Best Dive Sites
Anegada Rock
By boat - All divers
Great dive site for all divers. The reef goes gradually from 5 to 30 meters deep, then a deep wall up to 40 meters and more... There is a sandy submarine canyon located NNE from the rock, named "Sandfalls" that goes up to 30m. Also good for night dive.
Anegadita
By boat - All divers
Anegados
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Some of its interesting features are: laberinthlike rocks to swim through while seeing schools of fish, an archway covered with corals and sea fans housing all kinds of nocturnal species like squirrel fish, soldier fish and octopi and remains of a shipwreck know only by a few.
In the sandy bottom,…
Angelita Cenote
From shore - CMAS * / OW
This dive site is must do for advanced divers who are looking for something a little different. The name means "little angel" in English and there may not be a better way to describe this magical dive site. The setting is perfect as you walk a short distance through the jungle to the rather large…
Aristos
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Bandera Reef
By boat - All divers
For high advanced level divers, drift dive. Bandera reef is a long coral reef topped with elk horn coral. National park for schools of barracudas, turtles, lumberjacks and pampano swimming over the reef.
Barracuda
By boat - All divers
Barracuda is traditionally the second dive after the Tortuga Reef . Picture this reef as a hand with five finger like outcroppings. There are many small holes to explore along the reef and with a sharp eye and some luck you may spot some Barracuda patrolling the reef. Near the end of the dive it is…
C- 56 Juan Escutia
- AOWD/ CMAS **
The Wreck Name is C- 56 JUAN ESCUTIA, it is a 150 feet long war ship purchased from the US NAVY after the Second World War along with 5 others sister ships. It was sunken in front of Puerto Morelos Town in 1996 as part of an Artificial Reef Program. This shipwreck is fully covered in coral and has…
C-53 Xicotencatl
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
The Xicotencatl was sunk June 6, 2000. It is 184 feet long & 33 feet wide.
C-58 Wreck
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
The C58, also known as General Anaya, is a shipwreck popular with scuba divers. It is located in the Caribbean waters of Mexico, off the coast of Quintana Roo. The ship is a former US navy vessel used as a minesweeper during World War II – originally named the USS Harlequin -- that passed…
Cañonero Chairel
25 mins by boat - AOWD/ CMAS **
Strong drift, located about 25 minutes away when going by boat. A great dive inside this navy boat, explore the bathrooms, the office, passing by the guns. You will see schools of barracudas and snappers.
Casa Cenote
by land - all levels
This is one of the most interesting diving spots in the region, Casa Cenote (Cenote Manatee) is located in the middle of mangrove, very close to the ocean. This is one of the Aktum system output of freshwater to the Caribbean sea. With open areas, this cenote is perfect for novice divers and…
Cave of Sleeping Sharks
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Discovered in the late 1960s by Jacques Cousteau, just north off the island Mujeres is the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks, a local favourite and a good place to see sharks at their most passive due to low salt levels in the water.
Cenote Angelita
by land - AOWD
This dive site is must do for advanced divers who are looking for something a little different. The name means "little angel" in English and there may not be a better way to describe this magical dive site. The setting is perfect as you walk a short distance through the jungle to the rather large…
Cenote Carwash
From shore - CMAS * / OW
Cenote Dos Ojos
From shore - CMAS * / OW
This is a Cavern Dive...Not a Cave Dive. Crystal fresh water and lots of Stalactites, stalagmites and columns.
Good buoyancy required.
Cenote Dos Ojos
by land -
Dos Ojos is a flooded cave system located south of Playa Del Carmen and north of Tulum, on the Caribbean coast, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The exploration of Dos Ojos began in 1986 and has never stopped since. The…
Cenote PonDeRosa
From shore - CMAS * / OW
Cenote Taj Mahal
From shore - CMAS ** / AOW
beautiful cenote with three rooms in which light enters from above in a beam that leaves you puzzled. Halocline hallucinations
Cerebros
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Cerebros, meaning 'Brain' in spanish is the Northern most reef. The coral formations at the edge of the reef create a scenic landscape to wander around. Along the middle section and at the end of the reef you will find some beautiful arches to swim through.
