We had read some reviews of Aquaworld and decided to check them out before committing. As we got out of our parked car on the lagoon side along the Kukulcan Boulevard, we were met by the most congenial man, Jose. He was funny and patient with us as we asked questions about what was offered and what it would cost. Eventually we decided that my husband and I would do the Jungle Cruise, my mother and her friend would do the underwater submarine, and my mother’s friend and I would go parasailing. There are all sorts of packages available, and the more you take, the more you are discounted. Since we were technically four people taking three tours in groups of two, the most we got was a 10% discount, but that was still appreciated. Jose and I both had our calculators out, finding the best way to achieve the lowest price.
Once we had chosen our excursions, we left for the day, only to return the following day, when we were warmly welcomed by Jose. My husband and I were given life jackets and a brief orientation on our watercraft. (We had our own snorkeling gear, so we opted to use just Aquaworld’s fins—there are no discounts available for using your own gear.) It did not seem to be a busy time of year, as there was only another father and son in our group. We went single file across the lagoon and then along a path through the mangroves to head out into the ocean and then towards the reef. At the destination we connected all our watercraft, hooking up with another group, and jumped into the ocean where we were free to snorkel. This was well-done, with ropes cordoning off the coral so that we could not damage it and it could not damage us. There were lots of pretty, colorful fish, some surprisingly large, and coral, and the water was calm and warm. After about 45 minutes, we were back on our watercraft and heading toward Cancun along a different path.
At Aquaworld there were changing rooms, showers, and bathrooms, but I just find it hard to get used to putting that toilet paper in the garbage can. There are a variety of places to eat and drink and a kind of shopping center with fish swimming around in an aquarium. One can buy life jackets, snorkel and scuba equipment, T shirts, swim gear, etc.
Aquaworld is a huge operation, with a great variety of packages to choose from. There are hundreds of watercraft and lots of helpful personnel. When we were booking our activities, it was more or less akin to planning a party with friends, fun but slow. Jose was such a special kind of guy; I would recommend Aquaworld and their activities to anyone looking for a good time on the water in Cancun. Jus plan on not being in any kind of a hurry.