Cozumel Dive Sites
These are just some of the dive sites you can choose from when you visit Cozumel.
Villablanca Wall
45-65 ft (15-20 m)
Villa Blanca is a beautiful wall dive just north of the Marine Park of Cozumel. There is something about this reef that is different from all others. Maybe it's the amount of barrel sponges we find here or maybe it's the numerous sea fans. Crabs and eels live in the many crevices on this strong drift dive as you cruise next to a sloping wall.
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Paradise Reef
30-45 ft (10-14 m)
Paradise is a beautiful shallow dive with full of tropical fish, lobsters and crabs. Most of the dive is spent at 35 ft which makes it perfect for photographers looking for macro.
On a normal day the current is soft and steady, however, currents can be unpredictable on this reef which becomes a problem due to its proximity to the cruise ship pier.
Overall this is a great dive for beginners and photographers who like to go slow.
C-53 Felipe Xicotenacatl Wreck
50-80 ft (15-20 m)
Wreck dive
Chankanaab
35-45 ft (12-15 m)
Perfect for novice divers, this reef usually boasts a slow current. During the first section of the dive you can find coral formations with crabs, and lobsters hiding underneath. The Second section does not have as many formations but it does have huge gorgonians saying in the soft current.
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Drift
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Cozumel is famous for its drift diving.
Drift diving means that there is current. The strength and direction of the current changes from dive site to dive site and from day to day but the premise is the same: don't fight it, go with it. The only trick to drift diving is being able to slow down to look at marine life. To do this all you have to do is stay close to the bottom of the reef and find some cover from the current.
When the current is strong you feel like you're flying above the corals, looking down on the fish cities.
Tormentos
40-65 ft (12-19 m )
There are many stories as to why this reef is called Tormentos. Some say that it's unpredictable currents can cause sand storms (tormenta in Spanish). Whatever the case, this reef has great marine life for macro and is full of beautiful sponges and sea fans. It is important to move slowly on this dive or you risk ending up diving in sand, due to its shorter than average length compared to other Cozumel dive sites.
Yucab
40-55 ft (12-17 m)
Beautiful reef, ideal for a second dive. Easy dive for novice divers due to its length and a steady drift. Full of colourful fish and diverse marine life. There are manny trenches on top of the reef where we can search for lobsters, eels, and crabs.
Punta Tunich
30-80 ft (10-24m)
This dive has some of the strongest drift in Cozumel. The mountains and valleys on this dive site cause the current to be un-decisive. It can take you up, down, or sideways at a moments notice, a lot of fun once you get used to it. It's common to find turtles, sharks, eels, and a surprising amount of toadfish hiding on the sides of the mountains. Excellent dive for advanced divers.
San Clemente
30-40 ft (10-12 m)
At a glance, San Clemente gets a bad rep because of its shallow depth and unimpressive coral formations. Many dive shops take snorkelers and DSDs here. If you take a closer, however, this site has the best life for macro in all of Cozumel. It's shallow depth and slow current make is ideal for photographers. Don't underestimate shallow dives. They can really surprise you.
Walls
Have you ever stood on the edge of a cliff looking down into infinite blue?
If you haven't, then you probably haven't been
wall diving. Scuba diving alongside a steep wall of coral is one of the most freeing experiences you can have, easily drifting above the blue depths of Cozumel as you admire the amazing underwater mountains that form Cozumel Island.
Almost every dive site in Cozumel has a wall, which makes it ideal because of their proximity to shore. In some occasion the wall is a mere 200 yards away from shore.
It is an unforgettable experience.
San Francisco Wall
35-65 ft (13-20 m)
San Francisco Wall is a very pretty dive. The top of the wall is covered in a garden of corals that house hundreds of different species of tropical fish. Most of the dives is pent between 40 and 50 feet so it can be an excellent second dive. This is a mild-strong drift dive, which can be tricky for novice divers. However, you can also spend the dive on top of the wall and still find a variety of creatures.
Santa Rosa Wall
50-90 ft (16-27 m)
One of the most famous dives in Cozumel, Santa Rosa is a spectacular steep wall with huge coral formations and beautiful swim-throughs crowning its top. This is a very popular dive site for divers of all levels as it also has a nice shallow section. It is better to do this dive site in the after noon when it's not so crowded and the light is coming from the west. Be careful with the current here as it can be surprisingly strong and unpredictable at times.
Paso Del Cedral
35-90 ft (13-27 m)
A Scuba Craft Cozumel favourite and one of the most popular dive sites in Cozumel. Paso del Cedral is where we find the most marine life. It is common to see a number of hawksbill turtles dining on sponges. Nurse sharks patrol this reef looking for lunch. Green moray eels hide in the many corals and crevices. There are also angel and parrotfish fish hanging around.
