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1Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Mexico
The top 260 dive and snorkel sites in Mexico, ranked by diver reviews, with maps and photos. Read the Mexico guide
- dive sites
- 260
AreasQuintana Roo128Baja California Sur33Sonora33Baja California11Jalisco11Veracruz9Colima8Guerrero7
100 sites, ranked by diver reviews
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2C-58 Wreck
Mine Sweeper wreck SE of Punta Cancun C-58 Wreck is also known as C 58, Tulum shipwreck.
IntermediateMax depth 65.6 ftBoat entry
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3Manchones reef
This reef has been chosen to host the sculptures of Jason de Caires Taylor: Coleccionista de los Sueños (The Archive of Lost Dreams) and Hombre en Llamas (Man on Fire). They have been placed here in november 2009. South of Isla Mujeres. Part of the National Marine Park of Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc. Manchones reef is also known as Coleccionista de los Sueños, The Archive of Lost Dreams, Hombre en Llamas, Man on Fire.
BeginnerMax depth 26.2 ftBoat entry
4
Chac Mool Cenote
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 geological formations and clear water conditions. You do go though a halocline at some points in the dive profile. 3 Cenotes at this site: Chac-Mool, Kukulkan, and Big Brother Vehicle access on dirt road northwest of Mexico 307, Ctra Tulum - Playa del Carmen. Short walk from parking area. We went with a guide. Chac Mool Cenote is also known as Kukulkan Cenote.
IntermediateMax depth 32.8 ftShore entry
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6Punta Sur
Considered one of the best dive sites in Cozumel, Punta Sur is characterized by an impressive deep wall on the southern end of the island, reaching down to 165ft/ 50m. Remarkable swim-troughs will take you down to the Devil's Throat, a narrow tunnel lined with red sponges, located inside this area's largest coral mound. Once you enter a large cave that leads to a smaller cavern, the narrow opening of the “throat” becomes visible. The swim through lasts a few seconds only, but creates unforgettable memories! Once outside, numerous other exciting tunnels take you through a labyrinth of corals until you ascend over a sandy slope up to 30ft/ 10m depth, accompanied by sting rays, turtles, nurse sharks and eagle rays. There is a cave named "The Cathedral" with large sponges. Due to narrow penetrations and depth, this dive is recommended for very advanced divers only, since it can be dangerous if lacking excellent buoyancy and air consumption. Punta Sur is located at Punta Sur ! (Extreme S of Cozumel island)
AdvancedMax depth 30 ftShore or Boat entry
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C-56 Shipwreck
Easy entry into the wreck if you wish. Tons of life around the wreck if you choose to check it out instead of going into the ship. Boat access from Puerto Morelos C-56 Shipwreck is also known as C56.
BeginnerMax depth 65 ftBoat entry
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9Mahahual
Snorkel from shore on great Maya barrier that extends from the Mexican Caribe through costal Belize to the Honduran Bay Islands. Lodge in beach cabana ($25 per night) with 20m walk across white sand beach to shore. Sleep 'til you wake, snorkel, eat, drink and repeat. Nirvana. Fly to Cancun, QR, Mexico, rent a car and drive south to Mahahual.
Shore entry
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10Scuba Club Cozumel
Once inside the property, a nice, shallow shore dive can be had with tons of juvies. Great spot for a night dive on this little strip/patch reef. Nothing compared to Bonaire shore diving but pretty good for critter spotting close to shore in Cozumel. Just down the road from Caribe Blu hotel (closer to town) is the popular all inclusive dive resort called Scuba Club Cozumel.
Shore entry
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12Palancar Park
Palancar Beach, one of the best all-around beach spots on Cozumel, is especially acclaimed for its water sports, including kayaking, snorkeling, sailing and diving. You can rent a dive charter and also grab some grub at the nearby restaurants and bars. Travelers especially recommend Palancar Beach and Palancar Reef for cruise patrons looking to escape a pre-planned excursion for a more authentic experience. Travelers also described the just-offshore Palancar Gardens as an excellent spot for divers of all skill levels. Even if you're an experienced diver, it's recommended you rent a charter to avoid the hassle of permits or licensing. All diving companies must have a license to operate, and while swimmers are allowed to dive on their own, we recommend that you hire local experts who are familiar with the diving terrain. Others say it's a must-do even if you're planning just to skim the surface snorkeling the Palancar Shallows.
