The 15 Best Cancun Boat Tours That You Will Love

Are you looking for the best Cancun boat tours available? If so, you’ve come to the right place! This post will cover 15 top-rated Cancun tours to get you out on the water!

Do you want to go snorkeling? Sail into the sunset during a romantic dinner cruise? Spend a full day on a private yacht?

Do you want to take a boat tour to the Island of Isla Mujeres? Or are you interested in booze cruises?

This list covers all these types of boat tours and more! Read on to find the best excursion that fits your preferences and budget during your trip to the Yucatan Peninsula.

My hope is that this list will equip you to make a choice you’ll be delighted with, and give you a spectacular day on the Caribbean Sea.

Let’s dive in!

Best Cancun Boat tours for snorkeling 

1. Reef and Shipwreck Snorkeling Tour in Cancun

4.5⭐ 872 Reviews

One of the best ways to enjoy the Caribbean Sea is on this highly-rated Reef and Shipwreck Snorkeling Tour.

This Cancun boat trip lasts about 3.5 hours and will give you the opportunity to explore underwater, swimming above a coral reef and two submerged art installations.  

Chances are high that you’ll get to see sea turtles and manta rays over the course of the day! Finish off by snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters above a shipwreck teeming with marine life. Awesome!

This badge-of-excellence tour includes hotel pick-up, snorkeling gear (and a safety briefing), a professional guide, bottled water, and passenger insurance.

If you love snorkeling, this is an ideal tour! Guests loved all of the time in the water at four different sites, the excellent guide, and the welcoming staff.

2. Isla Contoy Eco Adventure

4.5⭐ 101 Reviews

Are you ready for a full day of water activities? If so, this Isla Contoy Eco Adventure could be a perfect choice!

Start off the tour by sailing over turquoise waters to Isla Mujeres bay. Rent a golf cart to explore the island, or explore downtown Isla Mujeres on foot.

This is only a one-hour stop but promises plenty of color and fun.

Ready for the next adventure? Hop back aboard your boat and sail to the beautiful island of Contoy. This pristine and untouched island is an ecological reserve brimming with flora and fauna.

Strap on your snorkel gear and check out the colorful fish at two different snorkel spots.

By now, you’re probably hungry, so it’s time for broiled and marinated Tikinxic fish, grilled chicken, salad, and an open bar.

Eat your fill on this beautiful island before cruising back to Cancun.

This 8-hour tour includes hotel pickup and dropoff.

Travelers who took this tour said they had a great time. They raved about the boat crew, fantastic lunch, and surreal experience on Isla Contoy.

3. Small-Group Eco Friendly: Whale Sharks tour in Cancun & Riviera Maya

4.5⭐ 588 Reviews

If you’re traveling to Cancún in the summer, you can choose to have a truly unique experience: snorkeling with whale sharks!

Set sail with a small group of other travelers and a bilingual biologist guide for a day of aquatic adventures.

During this 7-hour tour, you’ll snorkel alongside the largest fish in the world! You’re also likely to see a plethora of tropical fish, rays, sea turtles, and maybe even dolphins.

How awesome is that?

The guide will give you lots of fascinating information, and direct you so you can have a good time.

This tour includes hotel pickup, snorkeling equipment, and lunch on one of the loveliest white sand beaches Isla Mujeres has to offer.

Mouth-watering food and beautiful scenery await!

Travelers loved this whale shark experience!

4. Five-in-One Cancun Snorkeling Tour

4.5⭐ 884 Reviews

If you’re in the market for snorkel tours, this Five-in-One Combo Tour could be the best thing for you!

Explore beneath the blue waters of the beautiful Caribbean sea during this 3.5-hour excursion! This is one of the best boat tours for the whole family.

The guides know how to help kids and first-time snorkelers have a great time.

This tour includes snorkel time above a coral reef teeming with marine species. You’ll also snorkel over two underwater art installations, in a sea turtle area, above a shipwreck, and in a cenote.

All the stops make for a fun and varied experience! 

Enjoy floating on the warm waters. So fun!

Top-rated Cancun Catamaran Excursions

5. Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour with Snorkel, Open bar and Transportation

4.5⭐ 492 Reviews

Ready for an awesome day trip full of natural beauty and fun? If so, this alcohol-inclusive catamaran cruise could be just the thing.

