Best Scuba Diving in Mexico Part 4 - Yucatán

October 11, 2021 The Yucatán Peninsula offers some of the most diverse scuba diving in Mexico. It is home to Cozumel, which Jacques Cousteau described as "the most spectacular dive site in the world", plus jaw-dropping cenotes, bucket list wildlife, and exceptional reefs. Yucatán’s thriving coral reefs offer deep walls and some of the world’s fastest drift dives, plus easy dives for novices among hundreds of fish species. Fans of big marine life are well catered for with whale sharks galore, plus bull sharks, hunting sailfish, and crocodile encounters. Added to that, every diver can experience Yucatán’s famous rainforest-draped cenotes. Read on to find out more about this world-class dive destination.  

Diving in the Yucatán Peninsula – your questions answered.

1. Where is the Yucatán Peninsula?

The Yucatán Peninsula is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico that separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea. It hosts some of the best scuba diving in Mexico, including along the second largest reef system in the world.

 2. How do you get to the Yucatán Peninsula?

 You can get to the Yucatán Peninsula easily by airplane. Playa del Carmen’s closest airport is Cancún, and Cozumel is accessible from Cancún and Cozumel airports. You can also reach the Yucatán Peninsula’s main dive destinations by ferry:

• Ferries to Isla Mujeres depart from near Cancún, at Puerto Juarez.

• Playa del Carmen is accessible by ferry from Cozumel.

• Cozumel can be reached by ferry from Cancún.

3. Where can you dive in Yucatán? 

Three of Mexico’s most popular scuba diving destinations are within the Yucatán Peninsula; Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen. Between them, they offer some of the best scuba diving in Mexico with vibrant reefs, thrilling drift dives, shark dives, and more. That said, the Yucatán Peninsula is most famous for its incredible cenote diving.

 4. How deep are the Yucatán cenotes?

 People flock to the Yucatán Peninsula every year to experience the wonders of cenote diving. These stunning limestone sinkholes are formed when the roof of an underground cavern collapses, revealing a freshwater playground for scuba divers. These light-filled underwater caves can reach down to over 100 meters deep, though there are many shallow cenotes within recreational diving limits.

5. Is Cozumel good for diving?

Cozumel is well-known for its excellent scuba diving among healthy reefs bustling with fish life. This beautiful island forms part of the enormous Mesoamerican Reef System and offers some of the fastest drift dives in the world and exceptional wall diving. As well as offering thrilling advanced dives, Cozumel has plenty of dive sites for beginners to enjoy. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY DIVE WITH SSI ADVANCED ADVENTURER.

Scuba diving in Mexico - essential info to plan your Yucatán trip.

Experience level needed.

With its broad range of dive destinations, the Yucatán Peninsula has a variety of dive sites to suit all experience levels. The best time to visit. Diving is available year-round in the Yucatán Peninsula, though there are seasonal marine life highlights:

• Playa del Carmen hosts bull sharks from November to March.

• Isla Mujeres hosts numerous whale sharks from June to September.

• Isla Mujeres hosts sailfish from late December to March.

• Akumal hosts abundant nesting sea turtles from May to September.

READ MORE: THE BEST MEXICO DIVING PART 2 – SEA OF CORTEZ.

 Seasonal temperatures.

The Yucatán Peninsula has a tropical climate with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. May and June are the hottest months, whilst November to February is cooler. Hurricane season is from June to October.

• Air temperatures range from 14 to 35 °C (57 – 95 °F).

• Water temperatures range from 24 to 29 °C (75 – 84 °F).

Seasonal dive conditions.

With warm waters all year, you can easily go diving in the Yucatán Peninsula whenever you choose.

• December to April offers the clearest skies and calm seas.

• Visit Cozumel from May to November for uncrowded dive sites.

Water visibility.

