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Mexican Caribbean, included Cancun and Riviera Maya, is one of the world’s water sports capitals and offers quality services for virtually everything relating to diving and snorkeling. The list is long, but key points include:

• Diving instruction of the highest level (usually PADI)
• Equipment sales and rental
• Equipment repair
• Refills
• Highly qualified dive guides (usually PADI)
• Photographic and video equipment rental
• A staffed decompression chamber
• Dive related medical assistance

Only the Amazon rivals the incredible richness of the Mexican Caribbean's underwater flora and fauna. With visibility ranging from 16 to 32 meters (approx. 50 to 100 feet) and water temperatures from 21 to 29° centigrade (approx. 70 to 84° Fahrenheit), divers and snorkelers can experience the world’s second largest reef system in great comfort.

There are about 14 different diving and snorkeling sites in and around Cancun. Favorites include:

• Punta Nizuc, a large, tranquil bay in front of Club Med
• Punta Cancun, spanning Playa Tortugas to Camino Real Hotel and home to a large variety and quantity of tropical fish.
• Manchones, La Bandera (The Flag) and El Tunel (The Tunnel) reefs
• And many other sites of interest.

ISLA MUJERES
Isla Mujeres, Contoy and Cozumel, set the northern limit of the largest coral reef barrier, in the northern hemisphere, the second largest in the world. The natural beauty and abundance of marine life on the Great Mayan Reef is truly a gift of nature and an amazing experience.

Isla Mujeres, has 10 wonderful diving and snorkeling sites, with high concentrations of colorful marine life.

• Garrafon National Marine Park is a protected reserve. It hosts an eco-tourist park that allows visitors to enjoy unmatched submarine wonders.
• Cave of the Sleeping Sharks. Made famous by Jacques Cousteau, divers may watch sharks up close – ‘sleepy’ due to the fresh water flowing through the cave. Expert divers only.
• The Arch and The Bridge, two spectacular sites, are also located in the Garrafon Park. Recommended for expert divers only.
• El Farito and Los Manchones, have solid reefs with heights between three and five meters. Open water divers and snorkel.
• Bayside, the Underwater Cross and The Virgin of the Bay are two additional sites worth diving or snorkeling.

C. CONTOY ISLAND
Contoy Island has set aside as a Biosphere Reserve. A breeding colony, Contoy is rookery to pelicans, frigate birds and cormorants. Three neighboring reefs are an easy dive and snorkel, but divers must watch for strong currents.
• Las Calderas, Arrecifes Ixlache, and Barco Hundido. Visibility conditions are excellent; the reefs are in excellent condition.

D. COZUMEL
Approximately 50 dive-able reefs ring the island of Cozumel. Visibility ranges from 40 to 50 meters (approx. 130 to 160 feet), balmy temperatures and astounding wildlife make for a great diving experience. Yet, another section of the world’s second largest reefs system, and the largest in the northern hemisphere. For your convenience, dive sites are classified by difficulty: beginners, intermediate and advanced.

Ideal Beginner Sites:

• Chankanaab. No visit to Cozumel is complete without a visit to Chankanaab. Snorkel the lagoon’s wonderful coral formations, stroll the exceptional botanical gardens, take in the dolphin show and the museum. Facilities include restaurants, changing rooms and rentals for snorkel and dive gear.
• Paraiso Norte, Paraiso Sur, La Herradura (incomparably beautiful), Pared de Villa Blanca, and Palancar Gardens are other sites perfect for beginners.

Intermediate Level Divers:

• Santa Rosa, a spectacular wall dive is the hands down popularity winner on the island. Hundreds of meters long with tremendous variety of Marine Life.
• San Francisco, Punta Tunich, Tormentos, and Paso del Cedral are sites that reward the intermediate diver with dense fish populations, richly colored reefs and challenging technical requirements.

Advanced Level Divers:

• Palancar. Cozumel’s most famous site. A world-class dive, mountainous coral formations will catch your eye and the marine life is nothing short of amazing. Shallower dives run from 6 to 12 meters (approx. 20 to 40 feet) while deeper dives plunge 30 to 37 meters (approx. 90 to 120 feet). There are four entrances to the reef system: the Gardens, the Horseshoe, the Caves and the Deep Zone, each at different diving levels.
• Colombia. As beautiful as Palancar with depths ranging from 23 and 30 meters (approx. 75 to 100 feet) in deep canyons and cliffs. Great for observing jellyfish, corals and coral dwellers.
• Punta Sur. Recommended for expert divers, with depths between 27 and 37 meters (approx. 90 to 120 feet). Highly recommended for night diving.

