Starting from — per person
$3,000.00
✓ Free cancellation up to 24h before
The Pacific coast between Puerto Escondido and Puerto Ángel contains some of the best snorkeling in southern Mexico. The problem is that most of it is inaccessible without a boat — the hidden bays, the protected coves, the coral formations that sit in water too deep to reach from shore.
This tour solves that problem. A traditional panga boat departs from Playa Panteón in Puerto Ángel at first light and takes you directly to three snorkeling sites that don’t appear on any tourist map — Playa La Mina, Media Luna, and Estacahuite — where sea stars, needlefish, octopuses, and schools of colorful reef fish move through Pacific coral formations in water so clear you can see the bottom from the surface.
Six hours. Three hidden sites. One of the most biodiverse stretches of Pacific coastline in Oaxaca. All equipment included. No experience required.
Puerto Escondido is known for surf, not snorkeling — and that reputation leads most visitors to overlook what exists just east along the coast. The stretch of Pacific between Puerto Escondido and Puerto Ángel is protected from the dominant northwest swell by geography, creating pockets of calm, clear water in sheltered coves where coral has developed undisturbed for decades.
Playa La Mina, Media Luna, and Estacahuite are three of these pockets. They are not accessible by road or easily reachable on foot. The only practical way to reach all three in a single day is by panga — the traditional open fishing boat that has worked these waters for generations. Your guide knows which sites are active on any given morning, reads the conditions before departure, and adapts the route to give you the best visibility and the most marine life.
This is not a beach snorkeling tour with a float and a mask. This is an offshore expedition into Pacific reef systems that most tourists who visit Oaxaca never see.
Pickup from your accommodation in Puerto Escondido at 7:00 AM for the one-hour scenic drive east along the Oaxacan coast to Puerto Ángel. The drive follows the coastline through fishing villages, tropical vegetation, and viewpoints over the Pacific — your guide covers the marine biology and geography of the area you’re about to explore. By the time you arrive, you understand what you’re looking for underwater.
The tour departs from Playa Panteón — a protected beach inside Puerto Ángel’s natural harbor, one of the calmest departure points on the coast. You board a traditional panga boat with your snorkeling guide, receive a briefing on the day’s sites and conditions, and head out into the open Pacific. En route, keep your eyes on the water — sea turtles and dolphins are frequently spotted in these waters before you even reach the first snorkeling site.
Playa La Mina is a small, secluded beach accessible only by boat — no road, no path, no crowds. The reef here sits in shallow, crystal-clear water and hosts an extraordinary variety of reef fish: parrotfish, angelfish, trumpetfish, and schools of smaller species that move through the coral in coordinated waves. Your snorkeling guide is in the water with you, pointing out species and directing you toward the most active sections of the reef.
Media Luna — Half Moon Bay — is named for the shape of its shoreline, a perfect crescent of sand enclosed by rock formations that create one of the most protected bodies of water on the coast. The calm inside the bay means exceptional visibility. The reef here runs along the rocky edges of the cove, where octopuses hide in crevices, sea stars cling to boulders, and needlefish hover in the shallows above the sand.
Estacahuite is the deepest and most diverse of the three sites — a protected bay near Puerto Ángel where Pacific coral formations have developed in calm, nutrient-rich water. The underwater landscape here is genuinely dramatic: coral structures at varying depths, large fish species that aren’t present at the shallower sites, and the particular quality of Pacific light filtering down through clear water that makes the reef look different from anything in the Caribbean.
This is the site that converts people who thought they weren’t interested in snorkeling.
After the snorkeling circuit, the tour stops in Mazunte for a tasting of three of Oaxaca’s most celebrated products: single-origin coffee from the Sierra Sur highlands, traditional stone-ground chocolate, and artisanal mezcal produced using ancestral methods. Mazunte is one of the most interesting small towns on the Oaxacan coast — a community that rebuilt its entire economy around sustainable production after the sea turtle harvesting industry was banned. The tasting takes place in this context, which makes it more than just a stop.
Return drive to Puerto Escondido along the coastal highway. Total time from pickup to drop-off is approximately 6 hours. You arrive back in the early afternoon with the particular tiredness that comes from a morning spent mostly underwater, in the sun, on the Pacific Ocean.
The three sites on this tour cover different reef systems and water depths, which means different marine communities at each location. Across the full circuit, expect to encounter sea turtles (green turtles are resident in these waters year-round), octopuses in rocky crevices, sea stars on the sandy bottom, needlefish in the shallows, parrotfish, angelfish, and large schools of smaller reef species. Dolphins are frequently spotted from the boat between sites.
Marine life sightings vary by season, weather, and conditions on the day. Your guide monitors conditions in advance and selects the site order to maximize what you see. Sea turtle encounters at Estacahuite and Playa La Mina are among the most consistent on the Oaxacan coast.
The snorkeling sites on this tour are active year-round, but visibility and conditions vary significantly by season. The dry season (November through April) delivers the best underwater visibility — calm seas, minimal runoff into the bays, and water clarity that regularly exceeds 15 meters. The rainy season (June through October) brings warmer water temperatures and more active marine life, though visibility can be reduced after heavy rainfall.
