Dive Cozumel from Playa del Carmen
Express Dive Boats
Dive Cozumel’s world class reef from Playa del Carmen
with speed & style.
Cozumel: A World Class Dive Destination
Situated in front of Playa del Carmen, Cozumel is a teardrop shaped island surrounded by crystal clear Caribbean water. It lies in the heart of the Mesoamerian Barrier Reef which is the 2nd largest reef system in the world! You can dive beautiful drop-offs and shallow, colorful reefs where divers often encounter eagle rays and turtles, black tips and other reef sharks, along with the smaller critters such as the endemic splendid toadfish.
What We Offer
Your guide will pick you up from Centro and bring you to Playa Coco where the express boat awaits. From there, our amazing captain and crew will bring us to our first world class dive site within 45 minutes!
After our first dive we head to a shallow area like the famous El Cielo to spend a relaxing surface interval enjoying snacks and refreshments. Finally, we finish with another epic dive and a 40 minute boat ride back to the shore. The trip usually ends back in Playa by 1pm.
Included in the Cozumel dive trip:
What Will I See Diving in Cozumel
from Playa del Carmen?
The vibrant and lively Cozumel diving scene is world class. Home to over 500 fish species and a wide variety of corals, scuba divers could see turtles, groupers, green moray eels, nurse sharks, the endemic splendid toadfish, and lots of colorful tropical fish all in a typical dive day!
Exciting Marine Life
Divers will often see eagle rays in the distance during the winter months while the summer brings more blacktip and reef sharks. It is common to encounter hawksbill and green turtles on most dives. The splendid toadfish is endemic to Cozumel and a definite must spot. Your guide will be able to point out smaller creatures like nudibrachs and seahorses!
Healthy Coral Cover
The southern most deep reefs feature massive coral heads covered with vase, tube, rope, elephant ear, and many other vibrantly colored sponges. Divers will notice a good mix of soft and hard coral in healthy conditions throughout each dive site.
What Will I See
Diving in Cozumel?
Exciting Marine Life
Healthy Coral Cover
Here is Everything You Will Need to Know
A Typical Dive Day Itinerary
The boat leaves at around 8:30am giving us ample time to set up our gear and have an introductory briefing. It is a good idea to have a rain jacket or wear your wetsuit during the crossing because of splashing during the open water section. Within 45 minutes we will reach our first dive site.
We usually do a deeper drift dive (25-30m/80-100ft) for the first one at such sites as Punta Tunich, Santa Rosa Wall, Palancar Caves/Gardens or San Francisco Wall. Typical first dives last for about 35-45 minutes but those with great air consumption can enjoy up to an hour.
We will break for a surface interval of 45-60 minutes where we will cruise towards our next dive site or hang out in a shallow area to enjoy lunch close to the beach. The crew will offer us water, snacks and sandwiches.
Second dive sites will be a little shallower drift (12m-18m/40-60ft) and usually on a different topography such as Cedral Pass or La Francesa Reef, both beautiful and full of life. Because of shallower depths we typically can enjoy longer dives here from 45-60 minutes. Finally, we will head back towards Coco Beach which can take about 40 minutes.
Requirements
1. Advanced Open Water or 25 logged dives
2.15 years old with parental permission
What To Bring
Divers will be very comfortable wearing a long or short 3mm wetsuit year round. We offer great gear for rental 300 pesos.
It is best to bring a hat, sunglasses and shirts to protect from the sun. If you must wear sunscreen make sure it is reef safe, completely biodegradable.
Bring a dry bag because everything can get wet on the boat!
Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the memories for a lifetime!
Diving Conditions
The weather is generally good year round in Cozumel. However during the winter months, increased wind can bring stronger currents, making some dive sites too dangerous.
Due to moderate-strong currents drift diving is the norm in Cozumel. It is essential that divers have recent diving experience. Take care and book a cenote or Playa reef dive to check out your buoyancy if its been a while. Trust us, you will be much more comfortable and enjoy the dives a lot more in Cozumel!