Water visibility at the Yucatán Peninsula ranges from 15 to 40 meters (49 – 130 feet). MAKE YOUR CENOTE DIVING DREAMS A REALITY - JOIN SSI’S CAVERN DIVING COURSE.

Top dive destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula.

1. Cozumel.

For the best scuba diving in Mexico, it is hard to beat diving in Cozumel. Jacques Cousteau once declared this island "the most spectacular dive site in the world". The reef at Cozumel forms part of the second-largest reef system in the world, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.  With over 500 species of fish, 350 mollusk species and dozens of different corals, the waters there are teeming with life. This idyllic destination is known for having some of the fastest drift dives in the world and exciting deep wall dives. Whilst advanced divers are busy exploring the depths, new divers can enjoy Cozumel’s light-filled shallow dive sites.

2. Cancún.

If you are going scuba diving in Mexico, make sure you visit MUSA. This underwater museum is the largest in the world and sits in the waters off Cancún and Isla Mujeres. MUSA has over 500 life-size sculptures, which have formed a unique artificial reef. Positioned in clear blue waters and surrounded by marine life, these coral-encrusted sculptures are an awe-inspiring sight for any diver or underwater photographer. As well as MUSA, Cancún has uncrowded dive sites and year-round diving for all experience levels.

 3. Isla Mujeres.

Divers and photographers alike flock to Isla Mujeres to go snorkeling with whale sharks. This island off the coast of Cancún hosts the most reliable whale shark aggregation in the world, with hundreds of whale sharks gathering there from June to September every year. Isla Mujeres is also one of the world’s best destinations for swimming with sailfish. These majestic fish gather in large schools at Isla Mujeres from late December to March each year. Watching these amazing hunters dart in and out of bait balls is an unmissable experience!

4. Playa del Carmen.

Playa del Carmen is renowned for bull shark diving and hosts large female bull sharks from November to March each year. These impressive sharks return to their breeding grounds in the shallow waters of Playa del Carmen and a variety of dive operators conduct baited shark dives with them. As well as shark diving, Playa del Carmen has spectacular coral reefs, which you can enjoy by shore or boat diving there.

5. Cenotes.

Exploring Mexico’s cenotes is one of the best highlights of scuba diving in Mexico. These ancient limestone sinkholes are filled with gin-clear waters and have huge chambers draped in lush forest plants. There are thousands of cenotes across Mexico, with more than 6000 in the Yucatán Peninsula alone. Once thought to be portals to the underworld, these sacred sites are now visited by tourists from around the globe. Cenote diving is particularly popular from Playa del Carmen and Tulum, and there are cenotes to suit all experience levels.  Dos Ojos cenote is famous for having one of the largest underwater cave systems in the world, stretching more than 80 km underground. It also contains the deepest known cave in Quintana Roo ‘The Pit’. The Pit is 120 meters deep and has multiple passages leading to other rooms. There is an eerie foggy layer of hydrogen sulfide at around 27 meters depth, formed by decomposing trees. Lit by sunbeams from overhead, diving this cenote is a must for experienced Extended Range divers.

6. Banco Chinchorro.

Banco Chinchorro is a marine reserve known for hosting the world’s largest aggregation of wild American crocodiles. You can observe these ancient reptiles in Banco Chinchorro’s shallow waters using just a snorkel and mask. As well as crocodiles, Banco Chinchorro has vibrant coral reefs, wreck and drift diving opportunities.

7. Akumal.

Endless white sands and thriving coral reefs attract tourists every year to the coastal resort of Akumal. There is plenty of reef life to be found there, including numerous sea turtles, plus stingrays and pelagic fish. Whilst there are a handful of excellent dive sites to choose from, Akumal is most famous for its sea turtles. Loggerhead, hawksbill, and green sea turtles visit Akumal every year from May to September to lay their eggs. Green sea turtles are most commonly seen in Akumal’s waters, and you can join snorkeling tours to swim with these charming animals. CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE TOP DIVE SITES IN THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA.