# Responsible Snorkeling in Cancún: The Reef Rules

> The sea between Cancún and Isla Mujeres is a national park. Which sunscreen to use, why the coral is never touched and what the park asks of everyone in the water.

By Alfonso G · Published 2026-10-17 · Updated 2026-10-17 · Guide

## At a glance

- Sunscreen: Biodegradable only
- Distance: 2 meters from the coral
- In the water: Life jacket or waist float
- Wildlife: No feeding, no chasing

## Why it matters

![Coral reef with soft corals and algae underwater](https://yachtvibes.com/_next/static/immutable/media/arrecife-corales.2hr58-bk1uiww.jpg) (Photo: Ricky Beron · Unsplash)

The Costa Occidental de Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún and Punta Nizuc National Park protects the reefs off Cancún. Green, hawksbill, loggerhead and leatherback turtles live there, all of them endangered.

The rules in this guide come from the park's management program, published in Mexico's Diario Oficial de la Federación on August 2, 2016.

## Sunscreen

![A woman sunbathes on deck by the turquoise water](https://yachtvibes.com/_next/static/immutable/media/leopard-pelo-viento.1-jlv0z07_j4d.jpg)

Inside the park, only biodegradable sunscreen or tanning lotion is allowed. Everything else is banned.

> **Tip:** To swim with whale sharks, their management plan also asks you to wipe off the excess with a cloth before getting in the water.

## Don't touch, don't stand

![A swimmer floats above a whale shark without touching it](https://yachtvibes.com/_next/static/immutable/media/tiburon-entero.3sg0n-jm1dbya.jpg)

Standing on the reef, holding on to it or touching it is banned, and so is dragging gear over the coral. In the water you keep at least 2 meters from the coral formations.

> *Look from a distance: 2 meters from the coral.*

## A life jacket or float for everyone

![Two swimmers in life jackets just below the surface](https://yachtvibes.com/_next/static/immutable/media/tiburon-chalecos.17ty1sc-64m0o.jpg)

When snorkeling in the park, everyone wears a life jacket or a waist float. Only guides may swap it for a wetsuit or a ring buoy. Each guide takes 12 people at most.

## Turtles and fish

![A hawksbill turtle swimming in clear water](https://yachtvibes.com/_next/static/immutable/media/tortuga-carey.2zua3j98z-tef.jpg) (Photo: Adolfo Félix · Unsplash)

Feeding, chasing or harassing any animal in the park is banned. If you see a turtle, let it go on its way.

## The wristband

Whoever takes you into the park pays the access fee and gives you a wristband, which you wear in sight the whole time you're inside.

- [MUSA, Cancún's Underwater Museum](https://yachtvibes.com/logbook/musa-underwater-museum-cancun)

## Questions we get

**Which sunscreen can I use?**
Biodegradable only. The park's management program bans the rest.

**Do I have to wear a life jacket?**
Yes. When snorkeling in the park, everyone wears a life jacket or a waist float.

**Can I touch a turtle?**
No. The management program bans feeding, chasing or harassing the park's animals.

## Sources

- [Mexico's Official Gazette (DOF), management program of the Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún and Punta Nizuc national park (in Spanish)](https://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle_popup.php?codigo=5446471)
- [CONANP, conservation wristband (in Spanish)](https://descubreanp.conanp.gob.mx/swb/conanp/pasaporte-brazalete-conservacion)

Life jackets are already on board. Tell us your date and we'll tell you which route is possible.

The Logbook: https://yachtvibes.com/logbook

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