Chac Mool Cenote
From shore - CMAS ** / AOW
This is a cenote, essentially a technical dive. Most of the dive is dark, light required. Also there is no open water overhead for most of the dive. We went on a guided dive. There are two cenotes in the immediate area a short walk from parking. It was a fantastic dive with interesting…
Chankanaab Bolones
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Large coral heads scattered all over the bottom. Plenty of local marine life. The Atlantis submarine occasionally visits the site and can be seen by divers.
Chikin Ha Cenote
From shore - CMAS * / OW
entrance fee
Chitales
By boat - CMAS * / OW
This is a very popular reef of Cancun.
Chun-zumbul
By boat - All divers
Coco Beach
By boat - All divers
Columbia Deep
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Columbia Reef
By boat - All divers
This is a great dive for photographers wanting maximum bottom time. Good second dive also.
Coquitos
by boat - all levels
Coquitos overlooks the Tulum Ruins. It is very near to La Piscina usually they are paired together as a two-tank dive. They are also very similar there is lots of beautiful coral, and plenty of marine life.
Cordona Reef
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Coronados Reef
By boat - All divers
purple hydrocorals, invertibrates, lobsters
Cozumel plane wreck
From shore - All divers
Plane wreck dive off of Cozumel.
located in front of the EL CID hotel (formerly La Cebia )
Good place for check out dive
Cuevas de Afuera
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Diving place where , giant sea turtles and eagle rays may be seen.
El Bajo de los Meros
By boat - CMAS * / OW
El Choyudo
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Lots of cabrilla (grouper)and lobster
El Hondureño
By Boat - AOWD/ CMAS **
An amazing tour where you will swim around a part of a sunken boat, lots of fishes, barracuda, pampanos, and turtles.
El Islote
By boat - CMAS * / OW
El Meco
By boat - All divers
A great place for learning to dive or just to spend the morning diving and snorkeling.
There are companies that provide tours via jetski for snorkeling.
There have been Turtle, Porpoise and Barracaduda
El morro
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
It is a rock inhabited by marine birds outside of the Bay and at the edge of the Pacific. It is surrounded by a rocky and sandy area with depths down to 160 feet. It's landmark is a 200 foot long sea cave formed by the action of waves through thousands of years leading from the south side all the…
El placer
By Boat - all levels
place for diving with a little drift, very colorful coral formations.
El Tunel
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Diving place where medium to strong currents are registered. This is a very large cave (reef like) with fish, turtles and dolphins.
El Vencedor
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Elephant Rock
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Escalones
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Escuela
By boat - All divers
A fun dive with half coral and half sand. ' You see tons of different animals and fish
Faro Nuevo
By boat - All divers
Grampin
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Gran Cenote
From shore - CMAS * / OW
Gran Cenote
by land - all levels
This cenote is part of the system Sac Aktun which means white cave in Maya. In 2007 a team of cave diver discover the connection between this system and Nohoch Nah Chich and now we have the biggest system of underwater caves in the wold (157km ). Gran Cenote is located 4 km outside Tulum in…
Herradura
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Isla De San Francisquito
By boat - All divers
This is a SeaLion Rookery. The pups will play with you and put on a show throwing SeaStars. Beware of the Male Adults. A short distance from the Rookery our guide showed me a Cortez Jawfish.
Ixtapa Lagoon
By boat - All divers
BikiniBBBB
Jardin
By boat - All divers
Jardines
By boat - All divers
La Boya de los Locos
By boat - CMAS * / OW
La media Luna
From shore - All divers
About 15 Underwather volcanic craters, the bigger one is about 85m diameter an 35m deep. calm and warm waters 28?C average all year long. prehispanic figures have been found here, prehistoric remains as well. little cave at west.
La Pared
By boat - All divers
The maximum depth is 80 feet where the sand slope begins. Huge rocks form crevices and small swim throughs. The main wall goes down to 40 feet and it is covered with corals, gorgonians, ascidians, sponges and bryozoans. During the months of April, May and June large aggregations of the colorful…
La Pared
By boat - All divers
Great site to view shallow water corals, good night/beginner dive site!
