El Cielo, Cozumel by Catamaran, Snorkel and Beach Club
To snorkel at El Cielo and spend the afternoon at a Cozumel beach club from Playa del Carmen, you cross on the ferry (about 45 minutes, from 16 USD each way) and board the catamaran on the island. El Cielo is a shallow sandbar with starfish off Cozumel's southwest coast, reachable only by boat.
- 45 minFerry crossing
- 16 USDOne-way ferry, adult
- 2Ferry lines on the route
Your transfer to the Cozumel ferry
This page helps you plan your day in Cozumel from Playa del Carmen: the ferry, El Cielo and the beach clubs. The ferry, catamaran and beach club are booked with each operator. What you book with us is the private transfer from your hotel to the Playa del Carmen ferry pier and back, at a fixed price per vehicle.
What a Cozumel catamaran day looks like
The usual plan is to take the ferry from Playa del Carmen to downtown Cozumel and board the catamaran there, heading to the south of the island. Snorkel stops are typically reefs such as Palancar or Colombia plus the El Cielo sandbar, and the day ends at a beach club with food and drinks.
El Cielo is inside Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, managed by CONANP, Mexico's protected areas agency. Getting in the water in the park requires a fee, handed out as a wristband; the boat operator usually collects it, and it is not always included in the tour price.
Playa Mia Grand Beach Park, the beach club at km 19 of the southern coastal road that gave this page its name, was renamed Isla Mia Roots in 2025, and its website no longer loads. Royal Caribbean has announced its Royal Beach Club Cozumel in that area for 2026. If your tour listed Playa Mia, ask the operator which beach club it uses today.
If you just want to cross and explore on your own, take the ferry, rent a car or grab a taxi on the island and pick your beach. The catamaran makes sense for El Cielo, since you can't swim there from shore.
What you'll do in Cozumel
About 45 minutes from Playa del Carmen to downtown Cozumel, with departures all day.
Sail down Cozumel's west coast to the snorkel spots.
Shallow water over white sand, with starfish on the bottom.
Coral and tropical fish on national park reefs such as Palancar or Colombia.
Loungers, food and drinks for the afternoon before the ferry back.
Before you go
Two ferry lines cross from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel: Xcaret Xailing and Winjet. The crossing takes about 45 minutes.
Xcaret Xailing: 16 USD adult and 12 USD child (5–11) each way; under 5 ride free. Winjet: 335 MXN adult each way. Per xcaret.com and winjet.mx, September 2026.
Departures from Playa del Carmen from morning to night; Winjet runs from 8:00 a.m. with the last sailing at 10:00 p.m., per winjet.mx, September 2026.
Maritime terminal at Calle 1 Sur by the waterfront, next to Fifth Avenue.
Snorkeling at El Cielo is inside Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park and requires a wristband. Ask whether your tour includes it.
Check the current price with the operator.
How to get to Cozumel
The ferry leaves from the Playa del Carmen maritime terminal, next to Fifth Avenue. It is about 60 to 75 minutes from the Cancun Hotel Zone on Highway 307 and around 1 hour from Tulum. Xcaret Xailing asks you to be there at least 30 minutes before departure.
With a private transfer the driver drops you at the pier and comes back when your return ferry lands. It is the easiest option from Cancun, Tulum or a Riviera Maya resort far from downtown Playa del Carmen.
Get my transfer price- From your hotel, round tripEnter your hotel in “From” and Cozumel in “To”: the search gives you the price for the whole vehicle, with the return time you choose.
- From Cancun airport: from $69 per vehicleAbout 60 min without traffic, direct with no stops.
- Your driver waits or comes back for youYou tell us your return time when booking. No hunting for a cab late at night or haggling at the door.
Good to know
- Don't lift the starfishAt El Cielo you look, you don't take them out of the water. It is a marine national park.
- Rash guard over sunscreenYou are in a marine park. A rash guard and no regular sunscreen is the safe bet.
- Check what's includedAsk whether the price covers the ferry, the park wristband and the beach club, or if they are extra.
- Take an early ferrySo you make the catamaran departure. If the sea is rough the crossing gets bumpy: take motion-sickness medicine before boarding.
- Keep your return ticketFerry tickets are per company: come back with the same line you bought the round trip from.
Tours you can book online
These you book right here, with online payment.
Theme parks
Xcaret Park
Nature
Xenotes Tour
Theme parks
Xel-Há All Inclusive
Questions about Cozumel
How much is the ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel?
How long is the ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel?
Is there a catamaran from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel?
What is El Cielo in Cozumel?
Is Playa Mia in Cozumel still open?
Can you do Cozumel as a day trip from Playa del Carmen?
Information checked on xcaret.com · winjet.mx · royalcaribbean.com · updated September 30, 2026
Meet IAN and Emma, the AI behind every transfer
IAN answers your messages in seconds and Emma takes your calls, in English and Spanish, 24/7. Change a time, add a stop or ask for a receipt: it is done in the same conversation.
- Replies in seconds, any hour of the day
- Changes, stops and receipts from the chat
- WhatsApp, SMS, email or a phone call
And the rest runs on its own
From the moment you book until the driver is at the exit, every step is automated.
- BookedInstant confirmation, voucher by email and WhatsApp
- Flight trackedYour flight is monitored; a delay reschedules the pickup on its own
- Driver assignedName, photo and plate sent the day before
- Driver at arrivalsWaiting at the terminal exit with your name on a sign