Is El Cielo Mexico's most beautiful snorkeling destination?
El Cielo Private snorkel tour - Secluded lunch spot
Cozumel island is a luxurious tropical paradise located in the Riviera Maya. Just a 45-minute ferry ride from Playa Del Carmen, and 2 hours from Tulum and Cancun. Cozumel has a much more down-to-earth vibe than the all-inclusive resorts of Cancun and Tuluminati parties.
The island is filled with unspoiled jungles, mangroves, and crystal clear waters, and wrapped by coral reefs. Whether you're looking to relax on the beach, explore the island's natural beauty or take part in some of the many water sports on offer, Cozumel is the perfect destination to unwind.
Situated on the Mesoamerican reef system, this idyllic island is bursting with marine life and mesmerizing coral reefs. It is a biosphere reserve. Whether you're a beginner snorkeler or a seasoned diver, you'll be blown away by the underwater world on offer here.
El Cielo Cozumel Snorkeling Tour
Booking a private snorkeling tour in Cozumel
After much research, we decided to book a tour with Adrian Cozumel, who is renowned for being the best in the business. With hundreds of 5-star reviews, we had high expectations for our tour. Adrian was an amazing guide, full of knowledge and stories about the island. He personalized our snorkeling excursion itinerary based on the types of places we liked, and what we wanted to see. We would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a top-notch tour guide in Cozumel.
While his site was originally hard to find, the booking was relatively seamless and fully managed via his Facebook page. If you are interested in looking him up and booking with him you can find him here on Facebook.
Adrian's tour is private, the half-day trip includes La Victoria private boat, lunch, and refreshments throughout the trip.
We said we loved outer reef drop-offs and big coral formations, so our tour was built around this, and the snorkeling locations we cover below include a few big reef drop-offs as well as the more famous sites of Cozumel like El Cielo and Palancar.
Cozumel Private Snorkeling Tour with Adrian
Spot 1 - Tormentos
The first stop was a sea of purple coral fans close to the beach near Chakanaab. This surreal spot felt like swimming through a purple cloud forest amongst colorful fish. A safe and sheltered spot that was ideal for our 8 am start. The shallow waters were warm and the water was calm. It was the perfect way to start the day, and we were all feeling refreshed and invigorated after our swim.
As we cruised down the coast, we passed by luxurious villas perched atop the cliffs. The nearby beach clubs were just starting to open up for the day, and the coastline of Cozumel looked spectacular in the morning light. The sun's rays made the azure water sparkle, giving life to the rows of umbrellas and lounge chairs. It was a truly breathtaking sight.
Swimming with Sea Turtles, Cozumel
2 A Secluded Sea Turtle Spot
Adrian, the snorkeling guide likes to preserve this location as many young turtles can be found here. We won't specifically call out the location to keep the turtle sanctuary from getting overcrowded. We were the only ones here, surrounded by small turtles going about their days. Unphased by humans watching them munch on sea grass and crawl around in the sand, it was a magical experience to be surrounded by these creatures in their natural habitat.
The water here was exceptionally clear, with white sand and a few grassy seaweed fronds. No wonder the turtles liked it, it was quite the view.
At this stop, we were also able to see a large coral crawling with sea life, hundreds of tropical fish, and a large spotted yellow moray eel.
Adrian manages to come here in his smaller boat, which he's careful to ensure stays quiet. He'll pull this along with you while he's in the water, so that the turtles are uninterrupted in their natural habitat. It was amazing to see him balance it all by himself, guiding the boat and finding turtles with ease. He truly is a master of his craft. An amazing snorkeling experience.
3 El Cielo Starfish
The term El Cielo means the sky. To swim amongst the sky, what a beautiful feeling. The starfish line this jaw-dropping stretch of white sand and clear water. It might be one of the most beautiful places on earth and definitely a highlight of our travels through Mexico. Calm, warm, and sparkling, the ocean in El Cielo is like heaven on earth.
Because we were on a private tour to El Cielo with Adrian, we were lucky enough to arrive here before many of the large cruise ship tours came in. We had plenty of time to enjoy this slice of paradise to ourselves.
