Tulum Snorkeling Adventure: Reef Bay & Saac Actun Cenote Tour
Difficulty
easy
Duration
4 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for most fitness levels; comfortable swimming ability and basic mobility for entering/exiting boats and cenote advised
Overview
Combine a boat snorkel off Tulum’s coastal ruins with a swim through Saac Actun cenote on this four‑hour guided tour. Expect excellent visibility, close encounters with reef life, and a cool, lanterned cenote chamber — all with a guide focused on safety and conservation.
Tulum Snorkeling Adventure: Reef Bay & Saac Actun Cenote Tour
Select participants and date
The boat slips away from the small dock in front of Hotel Zamas before the sun climbs fully over the palms. Salt spray sketches a cool line across your face, and the hull hums like a restless animal eager for reef. Minutes later the Tulum Ruins grow out of the horizon — limestone cliffs with the silhouette of a Mayan temple — and the sea turns a color so clear you can watch fish inspect their own reflections.
Adventure Photos
Adventure Tips
Use only biodegradable sunscreen
Non‑bio sunscreen is banned; buy reef‑safe SPF at the operator’s shop if you forget — it protects both reefs and your skin in shallow sun.
Bring a fitted mask or snorkel vest
Masks are provided but a fitted personal mask prevents leaks; lifejackets are used in the cenote for buoyancy.
Hydrate before and after
Salt, sun and short boat rides dehydrate quickly — drink water before the tour and carry a refillable bottle for after.
Secure cameras with a tether
Underwater shots are prime here; tether loose gear to avoid losing it in currents or caverns.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Green sea turtles
- Parrotfish and colorful reef fish
History
Cenotes were central to Mayan life as freshwater sources and ritual sites; the coastal reef supported coastal villages and contemporary fishing communities.
Conservation
The operator enforces biodegradable sunscreen and collects an environmental management fee to support reef and cenote preservation.
Select participants and date
Adventure Hotspots in Tulum
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Biodegradable sunscreen
Protects skin and the reef — only biodegradable formulas are permitted.
summer specific
Fitted snorkel mask
Reduces leaks and improves underwater visibility compared with generic rental masks.
Rashguard or light wetsuit top
Keeps you warm in the cooler cenote water and protects against sun on the boat.
spring specific
Waterproof camera or housing
Captures reef life and cenote formations — use a wrist or chest strap to secure it.