Glide across turquoise water to Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, snorkel the reef with an open bar on deck, or charter a private boat for your own group. Compare the best Playa del Carmen boat tours side by side and book your cruise with free cancellation.
Quick answer
Playa del Carmen is a departure point rather than a destination for boats. The Cozumel ferry crosses in 45 minutes for $38 to $43 return and runs all day. Everything else is a trip out of the town: a reef snorkel catamaran from Maroma at $85, a Cozumel catamaran at $74, a two-hour sunset sail at $89, a private snorkel from Puerto Morelos at $130, Isla Contoy at $179 and whale sharks, in season, from $160. A private yacht for your own group starts at $1,199 per boat.
Key takeaways
Most Booked — 840+ reviews The Cozumel Ferry: Playa del Carmen's Signature Crossing
Ultramar's open round-trip ticket between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel on its 157-foot catamaran ferries, with air-conditioned cabins, open decks, a snack bar and live music. The ticket stays valid for six months and the deck tax is already in the price.
Real-time dates and prices for the round-trip Playa del Carmen to Cozumel ferry — pick your day and see live availability.
These boat tours cover every way onto the water from Playa del Carmen: the round-trip ferries to Cozumel with Ultramar and Xcaret, an all-inclusive VIP catamaran over the El Cielo sandbar, a reef snorkel catamaran from Maroma, a two-hour sunset sail, a full-day catamaran to Isla Mujeres, a boat day to the bird island of Isla Contoy, a private snorkeling boat on the Puerto Morelos reef, a private 48 ft yacht, two whale shark swims and a boat-and-land day to Tulum, a cenote and the Akumal turtles. Each card gives the duration, price and rating. Prices are per person unless the tour is private.
from $38
Most Booked Crossing
Ultramar's open round-trip ticket between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel on its 157-foot catamaran ferries, with air-conditioned cabins, open decks, a snack bar and live music. The ticket…
from $85
Reef Snorkel Catamaran
A catamaran sail out of Maroma, between Playa del Carmen and Cancún, with two reef snorkel stops of about 45 minutes each and Maroma Beach to yourself afterwards…
from $74
All-Inclusive Catamaran
A five-hour day on a 72-foot catamaran out of Cozumel, with snorkeling at a protected reef and stops at the El Cielo and Cielito sandbars. Open bar, lunch…
from $89
Sunset Sail
A two-hour sunset sail along the Riviera Maya coast on a catamaran capped at 34 guests, with an open bar and appetizers on board. Pickup runs from Riviera…
from $84
Turtle Swim
A full day combining the clifftop Tulum ruins, lunch and a swim at Cenote Mariposa, and a guided snorkel with sea turtles in Akumal Bay. Transport, guide, gear…
from $160
Whale Shark Swim
A summer-season whale shark swim in the open water off Cancún, with a bilingual naturalist guide, snorkel gear, ceviche and sandwiches, and shared pickup from Playa del Carmen…
from $199
Small-Group Whale Sharks
A summer-season whale shark swim in the open water off Cancún and Isla Mujeres, in groups of up to 10, with pickup from Playa del Carmen hotels. Ceviche…
from $179
Island Hopping
A full boat day to Isla Contoy, the protected bird island north of Isla Mujeres, then on to Isla Mujeres with a reef snorkel and lunch. Round-trip transport…
from $89
Isla Mujeres Day
A full day on a catamaran to Isla Mujeres with snorkeling, a buffet meal and an open bar of more than 14 cocktails, with air-conditioned transport from Playa…
from $43
Open Round Trip
Xcaret Xailing's open round-trip ferry ticket from the Playa del Carmen terminal to Cozumel, with hourly departures, a pet area and a luggage section. Fees and taxes are…
from $130
Private Charter
A private boat snorkeling trip on the Puerto Morelos reef, part of the world's second-largest barrier reef system. Hotel pickup, a guide, and equipment are included for your…
from $1,199 per boat
Private Yacht
The whole 48-foot yacht for your group for four hours, leaving the marina at Puerto Aventuras, 20 minutes south of Playa del Carmen. Open bar, ceviche, guacamole and…
Every boat trip on this page, compared on the price, rating and length each listing shows, plus any cash fee you pay at the pier on the day.