Playa El Cielo - Stingrays
4 Playa El Cielo Sandbar
From El Cielo we cruise around the corner, the water fading in and out of aquamarine tones below us, but always breathtakingly clear despite the depth. Just watching the colors graduate might be worth the trip alone, little did we know that there was still so much more to see.
At stingray bay, the depth became much shallower, and the sand soft, and white could be clearly seen below. The calm bay made the sand look as though it was a perfectly raked Zen garden. This made swimming relaxing, almost meditative. As I was busy being mesmerized by the sand, 3 stingrays floated along beside me. These giant alien-like creatures rolled along gracefully, just relaxing and basking in the sun. They must've liked the company.
Playa El Cielo - crystal clear waters
Adrian’s Cozumel’s private tour boat
5 Lunch stop near Cielo Beach
My partner and I were on a total high from the snorkeling bliss, so it was the perfect time to stop for some refreshments. Adrian pulled up at one of the most beautiful bays I've seen in my life. Crystal clear water, calmly lapping against white sands. No one around but us. The sun shone on the tropical palm trees that lined the bay. Behind us, the bay turned into the most expansive mangrove system and lakes. Miles of picturesque views from all sides, with no one else to be seen.
Adrian anchored the boat and set up a picnic under the umbrella. Fresh tropical fruit, icy cold beers, and homemade guacamole with corn chips awaited us under the shade. We sat, and talked and enjoyed the beauty of nature around us. A lunch in good company.
Punta Sur reef - Cozumel
6 Punta Sur
Just when I thought that the day had peaked, Adrian took us to my favorite snorkel site of the tour. The underwater terrain was magnificent, with undulating cliffs of coral teeming with creatures I'd never seen before. Visibility for miles and miles below me, I felt as though I'd been transported to another world entirely. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before and I was completely entranced.
The barracudas were a sight to behold, their sleek bodies gliding through the water with ease. Every type of tropical fish you could think of was there, swimming in and out of the coral. The coral itself was a staggering sight, crops of all shapes and sizes jutting out and forming tunnels to drive through. Crevasses filled with a kaleidoscope of colorful fish and fan corals. It was truly a breathtaking sight, one that I will never forget.
After exploring for a while, Adrian got us to jump on the back of a life raft so that we could glide along the reef and see it all. We've been on lots of snorkeling excursions, but this was by far the most exhilarating way to see all that this area had to offer. Similar to slowly drifting downstream in a river, we were able to take in all the sights and sounds of the reef at a leisurely pace while taking in the expansive views below.
7 Big Reef Punta Sur
The final stop did not disappoint either. We had talked with Adrian about how much we loved reef drop-offs into the open ocean at the beginning of the trip, so this was a thoughtful inclusion into our experience and a great way to end on a high. The reef here is spectacular, with big walls of coral that drop down for miles. The ocean opened up to 2000 feet, and the visibility has to be some of the best in the world. You can free-dive down and see an array of large fish, barracuda, parrot fish, and giant angel fish. Huge cliffs of coral that look as though they could stretch to the end of the earth.
Cozumel - beach picnic
Final Note About Our Snorkeling Tour & Adrian
Cozumel is one of the most beautiful destinations on earth, often rushed through and skipped by travelers wanting to see the Instagram-famous Tulum or the all-inclusive resorts of Cancun. From the turquoise waters to the lush jungle landscape, Cozumel is a nature lover's paradise.
But it's not just the blue waters and the tropical jungles that make Cozumel a beautiful destination. It's the people, like Adrian, who live here. Adrian loves the island and the reef that surrounds it. He's passionate about preserving it while wanting to share the beauty of the reef with those that make their way to this island.
We can't recommend this tour enough, or even just the island of Cozumel. If you manage to make your way down to this jaw-dropping slice of the Mesoamerican reef, make sure to spend some time getting to know Cozumel, on the water, through the jungle, and meeting the wonderful people that call this place home.
Thanks for readingIf you want to know more about Cozumel, or the tour you can ask us in the comments below. If you are planning a trip to Mexico make sure to read our article 15 Reasons To Fall In Love With Cozumel. Or plan a road trip with our ultimate guide to Cozumel jeep rental.
For more of the Caribbean’s top snorkel and dive sites, read our guide to diving and snorkeling in Curacao.