Navigation


Cozumel

Introduction

Cozumel is a small island located close to the Yucatan peninsula (Mexico), in the Caribbean. It is easily reached by airplane from Cancun (20 minutes flight, 70 kilometers). Although the island is largely recovered by a tropical jungle, lots of activities are offered at San Miguel: hundreds of divers, mainly American, meet there! The island, located along the coral reef, is 53 km long and 14 km wide, and offers more than 40 km of reef to explore.

Drift diving is the norm in Cozumel: a strong current is usually encountered, and it is worthless to try to swim against it. Therefore, safety stops have to be done in the blue.

Travel facts

Calendar

JanFebMarAprMayJuneJulyAugSepOctNovDec
262627272828292929282726
262626272727282828282726
best period
acceptable period
not recommend
air temperature
water temperature

Diving type

Destination
easily accessible
easily accessible
bargain destination
bargain destination
Diving level & type
for beginners
for beginners
for advanced divers
for advanced divers
shore diving
shore diving
liveaboard
liveaboard
Diving Characteristics
pelagics
pelagics
lots of fish
lots of fish
lots of corals
lots of corals
interesting underwater scenery
interesting underwater scenery
Other activities
attractive natural spots
attractive natural spots
gastronomy
gastronomy
night life
night life
beach
beach
snorkeling
snorkeling

Map

map

Infrastructures

  • diving center
    Scuba Club Cozumel
    Scuba Club Cozumel (diving center)
    telephone : 987 872 0853
    fax : 987 872 1883
    address : P.O. Box 15, Av R. Melgar Prol. S. Km 1.5, Cozumel, Q. Roo, Mexico 77600
    internet : www.scubaclubcozumel.com (limited amount of information)
    rating : 2 / 4 starsrating : 2 / 4 stars
    comments :
    The diving center has a large choice of boats to bring divers to the sites, including 2 large and quick ones, and 4 slower. Departure is at 8:30 am, with a return to the center between 12:30 and 1:30 pm, after 2 dives. Guests can not choose the diving site, and dive with different divemasters every day. In the afternoon or in the evening, possibility to make a shore dive.
    We believe that the greeting of the divers should be strongly improved: some members of the staff really gave us the impression that they are not enjoying our visit at all...

  • hotel
    Scuba Club Cozumel
    Scuba Club Cozumel (hotel)
    telephone : 987 872 0853
    fax : 987 872 1883
    address : P.O. Box 15, Av R. Melgar Prol. S. Km 1.5, Cozumel, Q. Roo, Mexico 77600
    internet : www.scubaclubcozumel.com (limited amount of information)
    rating : 4 / 4 starsrating : 4 / 4 stars
    comments :
    Hotel located only 15 minutes by foot from the center of San Miguel, kept in perfect conditions and security guards are present all the night. Small swimming pool, spacious and marvelous rooms.
    No beach, by an access to the see is granted by stairs. Excellent restaurant (and perfect service) offering special courses for divers (Mexican food).

Diving Sites

  • rating : 4.0
    Cedar Pass
    rating : 4.0
    depth : 15 m
    visibility : good to average
    description :
    This dive is quite difficult, mainly because of the presence of a strong current: stopping is therefore difficult. On a sandy bottom, large sponges and tunnels covered by corals are seen. Fauna is rich and interesting, with large groupers and many reef fishes.

  • rating : 4.0
    Columbia 90
    rating : 4.0
    depth : 30 m
    visibility : great
    description :
    A nice site for the observation of corals and landscape : beautiful corals and sponges of all type and size, as well as canyons in which divers can swim. Unfortunately, nothing special for the fauna.

  • rating : 4.0
    Palancar Bricks
    rating : 4.0
    depth : 25 m
    visibility : great
    description :
    This diving takes place in a very attractive landscape: succession of tunnels and sandy hills... Corals are very healthy, and colorful. We saw a huge nurse-shark, as well as 2 barracudas and a moray. However, we could not observe a lot of the traditional reef fish on this site, which is located one hour south from the hotel.

