Thanks to all for sharing stories and advice. I'm booked at White Sands Cove for first week in June, got my Safe Sea ordered and will bring flashlight and candles.

I'm wondering if there are any good snorkeling locations that are walking distance or even kayaking distance. From what i've read it looks like it's necessary to take a boat out. Thanks for any suggestions.

You can snorkel out near the piers. I've seen people do it all the time.

I'm going to HB in July... maybe I'll run into you!

The best snorkeling sites are by boat, you can stop at 2 or 3 on one trip, Hol chan is good but usually very crowded, Mexico rock's is very nice & hardly ever crowded.
As far as snorkelling from the beach it's not that good , try Ramones Pier.
Lot's of boat traffic inside the reef, so be very careful & stay close to the Piers.

Go up to Costa Maya Resort and rent a kayak. You can paddle out to Mexico Rocks, tie your kayak on a post, and snorkle. If it is your first time, you should practice snorkeling close to shore, where you can touch the bottom with your feet. Don't venture out to deeper water until you feel comfortable breathing through your snorkel.

thanks for the tips. I'm in count down mode; less than a month till we leave.

TQueen, July is a good time for HB. A little crowded with tourists ;-) but the weather should be nice. Main St. by the beach has alot of good restuarants and bars. Enjoy !

You won't want to snorkel from the piers unless it is just to get the feel of your equipment and snorkeling. I wouldn;t advice kayaking to the reef at all. We saw some people doing it and they were absolutely exhausted in the intense heat. Plus there are boats zooming through. Snorkleling is exhausting, especially if there is a strong current and I know that I wouldn't want to have to kayak home in that heat when I was so tired!
We went on several trips to the reef and found that it was the best way to snorkel. Easy too- they pick you up from your hotel's pier and the trips were about 2 hours each.
We LOVED hol chan/ shark ray alley. I would recommend going there first. We also like mexico rocks- quieter and we had more time.

Sophie

Not to over speak other posts here. IMHO White Sands Cove is far enough out of San Pedro, where the boat traffic is not so dense, healthy strong people, could kayak to the reef. (Getting back on that kayak, will be hard part)

I have enjoyed snokeling around and under piers, no coral to see, but large schools of fish that follow you, and stay just an arm's length away.

OF COURSE everyone must snorkel Hol Chon and SharkRay Alley. Mexico Rocks is good too.

We stayed at Paradise Villas and there were always small barracuda, large stingrays and a small lesser electric ray near the dock. They also have some artificial reefs at the end of the dock. Please, however don't swim out to the reef like the goofball did last week. He made it out and back but only after about six boats, including a taxi, had to stopp or slow down and warn him.

Right out front, and just a bit North, of White Sands you'll see a marker buoy about halfway between the reef and shore. That buoy marks several large coral heads that will make for great snorkeling.

If White Sands doesn't have Kayaks for rent then El Pescador or Captain Morgan's which are just a few minutes walk North will probably have them.

If you have it in you (and it's not that hard) keep going to the reef, there are lots of protected spots with very little current in that area. Just beware of going into the cut with the Kayak on a outbound tide.