Chileno Reef

Stretching half a mile out to sea from popular Chileno Beach, the reef is a paradise for Cabo San Lucas snorkelers, with crystal clear water and incredible coral formations brimming with an incredible variety of marine life including giant manta rays, tuna, starfish, urchins, eels, sharks, sea turtles and so much more. Clear, calm, warm waters fringe an easily accessed beach where you’ll find super morning snorkeling. Head to the far end of the beach farthest to the right for excellent snorkeling; here you’ll find exotic coral formations and a multitude of tropical fish. You can book an exciting Cabo San Lucas snorkeling tour to visit sites further out on the reef. As you pass Lover’s Beach, be sure to keep an eye out for the big colony of sea lions, the iconic Cabo Arch and the exotic rock formations of Land's End.

Cabo Pulmo

The desert kisses the sea at the Sea of Cortez, where schools of colorful fish stream by on one side, while cacti fringe the other. Protected by the Mexican government, Cabo Pulmo Marine Life Preserve encompasses the only living reef in the Sea of Cortez and is considered one of the top snorkeling spots in Mexico. Located between Cabo and Pulmo and Los Frailes, the park is about two hours from Cabo San Lucas on the cape’s east coast. Unlike many others, the reef at Cabo Pulmo has grown 300 percent since it became protected. The most northerly coral reef of the western Pacific, Cabo Pulmo’s eight-fingered habitat is still in a healthy state, with depths ranging from 15 to 100 feet. Swim among rays, turtles, eels and tropical reef fish. Better yet, some great snorkeling sites start close to the shore.

Santa Maria Cove

Offering some of the hottest Cabo San Lucas snorkeling, this beautiful cove has warm, calm waters fringed by long, lovely stretches of sand. Renowned as one of the best beaches in the area for snorkeling, Playa Santa Maria’s curved north wall is lined with gorgonians (sea fans) and alive with schools of brilliantly hued tropical fish, giant sea turtles and manta rays. This protected, horseshoe-shaped beach is flanked by craggy rock formations, sheltering pristine waters perfect for all snorkelers from beginners to experienced, and the marine park is also popular with scuba divers.

Swimming Skills

Even folks who aren’t strong swimmers will find that floating in salt water is easier than it may seem. The high salt content of seawater means your body is more buoyant than in fresh water. Add some comfortable, well-fitted snorkeling fins and you can keep going for hours. However, if you are not a confident swimmer, it may be best to take some basic lessons before taking to the seas. Safety is the number one rule of snorkeling, so avoid snorkeling alone and always stay alert to surrounding water conditions.

Snorkeling Gear

Basic snorkeling equipment consists of a mask or goggles, snorkel breathing tube and swim fins. All gear comes in a range of sizes and prices, but comfort and fit should be your first priority. If you’re snorkeling in cooler water, you may want to add a wetsuit or dive skin (which can also protect from the sun) to your list of necessary equipment. When using swim open-back swim fins, many people opt to wear diving booties. An inflatable snorkeling vest provides an added level of safety.

Getting Your Gear On

It’s best to try out snorkeling first in a swimming pool or in shallow water off a beach before you head out on Cabo San Lucas snorkeling tours. First make sure your mask is not too loose or too tight around the nose eyes and that it is free of fog. All of the mouthpiece should fit comfortably in the mouth. Test fins for snugness; you may put them on either in or out of the water.

Keeping Gear Clear

If your mask gets foggy, use a defogging product or simply spit into the mask and then rinse out. Prepare the snorkel by securing to the mask with its clip and making sure the tube can be adjusted for comfort. Masks and snorkels occasionally fill with water from open waves or splashes. To clear a mask, simply lift your head clear of the water and pull forward on the front of the mask, while a snorkel can be cleared by exhaling a strong breath out through your mouth.

Starting Out

Once your gear is in place and comfortable, you’re ready to take off. First, put your head in the water and practice breathing through the snorkel; although it may feel peculiar at first, just relax and you’ll quickly get used to the sensation. Kick off with the fins and you’re on your way; the easiest kick to use is the basic flutter kick, keeping a slow and comfortable pace. The dolphin kick, in which both legs sweep up and down together, is another form of propulsion. Arms should be kept at your sides to reduce drag. Once you’ve mastered basic techniques in the pool, you can start off practicing in a sheltered by or cove before setting off on an exciting Cabo San Lucas snorkeling tour of local reefs and dive spots. After you’ve mastered the art of snorkeling along the surface, you can try some more advanced maneuvers like diving below the surface either feet-first or head-first.