Cozumel Dive Sites
- Chankanaab (max depth 10 m / 35 ft – 18 m / 60 ft)
- Las Palmas (max depth 15 m / 49 ft)
- C-53 Filipe Xicontenanti Shipwreck (depth 25 m / 80 ft)
- Tormentos (depth 15 m / 49 ft)
- San Francisco (depth 28 m / 90 ft)
- Santa Rosa (depth 28 m / 90 ft)
- Paso del Cedral (depth 18 m / 60 ft)
- La Francesa (depth 18 m / 60 ft)
- Palancar:
- Horseshoe (depth 28 m / 90 ft)
- Gardens (depth 28 m / 90 ft)
- Caves (depth 28 m / 90 ft)
- Bricks (depth 15 m / 49 ft)
- Colombia Reef (depth 12 m / 40 ft – 30 m / 100 ft)
- Punta Sur – Devil’s Throat ( 40 m / 130 ft)
- Punta Sur – Cathedral (depth 40 m / 130 ft)
- Chun-Chaab (depth 25 m / 80 ft)
- Maracaibo (depth 36 m / 120 ft)
- Chankanaab Shallow
Skill Level: Beginner Depth: 35′ Formations: ★★✩✩✩ Marine Life: ★★★✩✩
Chakanaab Shallows are filled with snorkelers during the day but makes an excellent night dive to see abundant marine life.
- C-53 Felipe Xicontenanti
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 80′ Formations: ★★★★✩ Marine Life: ★★✩✩✩
A 184 ft minesweeper sunk as an artificial reef in 2000. Penetration holes are cut in the side for easy access for certified divers. The Atlantis submarine tour visits this wreck so you might see two vessels on the same tank.
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 50′ Formations: ★★✩✩✩ Marine Life: ★★★★★
Tormentos is a shallow reef that has some of the best marine life in Cozumel. The reef structure is smaller in the south and grows denser as you head north.
- San Francisco
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 90′ Formations: ★★★✩✩ Marine Life: ★★★✩✩
A smallish site often overshadowed by classic Cozumel dives. If it were anywhere else in the world it might be a local favorite. It is a great site to go to when the current gets heavy, and you are looking to take it easy. Just beyond Playa Mia Beach Park.
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 90′ Formations: ★★★★★ Marine Life: ★★★★✩
This is a classic Cozumel Wall dive. The reef gets taller and denser as you glide northward until you exit off the north end of the reef over the abyss.
- Paso del Cedral Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 60′ Formations: ★★★✩✩ Marine Life: ★★★★★
A beginner reef or second dive. The shallow water gives you long bottom times with great light for photography and abundant sea life.
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 60′ Formations: ★★★✩✩ Marine Life: ★★★★✩
Named in homage to Jacques Cousteau, this is one of the most popular dive reefs because of the abundant sea life and vibrant colors.
- Punta Dalila Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 50′ Formations: ★★★✩✩ Marine Life: ★★★★✩ A shallow reef with gentle currents. It is a great place to spot sea turtles or nurse sharks.
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 90′ Formations: ★★★★★ Marine Life: ★★★✩✩
Palancar Horseshoe gets its name from the horseshoe-shaped coral amphitheater at the start of the dive. The fabulous reef structure here is filled with channels and swim throughs.
- Palancar Gardens
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 90′ Formations: ★★★★✩ Marine Life: ★★★★✩
Palancar Gardens is the farthest north portion of the Palancar Reef. Its still has decent structures and swim-throughs but, often times, it has good sealife too. It is a good first wall dive to introduce divers to Cozumel.
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 90′ Formations: ★★★★★ Marine Life: ★★★✩✩
Palancar Caves gets its name from the many tunnels and coral canyons at this site. Divers with good buoyancy skills will enjoy exploring the coral mazes through the exquisite structure.
- Palancar Bricks
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 50′ Formations: ★★★★★ Marine Life: ★★★✩✩
Palancar Bricks gets its name from a load of bricks that was accidentally dropped there from a barge many years ago. It is the farthest south site on the Palancar Reef known for large coral pillars rising up from the sea floor.
Skill Level: Beginner Depth: 40′ Formations: ★★★✩✩ Marine Life: ★★★★✩
Columbia Shallows is a wonderful second tank dive for the southernmost dive sites. The clear, turquoise bay is teaming with sea life to view while you ditch nitrogen.
- Columbia Deep
Skill Level: Intermediate Depth: 100′ Formations: ★★★★★ Marine Life: ★★★★✩
Columbia Deep is a classic Cozumel drift dive complete with a couple of swim through coral formations. Drop lower or look for shelter behind coral outcroppings to slow your rate of travel down the wall
Skill Level: Advanced Depth: 100′ Formations: ★★★★★ Marine Life: ★★★✩✩
The Cathedral formation is a large coral chamber with skylights opening to the ocean above. Other mazes and passages twist through the tall coral pinnacles making this one of the best coral structures on Cozumel.
- Maracaibo
Skill Level: Expert Depth: 120′ Formations: ★★★★✩ Marine Life: ★★★★✩
This is the southernmost dive site on Cozumel. Proximity to the open ocean subjects divers to high seas and strong currents but offers the opportunity of large pelagic sightings. This site has beautiful structure including a large underwater arch with a base at 120.