Punta Cancun – This is a popular spot with divers and provides access to several dive sites and some healthy coral reefs. Located at the eastern end of Cancun's hotel zone, the reefs contain colorful coral formations and you can hang out with a diverse array of marine life, including barracuda, rays and sharks.
Punta Nizuc – This site is famous for its snorkeling and diving, thanks to an offshore reef that is rife with abundant marine life. Depths average 10 m/30 ft and the great visibility makes this a spectacular spot where divers meet lobster, groupers, rays, sergeant majors and a host of other marine life. At Punta Nizuc art meets coral reef conservation and divers can visit a statue of a young girl lying in a coral garden. She’s part of an underwater museum, Museo Subacuático de Arte, that’s well worth exploring.
Playa del Carmen, Akumal and Tulum – South of Cancun, Playa del Carmen is a bustling town with a European vibe. Akumal and Tulum are seaside villages that offer a glimpse into the Yucatan of yesterday. Generally, the dive sites here are shallow with excellent visibility, and boat rides are as short as five minutes. You’re likely to see turtles, barracuda, stingrays, lobsters and nurse sharks.
Pared Verde – Sloping rivers of sand divide sections of the wall which is well populated with coral, sponges and myriad macro invertebrates. Depths to 40 m/130 ft are possible and the currents can be strong. Larger pelagic species are frequently seen here, given the reef’s location in the middle of a sandy plain.
Cenotes – If you want to try something truly special, dive a cenote. These deep, freshwater-filled sinkholes formed when the roofs of limestone caverns collapsed and filled with water. The Yucatan’s elaborate cenotes have intricate cave systems and underground tunnels that draw divers from around the globe. Many cenotes boast pristine turquoise waters and a beautiful array of stalagmites and stalactites formed over millions of years.
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