Mask or Goggles

Since the whole point of snorkeling is to see clearly and comfortably under the water, your eye gear is perhaps your most important piece of equipment. Although some people use regular swimming goggles while snorkeling, most folks prefer the comfort of s watertight mask especially designed for scuba diving and snorkeling. Although there are many who argue the relative merits of one manufacturer over another, most snorkelers will agree that the single most important thing when choosing a mask is fit. Try on any mask before buying and be sure the mask skirt fits snugly around your face, as certain styles and manufacturers may better suit differently shaped faces. Tempered glass is much better for the lens, as it doesn't scratch as easily as plastic.

Snorkel Tube

The snorkel allows you to breathe as you swim face down in the water. Attached to the side of your face mask or goggles strap, it has a soft mouthpiece that seals out water. Some snorkels are solid, others have a flexible tube section, and some have a purge valve that has a sump area to collect any water that has come down the tube. Choose a snorkel that is comfortable and has the right fit for your mouth size. Generally, it's easier to wear a snorkel with a mask rather than goggles, as attachment of a sturdy and heavy tube can cause the watertight seal around the goggles to break easily. Masks, on the other hand, are designed for use with a snorkel tube or breathing apparatus used in scuba diving.

Snorkeling Fins

Of course, you'll want to be able to move with ease through the water, and the large surface of fins compared to your foot can give a lot more power to your swimming stroke. Full-fit fins have a rubber slipper in back that holds your heel, while open-heel fins cover your toes but just have a strap around your heel. Snorkel fins are smaller and lighter than scuba fins, as they only have to propel your body, and not your body plus a heavy air tank. Like masks, fins should be tried on for best fit and comfort, since feet, much like faces, come in all different shapes and sizes.

Fins should fit well as far as length, width and arch height. If possible, try them on in the water with any fin socks or booties you plan to wear. You'll be aiming for a snug fit, as too-loose fins will fall off and too-tight ones will hinder circulations. Three-way straps that fit over your heel, ankle and instep are called fin straps and can be used with open-heel fins that are just a little too big, and booties can be worn to protect feet from coral and rocks.

The Difference Between Snorkeling Masks and Goggles

Diving masks are made especially for snorkeling and scuba diving, and most are fairly large and rectangular, reaching from high on the forehead almost to the bottom of the nose. Most masks have a double flanged seal that fits around the face to keep the mask watertight. Swim goggles are generally round or oval in shape, are smaller than masks and fit closer to the eyes. They are primarily intended for use while swimming and seal only the wearer's eyes, not the nose as in a scuba mask.

Ease of Keeping a Watertight Seal

If you're on or near the surface, you may be able to get by with just goggles, but it may be difficult to maintain their seal when you attach a relatively bulky and heavy snorkel. Because goggles seal according to the tightness of the strap, addition of the snorkel may make it difficult to maintain a seal. Scuba masks, on the other hand, are made to keep a watertight seal no matter how tight the strap is. Because they are also intended for deep sea scuba diving, a properly fitting mask is very good at keeping water out. Keeping water out of eye gear is also important because water can cause fogging of the lens, and it's much easier to keep masks free of water.

Using the Snorkel Tube with a Mask or Goggles

Learning to breathe only through your mouth while using a snorkel takes some practice, and it's easier to accidentally inhale water while wearing goggles since they don't cover your nose. However, a little extra practice or a nose plug may take care of this problem. Masks, on the other hand, are designed for comfortable, watertight use with the snorkel breathing tube.

Underwater Pressure

If you plan to dive down below the surface while enjoying some amazing Cabo San Lucas snorkeling tours, you will want to wear a dive mask as it has more air volume to keep you from getting “mask squeeze”. Water is 800 times denser than air, and is you dive down while deep snorkeling, pressure can cause the air spaces in the goggles or mask to compress, pushing them tighter against the face in such a way as to cause pain, discomfort and sometimes bruising. Because your nose can exhale a little air into the mask, the air inside the mask can be more easily equalized with the water pressure outside the mask. Equalized pressure can help you you avoid mask squeeze.

Overall, most snorkelers prefer a scuba mask over swim goggles. They stay clearer, keep a better watertight seal, equalize pressure for more comfort and accommodate a snorkeling tube more securely.