Just slip in
Snorkelling in San Blas asks almost nothing of you. No tank, no certification, no course — a mask, fins, and warm water you can see straight to the bottom of. The lagoons sit around 28 °C, shallow and clear, and because the catamaran anchors right over the good stuff, the reef is usually a few strokes off the back step.
Reefs no day-tour reaches
Sailing by the cabin means we anchor where we like — the outer cays the day-boats rarely reach: Cayos Holandeses, Cayos Limones, Cayos Coco Bandero, and the sandbanks where starfish gather. Float over a reef left alone for centuries, watch a ray glide across the sand, a nurse shark slide past below, a lobster backed into a ledge, then swim home for lunch. Most days, the only people out there are the ones you sailed in with.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need snorkelling experience?
No — if you can swim, you can snorkel here. The water's warm, calm and shallow, and we carry masks, snorkels and fins aboard. It's the easiest way into the underwater world.
What will I see?
Rays, nurse sharks, lobsters tucked into the reef, starfish scattered across the sandbanks, reef fish and turtles. San Blas reefs are largely left alone, so there's far more life than on a busy tourist reef.
Where's the best snorkelling in San Blas?
Some of the best is around the outer cays — Cayos Holandeses, Cayos Limones and Cayos Coco Bandero — where the reef and the starfish sandbanks are. Because we sail, we anchor right at them and snorkel before the day-boats arrive.
Why snorkel from a catamaran instead of a day tour?
Because we anchor where the day-boats don't — coral heads and sandbanks off uninhabited islands. You snorkel them on your schedule, usually with the whole reef to yourself, then climb aboard for lunch.
