Scuba Diving Near Cancun

Cancun is situated perfectly for divers wishing to make diving the focus of their visit to Mexico. From Cancun you are close to the Whale Sharks in the Gulf off of Isla Holbox.

North-East off of Cancun you have the island of Isla Mujeres with caves and Nurse Sharks nearby.

There are dive shops on Isla Mujeres and you can easily make your way to the island by ferry on your own, dive and return to the mainland, all in one day.

Alternatively you can boat out of Cancun and skip the ferry.

Other options include dividing your stay between Cancun and either; Isla Holbox, Isla Mujeres or Cozumel.

When staying in Cancun, to dive the reefs at Cozumel, dive shops offer a number of different options depending largely on where the dive shop is located:

  • Boat from Cancun to Cozumel and return.
  • Dive shop sends car to pick you up and take you to a boat launch at a hotel South of Cancun or Puerto Morelos.
  • Dive shop sends car to pick you up and take you to a boat in Playa del Carmen then depart by water out of Playa del Carmen.
  • Dive shop sends car and takes you to ferry docks in Playa del Carmen, you take ferry across, boat/car is waiting for you at the docks in Cozumel. If car, they pick you up and drive you to the boat launch.
  • Fly to Cozumel, car picks you up and takes you to boat launch. Reverse to depart.

You can also rent a car or take the bus or colectivo to Puerto Morelos or Playa del Carmen on your own and go directly to a dive shop and go from there.


CENOTES AND CAVE DIVING

If you have never dove in a cave or cenote then you are missing something that you might find fascinating. It is such an experience being down in the caves and caverns you will never forget it.

Mayan Rivier Maya Cave Diving

The cave and cenote diving is by large located South of Cancun along the Mayan Riviera. Many dive shops service both open water and cave/cenote diving.

Your options for getting there is to rent a car and drive to the location given to you by the dive shop. They may ask you to meet them at their shop or on the highway at the entrance to the cenote or at the cenote.

All equipment is provided and the divers taking you out should be certified.

There are two state-of-the-art Hyperbaric Chambers on Cozumel, one in Cancun and one in Playa del Carmen.

For more information see: Cave & Cenote Diving

DIVING COURSES

Courses are available for every level of diver and are offered through dive-shops operating on their own or shops operating at a hotel, resort or attraction.

PADI certification courses generally include theory, pool practice, ocean dives and PADI manual by certified PADI divers.

Other courses available include: Cancun Diving PADI

  • Boat Diving
  • Bouyancy Diving
  • Cavern Diving
  • Deep Diving
  • Drift Diving
  • Multilevel Diving
  • Naturalist Diver
  • Night Diving
  • Nitrox
  • Research Diver
  • Search & Recovery Diving
  • Underwater Navigator
  • Underwater Photography
  • Wreck Diving

RECENT GUIDES