What we expected to be a boat snorkeling excursion turned out to be a shore-based adventure—and here’s what every traveler should know before booking.

This blog is about our snorkeling experience in Cabo San Lucas.  If you would like to read about all of Pink Bear’s adventures with D and Laura in Cabo, you can go to:

https://pinkbearjourney.com/cabo-san-lucas

This Blog Includes:

• Background
• Beach vs Boat Snorkeling
• Santa Maria Beach
• Chileno Beach
• Comparison Santa Maria vs Chileno
• Cabo Snorkel Tips
• Pink Bear Rating
• Final Thoughts

Introduction

When I booked our Cabo snorkeling excursion, I imagined climbing aboard a boat, cruising to a secluded reef, and slipping into the crystal-clear Sea of Cortez (also known as Sea of California). Instead, our adventure began with a van ride to our first beach. It wasn’t what I expected—but by the end of the day, I was glad I came. If you’re considering a snorkel tour in Cabo, I recommend you carefully read the tour description before booking. 

For our first day, Pink Bear selected a snorkel tour through High Tide Los Cabos.  It was described as a Private Snorkeling Tour to two safe snorkeling bays, Santa Maria and Chileno.  I was surprised when we arrived at Santa Maria Beach and learned we would be snorkeling directly from shore.  Upon careful inspection of the booking, it was noted but not highlighted. 

 The tour description left me expecting one type of snorkeling excursion, but the day turned out to be something quite different. Fortunately, I enjoyed it—but I can easily imagine another traveler arriving with very different expectations. In the end, it turned out to be a wonderful day, but it was very different from what I had expected.

Beach vs Boat Snorkeling

If you’re considering a snorkeling excursion, understanding the difference between beach snorkeling and boat snorkeling can help you decide if it’s the right fit.

Beach Snorkeling	Boat Snorkeling
Enter from shore	Enter directly from boat
Walk across sand and sometimes rocks	Usually step from boat to water or down a ladder
Navigate breakwater, waves, and surf	Boat is anchored in calm snorkel area
Requires carrying equipment into water (fins in particular)	Equipment put on before entering water (fins in particular)
More physically demanding	Better for beginners
Requires removing equipment and getting back through breakwater	Easier re-entry to boat
Requires a full lifejacket if on a tour	Can swim freely, or with just a noodle

Santa Maria Beach

General Information

Santa Maria Beach (Playa Santa Maria) is a beautiful, quiet cove along Cabo’s Tourist Corridor. It is famous for its crystal-clear water, protected marine sanctuary, and exceptional snorkeling opportunities. It is a Blue Flag-certified area.  A Blue Flag is an international eco-label awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators that meet strict environmental and safety standards.

Santa Maria can be accessed by private transportation, Uber, bus, or tours.  There is a relatively large parking lot.  The vibe is low-key and quiet, and there are no on-site restaurants, but there are free restrooms and freshwater showers. An important note is that the sand at Santa Maria beach consists of coarse pebbly

 rocks rather than fine sand.  In our opinion, it is uncomfortable to walk on barefoot.  Also, of note, it is a long walk from the parking lot to the water where the best snorkeling is, so beach shoes are recommended. The cove is sheltered by large granite formations, creating excellent conditions for spotting tropical fish.

Snorkel Experience

Upon arriving at the beach, we set down our towels and bags and got our gear ready.  We were on a tour and therefore required to wear a lifejacket.  We prepped our masks and put on our life jackets on the shore. Fins are carried into the water. I also put on my mask on the shore rather than having something else to carry through the breakwater.

Although Santa Maria is a calm beach, you still need to navigate the breakwater to get in, and there is an undertow.  At 67, I’m active, exercise regularly, and consider myself to be in good physical condition. However, having no experience snorkeling from a beach made this activity challenging.  I managed to navigate the breakwater, but putting on fins in bouncing water without having something to balance on was very difficult for me.  Our guide helped, so I was able to accomplish it, but without help I don’t know I could have done it.

Having successfully managed to enter the water, I can say when I looked down with my snorkel it was worth it.  Santa Maria Bay is teeming with many fish, including schools of colorful reef fish. The most common we encountered were yellow porkfish, angelfish, parrotfish, and needlefish. The terrain is very different from Hawaii and some Caribbean sites I have snorkeled at.  The landscape is defined by volcanic rock gardens and granite reef structures rather than living coral reefs.  Therefore, the underwater landscape lacks the color of the Hawaiian reefs.

The beach area.  Note the coarse pebbly sand and the long walk required to get to the water

Just a few of the beautiful fish we saw at Santa Maria.

Chileno Bay

Chileno Bay (Playa El Chileno) is located just a few minutes past Santa Maria Beach along the tourist corridor. It is also a Blue Flag site.   It is widely considered one of the best public beaches in the region because of its calm, swimmable waters and soft, golden sand.  The beach is much easier to walk on than Santa Maria Beach.  The vibe is livelier, and it was more crowded than Santa Maria.  The water was a bit calmer. The breakwater was also easier to navigate than Santa Maria.  The water is crystal clear, and you can see many fish right from the shallow water without a snorkel mask.  There is a coral reef here, but because we were so tired from Santa Maria, we only stayed near the shore.  For older travelers, I think it is better to snorkel only one beach a day.  For boat tours, two sites may be acceptable, but beach snorkeling is more strenuous, so I think one site per day is preferable.

Comparison Santa Maria vs Chileno

Feature	Santa Maria	Chileno
Entry	More difficult	Calmer
Sand	Pebbly	Fine Sand
Water	Slightly rougher	Calmer
Fish	Excellent	Excellent
Vibe	Quiet	Lively
Terrain	Volcanic	Coral Reef/Sandy
Pink Bear Rating	8/10	9/10

Pink Bear Retirement Rating:

• Beach Snorkeling: Strenuous, not for those with disabilities, great once in the water
• Santa Maria Beach: 8/10, Pebbly beach difficult to walk on, nice quiet vibe, lots of fish
• Chileno Beach: 9/10, fine sand, calmer water, lively vibe
•  Pink Bear Approved: Only for those physically fit

Pink Bear Tip:

If you’re an older traveler or prefer a more relaxed day, consider snorkeling one beach rather than trying to fit two beach snorkel stops into a single excursion.

Final Thoughts

Camera: For my snorkel pictures, I use an Olympus Tough camera.  I have a wrist strap.  I highly recommend it.  It takes good underwater pictures and is easy to use.  It is also great for any activity where you want to take pictures but may get wet.  It is much easier than working with a case on a cell phone or housing for a DSLR.

When I booked this tour, I expected to be serenely floating through turquoise waters off a boat; what we got was very different, but at the end of the day we were glad we did it.  Having snorkeled all over the world, from Hawaii to the Red Sea to the Great Barrier Reef, I have never snorkeled from a beach, and I am glad that I finally got that experience, even if it was something I did not expect in Cabo.  I love experiencing new things, and this was certainly something different for me.  We really enjoyed the beaches and snorkeling, but I think it is important to understand the difference between beach and boat snorkeling before booking a beach snorkel.

Would I do this tour again? Absolutely. But now that I understand the difference between beach snorkeling and boat snorkeling, I would make that decision knowingly rather than by surprise. If you’re comfortable swimming, don’t mind a little extra effort, and enjoy exploring marine life from shore, this can be a wonderful experience. Just arrive with the right expectations, and you’ll likely enjoy it as much as we did.