E. THE MAYAN RIVIERA (The coast of the Mexican Caribbean)
Nature was very generous with Quintana Roo. Dense, sprawling jungles are home to multitudes of wild life. A sparkling coastline is graced by crystal clear turquoise waters rich with marine life — a density unmatched by any destination in the world. This unique destination is enjoyed by Mexican and foreign travelers alike. Hundreds of dive and snorkeling sites dot the coastline. We’ve listed cities and villages with dive and snorkeling infrastructures for your convenience.

• Puerto Morelos. Small and rustic, this port’s reef runs a few meters off the beach with easy access and dense marine life. The reef has been designated a protected area.
• Playa del Carmen. Privileged in its location at the Cancún — Tulum midpoint, Playa del Carmen is the ferry access to Cozumel Island. The reef off Playa’s shore is about 1 kilometer away, with a wide range of tropical fish. The most abundant are black and blue angelfish.
• Xcaret. Well known as a good balance of culture, ecology, water sports and good restaurants, the Eco-Park offers snorkeling and diving to beginners and advanced practitioners.
• Akumal. Located about 100 kilometers south of Cancun, Akumal’s ample beaches are great staging areas for beautiful reefs. Wonderful diving and snorkeling.
• Xel-Ha. Spring waters running into the Caribbean feed one of the world's largest natural aquariums, Xel-Ha's bay. A national reserve, the park is carefully monitored. A paradise for snorkeling, diving and relaxing with nature 115 kilometers south of Cancún.
• Tulum. Gateway to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and home to ‘El Castillo’ ruins, Tulum has excellent barrier reef diving and snorkeling conditions. The water off the coast is spectacularly effervescent.

F. COSTA MAYA (The Southern Coast of Quintana Roo)

• Sian Ka’an, Biosphere Reserve. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Reserve is home to seven different types of natural habitats, including jungles, swamps, mangroves, cenotes, and lagoons, and bays. In 1987, UNESCO declared it to be “Patrimony to Mankind”, with an area of 600 hectares (approx. 1,800 acres) and a chain of coral reefs running for 100 kilometers down the coast.
• La Costa Maya. The fifty-eight kilometers (approx. 36 miles) of coast running from Mahahual to Xcalak are protected a continuation of the barrier reef. Access has been made possible only recently and new dive sites are discovered almost daily.
• Banco Chinchorro. A remarkable coral atoll located very close to the shore. Rich in marine life and fish species, Banco Chinchorro is a habitat rich from unsullied corals and a number of shipwrecks. The ‘Bank’ runs almost 800 kilometers (approx. 500 miles) in length.

G. DIVING THE CENOTES
Cenote and cave diving began growing in popularity in the ‘80’s in Quintana Roo. Cave and cavern divers from the world over began flocking to the state to celebrate there very specialized sport.

Cenote comes from the Mayan word Izonott, which means “well”. The cenotes are geological ‘faults’ or ‘sinkholes’ created by the long-term effects of rainwater percolating through the porous limestone aquifer that makes up much of the Yucatan Peninsula. Erosion of the aquifer forms caves and tunnels beneath the surface, and should the ground collapse into a water-formed cave, a sinkhole or cenote appears. Many cenotes are very large, deep and riddled with water-filled tunnels that can extend underground for miles. Extremely clear water creates an incredible diving experience in a unique and beautiful habitat. Cenotes are found from Quintana Roo all the way into Central America.

It is important to note that cenote diving is an extreme, high-risk sport. Divers must be trained carefully; there is little or no room for mistakes. Professional instructors can be contacted at CEDAM Diving Center and Akumal Diving Center.

Many tours are offered at parks and cenotes with include a much safer alternative; snorkeling. Safe for the entire family, they are an alternative that allows the over 50 cenotes to be experienced in Quintana Roo.
Favorite cenotes include:

• Chacmool, and the subterranean connected Cristal and El Escondido, and others in the area surrounding Puerto Aventuras.
• Cenote Nohoch Chic, Dos Ojos, Aktun-Chen, and Cenote Azul.
• Coba ruins are home to 5 remarkable cenotes.
• Xcaret
• Xel-Há

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