Riviera Maya has endless options for nature tourism that are very often not so well known, but if you’re a curious traveller and on your way through the Mexican Caribbean you can’t miss out on taking a dive into the underwater world of the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park.
To discover the reef’s hidden universe, you don’t need to be an experienced diver, all you need is the desire to dive into this tepid water with some snorkelling gear and let the sea’s waves embrace you.
With only about 2 metres between the surface and the seabed you have the opportunity to enjoy close up a tremendous amount of unaccompanied species as well as shoals of multi-coloured fish scuttling among the Elkhorn, Pipe Organ and Staghorn coral forests in an intense array of violet, green, ochre, black, coffee, grey and pink colours. During the two hour tour with 2 stops, you can occasionally stumble upon snappers, stingrays, turtles, sea snails and with a bit of luck some lobsters.
To arrive at the park, you need to head towards the picturesque village of Puerto Morelos and ask for a boat with a guide that will then take you a few kilometres out to sea. The guide will show you the most beautiful areas of this coral reef and make sure your safe by providing life jackets and snorkelling equipment, which makes it a very suitable adventure for all the family.
Due to its rich flora and fauna, it’s a protected area, so we recommend you avoid touching the coral. The guide will give you all the necessary instructions before you jump off the boat. From our side, we recommend going with the flow, enjoying yourself, and if possible taking an underwater camera or mobile with a waterproof protective case to take some photos of this sub-aquatic paradise to bring back home.
Once the tour finishes, you could have a stroll around the village, it’s quite small but has a lot of foreigners which gives it a multi-cultural and relaxed feel. Or just kick back and relax on the white sandy beaches and enjoy the turquoise waters.
If you’re planning a visit to Riviera Maya, this is a must on your bucket list and BlueBay Grand Esmeralda is an excellent accommodation option. The staff at the hotel can organise the tour for you, so then, the only have to worry about is having a good time!
