Within the Riviera Maya, you’ll find Quintana Roo, a privileged state of the Mexican Caribbean, coated with exuberant nature, mangroves, jungle, cenotes, underwater rivers and naturally, a fantastic sea. The crystal-clear water and the nice number of marine life that you’ll find, make this place one of the vital visited spots to dive in Mexico. If you’re planning to go to this state in the hunt for the most effective diving in Mexico, you’ll not remorse it. I used to be fortunate sufficient to spend a number of months within the space, however for you, I’ll condense it all the way down to per week of scuba diving the Riviera Maya.
Diving in Cancun
In all probability, for those who journey to Quintana Roo you’ll land on this nice Caribbean metropolis. Cancun is known for its a number of resorts and its turquoise blue seashores. However this metropolis has rather more to supply to individuals who prefer to be underwater. Maybe the preferred of all of them is the MUSA Underwater Museum.
MUSA is the primary underwater museum in-built Mexico, and is a enjoyable solution to dive. For certain, this is likely one of the greatest diving spots in Cancun. It’s positioned in entrance of Isla Mujeres and has as much as 515 life-size sculptures. As well as, the sculptures are constructed with a particular marine cement that makes coral reefs develop on it, serving to to preserve the marine surroundings.
The sculptures are at completely different depths. In reality, there are some which you can observe just by snorkeling, however by diving deeper, you may benefit from the full museum. On this tour, two dives are often made to do the entire go to of the underwater museum. This sort of dive is really useful for each skilled and newbie divers, as the utmost depth is round 30 toes (10 meters). Because of the shallow depths, this can be a nice first warm-up dive of your trip.
If you’re obsessed with historical past and you want wreck diving, you’ll actually like this subsequent diving expertise. At this dive web site there are two outdated US Navy ships used as mine detectors throughout World Conflict II. These are two of essentially the most fantastic wrecks in Cancun.
The shipwrecks C-58 and C55 have been sunk to be able to create a man-made reef, and at this time they’re glorious dives which throughout winter can function a refuge for dozens of Eagle Rays. On this tour, two dives are made to a depth of 25 meters (80 toes) and is really useful for superior divers. The usage of Nitrox can be really useful.
Diving in Playa del Carmen
After two nice days in Cancun, we’re prepared to maneuver onto Playa del Carmen. That is one other of crucial cities for diving within the Riviera Maya. It’s a very numerous and vibrant group, the place you will see that all the things from massive resorts, native outlets, eating places from high-quality eating to road distributors, and oh yeah, plenty of enjoyable!
However specializing in the diving, there are completely different dive websites on this space relying in your diving preferences you may select from reefs, cenotes, or in our case, shark dives!
Diving with Bull Sharks
With the ability to dive with the bull shark in Playa del Carmen, is undoubtedly, one of the vital unbelievable experiences which you can have as a diver. That is doable through the season from November to March, when the water drops in temperature and these spectacular animals go to the realm.
To dive with the bull sharks, at a depth of 24 meters, they are often seen from about 5 or 10 meters away doing their regular life with none technique to draw them. They’ve a real curiosity and can come to research the divers. After this heart-pumping dive, we would have liked to loosen up with an island vibe.
Diving in Cozumel
Cozumel is a small island positioned roughly 40 minutes from Playa del Carmen, from the place the ferries depart. It should take you round half-hour by boat to reach to this paradise.
The island is characterised by the clear and turquoise blue water of the ocean, which make it the everyday postcard of the Mexican Caribbean Sea. It’s a part of the Nice Belt of Reefs of the Western Atlantic, also referred to as the Nice Mayan Reef, and it is likely one of the greatest locations to dive within the Riviera Maya and on the planet, so don’t hesitate so as to add it to your route.
Diving within the Cozumel Nationwide Marine Park
There are completely different locations to get pleasure from diving. Operators right here will do two dives within the morning or afternoon, in numerous spots relying in your stage. With an enormous collection of reefs at their disposal, Cozumel can present for each inexperienced persons and superior divers.
Among the best-known diving locations are Arrecife Paraíso (additionally identified for night time dives in Cozumel), Palancar Reef (with a depth of as much as 30 meters (100 ft) with intricate formations, tunnels, crevasses, and completely different caves to discover, or the Wall of Santa Rosa (a coral wall that goes from 10 meters as much as 30 meters deep).
Spending two or three days in Cozumel will not be sufficient, so we suggest discovering operators that may do morning and afternoon dives. Three days of 4-tank diving in Cozumel will depart you craving for extra.
Diving in Punta Sur and Satan’s Throat
Maybe the spotlight for us was the epic swim-through often known as Satan’s Throat. Usually, the present is robust and naturally as soon as contained in the throat you may have an overhead surroundings main you to 130 toes / 40 meters. Clearly, such a diving is reserved for divers with extra expertise.
As soon as exterior the tunnel, reef sharks and huge faculties of fish will be seen. Spectacular pillars rising from the depths creating unimaginable formations totally coated with vibrant corals. Honestly, extending backside time by not coming into the throat is likely one of the greatest dives of the Caribbean. Reserving a personal constitution boat and doing two dives on Punta Sur is the most effective resolution you can make in Cozumel.
Diving in Tulum
When you’re within the Riviera Maya you can not cross up the chance to dive cenotes. There isn’t a higher place on the planet to do that than Tulum. Cenotes are deep water wells, that are fed by the filtration of the rain. The water temperature is round 24 levels Celsius, and there are three sorts of cenotes: closed, semi-open, and open cenotes. Your talent stage will dictate which is best for you, however regardless, it is possible for you to to see completely different rock formations of stalactites and stalagmites that may depart you speechless.
Diving in cenotes and caves
There are numerous cenotes scattered across the Riviera Maya. Some data say over 7000 and cenotes and new discoveries nonetheless taking place. So, it’s not life like to suppose in the future can be sufficient, however it’s good to get the expertise!
This sort of diving is somewhat rarer than what it’s possible you’ll be used to since it’s not achieved from a ship or from the shore of the seashore. The diving middle will handle taking you by van to the completely different cenotes by which you wish to dive, in addition to taking all of the diving gear and all the things you want to make your expertise distinctive.
Relying on the cenote you go to, the journey by van can be longer or shorter since often, cenotes are a bit removed from the town. For our afternoon, we selected diving within the cenote Dos Ojos.
This is likely one of the most lovely and well-known cenotes for scuba diving. On this cenote, you will see that extraordinarily clear waters and underground geology that may depart you open-mouthed. There are completely different excursions inside this cenote relying in your certification stage, so all divers can get pleasure from this expertise.
Different well-known cenotes to dive from Tulum are the Gran Cenote, Automobile Wash Cenote, Dreamgate Cenote, amongst many others.
A Week will not be Sufficient
As you may see, the Riviera Maya has quite a few fascinating diving spots, so relying on what your preferences are, you’ll have to select the place you favor to spend extra time diving. The one certain factor is that you just select what you select, you’ll spend an unforgettable week of diving within the Riviera Maya.
All photographs are credited to Robert Stansfield.