Snorkeling in Huatulco: An Incredible Underwater Adventure

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Wondering about snorkeling in Huatulco?  Situated on a sunny stretch of Mexico’s southern Pacific coastline and dotted with 36 sheltered beaches, a wealth of dive sites and extraordinary sea life, this region offers some of the best snorkeling in Mexico.

In fact, taking a snorkeling tour is one of the top things to do in Huatulco for people who love outdoor adventure. 

This detailed guide offers tips on where to find the best spots — whether you’re looking for a guided  excursion or just planning to snorkel from shore.

Best Snorkeling in Huatulco – Tour Huatulco National Park 

While the Pacific Coast of Mexico is not as well known for snorkeling as the island of Cozumel in the Caribbean, much of the coast of Oaxaca is protected from development. Huatulco National Park is one of  the largest protected areas in southern Mexico. This helps support rich marine life and healthy reefs.

On a Huatulco snorkel tour,  you can expect to see sea turtles as well as several species of fish including parrotfish,  needle fish, grouper, snapper, angelfish as well as manta rays and eagle rays,  It’s even possible to see dolphins and migrating humpback whales as they head south in December and return north in March.

Huatulco’s Unpolluted Water Offers Prime Snorkeling in Mexico 

When it comes to clean, non-polluted waters, Huatulco offers some of the best snorkeling in Mexico. The beaches in Huatulco  consistently receive high marks for cleanliness by SEMARNAT, the government agency that monitors the water quality of the beaches in Mexico.

Three times a year they publish water quality results measuring the enterrococcus fecal bacteria levels. A score of more than 200 per 100 milliliters of water means swimming is unsafe and the waters are too polluted for human health.

Under its Clean Beaches Program, the agency monitors 15  beaches and 17 sites within the three main tourism areas of Oaxaca and all six beaches in Huatulco reported within the  June 23, 2018 report received clean (APTA) scores. That’s important if you’re planning on spending a lot of time in the water or are looking for the best family beaches in Mexico.

To help keep Huatulco’s waters clean, be sure to pack biodegradable sunscreen and a rashguard shirt with high SPF protection. What else to pack for a snorkeling trip depends on whether you are travelling light and what your skill levels are. Check this complete packing list for ideas on what to pack for a snorkeling trip. 

Choosing the Best Snorkeling Tours in Huatulco Mexico

During my all-day Snorkel Excursion with a Tour of the Bays with Hurricane Divers, the waters were teeming with a fascinating type of sea creature  — sardines! Compared to swimming with dolphins, swimming with sardines probably doesn’t rank high on the lifetime bucket list for most people.

But, as I plunged headfirst into a school of thousands of the graceful acrobats, I discovered that the tiny silver fish has its own special charms. They shape-shifted from a shadowy cloud into a shimmering ribbon of silver that swirled around my body like a wisp of fine silk.

Then, moving in unison, they morphed again – this time into a blanket that blocked out the sunlight and threw the coral reef into darkness.  It was really a magical experience. 

Importance of Safety 

Anyone who has read my post the Beginner’s Guide to Snorkeling Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Museum, knows that although I love the ocean, I’m not the most confident swimmer.  When deciding on a snorkeling excursion, it’s extra important for me to choose a safe tour operator.

Hurricane Divers features bilingual guides, modern boats with roofs for shade, life vests, mobile phones, safety equipment, first aid kits and more. They are PADI-certified and only take small groups.

While they do supply snorkeling masks and fins, many people prefer to snorkel with a full-face snorkel mask for comfort, visibility and enhanced protection from water leakages.

If you do, then you’ll need to bring your own. If you’re considering purchasing a full face snorkel mask, it’s worth consulting this complete Guide to Buying a Full Face Snorkel Mask comparing different brands.

Snorkeling at San Agustin Beach 

Our group of eight snorkelers and three crew members  anchored offshore at San Agustin Beach, a western bay in the Bahías de Huatulco area that has incredible, sapphire-blue waters.  It’s definitely one of the best snorkeling locations in Huatulco.

With its sheltered calm waters and underwater visibility of up to 18 metres, even novices can spot florescent damsel fish, spiny black sea urchins and eels ducking through the crevasses of the coral reef.

A Picnic Lunch at Chachacual Bay

Another of the other attractions of going snorkeling with Hurricane Divers is that their all-day excursion includes a full gourmet lunch.

Upon arrival at Chachacual Bay — even more untouched than San Agustín  and accessible only by boat–  the crew laid out an al fresco lunch while we floated in shallow waters bursting with blue-spotted coronet fish and yellow-tailed sturgeon.

Refreshed by the clear waters, we planted ourselves on the white sand to enjoy grilled steak arranchera, spicy adobo chicken and fresh papaya salad.

Snorkeling around Cacaluta Island in Cacaluta Bay

Next up  was Cacaluta Bay where a coral plate stretches for 300m at depths of between 2 to 12 metres. The marine life is so abundant and the coral so colourful around Cacaluta Island, it’s known as Las Jardines or the gardens.

“Watch for strings of gas bubbles escaping from between the rocks on the bottom” said our guide as we anchored in open water. “You may find sea turtles and Nurse Sharks resting in the gaps in the coral.”

Deciding to drip-dry for a few stops, I soaked up the panorama of sun and sea. Manta rays leaped above the water’s surface and plumes of crystal spray shot out of a nearby blowhole.

No other boats were in sight.

“Where is everybody?” I asked.

“Huatulco is out of the way for many people,” he shrugged. “We rarely see other boats.”

Where is Huatulco Mexico?

Located in the southern state of Oaxaca two hours from Puerto Escondido, it’s 185 km south of Acapulco and closer to Guatemala than major Mexican cities. Yet its isolation doesn’t mean you’ll be roughing it. Much like Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa, Huatulco was identified as a prime site for tourism development by Fonatur, the Mexican government agency.

A massive injection of cash created an impressive infrastructure of wide boulevards, luxury marinas, golf courses and a modern sewage treatment system. Yet it remains surrounded by stretches of undisturbed  wilderness.

“They learned from earlier overbuilding mistakes and imposed development restrictions,” said our guide.

With flights to Huatulco increasing, the region’s peaceful seclusion may not last long. But for now, the beaches and clear blue waters are free of crowds.

Trying to decide on a resort that’s good for snorkeling? Learn more about where to stay in our Hotel Guide to the Best Huatulco Beaches 

Huatulco Snorkeling from Shore

While taking a Huatulco snorkeling tour is the best way to see the most variety of fish, it’s possible to experience some rewarding snorkeling from shore in Huatulco. It’s even possible to snorkel right in the bay of Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz marina is also where you book fishing tours for fish like sailfish, marlin and tuna.

When it comes to variety of fish, abundant coral and calm waters, the best place for snorkeling from shore in Huatulco is the Bahia San Agustin. Located an hour by boat and a $15 – 20 USD cab ride from the luxury hotel zone of Tangolunda Beach, San Agustín Beach is relatively deserted, apart from a few seafood palapas (thatched huts). 

 It flanks Huatulco National Park, a 119 sq. km. ecological reserve  at the base of the Sierra Madre Sur.

It’s also possible to do some snorkeling from the shore at Dreams Resort & Spa and to a lesser extent, Secrets Resort & Spa, where you’ll need to wait for low tide and cross over the rocks at the end of Conejos Bay to find the best snorkeling area. Be wary of ocean conditions if you choose to swim here as the under currents can be strong. 

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.  Please read more on our Disclosure Page. 

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