Mexico Rocks Snorkeling: Who It Suits and How to Plan It

Mexico Rocks snorkeling is the quieter of the two scheduled snorkel trips at White Sands Dive Shop. Where Hol Chan is about the reef channel and the big animals, Mexico Rocks is a coral site for people who like to float, look closely and take their time.

This guide is for travelers deciding whether to book it: couples on a slow morning, families with mixed swimming confidence, and repeat visitors who have already seen Shark Ray Alley. It covers what the site is, who it suits, how to plan the morning with us, and the one rule every snorkeler here should know.

What Mexico Rocks is, and why it is protected

Mexico Rocks has not always been in good shape. The San Pedro Sun reported that over-fishing and heavy use once left the coral damaged, the water cloudy and the animals scarce. The site was then added to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which put it under the reserve’s preservation rules.

Protection made a difference. By late 2015 marine rangers were stationed at the site, conditions had improved, and local guides had made it popular again. The paper’s account of the green turtle fatally injured at Mexico Rocks names green turtles, tropical fish and nurse sharks among the animals snorkelers meet.

Who a Mexico Rocks snorkel tour suits

Most visitors only have time for one or two snorkel mornings, so match the trip to your group. Our post on Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley snorkeling covers the other trip in full. The table below looks at Mexico Rocks from the point of view of different travelers.

Traveler	Is Mexico Rocks a good fit?	What to plan for
Coral and reef fish fans	Yes, this is the trip built around coral	Bring an underwater camera and give yourself time to hover
Repeat visitors who have done Hol Chan	Yes, a different kind of snorkel from the same 9:00 schedule	Book it as your second morning on the water
Families with nervous swimmers	Often, if you tell us in advance	Say who is unsure in the water when you book, and ask about the day’s conditions
Thrill seekers after sharks and rays	Less so; nurse sharks visit, but the classic encounter is Shark Ray Alley	Choose the Hol Chan trip first
Mixed groups of divers and snorkelers	Partly; this is a snorkel trip	Certified divers can book a barrier reef dive instead

Mexico Rocks or Hol Chan first?

If you only have one morning and want sharks and rays, start with Hol Chan. If coral, turtles and a slower pace appeal more, or you have seen the channel already, Mexico Rocks is the better pick. You can also book both on separate days.

How to plan your Mexico Rocks snorkel morning

The trip runs on our standard local schedule, so planning is simple. Here is how a booking works from first email to the boat.

1. Email or call with your dates, your hotel and the number of snorkelers.
2. Tell us each person’s comfort level in the water, including any children or first-timers.
3. Ask for current trip prices, or check the course and trip prices on our Water Sports page.
4. Be on your hotel dock in time for pickup. Local snorkel and dive departures leave at 9:00.
5. Bring your own mask, snorkel and fins, or rent a set from us.

What to bring

• A mask that seals well on your face, a snorkel and fins (ours are available to rent).
• A long-sleeve rash guard or shortie wetsuit for sun cover; shorties are on our rental list too.
• Mineral sunscreen, a hat, drinking water and a towel for the ride.
• An underwater camera if you have one; coral sites reward slow, close photography.

Full details of masks, fins, wetsuits and scuba gear are in our guide to scuba and snorkel gear rental on Ambergris Caye. A well-fitting mask is the single biggest comfort upgrade for a new snorkeler.

The turtle lesson: why nobody feeds the wildlife

In December 2015 a well-known juvenile green turtle at Mexico Rocks was struck by a boat, and its shell was broken by the propeller. Reserve staff tried to save it, but it died overnight. The San Pedro Sun traced the cause to feeding by tour boats.

Being fed had changed the turtle’s habits. It stopped grazing on the bottom and stayed near the surface waiting for people, right where boats pass. Feeding wildlife is illegal, and the reserve’s biologist advised watching turtles on the seabed, where they graze on turtle grass and only rise to breathe.

• Never feed, chase or touch turtles, fish or nurse sharks.
• Give a surfacing turtle space so it can breathe and drop back down.
• Keep your fins off the coral and never stand on it.
• Stay close to the boat and your group, and watch for traffic when you surface.

Sunscreen and coral

The Coral Reef Alliance’s advice on sunscreen and corals warns that oxybenzone can harm coral at tiny concentrations. It recommends a long-sleeved rash guard in the water, mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium oxide, and no spray-on products.

From snorkeling to scuba

Plenty of guests float over coral once and want to see it from below. A Discover Scuba Diving experience on Ambergris Caye lets you try breathing underwater with an instructor, without a certification course.

Certified divers in your group can spend the same morning on the barrier reef. Our guide to scuba diving the barrier reef from San Pedro explains the local dives, and the best time of year to dive and snorkel Ambergris Caye helps you pick your dates.

Who you will be out with

White Sands Dive Shop is a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility on the beach in San Pedro, licensed by the Belize Tourism Board. It is owned and operated by PADI IDC Staff Instructor Elbert Greer.

Students value the balance he strikes in the water. Vivake K. Bhalla described him as “very friendly and fun, but equally very strict about safety.” More notes like that are in our letters from Elbert’s dive students.

Mexico Rocks snorkeling: your questions answered

Book your Mexico Rocks snorkel trip

Send us your dates, hotel and the number of snorkelers, and we will set up your 9:00 dock pickup. Email Elbert at elbertgreer@fastmail.fm or call the dive shop on 011 (501) 226 2405.