Guided Snorkeling Tour - Tres Palmas Marine Reserve

• How to select snorkel equipment for best personal fit
• Learn to identify various fish by color and name
• How to protect the reef
• Learn the mechanics of snorkeling on a shallow reef.
• Fun, safe tour on shallow local reefs. Enter right at the beach--NO BOAT REQUIRED.
• Feel free to ask lots of questions--our guides are experts in what they do with years of diving and snorkeling experience.

• The chemicals found in regular sunscreens are harmful to coral. Their tiny particles can be ingested, leading to toxicity and coral bleaching. Reef-friendly sunscreens avoid these toxic ingredients. Reef-SAFE sunscreens avoid harmful chemicals AND use ‘non-nano’ particles that are too large to be absorbed by corals, thus protecting marine ecosystems.
• PROTECT THE MARINE RESERVE: Avoid using sunscreens that contain oxybenzone, octinoxate, and parabens. Reef-Friendly sunscreen is available for purchase at the dive center.
• Sun protective clothing like long-sleeve rash guards are a great alternative to sunscreen and are available for purchase.
• If you’re looking at a mineral-based formula, be sure it says ‘non-nano’.

No experience is necessary to enjoy a snorkeling tour. However, you should have a minimum comfort level in the water. The beautiful corals are close to the surface so you are guaranteed to get up close and personal with the marine life. All participants should be comfortable in the water. Snorkelers will be provided with snorkeling equipment, flotation/life vests and, if preferred, snorkeling noodles for flotation. Guides will instruct on snorkeling techniques for beginners.

Our groups are typically small. For snorkeling tours, the maximum number of snorkelers per guide is usually not more than 12. If there are more than 12 in your group, additional guides will be added for safety.

Pregnancy does not necessarily preclude you from participating in a snorkeling tour. A certain level of fitness is necessary. If you feel snorkeling during pregnancy will be a risk, please abstain. We reserve the right to refuse participation if it endangers the safety of the participants.

The nature of the mask design does not allow you to wear your glasses. However, we do have a limited number of fixed lens masks that may suit your needs. These are available for use during your tour without charge or for an added fee for any rental. Inquire about them with a staff member. Contact lenses can be worn under a mask only if you feel comfortable doing so. However, if water should flood your mask, it is recommended to keep your eyes closed in case your contact decides to float out of your eye.

Water temperature in Puerto Rico ranges from 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months (December-March) to 84 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months. Most divers get cold in the winter months and a wetsuit is recommended. At other times of the year, wetsuits are good for abrasion protection. Wetsuits are available for rental for an additional fee.

Incidents of sharks biting people in Puerto Rico are very rare. Fatal shark bites are extremely rare, especially considering the number of people in Puerto Rico’s waters. People who enter the water need to recognize that there are hidden dangers. A number of marine animals can cause serious injury to people, and sharks are just one example. Entering the ocean should be considered a “wilderness experience,” where people are visitors in a world that belongs to the sharks. The risk of injury caused by sharks is extremely small, but it is a risk accepted by anyone who enters the shark’s world. By learning more about sharks, using common sense, and observing the following safety tips, the risk may be greatly reduced.

Snorkels allow you to breathe while your face is submerged in the water. If you should desire to dive down to get a closer look, water will fill the snorkel. With this in mind, you should hold your breath as you descend until you return to the surface and blast clear the snorkel of water. Our expert snorkeling guides can teach you this technique.

You can leave your personal belongings either in your personal vehicle or in the dive center. When checking in, it’s better to leave everything in your vehicle so that you can be hands-free during check-in and equipment fitting. The dive center and guides are not responsible for personal belongings.

There are 3 ways you can typically receive your pictures:

• Purchase the storage card in the camera for an additional cost.
• Upload the pictures to your own device for free.
• We can email them to your email for free. The internet is not always reliable, so please allow a couple of days for delivery. If you do not get them within a reasonable time, give us a call or email so we can check on the status.

Yes, we do. To thank you for your service, we give a 10% discount to the service member on any tour or dive course. Please let the desk agent checking you in know that you are an active duty or retired service member to receive your discount. Be ready to show your military ID.

We often see the majority of the fishes named on any fish ID template, including, but not limited to, parrotfish, blue tangs, hogfish, squirrelfish, butterflyfish, and angelfish. We have the occasional stingray, tarpon, and turtle swim by checking you out. Look in the crevices for eels, crabs, and lobsters.