Located on the east coast of the island, Fajardo is right between San Juan and El Yunque Rainforest, so it’s a great place to stay if you’re planning to do many activities around the island on your Puerto Rico vacation. Beyond its convenient location, Fajardo offers many small keys right off the coast with incredible snorkeling. One of the most popular ways to explore is by booking a catamaran snorkeling tour or chartering a boat and visiting several keys in one day. If you’d rather stay on the mainland, there’s great snorkeling to be had at Fajardo’s beaches as well.
Fajardo Snorkeling Beaches & Keys
Set sail to various reefs and islands where you’ll spot tropical fish, sea turtles, and other marine creatures. With so many places to explore, you could spend your whole vacation beach and island-hopping. Most of the choice snorkeling spots are part of La Cordillera Nature Reserve, a chain of about 10 islands that can be reached easily by boat.
Icacos Island
Located just off the coast of Fajardo, Icacos is an uninhabited island with sparkling sand, vibrant, clear waters, and an abundance of marine life, making it the perfect place to go snorkeling or scuba diving. Since it can only be reached by boat, it’s a favorite destination for catamaran snorkeling tours from Fajardo. Enjoy refreshments and gorgeous island views on the sailing trip to the island; then gear up to dive in and explore the impressive coral reef formations. Beyond snorkeling, the beaches of Icacos Island are a wonderful place to spot iguanas and gulls and relax with a drink in hand.
Palomino Island
This is one of the largest islands off the coast of Fajardo, with the eastern side accessible to guests of El Conquistador Resort. You can rent a mini speed boat equipped with snorkeling gear and a cooler with snacks and refreshments and head over to snorkel the reef that surrounds that portion of the island. Although the island can get windy, the beach is somewhat sheltered, making for calm snorkeling conditions. Other popular keys for snorkeling in Fajardo are Cayo Lobos, Cayo Ratones, and Cayo Diablo.
Fajardo Mainland Beaches
For snorkeling closer to your Fajardo hotel or rental, head to the public beach, Playa Seven Seas. This sheltered strip of shoreline can get crowded on the weekends, but it’s a great place to snorkel if you don’t want to take a full-day tour to one of the islands off the coast. El Convento Beach to the west is a nesting ground for sea turtles and home to many breathtaking reefs to explore.
Start planning your Fajardo snorkeling excursion today! Don’t forget to reserve your tours ahead of time, especially if you’re visiting during Puerto Rico’s busy season.