, Mexico?

The Pacific side of Baja California Sur is not typically very good for snorkeling, but the Sea of Cortez side has much better options.

I’ve gone out many times in the Cabo area and it isn’t the best snorkeling I’ve ever done, but there are a few different options for getting out there that can be worth it, or even better opportunities further north.

➡️ Don’t forget that Mexico only allows reef-friendly sunscreen so it is safe for the ocean, safe for the animals, and safe for you

Where To Snorkel For Free In Cabo

If you have your own gear, you can come straight to this beach and go out for free.

There aren’t many options for snorkeling from shore in the Cabo area, but one place that all the tour boats like to come to (pictured above) that you can get to on your own and go out for free (as long as you have your own snorkel gear) is at Santa Maria Beach.

If you’re staying at The Montage, it’s even more convenient because this snorkel spot is right in front of the resort, and there is free snorkel gear for hotel guests.

The water can still be rough here though and the waves like to powerfully crash right on the shore (I’ve gotten caught up in this before and scraped up my knees), but it’s not usually too bad once you’re out past the break, plus there is a lifeguard here.

➡️ You can easily drive here if you’re renting a car (there is a small parking lot), or get an Uber (although these aren’t my favorite here in Cabo)

Typical Snorkel Tours In Cabo, Mexico

There are plenty of tours in Cabo, Mexico that combine going out to snorkel with other activities or sights.

With all the Arch boat tours in Cabo, many of them also include a snorkel stop, usually at Santa Maria Beach. Although you can get to this beach on your own, it is more convenient just to have a tour take you around and provide the gear so you don’t have to worry about any details.

Some highly rated typical Snorkel Tours in Cabo:

True Baja – 2.5-ish hour kayak, arch, lovers beach, and snorkel tour

High Tide Los Cabos – 3-ish hour snorkel tour to Santa Maria Cove and Chileno Bay, with roundtrip transportation

Baja Snorkel – 2-ish hour arch, lovers beach, pirate cave, lands end, and snorkel at Pelican Beach tour

Cabo Sailing Ocean Adventures – 3-ish hour snorkel and lunch sailing tour

Cabo Adventures – half day snorkel, lunch, and open bar tour

Other Snorkeling Options In/Near Cabo

If you go out further north of Cabo, there are other really cool snorkel opportunities with other marinelife.

While the typical snorkel experience in Cabo isn’t the best ever, I’ve only seen some fish while snorkeling and Mobula Rays jumping out while sitting on the beach, there are some tours that take you further out into the ocean or further north into the Sea of Cortez to give you a more extraordinary snorkeling adventure.

🐙 It does depend on the time of year, but some marinelife you might be able to see in these areas include (but are not limited to): Mobula Rays, Sea Lions, Giant Manta Rays, Orca, False Orca, Sperm Whale, Dolphins, Sting Rays, Turtles, White Tip Sharks, Octopus, Eels, Bait Balls, Mako Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks, Humpback Whales, Grey Whales, Blue Whales, Whale Sharks, Fin Whales, Blue Sharks, Silky Sharks, and Bull Sharks.

Some ethical and responsible ocean safari type tours:

Apex Ocean Divers – 4-ish hour open ocean safari with snorkeling and whale watching from the boat

Orca Dive Expeditions – 5-ish hour shark safari and snorkeling adventure

Baja Vikings Ecoventures – 4-ish hour snorkeling open ocean safari tour

Cabo Trek – 9-ish hour Whale Shark snorkeling in La Paz (from Cabo)

Cabo Private Guide – 10-ish hour Mobula Ray and ocean safari

🐬 Cabo or the surrounding area can also be great for scuba diving, so if you want to take it one step further, there are plenty of Scuba Diving Tours for this area

🌊 Snorkeling Tips For Cabo, Mexico

Since the waters can be pretty rough here, there are some safety tips you should know about before going out.

One day I was sitting on Santa Maria Beach and I watched the lifeguards do a practice rescue, and even they had a hard time getting out in the water, rescuing the practice person, and then getting them back on shore.

Since the waters can be pretty rough here, even if there’s a lifeguard, here are a few safety tips to help you with snorkeling in Cabo:

wear the life vest or bring/buy a pool noodle; it really helps when you’re out there and all of the sudden you get exhausted

use the fins to help you with the current/rip tide; I hate fins so I don’t personally use them, but most say it makes the effort of swimming a lot easier

snorkel with others; even if there are lifeguards on the beach, you shouldn’t go out in the water here alone

especially at Santa Maria Beach, the sand isn’t really sand here, it’s more a pebbly rock, and although it feels sort of good at first, if you walk on it for long it will bruise/really hurt the bottom of your feet; water shoes can help

if you worry about sharks or they keep you from going in the ocean, I recommend Sharkbanz (I love mine) to help give you a little more peace of mind in the water, but they can also potentially repel rays

➡️ If you want more exciting outdoor adventures in Cabo, I recommend trying surfing, horseback riding, and hiking here

🔁 Sum Up: Can You Snorkel In Cabo, Mexico?

Although Cabo doesn’t always have the best snorkel options and the water can be pretty rough here, it can be worth it if you go further out into the water (on a ocean safari), further north into the Sea of Cortez, or just check out somewhere like Santa Maria Beach for free on your own.