With so many places to explore, it can be a difficult task to find the right diving spot. You’d want to make the best out of your experience, and this is true with any diving spot you go to. Especially so when you’re looking for it in Cozumel, Mexico.
Cozumel is a small Caribbean island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico. Cozumel diving offers one of the best experiences you can get out of any diving spots in the world, from the enigmatic Palancar Bricks, to the vibrant colors of its surrounding reefs. If you can’t make up your mind as to where you want to dive first, we’ve made a list of the best diving spots in Cozumel.
1. Palancar Reef
Palancar reef is one of the best Cozumel diving spots if you’re looking to do your first ever dive, or if you’re not totally confident about your dive skills just yet. The waters surrounding this reef are calm and can provide you some good phot opportunities with as few risks as possible. The reef itself is about 3.5 miles long and has a huge variety of coral clusters with thousands of species showcasing vibrant colors the Palancar reef is known for.
2. Palancar Horseshoe
Although the Palancar reef is known to be a good starting point for novice divers, it also has a lot of sites to offer more advanced divers as well. Though found within Palancar itself, this beautiful Cozumel diving spot needs a special mention on its own. The name comes from the U-shaped protrusion on its wall and is known for its stunning swim-throughs and tunnels that the more adventurous divers would certainly appreciate.
3. Colombia Wall
The Colombia wall is a popular deep diving site amongst the Cozumel diving spots. The wall itself is about 100 feet high and is home to numerous cave and tunnel systems divers can explore. Giant coral pillars populate the area, each can be as tall as 60 feet, and can also provide a good place to dive around.
This dive spot also has a large variety of marine life, including barracuda, eagle rays, sea turtles, and numerous species of reef fish. If you’re the type who likes to take photos underwater, then the Colombia wall certainly provides a lot of opportunities to do so.
4. Santa Rosa Wall
The Santa Rosa Wall is considered to be the most popular deep diving sites available and extends deep into the depths. This Cozumel diving spot offers a large number of tunnel systems for divers to explore, as well as a variety of sponges, corals and a stunning number of marine creatures. Huge schools of fish swim here regularly, including the large grouper. The currents here can be strong, however, so only attempt it if you’re already an intermediate diver or is being supervised by one.
5. Barracuda Reef
If you love swimming with fishes and other animals, then visiting the Barracuda Reef might be the thing for you. Known for its strong currents and the huge number of fish and marine life, this Cozumel diving spot is certainly one you shouldn’t miss. Aside from the barracuda the reef is known for, you also get to swim with hammerhead sharks, reef sharks and eagle rays.
The area does have strong currents, which makes it difficult to find a diving spot that is willing to take you there, but once you do get the chance, taking a dive in Barracuda Reef is certainly worth the experience.
6. Punta Tunich
Another Cozumel diving spot for the more adventurous types, Punta Tunich is known for its strong currents and drift dives. T his diving spot is about 65 feet deep, and starts out with a white sandy bottom, punctuated by long, ridges of coral that are between 40 to 60 feet high. A large number of coral species are in abundance in this dive site, as well as a large number of fishes, such as the snapper and the grunt. Much like in Barracuda Reef, care must be taken when diving in this Cozumel diving spot due to the stronger currents.
7. Paradise Beach
Paradise Beach is known for its beach diving and offers a great place to do night dives as well. Found just north of Caleta, this area is a tourist spot, so there’s a good number of amenities here, as well as a good number of people. This Cozumel diving spot is regularly used for certifying new divers, so the number of people here can be off-putting to some. It is, however, a good place to get yourself introduced to the world of diving, and its crystal-clear pristine waters are home to stunningly beautiful reefs and lovely colored fishes.
8. Aerolito Paraiso
This dive spot is one of the three Cenotes found on Cozumel. Aeorolito Paraiso, or Paradise Crater in English, is home to a large number of marine animals, including barracuda, sea stars and large lobsters. Entrance to this crater is done via an emerald lagoon and can be enjoyed by cavers and divers alike. This Cozumel diving spot is only a 5 minute drive south of the main town.
9. Villa Blanca Shallows
This Cozumel diving spot is found on the southern area of Cozumel. The wall in Villa Blanca is located not far from the shallows and offers the best of both worlds. You get to skim the upper areas of the wall where you can view shallow marine life, and if you’re feeling up to it, you can go deeper to explore. It’s also very common to see eagle rays here.
10. Las Palmas Shallows
This diving spot is known for its luscious coral growth all throughout its sandy bottom, which provide a great habitat for lobsters, crabs, moray eels, puffer fishes and golden tail eels. There are also various other species at its wall and is a good spot for novice divers due to the calmer currents in the area. It can be a bit crowded due to its popularity, but it’s nonetheless a great Cozumel diving spot.
Final Thoughts
Cozumel, Mexico has a huge variety of marine wildlife, and its multicolored reefs are a sight to behold. It boasts one of the world’s clearest and warmest oceans and would certainly have what any diver is looking for. Whether you’re up for an adventure or just a relaxing dive, Cozumel should certainly be in your list.
