Water Sports, Cancún

The coast of Quintana Roo is bathed by shallow, crystal-clear, green-blue waters, lined by beaches of fine white sand, punctuated by numerous coves, bays and islands, with a backdrop of lush tropical vegetation. It is here that Tulum stands, on a cliff, overlooking the Caribbean. The most important Maya archaeological site on the coast, it is 127 kilometers south of Cancun.
Xel-Ha, is a breathtaking combination of jungle flora and fauna, freshwater (sinkholes), caves, and ocean splendor is guaranteed to please all five of your senses. Wander the jungle trails, snorkel to your hearts content, or take a nap on Hammock Island.

Went on a "Jungle Tour". It was a 2 1/2 hour excursion total. We left from Blue Ray Marina (2 people per speedboat). Followed a Tour Guide and there were a total of 3 boats in our group which made it 6 persons for one guide.
Domingo was our tour guide. Very friendly.

Drove the speedboats (easy to drive) down the lagoon and out to the ocean to the coral reef - probably about an 8 mile trip one way. When we got to our location, we were told how to snorkle and were given about 45 minutes to look around on our own.

Tour was called a Jungle Tour but not really any so-called tour information given by our guide...as we were speeding down the lagoon and he couldn't communicate with us. The tour was more enjoyment than informative which is exactly what we were looking for.

Our first time doing any snorkeling and we loved it....would do it again for sure.

Go early in morning to avoid large amounts of people there. We went at 9:00 and were first to depart. On our way back, we passed at least 40 boats on their way out.

Our tour didn't include transporation to marina, but we walked and it wasn't far.

Many companies in town offer jungle tours. They are all basically the same. They provide all equipment needed for a 3-4hr jungle tour and snorkel trip. You will ride a 2-person Aquaray (jet ski type vehicle) through the natural mangroves along the Nichupte Lagoon. You will arrive at the natural reef park after about a 45 minute ride. You will then have time to swim and snorkel in the area before returning.

I couldn't really decide where to put this tip, it has pros and cons...

We went to a place that advertised swimming with the magnificent sea turtles. I couldn't wait. When we got there it turned out to be a fenced off area off of a dock where they kept these poor guys. I loved being so close and swimming with them, but I couldn't help but feel bad for them. All these kids jumping all over them and they can't get away:(

Most rivers (if not all) on the Yucatan peninsula flow underground. At some places you will find openings in the ground from where you see the water below you. These openings are called Cenotes and were used by the Mayas for drinking water and sometimes (e.g. in Chichen Itza) even to sacrifice people in them.

If you have the chance, go swim in one of these cenotes. It is quite an experience if you go on a trip in one of the caves and all of a sudden you see jungle and blue sky above you.

If you look at the picture, you can see small black catfish in the blue water. An hour or so after this picture was taken, we actually swam down there.

TIP: Bring a single use underwatercamera if you go down there, but remember that your pictures will most likely end up rather dark.

After we went jetskiing we took this short tour to the 2nd largest reef in the world (they said the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the only one thats bigger). We go on a short boat ride to this huge glass bottom boat where the tour guide shows you all different kinds of corals and tropical fish. If you're not a scuba diver or a swimmer, this might be your only chance to see a coral reef this close. The tour is about 2 hours. we combined this tour with our jungle jetskiing tour. Great combo with Aquaworld.

Wherever and whenever you get the chance - snorkel! Even if you aren't the best swimmer, every snorkel tour outfits you with a life vest, so you can just relax and enjoy the undersea show. We enjoy snorkeling off the beach at our hotel. We've also done some of the popular tours, which we've enjoyed.

Breathing Observation Bubble Minisub
A step between aqua trek (where you walk along the bottom) and scuba diving. No certification necessary. Includes a free video...though our video only lasted about 3 min. Recommend using a wet suit for comfort even if the water isn't that cold.

It was our last day in Cancun and we wanted to catch some fish. Went out on a six hour trip and it was awesome! Caught loads of Barracuda and I landed a huge male Mahi-Mahi or Dorado. I thought my arms would break.
On the journey back to shore, the captain allowed us to sunbathe on the bow of the boat with the sun beating and the Caribbean sea cooling us down. It was truly magical.

I have been scuba diving in a couple of different places and this was a seven on a scale of 10. The Scuba Cancun people were very professional and took care of one of our newbies. The prices were reasonable for a resort area location.

Saw a lot of sea turtles, but I do not know if that is common in Cancun.