| Tour | Price | Rating | Book | Duration | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round-Trip Ferry to Cozumel | $38 | 4.4 ★ | Check Availability | 30–40 min | Most booked, cheapest way to Cozumel |
| VIP Catamaran, El Cielo & Reef | $74 | New | Check Availability | 5 hrs | All-inclusive Cozumel sail & snorkel |
| Isla Mujeres Catamaran, Playa Pickup | $89 + $25 fee | 4.8 ★ | Check Availability | 10 hrs | Full island day with snorkel, buffet, open bar |
| Xcaret Ferry to Cozumel | $43 | New | Check Availability | 45 min | Fees included, Scenic Tower entry |
| Puerto Morelos Private Snorkeling | $130 | New | Check Availability | 5 hrs | Private boat on the reef, hotel pickup |
| Whale Shark Swim with Pickup | $160 + $20 fee | 4.6 ★ | Check Availability | 8 hrs | Whale sharks with Playa hotel pickup |
| Tulum, Cenote & Akumal Turtles | $84 + $40 fees | 4.6 ★ | Check Availability | 8–10 hrs | Turtles, ruins & cenote in one day |
| Maroma Catamaran Reef Snorkel | $85 + $15 marina fee | 4.8 ★ | Check Availability | 3.5 hrs | Two reef stops and a beach in half a day |
| Riviera Maya Sunset Sailing | $89 + $10 dock fee | 4.5 ★ | Check Availability | 2 hrs | Couples, open bar at sunset |
| Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres | $179 + $20 park fee | 4.8 ★ | Check Availability | 8 hrs | Bird island and snorkel in one day |
| Whale Shark Swim, Groups of 10 | $199 + $25 park fee | 4.8 ★ | Check Availability | 6-10 hrs | Small groups of up to 10 |
| Private 48 ft Yacht | $1,199 per boat | 5.0 ★ | Check Availability | 4 hrs | Groups wanting the boat to themselves |
Playa del Carmen sits on the Riviera Maya coast of Quintana Roo, with the island of Cozumel a short hop offshore, so getting on the water is half the reason to visit. These boat trips split into a few clear types. The round-trip ferry to Cozumel is the workhorse — a 30 to 40 minute crossing on a fast, air-conditioned catamaran ferry that runs hourly from the downtown pier, with an open return ticket you can use any time for six months.
A catamaran tour is the classic day out: you sail, snorkel a reef, and relax with an open bar and lunch on deck, either around Cozumel and its famous El Cielo sandbar or across to Isla Mujeres and Playa Norte. A private boat tour puts a whole boat, captain and guide at your group's disposal, either a snorkel boat on the Puerto Morelos reef with hotel pickup or a yacht charter on a 48 ft boat with an open bar out of Puerto Aventuras. For a slower evening, the sunset sail goes out on a sailboat-style catamaran for two hours.
And a couple of specialist trips — the seasonal whale shark swim off Cancun and the combined Tulum, cenote and Akumal turtle day — mix boat time with the region's other headline experiences. The table below lays every option side by side.
Cozumel is the reason most people book a boat tour from Playa del Carmen. The quickest way over is the round-trip Cozumel ferry, but the most memorable is the VIP catamaran cruise that sails you to El Cielo and El Cielito — shallow, glass-clear sandbars where starfish rest on a white-sand seabed in waist-deep turquoise water — then anchors over a protected coral reef for snorkeling before an open bar and food come out on deck. Cozumel's western shore is part of a national marine park on the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world, so the coral and fish life are exceptional.
If you just want to reach the island under your own steam, both the Ultramar and Xcaret ferries make the crossing in well under an hour; from the Muelle Fiscal terminal you can walk into San Miguel town or grab a taxi to the beach clubs. Divers and snorkelers who want more time in the water tend to take an early ferry and book a boat once they land.
The other headline sail is the full-day catamaran cruise to Isla Mujeres, the laid-back little island off Cancun famous for the powder-soft sand and impossibly blue shallows of Playa Norte. These day cruises are a proper sailing tour: you sail out with an open bar, snorkel a reef inside the national marine park, then land for a buffet lunch and free time to swim, shop in the island town or laze on the sand before the sail home. They run long, about 10 hours door to door with transport from Playa included, because every Isla Mujeres catamaran sails from Cancún.
Our Isla Mujeres catamaran guide breaks the day down, and the route guide for getting there on your own covers the bus and ferry. Because the catamaran's twin hulls sit so steadily, even guests who worry about seasickness usually find the ride smooth, especially in the calm dry-season months.
Boat tours run all year on the Riviera Maya, but the sea is at its calmest and clearest in the dry season, from around November to April — the sweet spot for snorkeling, sailing and anyone worried about a rough ride. May through October is warmer and busier, with short afternoon downpours and the occasional windy day, but it is also when the water is at its warmest and when two summer-only highlights arrive. Whale shark season runs from roughly May 15 to September 17, peaking in July and August, when the world's largest fish gather in the open water off Cancún and Isla Mujeres.