Snorkel in El Meco Coral Reef on the Mexican Caribbean Sea, swim off gorgeous Playa Norte beach on Isla Mujeres, then enjoy three hours of free time in downtown Isla.

Afterward, you can take advantage of the open bar and dance on the boat while the sun goes down.

Doesn’t that sound amazing?

This 6-8 hour party cruise is a favorite among travelers. They raved about the crew, calling them “lively and entertaining,” “very attentive and knowledgeable” and “very descriptive.”

They also loved the snorkeling, the cocktails, the music, and the views.

Note: Upgrade for roundtrip transportation from the hotel zone.

6. Full-Day Luxurious Catamaran Adventure

4.5⭐ 186 Reviews

Upgrade your vacation with a luxury experience on the open seas. This full-day Catamaran Adventure could be the sailing trip of a lifetime.

During this tour, you’ll get to enjoy an open bar on a 45-foot Diamond Bright Catamaran. Cruise to Isla Mujeres and explore downtown.

Next, head to a private beach club where you can snorkel, swim, sunbathe, and soak in the scenery on Playa Norte.

Lunch, unlimited drinks, snorkeling equipment, a spinnaker, and swimming are included on this tour, making it one of the best options out there.

Travelers said they had the best time on this tour thanks to the excellent service.

Best Private boat tours in Cancun

7. Private Customizable Sailing Tour in Cancun

5⭐ 81 Reviews

Bask in the warm weather and glorious ocean scenery around Cancun on this Private Sailing Experience!

With a fully-customizable itinerary, this tour will ensure you have enough time to enjoy all the main attractions on Isla Mujeres and its surroundings.

Cruise to the island to shop, eat in an upscale restaurant, or zoom around on a golf cart. Alternatively, learn how to man the sails from the expert crew.

Relax on deck, try your hand at deep-sea fishing, or swim and snorkel at your leisure.

Travelers loved this 4-8 hour tour! As one reviewer put it

“We were stuck between this private sailboat ride or a catamaran. Pick the sailboat!! It was so fun, the staff was fantastic and made us feel right at home. They were great at communicating with us throughout the whole process! I can’t wait to come back and do it again!!!”

8. Private Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour From Cancun

5⭐ 143 Reviews

Some catamaran tours to Isla Mujeres can have 50-100 people on them. Yikes! If that doesn’t sound like fun, booking this Private Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour could be a great idea.

You’ll avoid the masses and get your own boat for the whole day.

This tour offers a customizable itinerary, making it possible to visit all the best places, enjoy your favorite water sports, and head to your restaurant of choice. 

Explore Isla Mujeres, snorkel above gorgeous coral reefs, and/or visit a turtle reserve. You can cruise past ancient Mayan temples or simply relax on the deck while sipping on cocktails. Fun!

This tour includes an open bar, a driver/guide, snorkeling equipment, and a game of spinnaker.

Best Speed boat tours in Cancun

9. Jungle Tour Adventure: Speed Boat Tour and Snorkeling

4.5⭐ 976 Reviews

Are you an adrenaline junkie? If so, that might be a good reason to book this Speed Boat and Snorkeling tour!

This excursion is sure to get your heart pumping! Start off by zooming over the waters of Nichupte Lagoon while enjoying lush jungle surroundings.

One traveler said they felt like James Bond on this tour!

Next, don snorkel gear and explore the Punta Nizuc coral reef. For many travelers, this was the highlight of the tour.

You’ll get a chance to see underwater statues and colorful sea creatures. Awesome!

This outing includes a tour guide, a speedboat trip, snorkeling gear (mask, tube, life jacket), bottled water, and tequila tasting.

Travelers loved this tour, saying the guides were really wonderful and made the experience fabulous.

10. Puerto Maya Jungle Tour All Inclusive

5⭐ 259 Reviews

Learn about the local ecosystem in Nichupte Lagoon and then drive your own speedboat on this Puerto Maya Jungle Tour!

This two-part excursion starts off with a guided tour of the lagoon. Cruise through mangroves, snorkel above one of the largest reefs in the world and learn about the wildlife in the area.

