This is a large range and keep in mind we intend to snorkel and not scuba dive, we will eliminate spots which have its shallowest depth at more than 60 ft. The water is usually clear and it is possible to see passed 60 - 90 ft depths but vision will be diffused.

From a boat: The white sandy bottom in Cozumel reflects the sun and is a contrasting canvas for coral formations. It picks up movement of marine life and as the distance increases, the visibility vignettes into deep blue. You can see large body fish like giant eagle rays swimming like phantoms at 60 – 90 ft away (and they are worth seeing like that) but I recommend getting much closer.

Some of the deeper these spots can be around 5 miles (8 km) off shore. This means, you would need a boat to get to there. When picking a spot accessible from shore these places will not be an option.

From shore: Best to look for what is close to shore between 10 – 40 ft. This will let the most light through the water. Most these reefs are within the first 300 yards from shore.

Map of Cozumel reefs

East side: Of course, you want to avoid any place with unsafe swimming conditions. The eastern side of the island does have some reef spots to explore but it has a lot more waves. Some beaches are great for surfing but most are not great for snorkeling.

West side: The west side is calm and there are a lot of reefs to explore that are suitable for snorkeling. Although, you may want to avoid the area between the ferry port and the cruise port. There is an underwater scupture garden but because of frequent boat traffic in this area, there is not much underwater activity in between the ports. Unless you bring fish food, you might not see anything there.