The Day You Visit This ‘Heaven On Earth’ Will Be Seared Into Your Memory Forever!

After exploring Palancar Gardens Reef, Colombia Shallows Reef, and Turtle Sanctuary, we travel the short distance to the sandbar of ‘El Cielo’ – ‘Heaven On Earth’ - for our beach party finale!

There you’ll be able to quickly understand why this magical spot is so aptly named as you drink in the magnificent beauty so readily visible in just four feet of beautiful turquoise, crystal clear water.

At the same time your mouth will be watering in anticipation of the feast to come as your guides prepare fresh guacamole for you to savor.

Hi … my name is Alberto Novelo and I and my close family have been providing snorkeling tours in Cozumel for well over 20 years.

During that time, we have delighted multiple thousands of snorkelers, many of whom return again and again and have become firm friends.

What’s more, because this is a family business – not staffed by disinterested employees – every single member of my family is dedicated to making your snorkeling trip a memory you will cherish.

Traveling with 10 or more guests? Your group qualifies for a FREE upgrade to a private boat when you purchase at least 10 seats, subject to availability.

Private tours can offer flexible departure times and a customized itinerary. Our regular shared departures are 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM.

The upgrade is subject to private boat availability when booking.

• We are a family run and staffed business - and thus so far more interested in making your day wonderful in a way no employee could ever manage.
• We are one of the elite few tour companies authorized to visit the most stunning reefs, which are located inside the protected area of the Cozumel Marine Park. That is Palancar Garden Reef, Colombia Shallow Reef, and the famous El Cielo sandbar.
• Our boats are licensed to carry up to approximately 22 passengers, but shared departures typically operate at around 60% capacity. This gives everyone room to relax and enjoy the experience. Actual group size may vary.
• Families are welcome! Babies as young as 6 months may join the tour with attentive parental supervision. We provide life jackets and snorkeling equipment in children's sizes, and parents can choose to stay onboard during reef stops. Seniors up to 99 years old are welcomed too.

1. Arriving by Cruise Ship? (Super Easy!)

No need to find Marina Caleta or pay for a taxi. Simply walk across the street from your cruise terminal to your designated meeting point, where our team will pick you up and take you to the marina at no additional charge.

Your exact meeting point depends on which cruise pier your ship docks at:

• Punta Langosta Cruise Pier: Meet us at the Starbucks across the street from the cruise terminal, at street level.
• International Cruise Pier (SSA / TMM): Meet us at the Mayan Pyramid inside Mayan Plaza (Open-Air Mall), right next to the 7-Eleven. After exiting the cruise terminal, walk approximately 60 yards to your right (south) to find our meeting point.
• Puerta Maya Cruise Pier: Meet us at the 7-Eleven across the street from the cruise terminal.

That's it! Three cruise piers, three easy meeting points, all conveniently located across the street from their respective terminals. We'll take care of getting you to Marina Caleta.

2. Coming from Playa del Carmen? (Free Ferry-Pier Pickup!)

Taking the passenger ferry from Playa del Carmen? We've made your arrival just as easy.

Once you arrive at the Cozumel Ferry Pier in Downtown Cozumel, simply walk to the Birds Statue (Swallows Sculpture) at the ferry-pier entrance.

That's your meeting point! Our team will pick you up there and take you directly to Marina Caleta at no additional charge. No taxi needed!

Recommended ferry and pickup times:

• 9:30 AM tour: Take the 8:30 AM ferry → Pickup at 9:20 AM.
• 10:30 AM tour: Take the 9:30 AM ferry → Pickup at 10:20 AM.
• 2:00 PM tour: Take the 1:00 PM ferry → Pickup at 1:50 PM.

We recommend Xailing by Xcaret. The crossing takes approximately 30 minutes, plus another 10–15 minutes to disembark. Your ferry ticket is purchased separately and is not included in the tour price.

3. Staying in Cozumel? (Meet Us at Marina Caleta!)

If you're staying at a hotel, resort, vacation rental, or Airbnb in Cozumel, your meeting point is Marina Caleta, where our snorkeling boats are located.

Simply arrange a taxi from your accommodation directly to Marina Caleta. Your taxi fare is not included in the tour price.

We'll send you detailed directions in your booking confirmation so you can find us easily.

Once you arrive at Marina Caleta, our crew will welcome you aboard for your four-hour El Cielo snorkeling adventure!

1. Meeting up for your Snorkeling Tour

   Meet our team at your designated cruise-pier or ferry-pier pickup point, or follow the hotel arrangements confirmed for your booking. We'll help you get to Marina Caleta, where your boat and crew will be waiting to begin your snorkeling adventure.

2. On our Way to the First Reef

   Feel your excitement explode as the powerful eco-friendly engine revs up and we cast off to begin your adventure of a lifetime!

