Snorkeling at Santa Maria Beach, Cabo: All You Need to Know

So you want to go snorkeling at Santa Maria Beach, Cabo San Lucas? Great idea! It’s one of the best places to snorkel in Los Cabos.

And guess what? You might even see whales. Seriously! But let’s start this fishy-sounding tale from the beginning, because the whales are just a bonus. You’ll definitely see tons of tropical fish.

The bay is a marine preserve in the Sea of Cortez (renowned for its marine life), so it’s an excellent spot for snorkeling.

There’s not a ripple stirring the sea. The water is so clear, we can spot tiny iridescent blue fish (damselfish?) at least 50 feet away, darting about the reef.

Santa Maria Bay snorkeling

The coarse golden sand (mixed with small pebbles) is pristine. And its calm waters make it a great choice for swimming, even if you’re not interested in snorkeling.

Santa Maria Bay snorkeling

Drying off on the beach in the sun, after more than an hour in the water, we spot the whales. They’re about 100 feet away from us. They just keep spouting and finning and showing us a whale of a time.

Photo: Andrea Norrie

See whales when snorkeling Santa Maria Bay, Cabo!

Here’s the key. We didn’t take a tour to go snorkeling at Santa Maria Beach.

Tips: Snorkeling at Santa Maria Beach your own way

The first of the snorkel tour boats arrive around 10:00 am. Often by 11:00 am, there are some five snorkeling tour boats anchored in the bay.

Photo: Andrea Norrie

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