Best Cenote and Manatee Snorkeling: Our Top 15

1.Viator Exclusive: Tulum Ruins, Reef Snorkeling, Cenote and Caves

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,242 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $129Our pick

Spend a full day visiting Tulum’s seaside ruins, snorkeling a Caribbean reef, and swimming in a cave cenote. Guides such as Suly, Raul, Ulrich, and Mimi add history and hands-on help. Pickup, gear, lunch, and entrance fees are included, but bring $35 cash for conservation fees.

“The entire experience was great: Tulum, snorkeling and cenote. The guide Ulrick was very informative and safe. The ride to and from was not too long and comfortable. Compared to other tours we took, this was a joy. We highly recommend it.”

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2.The ‘OG’ Manatee Snorkel Tour with In-Water Guide/Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,539 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $76

Join River Ventures in Crystal River for a three-hour manatee swim with an in-water guide and photographer. You will cruise Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs, learn encounter rules, wear provided gear, and return with optional photos. Groups are limited to 10 people.

“AMAZING!! Eddie and JJ were our guides and did a fantastic job. Within minutes, with the help of JJ’s drone, they found 2 manatees and we jumped in the water. Eddie was super helpful navigating everyone to see the manatees. There ended up being 3 manatees- a mom, calf and young male all in the same area. This was truly an unforgettable experience and can’t wait to do it again! Highly recommend!”

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3.Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,039 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $99

You’ll snorkel with sea turtles, rays, squid, and tropical fish at Akumal Beach, then walk through caves and swim in Parque de Cenotes Yax-Muul. Guides such as Max, Marina, and Daniel keep the day moving, while an early pickup helps you beat some of the crowds.

“We truly relished snorkeling with the turtles and swimming through the cenote caverns. The cenote cavern was one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. Our guide, Maryna, did an excellent job managing the activities and making sure everyone was safe and enjoying themselves.”

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4.Tulum Guided Tour, Magical Cenote, Lagoon Snorkeling and Beachside Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,888 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $169

Spend about six and a half hours visiting Tulum, swimming through El Sueño cenote, snorkeling at Yal Ku Lagoon, and eating lunch by the beach. Small groups, bilingual guides, gear, snacks, and hotel transport are included. Bring a towel, refillable bottle, and extra food for the late lunch.

“My wife and I are traveling to Mexico for the first time and took this tour today. I am not a very strong swimmer and our guide Miguel was so helpful throughout and made me feel safe at all times when we were in the water. We forgot towels, but Miguel was prepared with extras. He gave us snacks after the first stop. The activities are fun and very well planned. The hotel pick up was prompt and we had a great day. Highly recommend!! Note: please carry refillable water bottles to Tulum ruins since they have banned single use plastic and made us trash our water bottles.”

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5.5-in-1 Cancun Snorkeling: Turtles, Reef, Musa, Shipwreck, Cenote

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,678 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $79

Swim in calm, shallow water with guides such as Daisy, Chuy, Mauricio, and Kiko, visiting reef, turtles, MUSA statues, a shipwreck, and a cenote. The tour suits first-time snorkelers, includes gear and Cancun transport, and charges a $20 dock fee separately.

“Warning: This company does not always honor reservations, and can simply cancel on you. We booked the snorkeling tour with transportation on Viator for the next day. But, the company contacted us to tell us (morning-of) that transportation would not be available for us. Instead, they offered that we either arrive at the pier absurdly early for check-in (at the pier at 8:00am), or reschedule for the next day. We opted to reschedule for the next day, and they told us we would have an 8:40 am pickup. (Already this is fishy because the day before, they requested that we get our own transportation to arrive at the the pier…”

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6.Guided Small Group Manatee Snorkeling Tour with In-Water Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,336 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $79

Meet your guide at Gulf Coast Expeditions in Crystal River for a three-hour, six-person manatee tour. Guides such as Crystal, Celeste, Ron, and Mike lead the safety talk, locate the animals, and take in-water photos. Wetsuits, snorkel gear, coffee, and hot cocoa are provided.

“The guides were patient and kind and helped me when I was uncomfortable with my ability to swim well. I was able to actually float above the manatees My only recommendation is a little more obvious signage”

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7.Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,222 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $169

You’ll swim through a Mayan cenote with guides such as Omar, Paulina, or Iker, then snorkel from a boat toward Akumal Beach to look for turtles, rays, fish, and coral. A beach-club lunch follows. Pickup is included, but long hotel transfers can turn this 4.5-hour outing into most of a day.

