Family staying in Akumal-snorkeling trip to Cozumel?
 

Hi. I have been searching and searching. Could someone please help out with this. We will be staying in a house in Akumal for a week starting last week of July, 2 families with 4 kids ages 10-16, with rental cars. We want to book a snorkel/boat excursion to Cozumel. Not a party boat. We could go out from Akumal, Playa, Puerto or wherever as we have the cars. Not looking for super cheap or really expensive. Probably a 6-8 hour trip with lunch. It doesn't have to be just us, we just don't want a huge boat of partiers. We are open to other areas, just thought Cozumel would be a good choice as we can drive to snorkel at different places around Akumal. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I suggest you snorkel in and around Akumel and forget about Cozumel (unless you want to go to the island). We snorkeled Cozumel last year and was very disappointed. Cozumel used to be great but now is not even good.

Hurricaine Wilma pretty much decimated the reef areas close to shore from Cozumel. It is going to take many many more yrs for those reefs to get back in shape for fish to hang out there. Akumal on the other hand is a bay and as such is more protected, and did not lose the reef life that Cozumel lost during Wilma. We have also been disappointed in the last few yrs with snorkeling on Cozumel. Akumal is much much better. lso there are some shallow reefs btwn Holbox Island and Cozumel that stil have good snorkeling, long boat ride to get there though.

Snorkeling is awesome and so easy at Akumal. I wouldn't bother with a boat trip!

The logistics of getting to Cozumel from Akumel is going to be a little difficult and time consuming. You will need to get to the ferry station in Playa del Carmen and then take the passenger ferry, which takes about 45 minutes, to the Island of Cozumel. There you will need some type of transportation or a tour to take you snorkeling.

You have great snorkeling where you are staying in Akumel. Go to Yal-Ku Lagoon, the Akumel Beach Hotel and the Sa'an Kian Biosphere. Some of the cenotes are good as well as Xel-Ha.

I would save the snorkeling on Cozumel for a time when you are actually vacationing there.

Lots of good advice here... and it's all true. Stay in Akumal for the snrokeling. If you wish to visit Cozumel, then take the ferry in Playa and make it a day trip. There are all kinds of great things to see and do all along the 307 highway without having to cross to Cozumel...
Enjoy

Be sure to pack surf shoes -- there will be places where you may need to walk through rocky areas to get to where you want to snorkel. Akumal is FANTASTIC for snorkeling. Sea kayaking, too. It has been years since we were there...your post reminds me that I always wanted to go back and rent a beach house there.