Xcalak Snorkeling Travel Guide

Xcalak Snorkeling Travel Guide

Other Guides for Xcalak

Snorkeling Destinations Near Xcalak

Travel Guides Near Xcalak

Mexico Snorkeling Subregions

Beach Travel Destinations

advertisement
Snorkeling in Xcalak, Mexico
Snorkeling the waters of Xcalak (Nadine Markova/courtesy, Mexico Tourism)
Submit a travel tip

Submit a travel tip about Xcalak.
Read Our House Rules

On This Page:

Xcalak Snorkeling Travel Tips

By Gary Chandler

  • Snorkel in shallow water by the villas where families of sting rays, lobsters, and turtles hang out.
  • Watch for water traffic (although boaters generally steer clear of scuba areas), especially among the coral heads near the boat channel.
  • Borrow underwater flashlights from your hotel for nighttime snorkeling.
  • Sail to Chinchorro Bank, a huge coral atoll about two hours from Xcalak. The famous 40 Cannons shipwreck sits in just ten feet of water, making it the perfect snorkeling site.

Xcalak Travel Guide

By Christine Loomis
Xcalak (pronounced ish-ca-lak) is the southernmost town in the state of Quintana Roo. It is just a few miles by water from Belize and part of the developing Costa Maya region of Mexico, which is just south of the Riviera Maya. Unlike the Riviera Maya, however, Costa Maya does not have big cities with glitzy nightclubs and posh restaurants. The trade-off for what Xcalak doesn't have is what it does have: deep blue water and skies; the incredibly beautiful Parque Nacional Arrecifie de Xcalak; Cenote Azul; the nearby Mayan ruins of Chacchoben; and guides who know the best bonefishing flats, the best dive and snorkel sites, and the best inlets for tranquil kayaking. There are many places in Mexico that tourism websites and brochures refer to as "authentic" or "unspoiled" Mexico. Xcalak is one of the few for which those designations are undeniably true. Read More

Ask a Question

Do you have a travel question about this destination or can you provide a tip to a fellow traveler?

ask a question

Join the discussion with Away.com's in-house experts in our travel Q&A.

1 Questions | 0 Answers
  • can you get to Xcalak on a collectivo? do you need to rent a car? We are trying to plan a bus trip down there as a jump off spot to Ambergris Caye and Belize.
    Know the answer? Answer this question

Hotels

Sin Duda

n/a
Xcalak Map

Distance: 0.5 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
expert favorite hotel
Good For Snorkeling
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
3.0

Victoria House

Ambergris Caye
Belize Map

Distance: 27.4 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
expert favorite hotel
Good For Snorkeling
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
4.0

Matachica

Five miles north of town
San Pedro

Distance: 18.6 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
expert favorite hotel
Good For Snorkeling
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
All Xcalak Hotels »
advertisement

compare rates

Attractions

Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak

expert favorite attraction
Good For Snorkeling
Xcalak, Mexico

Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The portion of coral reef in front of Xcalak is a federally protected marine park, which makes for... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

expert favorite attraction
Good For Snorkeling
off Ambergris Caye
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize

Distance: 25.8 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is Belize's oldest marine reserve. Located four miles southeast of San... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0

Shark-Ray Alley

expert favorite attraction
Good For Snorkeling
off Ambergris Caye
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize

Distance: 25.8 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Shark-Ray Alley, one of the zones within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, is a recently discovered dive... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
All Xcalak Attractions »

Airports

Major Airports near Xcalak

Distance (mi.)
Cancun Airport 211.3 map

Other Smaller Airports near Xcalak

Distance (mi.)
Belize Philip S. Goldson International Airport 59.3 map
Flores Santa Elena Airport 164.3 map
Cozumel Airport 171.8 map

Trip Ideas

Other Xcalak Beach Travel Guides

Scuba Diving
»  All Beach Guides

Compare Rates

Powered by Trip.com
advertisement

Traveler's Currency Converter

Foreign Currency
U.S. Dollar Amount
$

Country
convert Currency

Powered by eZforex
advertisement