   You hardly notice the short trip to the Marine Park because you’re absorbed in the crew’s demonstration of how to use the high-quality snorkeling equipment.

   4 amazing snorkeling stops: Palancar Gardens Reef, Colombia Shallows Reef, Turtle Sanctuary (Turtle Bay), and the famous El Cielo Sandbar.

3. Palancar Gardens Reef (the first stop)

   Generally speaking, this is a shallow reef which is perfect for novice snorkelers.

   What makes this reef unique is the presence of very high coral systems that have many different living beings on them. As we already said, this is a picture that you will remember forever.

   Palancar Gardens is known for beautiful coral formations and colorful reef fish, including angelfish, parrotfish and grunts. Marine life sightings are never guaranteed.

4. Colombia Shallows Reef

   It is tough to say which reef in Cozumel is the best, but some things make this reef ideal for snorkelers.

   For starters, this reef is in an area that looks like a natural bay. As the name suggests, the water is not very deep, and the experience level needed for snorkeling in this area is beginner/novice.

   Colombia Shallows features shallow coral formations, reef fish, groupers and rays, with occasional turtle sightings. Our dedicated Turtle Sanctuary stop offers another opportunity to observe sea turtles feeding in shallow seagrass waters. Marine life sightings are never guaranteed.

   You'll also see moray eels, barracuda, octopuses, starfish, angelfish, grouper and other species of exotic fish.

   This colorful reef will spice up your holiday in Cozumel. That's for sure.

5. Turtle Sanctuary (Turtle Bay / El Cielito)

   Our third snorkeling stop takes us to shallow seagrass waters, approximately 3–4 feet deep, where sea turtles are often seen feeding. Enjoy a relaxed, guided opportunity to observe these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.

6. El Cielo Beach (Heaven on Earth as most travelers call it)

   After exploring Palancar Gardens Reef, Colombia Shallows Reef, and Turtle Sanctuary, we travel the short distance to the sandbar of ‘El Cielo’ – ‘Heaven On Earth’ - for our beach party finale!

   There you’ll be able to quickly understand why this magical spot is so aptly named as you drink in the magnificent beauty so readily visible in just four feet of beautiful turquoise, crystal clear water.

   At the same time your mouth will be watering in anticipation of the feast to come as your guides prepare fresh guacamole for you to savor.

7. On our way back to the Pier

   Can we really have packed so much excitement and lifetime memories in just four hours?

   Relax on board between dives, with ample shade provided while you sip a cool soft drink, beer or water with our compliments, and excitedly swap experiences with your fellow divers.

   All too soon, it’s time to head back to the pier.

8. Back at the Meeting Point

   After your snorkeling adventure, the boat returns to Marina Caleta. Our team will explain your return arrangements based on your original pickup location, so you'll know how to get back to your cruise terminal, the downtown ferry pier, or your hotel.

As a result, you’re probably already planning your next trip with us, like so many others before you, who return again and again.

Despite this, the eco-friendly nature of our high end fast flat boats, fully equipped with shading and comfortable seating for 22 qualify us to operate ONLY 3 boats.

However, despite being licensed to take 22 passengers, we restrict most parties to 12 so you enjoy maximum comfort and close personal attention at all times, particularly when snorkeling. It’s almost like a private charter.

So, between our 3 boats, we can take a total of 36 passengers.

And, because we are one of very few businesses able to provide the highest quality snorkeling experience and most of our clients come from the cruise ships, bringing in around 20,000 cruise visitors daily - we tend to get booked up lightening fast for every day of the week.

You can either pause and take ages to ‘think about it’ only to come back later and be dismayed to see your choice of day has been taken.

That means, if you only have that one day for your trip, you’ll either have to forgo the trip entirely or have to settle for a second rate trip which will NOT include the marine life rich reefs of Palancar Gardens and Colombia Shallow Reefs plus the beach party on the beautiful ‘El Cielo’ sandbar.

Instead, you will have to make do with the relatively barren reefs that most tour companies visit which were not considered spectacular enough to be part of the ecology-rich Marine Park that we are licensed to visit.

What’s more, the general tourist area is not protected like the Marine Park, so there is a quite marked difference in the quality and quantity of the marine life.

And the chances are high you will be crammed onto a boat with 20 or more other folks, severely limiting your enjoyment and perhaps you’ll struggle to understand your guide’s broken English.

Haven’t you worked hard to afford this trip to Cozumel and so don’t you deserve the best that is on offer?

But, despite enjoying our fair share of the very limited licenses empowering us to enter the beautiful protected area of the Cozumel Marine Park, we often have difficulty coping with all the bookings from the 20,000 cruise passengers that arrive in Cozumel daily.

I’d bitterly regret it if – now you know what a wonderland the Marine Park is – your hesitation in booking means you are denied the full experience only a PREMIUM snorkeling service like ours can provide and you have to settle for second best.