Diving in Cozumel
Diving is one of the most popular types of active tourism in the Mexican Caribbean.
Diving is a unique way to experience the magical appeal of the underwater world and its rich marine life. The variety of amazing dive sites on the Mexican Caribbean coast makes Cozumel one of the most famous dive sites.
The best diving sites in Cozumel
Cozumel is one of the best places for scuba diving. The island is covered almost everywhere with dense green vegetation, and along the perimeter of the island, beaches with white sand contrast with the azure sea waters.
Cozumel Island is one of the best places in the Mexican Caribbean for diving, snorkeling, and fishing. The seabed of Cozumel is covered with excellent coral sand, so the waters here are always crystal clear all year round.
Cozumel Island is a popular diving destination for its drift diving, fantastic clear visibility all year round, and impressive coral formations. Depending on the season and location, sea currents can be from medium to strong.
Cozumel belongs to the large Western Atlantic reef belt. Cozumel is an island of reefs and corals, which makes it a diving paradise. Jacques-Yves Cousteau once called Cozumel one of the best scuba diving spots in the world.
Since then, Cozumel has become one of Mexico’s most famous resorts and one of the best places for divers. Today, the very mention of Cozumel is associated with tropical fish, clear water, and a world of beautiful corals.
Corals that appear during deep dives are amazing. Along your journey, you will encounter barrel sponge corals, black corals, and deep-sea fan corals. You will see corals growing in a tower on top of the older parts of the reef.
If you’re into underwater photography, the reefs here provide fantastic scenery.
The reef looks different at night from the one you saw underwater during the day, especially if you dive during a full moon. Gliding through the darkness and seeing a new ecosystem come to life is a magical, surreal feeling.
The best spots to dive in Cozumel
The best diving and snorkeling spots in Cozumel are located along its west coast, both north and south of the main resort strip. Here are the best and most popular dive sites for diving and snorkeling in Cozumel:
- Santa Rosa Wall
- Colombia Wall
- Palancar Reef
- Palancar Horseshoe
- Punta Tunich
- Barracuda Reef
- Paradise Beach
- Aerolito de Paraiso
Whether you explore by day or dive into the enchanting depths at night, Cozumel’s reefs promise an unforgettable experience. Cozumel offers many opportunities to immerse yourself in the beauty of the ocean depths.
Marine life in Cozumel
Cozumel Island is home to over 500 fish species and a vast diversity of tropical corals.
During an underwater trip, divers can observe sea turtles, endermic magnificent toads, amazing green moray eels, slow-moving nurse sharks, sea bass, and vivid and colorful tropical fish.
Within the winter months, divers often can watch eagle rays at some distance. In the summer it is more typical to encounter timid and skittish blacktip reef sharks.
The southernmost deep reefs are adorned with massive coral heads covered with a vase, pipe, rope, elephant ears, and many other amazing vibrant-colored sponges. Coral heads create a network of amusing canals, straits, and drifts on the walls above the vertical cliffs.
The shallower reefs further north are full of many small fish and invertebrates.
Divers often see here hawksbill sea turtles, amusing stingrays, small schools of nests, fearsome and ferocious behavior barracudas, and other open-water fish. Check behind the coral heads and you can spot nurse sharks, moray eels, and lobsters.
Shore diving from resorts offers a chance to macro subjects on artificial reefs and the sandy bottom. The current is minimal at these sites, providing ample opportunity to shoot anemone shrimp, juvenile drumfish, spotted moray eels, stingrays, trumpetfish, and more.
Diving at dusk into the night divers will discover more marine creatures, including some curious squids and maybe also seahorses.
Best time to dive in Cozumel
The climate in Cozumel is subtropical with the average temperature from 21°C to 29°C, the humidity is usually high, around 90 percent, but it is softened by the constant breeze. Apart from the rainy season (September to November), showers are rare.
Cozumel can offer excellent diving almost all year round.
- The rainy season lasts from May to September.
- The average water temperature in winter is 25°C and 29°C in summer.
- The average water temperature in winter is 25°C and 29°C in summer.
Despite the warm climate, you need a light to medium neoprene suit if you plan several dives in a day.
Diving tours in Cozumel
A wide variety of dive operators provide Cozumel dive packages and services.
The Blue Project Cozumel provides 2-tank-dive trips, twilight and night dive, personalized diving, and snorkeling. Visit the Arrecifes National Park as well as explore the marine vibrant life in amazing Tunich Cozumel diving trips.
The Blue Project Cozumel will get you to every dive-known spot on Cozumel. Comfortable and safe trip, and the staff in love with their job! A good mood and a cheerful atmosphere are part of a never-to-be-forgotten dive trip!
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