Nachi Cocum snorkeling or other beach/snorkel combo?

[TorontoCubaGirl]

How is the snorkeling excursion from Nachi Cocum?  We're looking for a gorgeous beach, good food, not a huge party atmosphere, and really good snorkeling. We considered Chankanaab, but the beach doesn't look great. Nachi Cocum looks perfect beach wise, but I really want a great reef as well. Kids are 9 and 11, very strong swimmers and snorkelers and would love to see turtles, rays and other colourful fish (not just the striped fish that everyone seems to feed bread or bananas, which has been much of their previous snorkeling experience). Or is there another tour that anyone can recommend which combines some great snorkeling (boat tour OK) followed by a beach club with great drinks and food?

[bguppies]

I've done the snorkeling tour from Nachi years ago.

 

They launch a boat from the dock at Nachi and take you out to a couple of the reef areas off shore.

 

Didn't see any turtles or rays.

 

Saw alot of fish including a 400 pound grouper that swam up behind me and scared the crap out of me. (I'm 6 foot, 280 lbs and he dwarfed me)

When i started to look back and saw a shadow that big I thought it was a shark.

 

Saw turtles and tons of wild Rays in Grand Cayman. (thats why everybody goes to Sting Ray City there)

 

Best sea turtle snorkeling I've done was in St. Marteen.  (by far)

DW stayed on the boat and saw a bunch of them just swimming by.

 

Roatan and Cozumel both had fantastic fish diversity.

 

[ABQrobin]

If you are looking for really good snorkeling, you probably aren't going to find it in Cozumel.  Cozumel is known for its scuba diving, some of the best in the world, but not snorkeling.  The reefs are too far off shore and too deep for "great" snorkeling.  YOu can take a boat to Paradise reef and see some nice shallow coral reef and fish but it isn't great as compared to other places.  (I am a scuba diver and have been going to Cozumel for 22 years now),  Roatan has fantastic snorkeling, if you are going there.  

[JohninDC]

You could Taxi to the Money Bar for good, but not great snorkeling from the shore - no admission fee, but you should buy some snacks/drinks. Then cab to Nachi for the rest of the day.