“Really enjoyed the tour in the cenote. We were expecting a quick swim but got much more and it was a nice surprise. Only negatives were we didn’t get much detail before and spent a lot of time in the van but that part is on us bc we didn’t check location before”

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8.Exclusive Small Group VIP Heated Manatee Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,023 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $108

Join River Ventures in Crystal River for a small-group manatee snorkel tour led by a Coast Guard certified captain and in-water guide. You’ll watch a safety video, wear a provided wetsuit, cruise Kings Bay, and float quietly near wild manatees when conditions allow. Heated cabins, drinks, snacks, and optional photos are included.

“I would like to see my pictures from the trip I still haven’t received them Enjoyed our trip very much But would love our pictures”

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9.Magical Cenote and Paradise Lagoon Snorkeling Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 808 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $99

Travel by air-conditioned van to a cave cenote and Yal-Ku Lagoon, where guides such as Hazel, Omar, or Santiago lead easy swims, explain Mayan water systems, and provide gear, life jackets, snacks, and water. Expect cold cenote water, no personal devices inside, and limited lagoon time.

“So many fish to see while snorkeling. Underground cenote was fascinating. Our tour guide Rodrigo and driver Carlos took care of everyone on the trip. Great way to spend 1/2 a day on the Mayan Riviera.”

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10.Crystal River: Manatee Snorkel Tour w/ In-Water Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 633 reviews · 3 hours · from $87

Spend three hours with River Ventures at Crystal River, learning passive manatee interaction before riding a covered pontoon to the springs. A Coast Guard captain and in-water guide, such as Natalie or James, lead the group. The $87 price includes gear, wetsuit, water, and parking, but not photos.

“Everything was great. Our guide James and captain Chris did a great job, we saw manatees😀, everything was perfect.”

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11.Private ‘OG’ Manatee Snorkel Tour with Guide for up to 10 people

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 598 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

This private River Ventures outing takes your group into Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge to snorkel near wild manatees. Guides such as Sarah, Kelly, Dave, and Lindsey have helped families and first-time swimmers enjoy the water. Gear, wetsuits, bottled water, and instruction are included.

“The captain and mate (Micheal and Dani) were great we loved them, I would have rated this 5 stars if maybe we were warned ahead of time that we were going to be in very murky water and not really see much of the manatees. It was a fun day but we only really saw one maybe two and there were a lot of other tours in the same area and we only could spend a limited time with the one we saw. I have done the tour before and it was in the winter in the springs. That is the way to go, don't go anytime past February or…”

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12.Manatee Snorkel Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 581 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $95

Head from downtown Crystal River to the manatee refuge and Three Sisters Springs with a maximum of six travelers. Your in-water guide handles safety and wildlife rules while the captain searches for manatees. Wetsuits, masks, snorkels, parking, and a scenic boat ride are included.

“Excellent tour guide providing interesting details added to the trip (Zachary)! Or Captain Jason was excellent. You can tell they love these animals and it shows. Very well run organization, good price, super cute shop and very helpful overall.”

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13.Small Group Manatee Snorkel Tour with In-Water Guide and Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 574 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $89

Meet at Salty Siren Tours in Crystal River for a three-hour manatee outing limited to six people. You receive a wetsuit and snorkel gear, learn passive observation, then ride a heated enclosed pontoon to Kings Bay. Guides such as Tyler, Robin, Kim, and Captain Ed may help you find manatees and capture optional photos.

“We had a wonderful experience! Jessica and Captain Ed took great care of us and made it a memorable experience.”

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14.Tulum, Snorkeling with Sea Turtles, Cenote and Beachside Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 446 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $189

Spend about 6.5 hours visiting Tulum’s coastal ruins, swimming in Cenote el Sueño, snorkeling with sea turtles at Akumal, and eating at Punta Venado Beach Club. Guides such as Felix, Paulina, and Mario add history and humor, while lunch comes late, so bring breakfast and snacks.

“We highly recommend this tour! Our combo of Jorge (driver) and Felix (tour guide) made the day fun and informative. While we drove between sites, Felix made sure to give us details about what we were going to be doing and things to avoid. This collection of activities was a perfect day for our family of 3!”

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15.Private Tulum Ruins, Reef Snorkel & Cenote Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 304 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $332

You’ll visit Tulum with a private bilingual guide, snorkel a reef reached by a short boat ride, and swim in Yax-Muul cenotes. Guides such as Alma, Arturo, and Mariano have led especially praised outings. Hotel pickup, tacos, equipment, water, and private transport are included.

“This private tour was the highlight of our trip and one that I can’t recommend any higher. The tour was seamless with the pick-up from our hotel, drive to Tulum ruins, short hike to the boat that took us to the reef where we saw fish, rays, and sea turtles, and culminated in a short drive to the underground which was truly amazing. So thankful for our tour guide Mariano, our photographer Lara. You gave us an amazing day and memory!! So thankful!”

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