Cozumel · EL CIELO SNORKELING TOURS
26 reviewed
El Cielo is the shallow sandbar off the south end where the starfish gather in waist-deep water. These are the best trips out to it, most of them by catamaran: how long you get on the sand, whether lunch and open bar are included, current prices, and which boat suits families over party crowds.
Snorkel Cozumel’s Palancar, Columbia, and El Cielo reefs on a guided 4-hour tour with gear, drinks, and a starfish sandbar stop.
Private 39ft catamaran in Cozumel for El Cielo day: top-shelf drinks, lunch, snorkel gear, paddleboard, and sandbar time for up to 15.
“Lucy, Brian and staff went above and beyond and were absolutely AMAZING!!!! The excursion was our favorite of the whole vacation. The reef snorkeling was amazing and it was the best lunch my kids said that they ever had. We will definitely do this again.”
Catamaran cruise plus snorkeling at Cozumel reefs, then a private beach party with unlimited drinks, water play, and burgers.
“Easy going staff who are extremely helpful and skilled at what they are doing. The actual snorkeling part was cut short because some participants were nervous about sea life.”
Private boat snorkeling in Cozumel: Chankanaab and Paradise reefs, ceviche and margaritas, then quiet beach time for up to 6.
“Charlie and Carlos were excellent guides and companions. We had a wonderful time, stopped at several interesting snorkeling sights, and enjoyed the ocean. The boat was in excellent condition, the food and drinks were fantastic. 5/5.”
Cozumel catamaran with two reef snorkels, El Cielo sandbar time, open bar, and fresh fish ceviche. Includes gear and Money Bar access.
“Great experience and excellent snorkeling areas. Staff was friendly and helpful with everything, would definitely do this tour again with them”
Half-day catamaran snorkeling in Cozumel with multiple reef stops, El Cielo beach time, and drinks plus ceviche for about 4 hours.
“A fabulous excursion with David and the crew. Weather was perfect, water was just right and the snorkeling couldn't have been better. Topped it off with great civeche and beverages. Couldn't have been more impressed. Great job to all and thank you for the highlight of our trip!! Jeff & Terri, Willis TX”
A 5-hour Cozumel catamaran to El Cielo sandbar and Palancar Reef with snorkeling gear, lunch, and unlimited margaritas beer.
“Lot of space on the Katamaran. The snorkel Stop was Not Worth it as the Reef is already massively distroyed. In addition you were forced To swim in a huge group of people constantly kicking each other. Not Option To Just explore on your own. also swim wests we're mandatory even If you are a Solid swimmer. Guides constantly freaking Out of your were a Meter away. cannot recommend that Part of the Tour. But the Stop at the sandbank was very nice and we saw stingrays.”
Snorkel three Cozumel reefs with a small group, gear included, and unlimited beer and soft drinks, plus El Cielo starfish water.
“We absolutely loved the driver and the tour guide they made this so fun Roberto and Tony were super accommodating and even though it’s started raining they added an extra stop for the inconvenience. I will add the photographer was a bit rude I had to ask him multiple times to take our photos as we were planning on buying them but he ignored us for the other tourist. When it came to show us our photos he had hardly any good ones and was upset I would not pay the ridiculous price. He was giving different prices to multiple people so I would just beware of that but it…”
Private boat Cozumel snorkeling to El Cielo starfish beach and top reefs, with gear, shade, beers, and fresh ceviche for up to 7.
“Our guides weee phenomenal! They took us to several reefs, making sure we had the opportunity to see as much marine life as possible. Our guide found starfish, nurse sharks, conchs, lobster, parrot fish, a green turtle and more. Our last stop at El Cielo was the most beautiful beach on the island by far. Enjoying the shallow water with a beer and fresh ceviche was icing on the cake. We would do this trip again and absolutely with the same captain and crew.”
A small-group Cozumel snorkeling tour pairing famous reefs with El Cielo’s calm, sky-reflecting sandbar plus drinks and snacks.
“The crew, Teyes and Geraldo, made the trip memorable. They were fun, funny and very engaging and helpful. Reyes was very knowledgeable and pointing out the sea life.”
Private 3-hour snorkel by fast boat in Cozumel: Palancar, Colombia, El Cielo starfish, manta rays, plus snacks, drinks, and beach time.
“Beautiful snorkeling spots, attentive staff made for a memorable experience. David (dive master) and Gerry (captain and chef), guided us to three different snorkeling sites where we saw plenty of coral and fish, as well as fighting spiny lobsters, a nurse shark, and some barracuda. Then we went to a tranquil area populated with starfish of multiple varieties. Finally we swam at a sandbar where several large rays kept us company. The fresh fruit and guacamole were delicious too. I would highly recommend this experience.”
Private 29ft powerboat snorkel and El Cielo sandbar from Cozumel with included gear, guide-led reefs, and an open bar lunch.
“One of a kind experience, from the fishing to the snorkeling, to just hanging out on the sandbar, they made sure my wife and I had a great time. And the ceviche they made for us was delicious.”
Snorkel three Cozumel reefs in about 4.5 hours, including starfish at El Cielo. Small group, English guide, $95 plus $5 port tax.
“We were late getting to the excursion due to not fully understanding that the pier for the excursions is different from the pier used for the cruise ship. We had a fantastic time and the team was very accommodating.”
Shared 4-hour snorkeling in Cozumel with Palancar and Columbia reefs, El Cielo starfish sanctuary, and El Cielito snacks plus drinks.
“The tour is good, but the snorkeling at Columbia and palancar reefs was too short. Our tour was supposed to be 4 hours but was done in 3 hours. The provided snorkeling gears were not the best.”
A small-group Cozumel snorkeling tour hitting El Cielo, Palancar, and Columbia reefs with gear, guides, and drinks included.
“What started with a large amount of trepidation ended in a wonderful experience. The first point to recognise is that the marina is located away from the cruise terminal. It's about a 5 minute taxi ride at a cost of $9-00USD (could likely be a tourist price). We were extremely nervous on arrival at the marina - it looks somewhat run down. The boat also looked as though it had seen better days. So - that was the worrying part. However, once on board everything was wonderful. It's about 20 minutes to the most southerly reef we visited. The journey was exhilerating. Once there we were provided masks, snorkels, fins…”