Sea turtle activity peaks between July and December — coinciding with nesting season on the Oaxacan coast — making this period especially good for in-water encounters. Whale sharks pass through these waters seasonally; contact us for current sighting reports before booking.
Private tours are available for groups of up to 20 people. A private Pacific snorkeling expedition means the boat, the guide, and the three snorkeling sites are exclusively yours — your own schedule, your own pace, and the option to spend more time at sites the group particularly enjoys. Ideal for families, friend groups, diving clubs, and special occasions. Contact us via WhatsApp for availability and pricing.
The three snorkeling sites are active year-round, but conditions vary. Dry season delivers the best visibility — up to 15 meters in calm, clear water. Rainy season brings warmer temperatures and more active marine life. Sea turtle activity peaks July through December, coinciding with nesting season on the Oaxacan coast.
The tour visits three snorkeling sites accessible only by boat along the Oaxacan coast: Playa La Mina, a secluded beach with a shallow reef full of tropical fish; Media Luna (Half Moon Bay), a protected crescent cove with exceptional visibility, octopuses, and sea stars; and Estacahuite, the deepest and most diverse of the three, with developed Pacific coral formations and frequent sea turtle encounters. All three sites are inaccessible by road and unknown to most visitors who don't take a boat tour.
Sea turtle encounters are among the most consistent on this tour. Green sea turtles are resident year-round in the waters around Estacahuite and Playa La Mina, and in-water encounters during snorkeling are common. Sea turtle activity peaks between July and December, coinciding with nesting season on the Oaxacan coast. Dolphins are also frequently spotted from the boat between snorkeling sites on the open Pacific. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed, but your guide reads conditions daily and routes the tour to maximize encounter opportunities.
No experience is needed. Full snorkeling equipment is provided including mask, fins, snorkel, and flotation vest. Your snorkeling guide gives a complete briefing before the first site and remains in the water with you throughout. The tour is suitable for first-time snorkelers, strong swimmers, and experienced divers alike — the guide adapts the depth and duration at each site to match the group's comfort level. The minimum age is 10 years.
Across the three sites, expect to encounter sea turtles, octopuses in rocky crevices, sea stars on sandy bottoms, needlefish in the shallows, parrotfish, angelfish, trumpetfish, and large schools of reef species at varying depths. Each site has a different reef system and water depth, which means a genuinely different marine community at each stop. Dolphins are frequently spotted from the boat between snorkeling sites. Marine life activity varies by season and conditions on the day.
The boat departs from Playa Panteón in Puerto Ángel — a protected beach inside the natural harbor, approximately one hour from Puerto Escondido by road. Round-trip transportation from your accommodation within Puerto Escondido is included in the tour price. Pickup is at 7:00 AM from your hotel. If you are staying outside Puerto Escondido, transportation can be arranged for an additional cost — contact us before booking.
The snorkeling sites are active year-round, but the best underwater visibility occurs during the dry season (November through April) when seas are calm and there is minimal river runoff into the bays — visibility regularly reaches 15 meters or more. The rainy season (June through October) brings warmer water temperatures and more active reef life, though visibility can be reduced after heavy rainfall. July through December is peak sea turtle season on the Oaxacan coast, making this period especially good for in-water turtle encounters.
Bring reef-safe mineral sunscreen — standard chemical sunscreens damage coral reefs and we ask all guests to use mineral-based alternatives at the snorkeling sites. Also bring a swimsuit, comfortable clothing for the boat and driving portions, a towel, and cash for any optional purchases in Mazunte or lunch in Puerto Ángel. Water is provided throughout the day. All snorkeling equipment is included — you do not need to bring your own mask or fins.
Lunch is not included in the tour price, but the route passes through Puerto Ángel where several excellent seafood restaurants are located directly on Playa del Panteón — fresh catches, local prices, and one of the most beautiful small harbor settings on the Oaxacan coast. Budget approximately $10–15 USD per person for lunch. The Mazunte tasting stop (coffee, chocolate, and mezcal) is included and provides a satisfying mid-tour break.
Yes. Private tours are available for groups of up to 20 people. A private Pacific snorkeling expedition means the boat, the guides, and all three reef sites are exclusively yours — your own schedule, your own pace, and the flexibility to spend more time at any site the group particularly enjoys. Private tours are ideal for families, friend groups, diving clubs, honeymoons, and special occasions. Contact us via WhatsApp for availability and pricing.
Most snorkeling near Puerto Escondido is done from the beach in shallow, heavily visited water. This tour is a offshore boat expedition to three sites that are inaccessible without a panga — meaning the reefs are undisturbed, the fish populations are healthier, and the experience is genuinely different from anything available from shore. Visiting three distinct reef systems in a single morning, with a certified snorkeling guide in the water at each site, and combining it with a cultural tasting stop in Mazunte, makes this the most comprehensive snorkeling experience available from Puerto Escondido.
$3,000.00
$3,000.00
