Cozumel Beach to Snokel right off beach at!!

[JFL789]

We are looking for a good beach or resort we can go to fairly quickly once off the ship and enjoy a day at the beach with decent snorkelling we can do right from swimming off the beach?

 

We don't care necessarily about it being a paid all-inclusive type of resort as we will have had enough food and drinks on the ship for a few days anyway :)  But if one of those types of beach clubs has good snorkelling we would consider that.  We don't want to spend anymore than say 30 min getting to where we will be for the day.

 

We really don't want to spend a day at a jammed packed  Spring Break type setting :) 

 

Apprecaite any suggestions and ratings and experiences you may have.

[ranger dave]

The money bar, playa corona, and sky reef.  All less than 30 minutes from any of the cruise ports.  Taxi about 15.00 for up to 4 people.  Never had a problem finding taxi back.  All have man made sand beach to relax on with iron shore for decent snorkeling.  Usually no admission but your are expected to buy food and or drinks.  I have found them all to be about the same price for food/drinks and good food and drinks😜. I wait till done snorkeling to have drinks.  They all have gear to rent if you need it

[stazerd]

I have a similar question, looking for a place just to 'dip our toes in the water'.  I have been to the Money Bar, but do not recall a beach area, just steps into what looked like a pretty rocky area.   Any ideas?

[ABQrobin]

Snorkeling on a sandy beach is a total waste of time ....  fish live on coral reefs, coral reefs are not on sandy beaches with tons of people splashing around.  You get one or the other... good snorkeling or pretty sandy beach, not both.

 

Money Bar, Sky Reef, Chankanaab Park, and I have seen advertised a place called Tortuga Beach club...all have the rocky-coral areas for snorkeling where you will see fish.  In Cozumel you will see more reef and snorkeling from a boat as the reefs are farther out from shore.  

[c-leg5]

4 hours ago, stazerd said:

I have a similar question, looking for a place just to 'dip our toes in the water'.  I have been to the Money Bar, but do not recall a beach area, just steps into what looked like a pretty rocky area.   Any ideas?

Sandy “Toes in the water” type places  would be Sanchos, Paradise Beach, Nachi, Allegra, Palancar, Alberto’s, depending n the type of experience you are looking for - AI/PAYG, quiet/noisy, activities etc.

Edited February 8, 2019 by c-leg5

[paleskin]

Just back from Cozumel. Stopped at the Ocean club for a sandy beach to find LOTS of seaweed. Wished we went to Moneybar.

 

[LakeWobegon]

Money Beach Bar is more laid back and has "decent" snorkeling. Not great. But decent and much better than many of the beach clubs with sandy beaches. 

[c-leg5]

39 minutes ago, paleskin said:

Just back from Cozumel. Stopped at the Ocean club for a sandy beach to find LOTS of seaweed. Wished we went to Moneybar.

 

 

Is this at the condo complex?

 

Unfortunately this resort has received a lot of bad reviews over the years. However if there was seaweed here take solace in the fact that all the main beach clubs would likely have had seaweed as they are all along the same beach line. However some clean up better than others.

[zachary16]

We were there last week with our 5 year-old and walked to Tikila where there was good snorkeling right from the shore. There is not a beach there (which is good as that keeps the water clear) but you can hang out right on the water, they just ask that you get some food or drinks from the bar (cervezas were $3). 

 

Other options are the Grand Park Royal which is a nice resort with pools and a mandmade beach. Their day pass with buffet is around $40-$50. La Ceiba next to it has a similar set up around $22. I don't think the snorkeling will be as good at either place, but I could be wrong. We chose Tikila as we know many of the local boat tours stop to snorkel right in front of it, and you can swim out to the reef from the shore as well.

 

I hear Money Bar is great but it would require a taxi. Make sure you figure out which pier you will dock at as I don't know of any walkable snorkeling from the northern (downtown) pier. The southern one is 3 miles below and offers better access to the water.

[LakeWobegon]

Another option, and this is not exactly what you are looking for, is to charter a snorkeling excursion that would pick you up not far from the pier. We used Cozumel Cruise Excursions on a land-based vacation last year and they picked us up at the pier near the condos we were staying at. We liked it because it was a hybrid of a beach day and snorkeling. They took us two a few reefs for active snorkeling. Then we spent about an hour at El Cielo just hanging out in the knee to waist deep water, drinking as many coronoas and shots of patron that we wanted. The guides prepared homeade guac and chips and pinapple with tajin for us to eat on a slow cruise back during this. Perhaps a bit more active than you're looking for, though. And I don't mean that in a bad way. I like to just chill on the beach too. 

Edited February 12, 2019 by LakeWobegon

[shaneandpamela]

In Cozumel, sand = bad snorkeling, rocks = great snorkeling, so you have to choose.

 

If you want beach, my favorite is Playa Palancar.  Free to get in.  Food and drinks are great.
If you want to snorkel from the shore, my favorite is either Money Bar or Buccanos.  Both are free to get in and both have great food and drinks.

[jean87510]

We have melia booked next January. We read various reports that there is decent snorkeling to one side of resort (near another hotel I believe). Has anyone else been there recently via a day pass? Sorry to hijack board but we also like to go places that have snorkeling. I've been to money pit and chankunaab. I wanted to try a new spot. Sandy beaches are not a priority.

[c-leg5]

1 hour ago, shaneandpamela said:

In Cozumel, sand = bad snorkeling, rocks = great snorkeling, so you have to choose.

 

If you want beach, my favorite is Playa Palancar.  Free to get in.  Food and drinks are great.
If you want to snorkel from the shore, my favorite is either Money Bar or Buccanos.  Both are free to get in and both have great food and drinks.

 

has Buccanos stopped charging cruisers?

 

(ETA Oh I realize you were staying on the island so you got your entrance as a credit? )

Edited February 12, 2019 by c-leg5

[shaneandpamela]

2 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

 

has Buccanos stopped charging cruisers?

 

(ETA Oh I realize you were staying on the island so you got your entrance as a credit? )

 

We rode in on bikes.  Parked them.  Went right in.  They didn't ask if we were cruisers or not.  

[jbd2003]

On 2/8/2019 at 9:45 AM, ranger dave said:

The money bar, playa corona, and sky reef.  All less than 30 minutes from any of the cruise ports.  Taxi about 15.00 for up to 4 people.  Never had a problem finding taxi back.  All have man made sand beach to relax on with iron shore for decent snorkeling.  Usually no admission but your are expected to buy food and or drinks.  I have found them all to be about the same price for food/drinks and good food and drinks😜. I wait till done snorkeling to have drinks.  They all have gear to rent if you need it

Do you know how much the snorkeling gear is? I think we will be going to Money Bar.

[zachary16]

1 hour ago, jbd2003 said:

Do you know how much the snorkeling gear is? I think we will be going to Money Bar.

I'm not sure but my guess is $10 per, maybe less. Look in to buying your own on Amazon or elsewhere, we did years ago and have used them in probably a dozen cruise ports by now.

[jbd2003]

Thanks.

[jbd2003]

Thank you for the information!😀