Santa Maria Bay and Chileno Bay snorkeling tour from Cabo San Lucas
- From Departs from Cabo San Lucas
- 4 hours
- up to 55 guests
- All year
Photos: rainer schmidt, CC BY 3.0 · Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Juan Cruzado Cortés, CC BY 4.0 · DestinationFearFan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jeff Gunn, CC BY 2.0
A half day from Marina Cabo San Lucas: past the Arch, then up the coast to snorkel and swim at anchor in Santa Maria Bay and Chileno Bay before the run back.
What you do
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
Highlights
- Two sheltered coves with rock reef a short swim from the boat
- A pass in front of the Arch on the way out
- The tourist corridor seen from the sea
- Calm water for a first snorkel, with the crew close by
About this trip
We designed this half day around the two snorkeling bays on the Los Cabos tourist corridor. Santa Maria Bay is about six nautical miles up the coast from Marina Cabo San Lucas in a straight line, and Chileno Bay a little over a mile beyond it. Both are coves whose rock headlands shield them from the swell and wind of the open coast, and Santa Maria's water is considered a marine sanctuary.
The boat leaves the marina, passes the Arch at Land's End, then runs east along the corridor. At Santa Maria it anchors off the rocks: a horseshoe cove between two granite headlands, with reef fish around the rocks at both ends. Chileno, the second stop, has a rock reef of boulders and outcrops in shallow water. Look for Panamic sergeant majors, parrotfish, and king and Cortez angelfish.
Mornings are usually calmer, with fewer boats in the bays. The captain reads the sea on the day: if one bay has swell or too many boats, you get the whole stop at the other.
Itinerary
After departure: 0:00
Board at Marina Cabo San Lucas
Meet the crew at the dock in Cabo San Lucas.
After departure: 0:10
The Arch
Out of the harbour for a pass along Land's End, the Arch and the sea lions, before the boat turns east.
After departure: 0:30
Along the corridor
About five and a half nautical miles east past the resorts of the tourist corridor, with drinks on deck on the boats that serve them.
After departure: 1:10
Santa Maria Bay
At anchor for about 50 minutes. Snorkel along the rocks at either end of the bay or swim off the stern.
After departure: 2:00
Chileno Bay
A short move to the next cove and about another 50 minutes in the water, with food on deck if your boat serves it.
After departure: 3:00
Return
About seven nautical miles back down the coast to Marina Cabo San Lucas.
Yachts that run this trip
Questions
How long is the boat ride?
About an hour from casting off to Santa Maria Bay, including the pass at the Arch, ten minutes between the bays, and just under an hour back, at 8 knots. That is the pace we plan this trip on, below the cruising speed of every boat on it that states one. Faster yachts leave more time at anchor.
Which is better, Santa Maria Bay or Chileno Bay?
They are a little over a mile apart and alike: two sheltered coves with rock at their edges and fish around it. This trip visits both when the sea allows.
Is snorkel gear provided?
All but two of the boats on this trip list snorkel gear, and many also carry paddleboards or a floating mat. The boat's page lists its equipment.
We have never snorkeled. Is this trip suitable?
Yes. Both bays are sheltered and you enter the water from the boat's swim platform or ladder. Tell the crew, wear a life jacket in the water, and stay near the boat. Children should be with an adult in the water. Currents can run at Chileno even on a good day, so the crew decides where and when you swim.
How cold is the water?
Coolest from February to May, in the low 70s °F (about 21 to 23°C), when a thin wetsuit or a rash guard makes a long swim more comfortable. Warmest in late summer and early autumn, above 80°F (27°C).
Is there a park fee?
The Arch lies inside the Cabo San Lucas Flora and Fauna Protection Area. CONANP, which runs it, charges 125 pesos per person per day, paid with a wristband. Children under 12, older adults, pensioners and people with disabilities are exempt, and Mexican nationals and residents pay half. We'll confirm whether your boat's price includes it.
Will we see whales?
Perhaps, in winter, when whales are seen along this coast. This is a snorkeling trip and no sighting is promised; for a trip built around them, take the whale-watching tour.
Where do we board?
At Marina Cabo San Lucas, where 17 of the boats on this trip are berthed. Heather Nikki and Number Juan are berthed at Puerto Los Cabos Marina in San José del Cabo and come round for it; their pages show the fee for starting in Cabo San Lucas.
What is included in the price?
It depends on the boat, and each boat's page lists what its price covers. Most include an open bar, and many include a meal. Some add tax, or a fee per guest above a base group size. The price shown for this trip is the lowest charter price among its boats for this length of trip.
How many people can come?
The boats listed for this trip take from 10 to 55 guests and run from 43 to 108 feet. The smallest limit is on Vaduna, a 45-foot motor yacht for 10; Blue Moon, a 74-foot catamaran, takes 55. Each boat's page gives its limit, and some price a base group and charge per guest above it.
How do I book, and what happens in bad weather?
A 50% deposit confirms the date, and the balance is due 7 days before the trip. If the trip cannot run because of weather, you get a full refund or a new date. Cancellation terms otherwise vary by boat, and we confirm them in writing before you book.
Is the crew's tip included?
Usually not. Several boats on this trip name 15% to 20% of the charter price as the usual tip, and the amount is yours to decide.
$1,680+ Tax
4 hours · 2 guests