Manatee Encounter

[Crystalbast]

Has anyone done the Manatee Encounter at Chankanaab Park? I was really excited to see it available in Cozumel.

[okiehel]

My son and I did the manatee encounter last year and absolutely loved it! I had read reviews that it was better than the dolphin encounter, and I believe it.

We did not go through the ship, but booked it on our own at the advice of more seasoned travellers. It was just $10 to take a taxi there. Even though a storm caused the ship to have to change course and we got to Cozumel a day later than scheduled, they didn't have a problem with it.

The encounter is so interactive. You get in the water with the manatees from the beginning and they teach you everything you need to know, show you how to feed them, touch them, etc. You get to "hug" them and let one "kiss" you. There is someone from the park taking pics and video but they are WAY overpriced. I recommend taking a waterproof camera in with you and you can get great pics of your own. The park didn't have a problem with that.

My son was 14 at the time and thought it was really cool. Another family that did the encounter at the same time as us had a son that was 8(?) and he was a bit scared of them. He wouldn't come all of the way into the water until towards the end of the encounter. At the end they give you snorkel masks and let you just swim around with the manatee.

We are going to Cozumel again in a couple of weeks, and we are going to go back to Chankanaab.

Have fun!

[okiehel]

I just noticed you are from Oklahoma! Me too! Hi neighbor!

Helen

[Crystalbast]

Howdie neighbor. I have managed to book the excursion and I am do excited. I have always wanted to see a manatee and to be able to get into the water with them will be so cool. I am trying to decide if I want to book a snuba excursion at Chankanaab for after the manatee encounter. A love to snuba and the price to book it yourself is much better then what youy pay for through the ship. I'll already be at Chankanaab and the entry fee is covered with my first excursion.

[okiehel]

I haven't tried snuba. We may consider that.

We'll be in Cozumel on June 3. I need to hurry up and decide what we want to do!

[lovetexas]

We did the manatee over last Thanksgiving. We LOVED it. My dd is 11, and she thought it was the best ever.

 

We got to the park very early - we love this park- and snorkeled and swam, and ate.

 

Then I asked if we could go earlier, and they said sure... they put us in the space with them and a handler. It was fantastic!!

 

They gave us some heads of lettuce, and we fed, and swam with em.. they remind me of cows. They kept trying to eat my swim suit!! It was green.

 

The only thing negative is the price of the pics... but hey, I bought them all... it was a blast.

 

We love this park!! We are doing an AI in Playa this June, and we are taking the ferry to Cozumel just to snorkel at this park!!