Cozumel Diving Guide
Friendly locals, good food, and white sandy beaches are awaiting you in Cozumel—a gorgeous island off of Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The island is a dream destination for divers, so read our tips about the best spots to dive, what gear you’ll want to have, and local dive shops.
Why Cozumel is a Diver’s Dream
Cozumel is an ideal place to dive, and it’s on many diver’s bucket lists. The clear waters that surround the 28 mile long island make it easy to see the world’s second-longest coral reef system. Divers can see many species of coral, colorful sponges, and a wide variety of marine life that come along with it. With tropical fish bristling through the coral heads, and sponges, green sea turtles, eagle rays, and the endemic Splendid Toad hiding under small ledges—it’s a one-of-a-kind experience for divers.
Cozumel Quick Facts
Cozumel is located in the Caribbean Sea, close to the Yucatan Channel. The economy is primarily based on tourism and is very popular for scuba diving and snorkeling.
- Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean Island and Mexico’s third-largest island.
- Most of the population lives in San Miguel, with a current population of approximately 95,000 people.
- The diverse coral reef is home to more than 1,000 marine species.
- The island has a tropical savanna climate, with a short dry season and heavy wet season the majority of the year.
- The Mayans are believed to be the first humans to have settled in Cozumel.
Types of Diving in Cozumel
If you're planning on scuba diving in Cozumel, you can take advantage of both shore diving and boat diving, along with different levels of difficulty depending on your experience.
Drift diving takes up more than 50% of the type of diving on Cozumel, making this small island known for some of the best drift diving in the world. The steady stream of water helps to nurture the coral and sponges, while letting divers take advantage of the currents. As drift divers know, the faster the current, the farther you will travel, opening up more to see during the dive.
Shore diving in Cozumel is easily accessible from the multitude of hotels that offer the chance right off of their shores. Shore diving offers the luxury of going to the beach of your choice and setting your own diving schedule—without having to reserve a boat.
Boat diving in Cozumel is another diving attraction, and you’ll find many opportunities to do so. Dive shops around the island work with local hotels to make it easy to schedule a trip and charter a boat to some breathtaking dive spots. Divers will find that it’s easy to make a trip based on their schedules. Like diving as the sun rises? Or, maybe you prefer to dive in the evening as a way to relax. Regardless of your preference, you won’t have trouble finding dive shops to accommodate you.
Cozumel Dive Shops
Since Cozumel is a diver’s dream destination, dive shops are abundant. Some diver’s favorites include:
- Pro Dive Center Playa Azul - This small and cozy diving center provides everything you need for a flexible scuba diving experience. They offer daily excursions from the Playa Azul dock to the famous Cozumel reefs. You can snorkel with the whale sharks from June through September.
- Pro Dive Center Alegro - If you’re looking for a great dive center in Cozumel, then take a visit to Pro Dive Center Alegro. Pro Dive has a world-class facility at The Allegro Cozumel Hotel. A quick 15-minute drive from the Cozumel airport, this dive shop is right off the beach of The Allegro.
- Scuba Price Cozumel - This dive shop offers specialized diving equipment and water sports, offering some of the most-recognized brands in the world, like SCUBAPRO.
- Studio Blue Cozumel Divers - Perfect for divers who prefer smaller groups, Studio Blue offers a small, safe, and experienced trip. With a focus on personalized and friendly service, beginner and intermediate divers can enjoy the Cozumel water morning, noon, and night.
Best Time of the Year to Dive in Cozumel
Diving in Cozumel can be enjoyed year-round, adding to the list of reasons why it’s a diver’s dream spot. Generally speaking, the water temperatures remain relatively consistent throughout the year, averaging around 78–82 degrees Fahrenheit. On average, divers can expect to dive around 300 days of the year, a long season compared to many other locations. There are often stronger currents and faster drift dives during the transition seasons. This can result in more advanced dives, but offers higher chances of seeing larger marine life like eagle rays. With calm conditions and less crowded dive areas, May through September is recommended as some of the best months to dive.
Best Places to Dive in Cozumel
Cozumel is consistently rated as one of the top locations for scuba diving in the world, so let’s take a look at some stellar areas to get your feet wet.
Palancar Reef
Palancar Reef is a beautiful spot to dive, especially for new or less experienced divers. The Palancar Reef stretches over 3.5 miles while being home to thousands of coral species, fish, and other sea life. The sea throughout the reef is calm, making it an ideal place for anyone looking for a photographic moment. For some more adventure, Palancar Reef has deep crevices and coral swim-throughs that can add excitement to your dive.
Columbia Wall
Columbia Wall is best-suited for intermediate divers as it has moderate currents, and you can deep dive to a depth of around 90 feet. Also known as Colombia Regular, scuba divers can see marine life like large sea turtles, rays, and barracuda. This isn’t quite as common a diving spot as others in Cozumel due to the distance from other popular diving spots, but the coral and other wildlife make up for it.
C-53 Shipwreck
The C-53 Shipwreck is a unique diving experience when in Cozumel. Originally built in 1943, the C-53 was officially decommissioned after 55 years of service. What to do with this outdated submarine? Sink it and make it an artificial reef, of course. Divers who have trained in an overhead environment and have the right gear can enter the wreck and explore the engine room, crew equipment, ladders, and more. Sponges and coral have formed colonies throughout the ship’s metal. Moray eels, starfish, and shrimp are also abundant. Keep in mind this isn’t a dive for inexperienced divers, as currents can be strong and unpredictable. Wreck diving provides historical sights and views, making it an unforgettable experience.
Santa Rosa Wall
For most scuba divers who visit Cozumel, the Santa Rosa Wall is one of the most popular. Ideal for both new and experienced divers, everyone can enjoy the warm and clear waters. It’s ideal for underwater photography and video footage. Santa Rosa Wall offers its divers unique marine life, swim-through tunnels, caves, and more. Underwater architecture lets you swim through the reef, mazes, and tunnels, adding to the adventure. As with all dives, let your dive guide know your experience and comfort level so that they may best evaluate conditions and dive sites.
Cozumel Marine Life and Biology
The Cozumel reef is part of the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest reef system in the world, just behind the Great Barrier Reef. One of the reasons why Cozumel is such a highly regarded dive site is because of the abundance of rare and beautiful marine life. Diving in Cozumel offers the chance to see over 250 species of tropical and saltwater fish, turtles, eels, sharks, seahorses, and more.
At the reef, you may find four out of seven existing species of sea turtles. During mating season (May–September), female turtles will come ashore to bury their eggs in the sand. Other sea critters are also seen more commonly during different times of the year, including nurse and bull sharks (December–January) and manta rays and whale sharks (June–September). Some of the Cozumel beaches are protected due to either endangered species or mating season, so know what’s open to the public before you head there.
Traveling to Cozumel
In Cozumel, the peak tourist season is May–July. Temperatures tend to be in the low 80s, making it a good time for a beach getaway. The rainy season starts in August, and that’s when temperatures begin to rise, too. You’ll be able to find a better deal on travel here if you do decide to go in these off-peak times. Remember, you can dive any time of year in Cozumel, so you may find yourself booking a fall break trip here rather than a summer vacation.
Cozumel is located in Quintana Roo on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, and you’ll need a passport to get there. Being a small island, travelers fly into Cancun and then drive 45 minutes to Playa del Carmen. From there, you’ll take a ferry to the island.
As a very tourist-friendly location, many merchants accept U.S. dollars, and major credit cards are usually accepted. English is spoken, but brush up on your conversational Spanish before you go.