Sea turtle sightings in Akumal Bay are reliable through the summer too. Hurricane season technically spans June to November, but direct hits are rare and operators cancel and rebook freely when weather closes in. Whenever you go, book a morning departure — the wind and swell usually build through the afternoon.
Boat tours here are easy-going, but a little prep makes the day better. Wear a swimsuit under light clothes and pack a towel, a hat and reef-safe sunscreen — the sun on the water is stronger than it feels, and reef-safe formulas are required at the marine parks. A dry bag or waterproof phone pouch keeps valuables safe, and a GoPro or waterproof camera is worth it for the snorkeling and the sandbars.
Bring a little cash in pesos for tips, drinks that aren't part of an open bar, and dock fees, which some Isla Mujeres and Cozumel tours charge separately on the day. Most catamaran and snorkel tours provide gear, life vests and instruction, so you don't need your own equipment. If you're at all prone to seasickness, take a Dramamine or Bonine about an hour before departure — the catamarans are very stable, but it is cheap insurance for a happy day out.
Boat tours from Playa del Carmen on this page run from $38 to $199 per person. The cheapest way onto the water is the round-trip ferry to Cozumel at about $38, or the Xcaret ferry at $43. Catamaran days are the value pick: the Isla Mujeres catamaran with pickup in Playa is $89 plus a $25 dock and environmental fee paid on the day, the VIP Cozumel catamaran over El Cielo is about $74, and the Maroma reef snorkel catamaran is $85.
The two-hour sunset sail is $89. The Tulum, cenote and Akumal turtle day is $84 plus $40 in site and park fees, the private Puerto Morelos snorkel boat around $130, and the whale shark swims $160 or $199. Isla Contoy with Isla Mujeres is $179.
A private 48 ft yacht costs $1,199 for the whole boat and is non-refundable. Several tours add a cash fee at the pier: $15 at Maroma, $10 on the sunset sail, $20 for Contoy and on the $160 whale shark swim, and $25 on the $199 whale shark swim.
| Boat tour | Price (from) | Paid in cash on the day |
|---|---|---|
| Round-Trip Ferry to Cozumel | $38 | None |
| Xcaret Ferry to Cozumel | $43 | None |
| Isla Mujeres Catamaran, Playa Pickup | $89 | $25 dock and environmental fee |
| VIP Catamaran, El Cielo & Reef | $74 | Check listing |
| Maroma Catamaran Reef Snorkel | $85 | $15 marina fee |
| Riviera Maya Sunset Sailing | $89 | $10 dock fee |
| Tulum, Cenote & Akumal Turtles | $84 | $40 site and park fees |
| Puerto Morelos Private Snorkeling | $130 | Check listing |
| Whale Shark Swim with Pickup | $160 | $20 environmental and dock fee |
| Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres | $179 | $20 park fee |
| Whale Shark Swim, Groups of 10 | $199 | $25 park fee |
| Private 48 ft Yacht | $1,199 per boat | Dock fee at Puerto Aventuras |
The islands, reefs and bays these boat tours reach — all within a short sail or ferry ride of the Playa del Carmen pier.
Which stops you reach depends on the tour — the comparison table above shows what each boat trip covers.
A quick side-by-side of the main kinds of boat tour, so you can match the trip to your day.
| Type | Typical length | Price from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round-trip ferry | 30-45 min each way | $38 | Getting to Cozumel cheaply and fast |
| Catamaran cruise | 2-10 hrs | $74 | Sailing, reef snorkel, open bar, sunset |
| Island day | 8 hrs | $179 | Isla Contoy birds plus Isla Mujeres |
| Private charter | 4-5 hrs | $130 | Your own boat and crew |
| Whale shark swim | 6-10 hrs | $160 | Seasonal open-water wildlife |
| Boat + land combo | 8-10 hrs | $84 | Turtles, ruins and a cenote in one day |
Prices are per person from, except the private yacht, which is priced per boat.
We took the catamaran over to El Cielo and it was the highlight of our week. The water at the sandbar is unreal — waist deep and full of starfish — and the crew kept the open bar going the whole way back. Snorkeling on the reef was easy even for the kids.
The Isla Mujeres catamaran is a long day but worth it. Playa Norte is the nicest beach I've ever seen, the buffet was solid, and the sail back at sunset with a drink in hand was perfect. Book the earlier boat if you can.