  • rating : 4.0
    Palancar Caves
    rating : 4.0
    depth : 25 m
    visibility : good
    description :
    A great dive, with interesting landscapes, a sandy bottom and some walls. Corals are really beautiful.

  • rating : 4.0
    Paradise Reef
    rating : 4.0
    depth : 15 m
    visibility : good
    description :
    A really attractive dive site, for different reasons. First, the current is rather weak, and this drift dive is therefore very pleasant. The reef is surrounded by sand, and big corals (1 to 1.5 meter) are seen all around. Fauna is great: a huge crab, a sea cucumber, 2 morays and of course lots of reef fishes... one of the diver was even bitten by a tiny angelfish!

  • rating : 4.0
    Punta Sur
    rating : 4.0
    depth : 30 m
    visibility : good
    description :
    This site, located at 1h15 by boat, is also an attractive one: lots of tunnels and caves, between 20 and 35 meters. Presence of large swim-through that can be visited only if the diver has more than 100 bars in his tank. Diving on this spot is also a good opportunity to see large and beautiful corals.
    Fauna is rather limited: a grouper, but rather few fish.

  • rating : 4.0
    Santa Rosa Wall
    rating : 4.0
    depth : 30 m
    visibility : great
    description :
    As on many dive sites in Cozumel, a lot of current if encountered here, so it is a smart choice to make a drift dive. Along the wall, we see marvelous corals, which sometimes form cavities. There is also a large number of tunnels.
    The visibility was absolutely amazing, and we could observe a variety of life: large and small green morays, big groupers, angelfish, 2 barracudas and a huge lobster.

  • rating : 3.0
    Punta Tunich
    rating : 3.0
    depth : 20 m
    visibility : average
    description :
    After reading the comments above on the different diving sites, you probably have noticed that there was current everywhere. Well, on this dive site, it is really the strongest we have encountered. By far: it is absolutely not possible to stop to have a look at the scenery... or at the fish. We recommend doing this dive site as the first dive, since the reef is rather deep (following Cozumel rules): 20 meters.
    Nice corals, lots of reef fishes.

  • rating : 3.0
    Tourmentos
    rating : 3.0
    depth : 20 m
    visibility : good
    description :
    Reef with beautiful corals (mainly gorgons, brain corals), but the current was so strong - again - that the dive was almost unpleasant!

  • rating : 3.0
    Yocab
    rating : 3.0
    depth : 15 m
    visibility : great
    description :
    Coral reef - with sand strips on both sides - on which there is a large variety of beautiful corals, extremely colorful. Current is, as often, really strong, and visibility great! We saw lots of different fish on this site, including a grey-black grouper, 2 barracudas, 2 lobsters and of course the usual inhabitants of the reef.

  • rating : 2.0
    Beach Scuba Club
    rating : 2.0
    depth : 10 m
    visibility : good
    description :
    Often dived during the night, this dive site is directly accessible from the hotel (Scuba Club Cozumel) (shore diving). Although it is a shallow dive, it might sometimes be quite a difficult one, as strong current can be encountered. On a sandy bottom, where most of the corals are dead. Scenery is limited to the pontoon and some old tires. However, fauna is interesting: small stingrays, morays, a huge barracuda, box-fish, puffer fish, sea stars, sea urchins and lobsters... And of course schools of fish, including bar jacks.

  • rating : 2.0
    Chankanab
    rating : 2.0
    depth : 15 m
    visibility : great
    description :
    A rather monotonous landscape, mainly sandy bottom. Not so much corals, 2 barracudas, schools of angelfish, a crab and some lobsters. Often done as a second dive. Since this site is located in an area where fresh and salt water mix together, it is possible to see the green mirror phenomena when the waters mix.

Links

Pictures

All those pictures have been taken during our dives by Charles Hauff, from Brazil. We are grateful to him for sharing them with us! The camera used is a Bonica Snapper.

 


Carans latus


Scarus viridae (male)


Scarus viridae (femelle)


Pomacanthus arcuatus


Haemulon plumieri


Pomacanthus paru

Previous destination

Next destination

In the vicinity

Tags