Where is the best snorkeling in Cabo?
The clearest water near Cabo San Lucas is in Santa María Bay, a horseshoe cove 6.7 miles (11 km) up the tourist corridor with reef along both rocky points. Chileno Bay is the next cove, 1.2 miles further, with a sandy bottom and reef on each side. Both are protected from the open swell, which is why the water stays clear and calm enough for kids and first-timers.
Pelican Rock is the stop inside the bay, 0.8 miles from the marina at the foot of Land's End. The water is a little less clear than up the coast, but reef fish swim right at the surface and you are in the water ten minutes after casting off. Two-hour charters that only go to the Arch snorkel here. Our ranking of Cabo snorkel spots and the Santa María vs Chileno comparison go deeper on each one.
What a private snorkel tour covers
Four hours is the standard snorkel charter: the Arch and the sea lions first, then up the coast to Santa María, with about an hour in the water and a swim stop at anchor on the way back along Médano Beach. Five to eight hours gives you both coves, lunch at anchor and time on the floating mat and paddle boards in between. Since the yacht is yours, the captain can stay longer where the fish are and skip a spot if the water is stirred up that day.
Updated October 10, 2026: Santa María Bay is closed for snorkeling for now; we expect it to reopen in November 2026. Until then, the snorkel stop is Pelican Rock, next to the Arch, on the 2 hour charter.
Snorkel at Pelican Rock: 2 hours, next to the Arch
Pelican Rock is a rocky point at the foot of Land's End, inside the bay, 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the marina. You are in the water about ten minutes after casting off, with the Arch a few minutes further on. Reef fish feed right at the surface along the rock, so you see them from the first minute, and sea lions pass through from the colony next door. The water is a little less clear than in the coves up the coast, but it is calm and close.
It is the right call when you do not have four hours: a cruise stop, a morning before a flight, or kids who will be done after half an hour anyway. Plan on about 30 to 45 minutes in the water on a two-hour charter, after the Arch, the sea lions and Lover's Beach; book three hours and the swim stretches to about an hour. Santa María and Chileno are the clearer, more sheltered water, and the ride up the corridor is why they need four hours or more. In the planner, choose Snorkel at Pelican Rock & the Arch and it suggests two hours with a morning departure, when the water is at its calmest.
Three yachts that fit a short snorkel day, two-hour price per boat with 16% tax included. The 15% crew tip is not included; snorkel gear is.
| Yacht | 2 h |
|---|---|
| Bayliner 33 up to 8 guests | $599 $75 per person |
| Sea Ray 36 up to 12 guests | $659 $55 per person |
| Sea Ray 40 up to 12 guests | $879 $73 per person |
Pelican Rock sits inside the Cabo San Lucas Flora and Fauna Protection Area (APFF Cabo San Lucas). CONANP lists a conservation fee of $125 MXN per person per day as of September 2026, with discounts and exemptions, and that fee is included in our charter price. Feeding the fish is not allowed: CONANP's draft management program lists feeding marine life as not allowed. Wear the vest your crew hands you and use reef-safe sunscreen. The Pelican Rock guide goes stop by stop.
Example prices for a snorkeling tour in Cabo
Three yachts that work well for snorkel days, with the four-hour price in the middle. Every price includes the crew and the gear.
| Yacht | 2 h | 3 h | 4 h | 6 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Ray 36 up to 12 guests | $659 $55 per person | $929 $77 per person | $1,219 $102 per person | $1,649 $137 per person |
| Sea Ray 40 up to 12 guests | $879 $73 per person | $1,199 $100 per person | $1,499 $125 per person | $1,979 $165 per person |
| Regal 45 up to 12 guests | $999 $83 per person | $1,349 $112 per person | $1,699 $142 per person | $2,489 $207 per person |
Prices per boat with 16% tax included; the 15% crew tip is not included. The per-person figure is the boat price divided by its full capacity, rounded.
For a small group, the Bayliner 30 carries six from USD 999 for four hours, with water and sodas included. The McKinna 70 does the same route with a chef cooking lunch while you are in the water, from USD 5,999 for four hours.
How to choose a yacht for snorkeling
Look at three things: a swim platform with a ladder, shade for the people who stay on board, and whether towels are included. The Sea Ray 36 and Sea Ray 40 include towels and a cooler with ice; the Azimut 45 includes towels, water and sodas. The Regal 45 and Maxum 45 add an air-conditioned cabin to warm up after a long swim.
The Chaparral 28 is the fastest and cheapest way up the coast for up to ten people, with a lily pad mat, but it has no head on board, so most families with small kids prefer a cabin cruiser. If you want both coves in one day, pick a yacht with cabins and a head and book six hours.
When to go and what to bring
The water is warmest from July to November, around 81 to 85°F (27 to 29°C), and coolest from February to April, around 72°F (22°C), when a rash guard or a shorty wetsuit makes the difference between twenty minutes and an hour in the water. Visibility is usually best in the morning, before the afternoon breeze picks up, so the planner suggests morning departures for this day. Month by month figures are in our water temperature guide.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat for the ride, a towel if your yacht does not include one and a dry bag for the phone. Food is not included on most yachts; order breakfast, box lunches or a fruit and cheese board in the planner and it is on board when you arrive, or bring your own. Drinks too: the crew keeps them on ice.
