El Cielo Cozumel: Unveiling The Island’s Amazing Underwater Gem
What is El Cielo Cozumel?
Welcome to El Cielo Cozumel, pronounced as L-C-L-O, which means “Heaven” in Spanish.
El Cielo Cozumel offers a serene snorkeling adventure, that lets you experience some of the clearest waters you’ll ever swim in, in your lifetime, and is also Cozumel’s best kept secret.
Disclosure: Our Webpage/Post contains affiliate links from trusted sites. This means when you make a purchase we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps us keep our content free. See our Disclaimer Policy for more information.
Where is El Cielo Cozumel Located?
El Cielo Cozumel sits just off the southwest coast of Mexico’s largest island, Cozumel, in an area only accessible by chartering a tour or excursion.
It’s part of the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park, granting its crystal-clear waters protection and nurturing an abundant array of marine life.
Here you can learn more about the extensive efforts taken by the Mexican government to aid in the restoration of the reefs ecosystem here. A portion of the fees from your snorkeling trip to El Cielo Cozumel go towards sustaining this conservation effort.
How to Get to El Cielo Cozumel?
Once you decide that a visit to El Cielo Cozumel is how your want to enjoy your day, it’s best to book your tour in advance and receive a booking confirmation.
Daytrips From Playa del Carmen and Cancun
With easy accessibility from the mainland, many people come to experience El Cielo Cozumel via a 30-45 minute ferry ride from Playa del Carmen.
The last ferry leaves Cozumel at 9:00 pm, so if you are on a 4-5 hour snorkeling tour you will have plenty of time to visit the square downtown and grab a bite to eat at one of the open-air restaurants in Benito Juarez Park.
Pro Tip: While on the ferry, make sure to grab a cold drink from the onboard cafe and head upstairs to the outside deck to see the beautiful blue waters as you cross the channel to Cozumel.
Vacationers Staying on the Island
For those vacationing on the island, it’s a quick taxi ride to south of town to Marina Cozumel ASIPONA (aka Marina Fonatur) or to the north at Puerto de Abrigo, to board your snorkel boat or have your tour operator pick you up at a designated location.
Tourists From the Cruise Ship
Once your cruise arrives at either Punta Langosta, Puerta Maya or The International Pier (aka the SSA cruise ship terminal), your snorkel tour operator will arrange a convenient meeting location to pick you up.
From there, it’s approximately a 13-16 mile boat ride to get to your snorkeling location, depending on which port you docked.
What to Expect on a Snorkeling Trip to El Cielo Cozumel
The best El Cielo Cozumel Tours are between 4-5 hours long and provide a safe clean boat with lifejackets and snorkel gear.
A light lunch of fruit, chips, guacamole, ceviche, along with beer, non-alcoholic drinks such as sodas and water are usually served.
Always check when booking your tour to see what food, if any, will be provided.
First Stop – Palancar Gardens and Columbia Reef
When you book your tour to El Cielo Cozumel, you are in for a treat, as you’ll also visit 2 additional, magnificent reefs before heading to your final destination.
Both Palancar Gardens Reef and Columbia Reef offer and amazing shallow reef from 30′-60′ deep and allow you to see some of the most amazing sea life and tropical fish in Cozumel.
It’s not uncommon to see a large sea turtle when snorkeling these reefs.
My very first dive here in Cozumel was in 1995, where I saw was a massive sea turtle, who was only unmatched in size by an even larger grouper, that thought my coral hair scrunchie was part of the reef.
El Cielo Cozumel
As you arrive at your final destination, you will hardly believe your eyes at how beautiful and blue the water actually is! You can elect to swim, snorkel or just float in the shallow waters, which are between 3′-5′ deep.
The starfish are the main attraction while on this tour, so make sure to take some great photographs, but remember to not touch the marine life.
Every time we’ve taken this tour, we’ve been visited by family of sting rays who wanted to enjoy our company too. Since they like to come in for a closer visit, we commonly do what’s called the “sting-ray shuffle” so they don’t get under our feet.
Playa El Cielo
Playa El Cielo or “Heaven beach” is a white sand beach, located about 100 yards from where your snorkel boat stops, but due to no amenities on the beach, most people elect to stick close by the boat.
What to Bring and Travel Tips
Items to Make Your Tour Comfortable:
Helpful Tips
- Unless you want to lose your hat, make sure it ties securely.
- Bring personal snacks, such as nuts or dried fruit, for the trip there and back.
- If having a bathroom on board the boat is a necessity, check prior to booking your tour to see if there is one onboard.
To Wrap Up
El Cielo Cozumel is a not-to-be-missed snorkeling experience waiting for you to explore. It’s a wonderful way to spend the day and to have a great story to share about your remote adventure in Cozumel.
Here’s What Others Are Saying
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When is the best time to visit El Cielo?
El Cielo is available for tours all year long.
It’s essential when planning your trip to El Cielo to consider the following;
• Hotter months are June-September.
• Active hurricane season is September-October.
• Norte’s, or storms that come from the north with higher winds, can occur from
• December-February.
• Take these occurrences into consideration when planning your trip to El Cielo.
•Make sure that the tour company you book with allows for refunds for inclement weather incidents.
Can I visit El Cielo independently?
No, El Cielo is reachable only by organized boat tours; private boats are not permitted.
Are there shaded areas at El Cielo?
El Cielo is a sandbar, so there is no shade. Boats have awnings that allow you to be out of the direct sunlight, but there is reflection off of the water. Consider bringing a hat and wearing rashguards for when you are in the water and a light T-shirt for when you are on
the boat.
Can cruise passengers visit El Cielo during a port stop?
Yes, cruise passengers can visit El Cielo during a port stop and is one of the most popular tours available while visiting the island for a day. Tour operators are experts at having you back to your cruise before it embarks later in the afternoon.