La Piscina
by boat - all levels
La Piscina is an absolutely beautiful section of reef. Which overlooks the Tulum Ruins. It is a nice shallow dive, with lots of light. There are plenty of marine creatures to see, and lots of coral to amaze.
La primera gringa
By boat - All divers
Guano covered island you can dive around with a single tank, although best diving is on it's eastern side and it's seaward tip.
Visibility varies by season from a best of 50-60ft to less than 10.
Dive is mostly over a slope of rubble which ends at a sandy bottom (45-60ft).
Not many large fish due…
La segunda gringa
By boat - All divers
Similar to "Primera gringa" site, but shallower in general. Off the ocean side there's a black coral "forest" in deeper water.
Las Caletas
By boat - All divers
Las Casitas
By boat - All divers
Las Cuevas
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Las Palmas Shallows
By boat - All divers
Many schools of fish are found near the reef. It's slightly sandy so try to stay away from the bottom. Slants smoothly to a wall. Most action is near the top or above the slant.
Las Tres Marietas
By boat - All divers
Would recommend going with a private or small group instead of on a boat with snorkelers and 15+ divers, and also doing multiple dives along these islands. Can see octopus, many difference species of fish, manta rays occasionally and reef formations. This is an easy dive for the most part. Would…
Los Arcos
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Los Arcos
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Named after its two arches. Los Arcos is a relatively deep dive. The wall sections are 5m (15 ft) in height and are covered with hard corals, sponges and fan corals.On the sandy areas divers can find turtles, groupers and stingrays. The arches shelter schools of fish, Moray eels and many…
Los Bajos de la Quebrada
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Los frailes
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Very good dive site and very close from shore.
Surrounding volcanic rock pinnacles covered with bright-colored sponges, stony corals and starfish give it its name. Depths reach 100feet and visibility ranges from 50 to 100 feet.
Majahuitas
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Manta rays are commonly be seen!
Mama Vina
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
This former shrimp boat was intentionally sunk in 1995 for divers. Since then the coral growth has [proceeded rapidly. Once on the wreck descend to the sand and drift along the side of the wreck until you reach the stern where you will find the propeller. Then move up into the lower decks and…
Mamitas
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
For the cooler months of the year between November and March you can experience a shark dive that'll set your heart racing and adrenaline pumping. Every day we experienced about ten female Bull Sharks that came in close enough to touch and I have videos to prove it.
Just a few hundred metres from…
Manchones
By boat - All divers
The Manchones Reef is a popular dive spot on Mexico’s Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (also known as the Great Mayan Reef), on the Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo.Along with remarkable coral formations and diverse marine life, the Manchones Reef area is also home to MUSA, an underwater sculpture…
Media Luna
By Boat - all levels
A marvelous reef near the surface. You can dive along its channels, dive up and down through arches and bridges. Admire the colorful coral and the shrimp and lobsters. You will find two caves with sharks, jewelfish groupers, large sea anemone, spiny sea, urchins and more.
Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
by boat - all levels
The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, also known as the Mesoamerican reef or Great Mayan Reef, stretches over 600 miles from Isla Contoy at the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula to the Bay Islands in Honduras. The reef system includes various protected areas and parks including the Arrecifes de…
Middle Coronado Island
By boat - All divers
Sea Lions and big fish, Lobsters
Middle Rock
By boat - All divers
Eel Grass, Sea Lions and Bass
Neptunes Finger
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Nice dive: Sea Fans, Sponges, Soft-Corals, Gorgonians, some sharks, octopus, barracudas...
Neto's
By boat - All divers
Coral heads reaching the surface. Good sandy areas for training. Visibility can vary considerably depending on weather conditions.
North Coronado
By boat - All divers
Sea bass, Calico bass and Halibut in the sand
North Coronado Island Passage
By boat - All divers
Passage from one side of the island to the other with Sea Lions all around you. purple hydrocorals
North Wall
By boat - Standard
Starts on the reef on a sandy bottom (with garden eels), and follow the slope to the wall.
Outer Pulmo Coral Reef
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Palancar Deep
By boat - All divers
This is an amazing dive site. It became globally famous after Jacques Ives Cousteau dived the reef. It features many huge coral columns. Lots of fish are visible on this dive and the water clarity is fantastic.
