SCUBA DIVING IN MEXICO: Dive Wonders on Every Cost. Divers’ Reviews

Scuba Diving in Mexico is possible year-round and every season has different highlights in it´s over 250 dives spots. Most of the diving in Mexico is done in the Yucatán Peninsula, Great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef begins in Cancún, extending from the Yucatán Peninsula to the Bay Islands in Honduras. The Central Pacific region, includes Acapulco, is peppered with great diving sites. The Socorro Islands, known as the “Mexican Galapagos,” are a spectacular liveaboard experience. Cage scuba diving with great white sharks is possible in Isla Guadalupe (with a 125 ft. visibility). The Pacific coast is very different from the Caribbean side. Scuba diving the cenotes, underwater caves filtered with fresh water are a unique experience in Yucatán.

CLIMATE

Mexico has sunny days almost all year, but since it has such a varied  topography, some regions have more extreme changes in weather. The coldest time is December to February and the hottest time June to September.

COZUMEL, DIVING & MAYA RUINS

Cozumel is one of the most popular and accessible diving areas in the Caribbean. The Cozumel Marine Park was created in 1996 and hosts 26 types of coral and many different sub-species.

Cozumel has over 25 different types of diving: walls, reef, drift dives. The Palancar Reef on the south side of the island is part of the national park. You may see stovepipe sponges and black coral in the deeper part, plus the opportunity to see big fish.

At the Palancar Garden site you may drift dive and sharks are often spotted.

Barracuda Point or Barracuda Wall is a great site to watch live coral, eagle rays and 150 ft. visibility, but it´s a technical dive, for advance divers with experience in drift diving. Take note that currents are rather strong here.

Chankanaab National Park has Maya ruins to visit. You can also enjoy dancing in the town square every Saturday night to live music. Try some of the local food in several of the restaurants by the beach.

CANCUN, WORLD’S 2nd LARGEST BARRIER REEF

Cancún is a busy touristy area of Mexico´s Yucatán Peninsula. Probably more for divers since Cancún is home of the second largest barrier reef in the world. It´s home to more than 150 types of reef fish and almost 100 species of coral.

Due to its shallow reefs and very mild currents, Cancún is a perfect place for beginners and for people who want to learn how to dive. The wreck of the C-53 Minesweeper is a fantastic dive site frequented by manta rays. The Ultrafreeze wreck is a tug boat sunk to create an artificial reef, it´s a good dive site to see regeneration of coral.

The Chintales Reef is a terrific reef dive, relatively shallow at 32 ft. and with a grand fish population. The Bat Cave is another highlight dive site to see a variety of underwater formations. Aristos Reef is a beautiful reef on the east side of Cancún, it has excellent visibility and you will spot sharks.

Cancún is also the access to the Cenotes, the underwater sink holes. The Great Cenote is another shallow dive site with fantastic underwater formations and crystal clear visibility. In order to cave dive, you need to take the Cave Diver Course. Cave diving can be challenging and you need to consider safety always.

Cancún is a very popular tourist destination; to make the best of the diving here you need to make sure you book in advance. Cancún is a perfect family trip destination.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, DIVING IN THE MAYAN RIVIERA

Playa del Carmen is the largest city along the Mayan Riviera and has some of the area´s best beaches. It has well over 20 different dive sites.

Due to the ocean currents in the Cozumel Channel, most of the dives in Playa del Carmen are drift dives.

Cenote Azul is a very popular dive site with an impressive entrance; it´s a fresh water dive. This dive site connects to the Cenote Garden of Eden. Chun-Zumbul Reef is one of the longest and shallowest dives in Playas del Carmen. The coral cavern is the most attractive part of this dive.

Kukulcán is part of the Chac Mool cave system, in this site you´ll find a halocline, where salt water and fresh water come together and the visual effects are fantastic.

PUERTO VALLARTA, PACIFIC COAST GEMS

Puerto Vallarta and the Marietas Islands are located in the Pacific coast. The Marietas are one of the most popular dive areas in Mexico’s Pacific. The diving features include wall dives, slope dives, drift dives, pinnacle dives, blue water dives, shallow dives, cave dives and night dives.

Los Arcos is known for its incredible walls and arches. Devil´s Jaw is a good dive site to interact with the giant Pacific manta ray, green sea turtles and schools of jacks.

El Morro, located 5 miles west of the Marietas Islands, features a 200 ft. long sea cave formed by the action of the waves. The rocky granite walls are cover with invertebrates and sea fans. This is a dive for experience divers only. Nitrox is the best way to dive this site, and don´t forget your flash light.  Large mantas and skip jacks can be seen too.

EXPLORE THE SEA OF CORTEZ

The Sea of Cortez supports around 800 species of fish and thousands of invertebrate species. The lower extreme water temperatures make it hard for coral to grow, but it´s the perfect environment for big fish to live.

Schools of jacks, tuna and marlin are common here. You may encounter marine mammals, California sea lions sometimes accompany you during your dives. Gray, blue, fin and humpback whales are regulars in January. Diving is not possible with whales here, but you can take a whale watching excursion.

The Bay of Cobo Underwater National Marine Park also has great dive sites. The Sea of Cortez is better explored by live aboard.

DIVE OPERATORS LISTED IN MEXICO

Acuatic Tulum / Akumal Dive Shop / Albertos Scuba / Alex Scuba / Amigos del Mar / Blue Dream Cozumel / Blue Minke / Buceando Rivera / Bull Sharks Diving Center /  Cabo Eagle Divers / Cenote Diving / CenoteXperience / Chernas Indomables  Cozumel Marine World / Cozumel Sports / Dive Xplor / Dive Zihua / Dressel Divers/ El Mar Azul / GoPro Cozumel / Pro Dive Mexico Cozumel / Pro Dive Mexico Riviera Maya / Scuba du Cozumzel / Scuba Sapiens / Sea Prod Divers / Silent World Divers / Solmar V / Squalo Adventures / The Cavern diving Route / XTC Dive Center