Snorkeling Playa Cristal & Bahía de Cinto, Tayrona Park
Two snorkel sites in one day, one boat, lunch on board
Snorkel two protected beaches in Tayrona Park on a full-day boat trip from Santa Marta. The boat leaves the dock, sails 30 minutes to Playa Cristal, then moves to Bahía de Cinto: a natural reserve where you enter the water in less than 2 meters to see corals and fish. You return to Playa Cristal for the afternoon, then sail back to Santa Marta by 4:30 p.m. Lunch and national park insurance are included.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore Tayrona Park beaches by boat
- Meet at boarding point
- Sail to Playa Cristal with panoramic views
- Receive national park insurance
- Sail to Bahía de Cinto
- Enjoy Bahía de Cinto beach and snorkeling
- Return to Playa Cristal
- Snorkel and explore Playa Cristal
- Sail back to Santa Marta Bay
- Bahia de Santa Marta 30m
- Tayrona National Park 1h 30m
- Crystal Beach Entry included 3h
- Playa Cinto Entry included 2h 30m
What’s included
- Lunch on board.
- all national park fees and taxes.
- restroom facilities on the boat.
- audio guide in English, Spanish or French.
Next departure: 16 Jun 2027
Information
Snorkel two Tayrona Park beaches from Santa Marta: Playa Cristal's crystal water and Bahía de Cinto's protected reserve.
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The experience
You arrive at the dock in Santa Marta in the morning and board a boat heading south along the coast. The sail to Playa Cristal takes 30 minutes and passes Bahía Concha, Gayraca, Chengue and Neguanje: a slow pass that shows you the shape of the park before you enter the water. Once the boat anchors at Playa Cristal, the crew fits you with national park insurance, then motors 10 minutes further into Bahía de Cinto, a protected reserve closed to most visitors. The water here is shallow and clear. You snorkel until 12:30 p.m., then return to Playa Cristal for lunch on board and a second snorkel session that runs until 3 p.m.
Playa Cristal lives up to its name. The water is so clear that corals and fish sit in plain sight at less than 2 meters down, easy to spot even if you've never snorkeled before. Bahía de Cinto is wilder: a virgin beach with white sand and denser reef life, the kind of place the park protects precisely because few boats reach it. Both sites let you move at your own pace in the water. The crew stays on board. Lunch and all park fees are built into the price, and restrooms are available on the boat.
The full day runs seven to eight hours from dock to dock. You're back in Santa Marta by 4:30 p.m., which leaves the evening open if you're staying in town. The boat carries audio guides in English, Spanish and French, and children from age one are welcome (infants sit on an adult's lap). The operator notes that the trip requires at least moderate fitness and is not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries or pregnant travelers.
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 17 years); Infant (1 to 5 years): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What's the water like for snorkeling at Playa Cristal and Bahía de Cinto?
Playa Cristal has crystal-clear water where corals and fish are visible at less than 2 meters, making it ideal for spotting biodiversity even as a beginner. Bahía de Cinto is a protected natural reserve with white sand and a wilder reef ecosystem, offering a deeper snorkel experience in a site most visitors never reach.
How much time do I actually spend in the water snorkeling?
You snorkel in Bahía de Cinto from arrival until 12:30 p.m., then again at Playa Cristal from after lunch until 3 p.m., giving you roughly four to five hours in the water across both sites with a lunch break in between.
What happens during the 30-minute sail from Santa Marta to Playa Cristal?
The boat passes four beaches (Bahía Concha, Gayraca, Chengue and Neguanje) giving you a panoramic view of Tayrona's coastline before you reach the first snorkel site.
Is lunch included, and what about facilities on the boat?
Lunch is included and served on board between your two snorkel sessions. Restrooms are available on the boat throughout the day.
Operated by Chez Boaz Tours. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated yesterday
Snorkeling Playa Cristal & Bahía de Cinto, Tayrona Park
7h–8h · EN · ES · FR
from US$ 80 per person
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