Cozumel has some of the best and most diverse dive sites in the Caribbean, located within the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park. Cozumel is an island set just off of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and the popular travel destination of Playa Del Carmen. 85% of the dive sites surrounding Cozumel are fully protected by the Mexican government, which is why they are still in such excellent condition. Cozumel has great underwater visibility most of the year and different types of dive sites, including wall and shallow reef dives. Are you thinking of checking out this iconic dive destination? Here are the best dive spots in Cozumel.
Chankanaab Reef
Chankanaab Reef is one of our favorite beginner dive sites in Cozumel. It's pretty shallow, with a maximum depth of 30-50 feet, but with unique features under 19 feet deep. The currents are incredibly gentle, so you won't need to worry about being dragged off-course, making it a good spot for night dives as well. The dive can be done directly from the shore, in front of Chakanaab Park. The sandy ground is a prime spot to find urchins, sting rays, and flounders. You'll also likely see trunkfish, moray eels, groupers, honeycombed cowfish, snappers, angelfish, and butterfly fish. And if you're lucky, you could even spot nurse sharks, turtles, eagle rays, or sea horses.
Palancar Reef
Palancar Reef is another one of the best dive sites in Cozumel for beginners, but it also has some advanced diving areas for those wanting to venture further into the depths. The reef is 3.5 miles long, with thousands of different coral species of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The formations feature swim-throughs, caves, arches, tunnels, and a gorgeous coral wall with plenty of sponges and gorgonians. There are four main areas of the reef, the first of which is at a depth of 30 feet. This area has tons of vegetation, so you'll see lots of marine life, including moray eels, filefish, butterflyfish, and hawksbill turtles. There is also a diving spot slightly deeper at 50 feet called Palancar Bricks, due to the bricks scattered on the ocean floor from a shipwreck years ago. Nurse sharks love to hang out in this area.
Colombia Wall
The Colombia Wall is one of Cozumel's best wall dive sites. Wall dives draw many divers to Cozumel, and once you see the giant coral pillars, caves, and tunnel systems of the Colombia Wall, you'll understand why. The wall drops almost 100 meters, although you don't need to go that deep to enjoy the gorgeous coral formations and marine life. The shallower areas at the top of the reef are perfect for snapping underwater photos of Blue Tangs, sea turtles, barracudas, nurse sharks, and bar jacks. But keep an eye on the wall cracks for a chance to spot an octopus! The giant formations settle out the current, so it's not too strong when swimming around them. That said, we'd recommend being at an intermediate level when diving this site.
Paradise Beach
Paradise Beach - the name alone makes you want to grab your dive mask and jump on the next boat there! Paradise Beach reef has mild currents, making for excellent visibility when in the water. This beach dive is perfect for beginner divers, or advanced divers who want a more relaxing day. The bottom of the reef is about 40-50 feet deep, and it's only 200 yards off-shore. Because of this, you're likely to see many other divers in the area, but it's so easy to access that it's still worth checking out. The waters are super clear, allowing you to observe the colorful coral reefs that are home to various crustaceans, yellowtail snappers, blue tangs, angelfish, damselfish, scorpion fish, and Cozumels' own Splendid Toadfish, which is primarily found in this area of the Caribbean.
Barracuda Reef
Barracuda Reef is located on the Northwest of Cozumel and is a favorite among advanced divers. The currents can be pretty intense as there is no shelter from the island or any inlets. It's just open sea, which is why we only recommend this dive site for those who are comfortable in the water. Only a select few dive companies will take you out to this site, so there are fewer divers present, and you'll get to enjoy the reef in a small group. Its location allows divers to see marine life that isn't present in many of the other dive sites. As expected, it's a great location for seeing barracudas, but you can also see eagle rays, black-tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, and, although extremely rare, you may even spot a hammerhead! The depth of the reef ranges from 70-100 feet, depending on where you are.
C-53 Shipwreck Dive
We also wanted to include a shipwreck, which is the most popular shipwreck dive in Cozumel. There aren't a ton of shipwreck dives in the area since most ships sink in rougher waters farther out to sea. But there are a few you can visit. The Felipe Xicotencatl, or C-53 wreck was built in 1944 and was formally used in World War II by the US-Navy. It was later sold to the Mexican Navy and finally decommissioned to become part of the Cozumel underwater park. The ship was purposefully sunk in 1999 to form an artificial reef after removing any of the ship's components that wouldn't biodegrade. The shipwreck is 40 feet tall, and divers can access it at a depth of 20 feet. From there, divers can explore the different rooms of the ships, with many rooms still in good condition but starting to be taken over by sea life. Marine life has also made the wreck their home, and you'll likely catch glimpses of barracudas, groupers, moray eels, starfish, and shrimp.
Best dive spots in Cozumel
Whether you're a beginner or advanced diver, Cozumel is a dive location you don't want to miss. It's one of North Americans' easiest to access dive sites since it's so close to Cancun. You can book dives from Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, or Cozumel itself, meaning you don't need to stay on the island to enjoy the dive sites there. Try to find the Splendid Toadfish in the shallows or deep dive the beautiful coral-covered wall sites of Cozumel, and don't forget to enjoy a margarita and some tacos afterward.
