Snorkeling in Cozumel: Catamaran to Palancar & Columbia Reefs

★★★★★★★★★★ 3.80 (10 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/15

Duration7h

GroupUp to 35

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Swim three reefs and a starfish sandbar without arranging the boat or the gear

A shared catamaran snorkeling tour in Cozumel departs downtown at 2 PM and visits Palancar Reef, Columbia Reef, El Cielo, and El Cielito, with snorkeling equipment, a certified marine guide, and unlimited drinks included. The day runs seven hours from check-in through return, with a beach club stop before boarding and a fish ceviche and hot dog served at the final marine stop. A local ecotax and service fee of 500 MXN per traveler applies at checkout.

The Experience

Palancar Reef and Columbia Reef are the two stops most snorkelers come to Cozumel for, and this catamaran gets you to both in a single afternoon without the logistics of renting a boat or finding your own guide. Check in downtown, take the included transfer to Playa Tortugas Beach Club, and spend time on the sand before the 2 PM departure. Once the catamaran heads out across the Caribbean, the route is set: two major reefs with clear turquoise water and the reef scenery that makes the dive sites here recognizable to anyone who has snorkeled before.

After Palancar and Columbia, the boat continues to El Cielo, a shallow area where starfish rest on the sandy bottom in water so transparent you can see them from the surface. El Cielito, a calm sandbar nearby, is where rays sometimes move through. Throughout the water stops, a certified marine guide stays with the group, and snorkeling equipment—mask, fins, snorkel, and life jacket—is provided. The catamaran carries music and entertainment the whole way, with margaritas, beer, bottled water, and soft drinks flowing between stops. At the final marine location, the crew serves fish ceviche and one hot dog per person before the return journey.

The shared format means you're on a two-level catamaran with other travelers, not a private boat, and the meal is a set service—no substitutions or modifications for dietary needs. Seven hours total from downtown check-in to return, so plan the rest of your afternoon around a late finish. If you're staying outside downtown Cozumel or without a car, the included transfer to the beach club is the piece that makes this work; you arrive, relax, and the boat leaves on schedule regardless.

What’s included

Snorkeling equipment and life jacket.
certified marine guide at each water stop.
access to Playa Tortugas Beach Club facilities.
unlimited margaritas, beer, bottled water, and soft drinks.
fish ceviche and one hot dog per person at the final marine stop.
music and entertainment aboard the catamaran.
included transfer from downtown Cozumel to the beach club.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Clubvctravel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to snorkel two major reefs in one afternoon without managing your own logistics—the shared catamaran includes downtown pickup and beach club time before heading out at 2:00 PM.