Snorkel· Isla Coronado (Loreto)· Mexico
Los Metates Snorkel (Isla Coronado)
26° 7.1′ N · 111° 17.3′ W · approximate
Loreto.com calls the reef off Playa Los Metates on Isla Coronados 'a particularly not-to-be-missed snorkeling experience'—tour skippers report 20-40 fish species in clear turquoise water.
Practical
Coordinate is approximate: about 60 m off OpenStreetMap's 'Los Metates' beach node on the west side of the island, checked in-water against the OpenStreetMap coastline. Shallow: a 2016 cruising blog found the Coronado bay 'barely 10 feet' deep, with rays, crabs, eels and the odd dolphin—one moray charged the dinghy party at the shoreline. Tour pangas from Loreto (meet 8:00 am at the Loreto marina, on the island by 9:30 am-10:00 am) crowd the beaches mid-day; snorkel early or after they leave in mid-afternoon. Sand only for the anchor; no fishing in preservation sub-zones; jet skis are banned in park waters. CONANP protected-area fee applies: a Loreto Bay National Park day pass (bracelet) was MX$215 per person in 2025, and the annual Conservation Passport (MX$3,620 in 2025) covers every federal protected area; buy online at descubreanp.conanp.gob.mx or from the rangers at La Dársena in Loreto, and carry proof aboard.
Best for
Easy reef snorkel straight off the beach
Season
Oct–Jun comfortable; warmest water Jun–Nov
Nearby
- Playa Los Metates (Isla Coronado white beach)0.1 NM away
- Isla Coronado Anchorage (Loreto)0.5 NM away
- Isla Coronado Beach and Volcano Hike0.8 NM away
- Cabeza de Gorilla Point Dive (Isla Coronado)1.1 NM away
- Isla Coronado Sea Lion Colony1.2 NM away
- Isla Coronado North-East Boulders Dive1.4 NM away
- La Lobera Dive Site (Isla Coronado)1.4 NM away
- Piedra Blanca Dive Site (Isla Coronado)1.4 NM away