Mexico’s two coasts are ripe for underwater exploration. You can discover the vast kelp forests of the Pacific, the hidden reefs of the Sea of Cortez and the Yucatan peninsula, and shipwrecks in the Caribbean. Pelagic-lovers will also be pleased with Mexico’s breeding grounds and sites boasting heavy currents.Not all of the dives in Mexico are out in the salty seas. During your time in the Yucatan be sure to dive in the crystal clear cenotes. The most popular, and rightly so, is the Cenote Dos Ojos.From beginners to tec divers, there are dives for every level in Mexico. The Yucatan and the east side of Baja California are generally protected from heavy current, creating good dive sites for beginners. However, offshore islands like Guadalupe and Socorro Island should only be attempted by advanced divers due to their raging currents. Furthermore, some of the cenotes require technical diving skills. Diving in Mexico mainly takes place from speedboats. It is possible to dive some of the Sea of Cortez and the Caribbean’s reefs as well as the cenotes from shore. Guadalupe and Socorro must be accessed by liveaboard vessel.While a reef hook may be helpful in some areas, they are not permitted in protected areas. A 16% tax is levied on all diving activities in Mexico.
You can have it all, in Mexico: Gorgeously colored reef fish can be found in the Caribbean, and large pelagics are found out in the Pacific, including the infamous Great White Shark. There are also great migrations of gentle Whale Sharks at Isla Mujeres and fierce Bull Sharks near the Yucatan Peninsula. Blind cave fish thrive in the cenotes, eerie and wriggling. In the Sea of Cortez you can find interesting creatures like seahorses and starfish. You’ll also have playful encounters with sea lions in the area. In Mexico, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much to see and explore!
With such an incredible variety of places to explore, flying to your location of choice is highly recommended. Mexico City, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta all have international airports. Getting around the country is straightforward, as inexpensive taxis and buses zoom across the landscape. Private transfers between resorts are also common.
Surrounded on three sides by water, the Baja Peninsula offers astounding dives filled with pelagic species. The Sea of Cortez is the main focal point of Baja California, but this region is also known as the setting off point for Socorro Island. You’ll also find liveaboards destined for Guadalupe from the Baja Peninsula. At this far-off island, cage diving is king.The...
Surrounded on three sides by water, the Baja Peninsula offers astounding dives filled with pelagic species. The Sea of Cortez is the main focal point of Baja California Sur, but this region is also known as the setting off point for Socorro Island. Popular diving destinations in Baja California Sur include Los Cabos, Cabo Pulmo, La Paz, Loreto and Mulegé.The best...
Cabo Pulmo National Park has been deemed the most successful marine park in the western hemisphere. Established in 1995 to protect one of only three coral reefs on the west coast of North America, this national park is currently home to 6,000 marine species. Continual coral growth projects ensure a steady rise in fish levels. Both beginners and advanced divers are...
Famous first as a resort destination and second as a scuba destination, diving in Cabo San Lucas is easy enough for a true beginner yet offers challenges for even the most expert diver. Beginners will enjoy the protected rocky reefs of San Lucas Bay. Intermediate and advanced divers can head outwards toward the dramatic walls just offshore. These drop to unimaginable...
Located just six miles (9.5km) off the coast of Mexico and 15 miles (24km) south of San Diego in the USA, Los Coronados Islands are a favorite destination among divers in the area due to their semi-tropical environment. Here you’ll find kelp forest, a new wreck, rocky reefs and caverns.These sites can be reached by overnight liveaboard from the American city or as a...
On the southern end of the Central Pacific Coast, Acapulco is a traditional holiday destination without a defined scuba industry. This is steadily changing as dive operators open and discover interesting new dive sites. Caves, walls, sunken ships and rocky reefs make up the majority of underwater environments.Dive sites in the area sit at one of two extremes. Either...
In the Yucatán Peninsula, divers can find everything from cenotes to high-speed drift diving. Most of the dive sites are found off Riviera Maya and Cancún in the Caribbean Sea, but unexplored reefs do exist along the northern coast of the peninsula. Dive sites off Riviera Maya feature beautiful caverns while there is plenty of healthy reef near Cancún including an...
Not yet as famous as its neighbor to the south, the state of Veracruz holds unknown diving potential. At its epicenter, lies Veracruz. At first glance, this chaotic city does not bring images of fantastic diving to mind, but just offshore lies the Veracruz Reef System with its 8 reef platforms, which are ripe for exploration. There are also 5 major wrecks nearby...
Located 240 miles (390 kilometers) off the Baja Peninsula, the four Revillagigedo Islands offer some of the best diving in Mexico. Of these, Socorro Island is the most famous. It’s so well-known that often the group of islands is referred to as Socorro Islands rather than its proper name, the Revillagigedo Islands. Advanced divers flock to remote Socorro Island and...
From the coast of San Carlos to the shores of the Isla San Pedro, diving in the northern Sea of Cortez offers divers the opportunity to get in the water with several large pelagic species.Both beginners and advanced divers are welcome. Beginners remain closer to shore while advanced divers will spend more time in the open ocean where drift dives are more prevalent...