We just used the round-trip ferry to spend a day in Cozumel on our own, and it could not have been simpler. Modern boat, air conditioning, maybe 35 minutes across. The open ticket meant we came back whenever we wanted.
Swimming with the whale sharks off Cancún was a bucket-list moment. The boat ride out is a bit bumpy, so take the seasickness pill they recommend, but seeing an animal that size next to you is worth every peso. Small group, great guide.
From the $38 Cozumel ferry to VIP catamaran cruises, private reef charters and seasonal whale shark swims, we gather every kind of Playa del Carmen boat tour in one place so you can pick the right day out.
We lay out real prices, ratings, durations and tour types so you can match the right boat trip to your budget, your schedule and your group — no guesswork, no inflated claims.
The tours here run with licensed Riviera Maya operators using modern boats, proper safety gear and bilingual crews, with strong review histories on the platforms that back them.
Most boat tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before and reserve-now-pay-later, so you can lock in a date and keep your plans flexible if the weather or your schedule shifts.
It depends on the day you want. For most visitors the VIP catamaran to Cozumel's El Cielo sandbar is the best all-rounder: you sail, snorkel a marine-park reef and get an open bar and lunch on board. If you just want to reach Cozumel cheaply, the round-trip ferry at $38 is the answer. For a full island day, the Isla Mujeres catamaran with pickup handles the drive to Cancún for you, and in summer the whale shark swims are the bucket-list trip.
The boat tours on this page run from about $38 to $199 per person. The round-trip ferry to Cozumel is around $38 and Xcaret's ferry about $43. Catamaran days cost $89 to Isla Mujeres plus a $25 cash fee, $74 for the VIP Cozumel catamaran and $85 for the Maroma reef snorkel catamaran. The sunset sail is $89, Isla Contoy $179, and the whale shark swims $160 or $199. A private 48 ft yacht is $1,199 for the whole boat. Some tours add a cash fee at the pier, from $10 to $25 per person, so check the card before you book.
The crossing takes about 35 minutes on Ultramar and about 45 minutes on the Xcaret ferry, and both leave from the downtown terminal at the foot of Fifth Avenue. Ultramar's round-trip ticket is open for six months, so you pick any return sailing. Schedules, fares, the third operator and the car ferry are all on our Playa del Carmen to Cozumel ferry page.
The official season runs May 15 to September 17, with July and August the peak months. The sharks feed far offshore north-east of Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy, so the day from Playa runs 7 to 12 hours door to door. Both swims on this page, the small-group swim capped at 10 and the swim with Playa pickup, run only inside that window. The rules in the water and the cash fees are on our whale shark tour page.
Most people don't. Catamarans have two hulls, which makes them far more stable than a single-hull boat, and the sheltered water inside the Mesoamerican Reef is usually calm, especially in the November-to-April dry season. If you're prone to motion sickness, take a Dramamine or Bonine about an hour before departure, sit toward the middle of the boat, and keep your eyes on the horizon. The longer open-water trips, like the whale shark swim, are bumpier than the coastal catamaran cruises, so plan accordingly.
Wear a swimsuit under light clothes and bring a towel, a hat and reef-safe sunscreen, which is required at the marine parks. Pack a dry bag or waterproof phone pouch, a GoPro if you have one, and some cash in pesos for tips, extra drinks and any separate dock fee. Most catamaran and snorkeling tours provide gear, life vests and instruction, so you don't need your own equipment. If you get seasick, add a motion-sickness tablet to take before you sail. In summer, check the sargassum season guide before you pick a beach day.
Many do, but not all. The Maroma catamaran, the sunset sail, the Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy days, the private Puerto Morelos snorkeling trip, the Akumal turtle day and both whale shark swims include transport from Riviera Maya hotels. The private yacht does not: you drive or take a taxi to the marina at Puerto Aventuras, about 22 minutes south. The Cozumel ferries do not include transport either, and the El Cielo catamaran starts in Cozumel, so you cross by ferry first.
Three short films shot on the water: the Cozumel ferry crossing, a shared catamaran day and a private boat out of Playa.
The ferry terminal, the crossing and arriving in San Miguel.
Video: Renata PereiraWhat a shared catamaran day on the Riviera Maya looks like from the deck.
Video: Riviera Maya CatamaransA private boat trip along the coast, start to finish.
Video: Detailed TravelerVideos load from YouTube only when you press play.
Plan your boat day
Each trip has its own page with prices, fees, timings and the rules on the water.