Talk about a great experience!

Round things off with some hooting and hollering while you drive your own speedboat over the sparkling waters. Woo!

This 2.5-hour tour includes an authentic lunch, lockers, snorkeling equipment, and a speedboat.

Travelers especially loved driving the speedboat and snorkeling.

As one reviewer put it

“Do you want to have some fun, laughs, eat authentic food, and see a part of Cancun you can’t see from a taxi??? Then this is the place for you!”

Sunset cruise in Cancun

11. Amazing Romantic Dinner on a Spanish Galleon

4.5⭐ 37 Reviews

Romance awaits on this fabulous dinner cruise on a Spanish Galleon. Float over the waters of Nichupte Lagoon while enjoying live entertainment.

Dine on your meal of choice: vegetarian, surf ‘n turf, lobster, or rib-eye steak.

Enjoy lovely scenery, the company of your significant other, and one of nature’s unique sunsets during this special tour.

Travelers loved the food, the company of other guests, and the beauty.

As one reviewer put it

“Great experience!! The music was nice and on point! Steak and lobster were on the level of Harry’s! I’ll definitely recommend it.”

This 3-hour badge-of-excellence tour includes dinner, live music, and a boat ride. You can upgrade for transportation from your hotel.

12. Luxury Sunset Sailing Cruise in the Riviera Maya

4.5⭐ 172 Reviews

Another one of the best Cancun boat tours available is this 2-hour Luxury Sunset Sailing Cruise.

This tour starts off with pickup from your hotel in the Riviera Maya (Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, etc).

Board your luxury catamaran and relax with a cocktail as the coastline spools by.

Weather conditions are almost always wonderful, and you’ll hopefully be treated to an incredible sunset.

Munch on your own private charcuterie board, complete with cheese and tropical fruit while you relax and enjoy the beauties of the Caribbean.

Travelers loved how relaxing this tour was. They also appreciated the attentive staff, tasty food, and the chance to make new friends.

End the night with transportation back to your hotel. 

Cancun glass bottom boat tours

13. Cancun Glass Boat Sightseeing Cruise

4.5⭐ 9 Reviews

Cancun boat rentals don’t get much more unique than this! Cruise the Caribbean Sea and Nichupte Lagoon in this one-of-a-kind boat type.

Thanks to the transparent hull, you’ll get fascinating views of the changing water color, crocodiles, tropical fish, sea turtles, and stingrays.

Kick back with a beer or two, enjoy the music, and marvel at the incredible underwater world surrounding Cancún!

This tour lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes. It’s a perfect quick tour, offers excellent photo opportunities, and is ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to get wet!

As one reviewer described it

“The boat crew was interactive and the music was great. The water and the atmosphere were awesome. The best part was seeing the turtles, sting rays, and all the different species of fish near the coral reefs. A must-see!”

14. Clearboat: Glass-bottom boat ride to the Caribbean Sea

4⭐ 6 Reviews

Join an amazing crew on an even more amazing Clearboat ride. This glass-bottom boat will give you stunning views of the Caribbean Sea, a colorful coral reef teeming with tropical fish, and views of waterbirds, crocodiles, and mangroves. Cool!

This tour leaves from either Cancun or Isla Mujeres. 

If you leave Isla Mujeres, you’ll visit one of the nearby coral reefs on the island. If you leave from Cancun, you’ll visit Playa Langosta reef. No matter which departure spot you choose, you’ll get to appreciate the changing colors of the water. 

You’ll also get to drink bottled water and/or beer to quench your thirst.

Travelers loved this one-hour tour.

From one reviewer

This was a great experience. Our tour guys were the bomb.com. The view was beautiful and our photographer did a great job.”

Best Cancun Boat Tours: Final Thoughts

As you can see, Cancun is a great place to go on a boat tour! There are many wonderful options to choose from.

Catamarans, sailboats, glass-bottom boats, speedboats, and Spanish Galleons await you in this tropical paradise.

You can go swimming and snorkeling, relax on beaches (or on deck), eat a romantic sunset dinner, or zoom around Nichupte Lagoon. Fun!

I hope you’ve found an excursion to love on this list of the best Cancun boat tours available. Happy travels!