Inside Alex Lagoon Tours: Honest Review + What to Expect 

✔️   Max of 6 people

✔️   Friendly, expert guide

✔️   Boat offers shade

✔️   4 unique high-quality snorkel sites

✔️   Avoids the crowds

✔️   Delicious refreshments at the end

I cannot say enough positive things about Alex Lagoon Small Group Tours! His tagline of what to expect is “4 hours of happiness.” This pretty much sums up the day.

Alex only takes a max of 6 people. On the day we went, we were a group of 4.

Why is this important?

Because larger groups mean everyone is on top of each other with fins in your face and elbows poking your side. It’s miserable. Been there, done that, and not again.

We had a fantastic group who all loved snorkeling and were respectful of everyone’s space.

Alex expertly guided us to 4 unique locations on the island’s northwestern side. He made us feel completely relaxed and wanted us to feel like it was our personal boat for the day.

The boat was the perfect size for everyone to spread out. The seats were super cushy and comfortable. It also had a retractable canvas to help protect everyone from the sun.

I’d still recommend a rash guard though because you are getting in and out of the water at multiple sites. Also, we brought our own snorkeling gear, but he does provide equipment if you don’t have your own.

Make sure to bring your own towel and sunscreen too! I bring my favorite travel towel for these kind of tours.

During the tour, Alex ensured we had the best snorkeling experience by keeping our masks clean to prevent fogging.

I greatly appreciate these little details.

Alright, let’s go through the 4 snorkeling spots!

The first stop involved a shallow snorkel over some coral heads and then a deeper snorkel over a sandy channel. I am not aware of any official name.

I’m going to call it Turtle & Ray Alley because we saw not only turtles but 7 (yes, 7!) eagle rays!

If you have ever snorkeled with eagle rays, you know they are fast, like super fast.

We have had the chance to snorkel with them at Angel City in Bonaire, Le Meridien in the Maldives, Reef Discovery Tour in Bora Bora, Felicite Island in the Seychelles, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize. You may have about 20 seconds with them, and then poof, they are gone!

One super cool experience Alex offers is that you snorkel that first site with a tow. That means if you happen to get a chance to see eagle rays (remember there’s no guarantee!), you actually can keep up with them.

It’s like you are gliding with them.

We had never snorkeled with a tow before, but it was a cool way to cover a lot of ground and keep up with fast moving marine life.

There were two people to a tow, so my husband and I were on one together.

We each had one hand on the handle, which freed up my second hand to take footage with my favorite underwater camera.

If you can only fit in one snorkeling adventure, make it the Sharks & Rays Sandbar!

There is a sandbar in the middle of the lagoon where you can stand in chest deep water and have blacktip reef sharks and stingrays swim all around you.

We have snorkeled with blacktip reef sharks before in deeper water at the Outrigger in the Maldives, but they were very skittish and swam away once they spotted you.

Not at the sandbar!

These blacktips were very curious but never aggressive. I never felt nervous or scared.

Alex also gives you a safety briefing before you jump in the water, so you know proper snorkeling etiquette around the sharks and rays.

And don’t forget the stingrays!

I know they call nurse sharks the puppy dogs of the sea, but I think these stingrays deserve that name. They were so affectionate and just loved the attention.

We also saw some fish that didn’t want to be left out of the action, but the main attraction was the sharks and rays.

More details and photos can be found in my Sharks & Rays Mini Guide.

Since this is a popular spot, it can get crowded. However, Alex times it just right so you avoid the big crowds.

The third stop was what I would call Coral Canyon.

This is a deeper snorkel and is completely different than all the other sites. 

It was really cool to see these deep channels dug into the reef. We were lucky to see a turtle!

A reader with mobility issues reached out to ask about the ladder on Alex’s boat, so I wanted to clarify.

The boat ladder is straight up and down, not on a slant like steps. See the photo below.

Our final snorkeling site was Coral Garden Tiahura next to the famous Coco Beach.

The snorkeling here was shallow and clear and had beautiful pockets of coral.

We saw several stingrays, a passing blacktip reef shark, and a huge variety of fish. Some of the best snorkeling was on the northern end by the rocks.

My snorkeling map and more photos can be found in my Coral Garden Tiahura Mini Guide!

At the conclusion of our tour, we celebrated a beautiful day in Moorea with a little rum and some fresh coconut slices.

Life doesn’t get much better.

Value and quality of an experience are super important to me. This tour exceeded expectations!

For a little over $100 USD per person, Alex provides incredible value and basically a semi-private tour.

A day with Alex Lagoon Small Group Tours was one of our top things to do in Moorea!

Out of all the tours, this is the one you do not want to miss. Alex is incredibly friendly and kind and truly wants to make sure you are having the best experience.

After your amazing morning, replenish all those lost calories with some delicious poisson cru at nearby Snack Mahana, one of the best Moorea restaurants.

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Questions about our experience with Alex Lagoon Tours?

Let me know in the comments below!