Where to go Scuba Diving near Cancun

The Riviera Maya – located along the crystal-clear Caribbean Sea – is the perfect place to enjoy some amazing scuba diving near Cancun. Whether you’re a beginner or have logged plenty of dives, a Riviera Maya scuba diving excursion will be a lifetime experience for you and or your group as you can spot spectacular coral and marine life here. Below are enlisted some of the best dive sites in the area, from shipwrecks and steep wall dives to relaxed reefs.

·         MANCHONES, ISLA MUJERES – During the daytime, this popular reef is always crowded with divers and snorkelers. However, try planning your visit during the night and you’ll be able to admire the reef without the crowds. Explore Manchones with flashlights to observe some amazing marine life at night, as they usually hide away in the caves and corals during daylight hours. You’ll also see plenty of sea turtles, eels, and octopus.

·         SHARK POINT, PLAYA DEL CARMEN – Playa Del Carmen – famous for its amazing visibility and warm water, is considered one of the top places in the world to try out diving with the sharks. Bull sharks are a fierce ocean predator reaching up to four meters in length, and feed on fish, turtles and even other sharks. Under the guidance of an expert, look out for these sharks in their natural environment and get close to these beautiful creatures.

·         SANTA ROZA, COZUMEL – To dodge the crowds, plan the trip to this popular wall dive during the noon time. Enjoy some great swimming through the waters and see French grunts and schoolmasters. Here the moderate current gives divers the feeling of racing along a cliff. Common sightings among the rocky outcrops and sponges include giant parrotfish, angelfish, toadfish and green moray eels.

·         CAONES, PUERTO AVENTURAS – Puerto Aventuras is home to some good dives for beginners and advanced divers who are looking for isolated areas. The dive sites are close to shore where the current is usually mild. Caones boasts of various spectacular coral canyons along with different sponges and corals. You can also see turtles, lobsters, porcupine fish, rays and barracudas here. The turtles are considered to be very friendly.

·         GATAS, PUERTO MORELOS – Gatas is where scuba instructors go for fun diving near Cancun. At this advanced drift dive, you can have a glimpse of nurse sharks, turtles, and lobsters. All the enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies can take part in lionfish spear hunting. Lionfish are a venomous fish that are heavily populated in the Caribbean sea, their home, and endanger the local marine life. That is why the divers have been permitted to hunt them to control their numbers. And, they are tasty to eat!!

·         ULTRA FREEZE, ISLA MUJERES – Hop on a boat, and embark on a journey of 45 minutes to reach this wreck dive. This large cargo ship is home to turtle, rays, barracuda, and groupers. If you want to see some larger fish, this is the dive to make. The site is known as “El Frio’ meaning “cold” in Spanish, for the water chills considerably just before you reach the wreck, giving the place an eerie quality. A paradise for adventure lovers!!

·         AQUARIUM, PUERTO MORELOS – Hop on a boat, and sail for approximately 15 minutes to reach the Aquarium. It is the ideal spot for beginners looking to try their hand at diving. This site lives up to its name, with large schools of French grunts and porkfish, plus lobster, eels, trumpet fish, turtles, rays and puffer fish. Explore large formations of finger corals, sponges, sea fans, and canyons at a depth of 40 to 50 feet.

Infamous for their turquoise clear waters and pristine sandy beaches, Cancun and the Riviera Maya are Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations for scuba diving. From numerous shipwrecks to the Great Barrier Reef and the well known Underwater Museum, this is what enthusiast coming to Riviera Maya for Scuba Diving refer to as “Scuba Paradise.”

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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