Palancar Horseshoe
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Palancar Reef
By Boat - all levels
This was my first experience of a coral garden. I didn’t realise it was such a literal phrase, believing it to be more of an accepted term for a coral collective. Palancar reef is very garden like. In the clear water against the pale sand, the coral colours are breathtaking as they peek…
Palmitas
By boat - All divers
This dive site has low to no current. This is a good dive site for those who like free diving and snorkeling. Shallow. It has tiny coral formations. You can frequently see eagle rays and spotted eels.
Paraiso Bajo
By boat - All divers
Very plentiful and abundant reef with lots of fish, coral, and sponges. Lobsters and eels are seen on the site at times. Makes a great dive for everyone, even new novice divers.
Pared Verde
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
This famous wall is very different in formation from the classical endless 'drop off' reef. Pared Verde has sections of walls which are split by sloping hills of sand. The spectacular coral formations are full of small and large marine life. Watch out for spiny lobsters, King crabs, turtles, sting…
Paso del Cedral
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Cedar Pass Reef is one of Cozumel's most colorful reefs, teaming with schools of grunts and snappers. Divers are typically greeted by a large Barracuda that hovers over the reef. Turtle are commonly seen here munching on the sponges, often ignoring the divers and photographers. The reef is full…
Pena Blanca
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Puerto Cueva
By boat - All divers
invertebrates and Halibut in the sand
Punta Dalila
By boat - All divers
Punta Mismaloya
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Punta Negra
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Punta Sur
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
WARNING: Experienced divers only!
Starts just after "Devil's Throat" with a great drop-off. Large groupers, turtles... There is a cave named "The Cathedral" with large sponges.
Punta Sur - Devil's Throat
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
The Devil's Throat at Punta Sur is an underwater cave formation located offshore of Cozumel that starts at approximately 80 feet of depth and opens up at approximately 135 feet - right at the edge of recreational dive limits.
The Devil's Throat is considered a "must dive" experience by scuba…
Punta Tunich
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Big grouper and playful green moray eels.
Punta Tunich
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Punta Venado
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
This amazing dive site is the southern-most reef in the area and is popular for its beautiful soft and hard corals. Punta Venado generally has a moderate to strong current that takes you past the amazing corals, moray eels, turtles, rays and schools of fish. In the winter season (Dec-Mar) you also…
Rio Bermejo
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Rio de la Plata
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Rio de La Plata (River of Silver) is the last name of this Italian made vessel. Built in 1923 with the name "Principessa Maria", this 8,539 tons ship was sold on 1941 from its original manufacturer, Lloyd Sabaudo to Argentina, when it got its last name.
During summer of 1943, the Rio de la Plata…
Roca Partida
by boat - all levels
Roca Partida is one of four islands in the Revillagigedos Archipelago, more commonly called the Socorro Islands. This pinnacle rises 115 feet above the ocean's surface, but is only 300 feet wide. Beneath the surface it's a magnet to pelagics and large schools of jacks and tuna. It can only be…
Rodman
By boat - All divers
Visibility and current can vary hugely from day to day. From 5' Visibility to 100' and 0 to 4+ Knot currents. Almost always strong surge as waves break overhead.
Rosario
By boat - All divers
Big Seqa Bass and other Pelagics. Lots of fish and Lobster
Sabalos
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Originally named after the schools of Sabalos/ Tarpon that can still ocasionally been seen here. The reef consists of healthy hard and soft corals of all variations. There are many kinds of fish as well as Starfish on the sand. Near the end of the dive you will find a small cavern for exploration.
San Benedicto Island
By Boat - all levels
San Benedicto is one of four islands in the Revillagigedos Archipelago, more commonly called the Socorro Islands. This area attracts nature enthusiasts and scuba divers because the the numerous large animal encounters experienced at dive sites like "The Boiler" and "The Canyon". Giant Pacific…
San Francisco
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
This wall starts at 50 feet and drops into the abyss. Drift along and observe the coral and schools of fish.
San Jerinimo Island
By boat - All divers
Black Sea Bass
San Luciano wreck
By boat & from shore - All divers
The San Luciano is a 300-foot-long steam vessel, sunk during the hurricane of 1959.
