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The best dive sites in Cozumel
Cozumel scuba diving is one of the world’s best experiences, with incredible Mexican dive sites easily accessible to underwater adventurers.
The island of Cozumel, located just off the Yucatan Peninsula, is one of the best Mexican travel destinations. Home to the all inclusive Occidental Cozumel and Allegro Cozumel, a getaway here offers the chance to experience one-of-a-kind adventures – especially beneath the waves of the Caribbean Sea. Cozumel scuba diving is one of the world’s best experiences, with incredible Mexican dive sites easily accessible to underwater adventurers.
Added Cozumel scuba diving bonus: the Ultimate Dive Experience package available at Allegro Cozumel makes it easy to enjoy the best Cozumel diving sites. The package includes one diver’s tank per day, an Ultimate Dive Experience exclusive ID wristband, accommodation within an exclusive section of the resort, near the beach diving shop, a special hanger to dry your diving suit in your room, plus many more amenities. It’s the perfect way to discover the best scuba diving in Cozumel. Here are just a few Cozumel scuba diving sites you don’t want to miss.
Palancar Reef
Palancar Reef is one of the crown jewels of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System – and an incredible Cozumel scuba diving adventure. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System stretches nearly 700 miles from the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula down through the Honduran Bay Islands. The 3.5-mile long Palancar is actually a blend of several different coral formations, with dive depths ranging from 50 to 115 feet, making it great for all levels of scuba diving experience. A few of the best Palancar Reef diving experiences include:
- Palancar Gardens at the north end of the reef is shallow and features gorgeous caverns.
- The labyrinthine Little Caves area is home to amazing passageways and tunnels, surrounded by colorful coral.
- For advanced divers, Deep Palancar offers pristine natural beauty and an array of marine life.
- Santa Rosa Reef is one of Cozumel’s most widely dived spots with stunning overhangs of coral, friendly grouper and huge sponges.
- With a 60- to 80-foot drop-off, Columbia Reef offers some of the world’s most stunning deep dives, with gigantic coral pinnacles, some more than 90 feet tall.
Punta Sur Reef
Boasting dive depths of 50 to 90 feet, Punta Sur Reef is another Cozumel scuba diving gem. One of the most famous dive sites here is known by the ominous name Devil’s Throat (La Garganta del Diablo). It’s an underwater cave formation that many consider a “must-dive” for advanced scuba divers. You’ll swim through a dramatic red coral formation, surrounded by all kinds of marine life. It’s not all devilish, however; Punta Sur Reef is also home to an area that divers call “The Cathedral,” that’s just as beautiful as it sounds.
Chankanaab Reef
This is one of the best Cozumel diving sites for beginners, thanks to mild currents and shallow depths. It’s also great for Cozumel snorkeling. Part of Cozumel’s famed Chankanaab Park, Chankanaab Reef is home to dazzling tropical fish and colorful coral. Keep an eye on the sandy ocean floor – you may spot sting rays down there! Also worth noting are the underwater sculptures of Christ and the Virgin Mary at Chankanaab.
Maracaibo
Located at the southern tip of the island, Maracaibo is a pristine Cozumel diving site. It’s less popular and less well-known than other scuba attractions, but no less beautiful. It’s also much less crowded! Maracaibo offers deep dives for experienced scuba adventurers with depths of up to 100 feet. The visibility is crystal clear, making it easy to see the schools of fish darting around the gorgeous coral structures.
Cozumel scuba diving may sound like fun. But perhaps you’ve never been scuba diving? Check out our tips for scuba diving beginners.