This dive site is very long, wide and has many different sections. A strong drift is common here and with different depths in different sections it is friendly for divers of all levels.
La Francesa
45-65 ft (15-20 m)
There are many stories as to where the name comes from for this site. "La Francesa" means "The French Woman", in Spanish. Some say that it's in honour of Jacques Cousteau's grand daughter. Others are not so poetic and say that a french "lady of the night" used to live somewhere close to where this dive site is located.
Whatever the story, the fact remains that this is a very pretty dive site with lots of interesting critters to look at. It is common to find nurse sharks, turtles, and eels on this dive.
Swim-through
Swim-throughs are some of the biggest attractions about scuba diving in Cozumel.
An amazing labyrinth of tunnels has been formed through the coral formations of Cozumel.
On a sunny day, rays of sun shine through the crevices in the coral and give us a spectacular show of beauty underwater.
As we swim through them, (hence the name) we can find lobsters and crabs.
It is important to move slowly so as not to lift up sand from the bottom and keep the same visibility for the divers behind you.
If you've never experienced them, you're in for a treat.
Dalila
35-70 ft (11-20 m)
Dalila is a Scuba Craft favourite. This dive site has a great combination of coral formations and marine life. The top of this mini-wall is 35 ft (12 m) which makes it accessible to divers of all levels. The swim-throughs combined with the marine life the inhabit this dive site, makes it friendly to divers of all tastes.
It is common to see turtles and sharks swimming around, as well as eels hiding in crevices.
Palancar Gardens
40-85 FT (12-25 m)
Palancar Gardens is the first section of the Palancar reef in Cozumel. Beautiful sponges and sea fans line mounds of coral formations and give the impression of diving in a beautiful underwater garden. In between and through these corals an incredible labyrinth of swim-throughs has been formed. The top of this reef is very shallow and we can finish with a bottom close to our safety stop. This is a very pretty and complete dive.
Palancar Horseshoe
40-90 ft (12-27 m)
Palancar Horseshoe is so called because of the shape of the coral when looked at from above. This is the least popular section of the Palancar reef due to its lack of marine and reduced visibility. The water here is not as clear because fresh water spills in from the coast and mixes with saltwater. The tall coral formations prevent current from moving and clearing the water the water.
Palancar Caves
40-100 ft (12-30 m)
Palancar Caves is one of the best dives in Cozumel. What separates this section of Palancar from the rest is the spectacular wall we find here. The top of the wall goes as high as 40 ft (12 m) so when we drift along the wall we can feel its immensity. The swim-throughs in this dive site are also spectacular as they let in plenty of light that filter through and creates beautiful columns of light.
On top of the reef it is common to find hawksbill turtles munching away on sponges.
Palancar Bricks
50-90 ft (15-27 m)
A few years ago a cargo ship spilled a load of bricks at the Southern most section of Palancar. Thus, Palancar Bricks was born. Huge coral formations and spectacular swim-throughs mark this dive site. Don't be surprised to find turtles and a nurse shark, or two hanging around. This is a vey beautiful dive site. A favourite of Scuba Craft Cozumel.
Colombia
50-100 ft (16-30 m)
This dive site gets is name from the Colombia lagoon that shares its latitude, found on shore. This is deep dive, better suited for advanced divers. A very steep wall and an unpredictable current may cause problems for novice divers. However, this is a very beautiful dive site with huge coral formations and spectacular swim-throughs hanging over the drop off.
Colombia Shallows
20-30 ft (7-10 m)
Perfect spot for novice divers, snorkelers, photographers, or basically anyone looking for a relaxing dive. Surprisingly large coral formations almost tickle the surface of this shallow dive site. With a maximum depth of 30 ft (12 m) you can find an array of marine life. Including young turtles, nurse sharks, and in the winter, beautiful eagle rays.
Cathedral
80-100 ft (24-30 m)
Before hurricane Wilma hit in 2005, there was a sponge shaped like a cross, on top of a spectacular, dome shaped swim-through. Hence the name "Cathedral". Today, the cross is gone but the swim-through and the name remain. Beautiful Coral formations top a deep loping wall. Great warm up dive to Devil's Throat.
Devil's Throat
80-130 ft (24-40 m)
This spectacular dive gets a bad rep because of its name and depth. The name "Devil's Throat" comes from a narrow swim-through that starts out at 87 ft (26 m) and drops down all the way to 130 ft (40 m) and ends on the edge of a spectacular steep wall. If you don't mind deep dives and like swim-throughs, this dive is a must in Cozumel. You won't regret it.