This wreck is home of many sea horses and marine sea life. This is a great dive site for snorkelling (the top of the wreck is only 4 ft. beneath the surface).
San Martin Island
By boat - All divers
Big Calico Bass and sea Bass.
San Pedro - Las Cascaditas
By boat - CMAS * / OW
What can I say ~ the seals were the reason for the dive!
San Pedro - Punta Sur
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Currents usually rip through. Usually have to descend/ascend using anchor line. Captain needs to know how to anchor on site in order not too anchor in water too deep or far from the point.
Divers not ascending on line can be drift more than a mile into open ocean during ascent - make sure to take…
San Toribio
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Santa Rosa Wall
By boat - All divers
Great dive site. Supreme and probably one of the best not only in Cozumel but the Caribbean. Plenty of big fish as well as little fish and water clarity is amazing. Even at depth, the surface looks closer than it really is.
Santo Remedio
By boat - All divers
Sea Lion Colony
By boat -
Sleepy Shark Caves
By boat - CMAS * / OW
A famous diving place investigated by Jaques Costeau, who documented this amazing phenomenon; sleeping sharks soaking up fresh water bubbles percolating from below. The species that you could see are: Lemon sharks, Bull sharks, Blacktip sharks, Amberjacks, Manta Rays. Because of the constant…
Snorkeling with whale sharks
By Boat - all levels
Swim up close in the natural environment of the Gulf Of Mexico with the Ocean's largest sish: The "whale sharks". These huge sea creatures are found off the coast of Holbox Island Mexico in the state of Quintana Roo near Cancún.
The whale sharks are harmless & Non Threatening to humans.…
South Coronado Island
By boat - All divers
elephant seals, sea lions and Barracuda
Sting Ray
by boat - all levels
The pinnacle formations of this shallow dive site are full of different species of coral and fish. This nice, easy, relaxing dive will incite you to be inspired. It is only a short boat ride from the beach, and is a good paring with ballena as a two-tank dive.
Tank Ha deep
by boat - AOWD
Tankah deep is a most exhilarating dive site. It starts with a back roll off the boat into the deep blue. The decent to the 30m / 99 feet is captivating; you plunge deeper and deeper into the blue wondering when you will get a glimpse of the reef. Then suddenly there it is. In all its…
Tarpon Hole
By boat - All divers
Deep slot just outside of reef where large schools of huge tarpon rest along with some very large grouper. Great place to swim amongst huge tarpon and grouper. Excellent living reef.
We dove with XTC Diving in Xcalak, the departure point for Chinchorro Reef.
The Colima Wreck
By boat - CMAS * / OW
The Colima Wreck lies in 15 m (50 feet) of water. It was a Mexican fishing vessel that sunk during a storm in 1939.
The Point
By boat - CMAS * / OW
The Point is the only dive site wher you dive both the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean!
The flat rock nearby is where a small colony of California sea lions live. They usually play with the divers. It's a magical dive. You also may see some turtles and huge sea bass, as well as pelagic…
Tormentos Reef
By boat - All divers
This is a typical nice second dive.
Torrecillas
By boat - CMAS * / OW
Dive Torrecillas! Arches, caverns... a nice dive for intermediate divers.
Tortugas Reef
By boat - All divers
A beautiful drift dive with lots of turtles on every dive.
Turner Island
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Incredible soft coral
Ultrafreeze Wreck
By boat - CMAS ** / AOW
Ultrafreeze – also known as El Frio -- is a 200-foot long shipwreck in Mexico, off the Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo. The vessel was a cargo ship/ tugboat deliberately sunk to create an artificial reef.
The hull of Ultrafreeze is virtually intact, and the site is known as a fantastic dive…
Underwater Museum in Cancun
by boat - ll levels
MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) is an underwater museum in the waters surrounding Cancun and Isla Mujeres in Mexico. The project was created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor and consists of 400 permanent life-size sculptures on the ocean floor.Each of the sculptures is made from materials…
Villa Blanca
By boat - CMAS * / OW
XCaret - Snorkeling Lagoon
By boat & from shore - All divers
Snorkeling and children. Outside, good dive site.
Yucab Reef
By boat - All divers