Shore entry
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13Coral Princess Hotel
The Coral Princess provides an excellent set of concrete steps for entering, and their dive shop, Pepe Scuba, will leave tanks out for you day or night, which makes this quite an attractive spot, especially for night diving. It is possible to dive all the way out to the reef a football field away, but the current generally renders this plan futile. It's better just to follow the iron shore south or north, staying shallow, admiring the schools of fish and the excellent sponge growth. There are lots of crevices, small bays, a couple swimthroughs to hide lobster, octopus, moray and little things like Christmas tree worms and juvenile angels constantly take center stage. A very worthwhile dive or snorkel. From the center of San Miguel de Cozumel, head north on the main highway two miles to the Coral Princess hotel, located right on the shore.
Shore entry
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Tormentos Reef
This is a typical nice second dive. S of Chankanaab Marine National Park; before Yucab reef, opposite Punta Tormentos.
BeginnerMax depth 32.8 ftBoat entry
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15Hotel Barracuda
Hotel Barracuda is a 4.75-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Cozumel, Caribbean which is accessible from shore based on 4 ratings.
Shore entry
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16Land's End
This is an amazing spot. Though, please be wary of the sea lions because they love to zip in an make you soil your wetsuit. The Sea lion colony is on the opposite side of Land's end and they love to play with divers. The diving is great for beginner to advanced because the water depth range is 25-150ft with tons of reefs, a old wreck, hundreds of schools of fish, a small cave, and every a horrible visibility of 50-75ft in the morning to 35-50ft late afternoon to evening. The current has a tendency of being a bit strong and will actually take you right around the point without a kick from you if you start on the colony side. It is a blast for all levels and interests. A great map I later found to show others is at http://www.loscabosguide.com/diving/divemap.htm - Erik From the airport, watch out for timeshare people and get in a taxi, van, or if lucky, your travel agent will have a van waiting for you. On the way to Los Cabos, you will see an enormous array of dive sites, and usually the drivers can tell you the most popular ones (if your driver speaks English or you Spanish). In Los Cabos, Land's End is just past Lover's Beach and El Arco (The Rainbow). To get there you will either need to bribe a water taxi ($3 per person anywhere you want to go), or get a dive boat ($40-45 includes tank, boat, weights, and bottled water). I tried many of the dive centers there but was really happy with Cabo Pro Dive in the Las Glorias and Villa Palmar hotels. You can leave your gear with them and they will clean it for you (they do a good job too). The dive boats are all small so no standing jumps, all water entries are backwards drops. - Erik
Shore entry
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17Santa Rosa Wall
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. By boat is the way to reach this dive site. The shore is visible from the dive boat. Santa Rosa Wall is also known as Rosa Wall.
BeginnerMax depth 69.9 ftBoat entry
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18Columbia Reef
This is a great dive for photographers wanting maximum bottom time. Good second dive also. Just N of Punta Sur (S of Cozumel Island). Columbia Reef is also known as Columbia Pinnacles, Columbia Shallow.
BeginnerMax depth 32.8 ftBoat entry
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19Socorro - Cabo Pearce
Dolphins, whales! Eastern side of the island
IntermediateMax depth 49.2 ftBoat entry
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20Jardines
Part of Playa del carmen reefs. Jardines is also known as Gardens.
BeginnerMax depth 20 ftBoat entry
Mexico diving guide
Ready to check out the best sites in Mexico for scuba diving, snorkeling, shore diving, free diving or other ocean activities? Zentacle has 260 dive sites, snorkel spots, beaches, and more. Discover hand-curated maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best dive and snorkel sites in Mexico?
Based on Zentacle reviews, the top-rated sites in Mexico are Caribe Blu (5.0 from 4 reviews), C-58 Wreck (5.0 from 4 reviews) and Manchones reef (5.0 from 3 reviews).
Where is the best snorkeling for beginners in Mexico?
The top-rated beginner sites are Manchones reef (5.0 from 3 reviews), Los Arcos (5.0 from 2 reviews) and Grampin (5.0 from 2 reviews).
Where can I shore dive in Mexico?
Caribe Blu, Chac Mool Cenote, Punta Sur and Mahahual are the top-rated sites you can enter from shore.
What is the best advanced dive in Mexico?
Punta Sur (5.0 from 2 reviews), reached by boat, with a maximum depth of 30 ft.