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Looking Under the Water Mirror
Los Cabos Four Remarkable Snorkeling Spots
There is nothing more amazing than looking into another world, with its own creatures and shapes, its own vibrant and colorful flora… Its own magic.
Been snorkeling in these waters for years, in every season, during the mornings, middays, afternoons and even nights. During the course of my water exploration I have had so many diverse experiences, from the most common one, watching the playful tropical fishes to the awesome and unexpected sightings. Several times during the winter, submerged on apnea I had the opportunity to hear the sounds of frolicking humpback whales in the mysterious and unseen distance. Here is a small but informative list of four tourist snorkeling spots.
This is a super popular snorkeling spot, because is very easy to swim here and is perfect for beginners, there are some coral attached to the rock formations and several groups of tropical fishes just a few feet from the shoreline and is not a deep place, in general 7 to 10 feet deep. If you are more advanced in this activity, you can go further into the ocean, there is a line of rocks that you can appreciate from the surface, over there you’ll find bigger fishes; Groupers, Sea Bass, Snappers, Octopus, even Lobsters. Once I got the chance to see an eagle ray, it was an amazing spectacle watching her “flying” through the blue. In that same spot I heard the whales singing when I was underwater. You can get here aboard a snorkeling cruise, many boats come here for that activity or you can drive a car and leave it in the parking lot. The beach has several palapas where you can stay and be away from the sun. Definitely a place to visit.
Photo provided by Cabo Expeditions
This is a pebble beach that you can access either with a car that can be left in the parking lot or aboard a snorkeling cruise boat. Santa Maria is another popular place for snorkeling, it has a “U” shape and you can explore both ends of the bay; the most visited is the right side (facing the ocean from the beach). Like Chileno, the tropical fishes are very close to the shore, with the difference that the more you get inside, the deeper it gets, from very shallow to 20 or 30 feet in the edge of the bay, if you are coming from a boat, you’ll have to swim to get to the rock formations where all the marine life is. You should be aware that in the middle of this U shaped beach, the water sometimes form strong currents and undertow, is better to be on either side of the bay.
Photo provided by Cabo Adventures
You need to get her by boat; the water taxis come and go all the time. Once you are in the beach, the place to go is Neptune’s Finger, there’s no way to miss it. The side facing the beach is not too deep; the side facing the bay goes deeper. Be careful with the currents and with all the Pangas (water taxi boats) that pass along that area. In this spot is likely for you to see bigger fauna since the underwater canyon is right there; if you are lucky you might see some Sealions, Turtles or even a Tuna. Believe it or not I saw once a big Sun Fish, the Japanese call it Mola-Mola, in Mexico we call it “Pez Luna (Moon Fish).
Photo provided by Cabo Expeditions
Also known in Spanish as “La Anegada”. This is the spot if you want to see some marine ecosystem in its entirety. There are several schools of tropical fishes everywhere, you will find yourself surrounded by them, they are spoiled with all the crackers that are thrown to them by the many tourists that went by aboard the glass bottom boats. As in Lover’s Beach, be careful with the currents; you can circle the big “Anegada” rock and watch the side that faces the bay, you might be able to see big animals, I have seen schools of Mobulas, like Mantas, but smaller, Sealions, Groupers, Snappers, etc.
Photo provided by Cabo Adventures
All in all, Los Cabos really offer an underwater paradise too, Jacques Cousteau used to call the Sea of Cortez, “ The aquarium of the World”.
Written By Antonio Vargas
