Riviera Maya, Yucatan

Scuba Diving in The Riviera Maya, Yucatan

Riviera Maya & Yucatan Diving Highlights

Scuba diving in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula is best known for cenotes diving, but also offers reef scuba dives, a bull shark dive, American crocodiles at Chinchorro Banks, plus whale shark and sailfish snorkeling off Isla Mujeres. It provides scuba divers the largest underwater options with dive sites so different from each other, a large variety of marine life and some really unique dives that you cannot find elsewhere. There are a lot of scuba diving sites for complete beginners and very many for experienced divers. For more advanced divers, it is also a great destination to upgrade your diving skills and learn about cavern or cave diving in locations where some of the best divers in the world have been trained!

Intro to the Yucatan Peninsula & Riviera Maya

Easy to reach, the Yucatan is a very popular vacation destination. The region is in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo and is also known as the Riviera Maya. Described as the 100-mile long Tourist Corridor, Riviera Maya extends 24 miles from Punta Brava, south of Puerto Morelos to the fishing village of Punta Allen inside the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka’an. The further south one travels, the land becomes less developed and more ancestral Mayan. Riviera Maya offers wonderful beaches, turquoise waters and fine white sand, archeological sites, picturesque little towns, recreation centers, freshwater lagoons, underwater caves, cenotes, ecological tours, food and lodging options ranging from rustic cabins to gleaming condos, five-star hotels, and all-inclusive accommodation.

Unique diving opportunities abound, whether as a dedicated dive trip or as an add-on to a tropical vacation package. Divers can find many different types of unique places to stay in Tulum, Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel or Isla Mujeres. Accommodation ranges from quiet retreats to huge all-inclusive resorts, with plenty of topside activities like visiting the Mayan ruins of Tulum. The abundance of activities and tours makes the Yucatan a great destination for divers traveling with non-divers.

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 Top dive destinations within the Yucatan Peninsula 

1. Cozumel - Cozumel is an amazing scuba destination. Along Cozumel runs the second largest barrier reef in the world, which offers abundant marine life and beautiful coral reefs. The southern area is protected by a marine park which is why Cozumel has managed to keep the reef healthy having a variety of corals, many fish species and sponges. All this makes Cozumel a favorite dive destination for many scuba divers. Check out our entire Cozumel Scuba Diving page to learn more.

2. Isla Mujeres - There are two distinct snorkeling opportunities off Isla Mujeres that attract divers and underwater photographers year after year. These are swimming with sailfish from mid-December to mid-March and swimming with whale sharks during the summer. For complete details on diving Isla Mujeres, visit our Isla Mujeres Dive Travel Guide.

3. Playa Del Carmen - There are many great dive sites off Playa del Carmen. Pared Verde (Green Wall) deserves a special mention having spectacular coral formations and filled with marine life. There is also a chimney style swim thru towards the end of the dive. Between November and March, divers can come for an adrenaline-filled scuba dive with bull sharks. Some dive operations organize a bated dive and others a non baited dive. Either way, you can get a close encounter with these beautiful animals. This dive is for advanced divers only as it is done in deeper depths. 

4. Cenotes - Spread throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, these freshwater caves and sinkholes provide world-famous cavern and cave diving in a spectacular setting. Suitable for all levels of diver from snorkeler through to technical cave specialists, diving a centoe is not to be missed on a trip to the Riviera Maya. Find out more about them in our cenote guide.

5. Banco Chinchorro - A popular dive trip in recent years, Chinchorro Banks is home to saltwater crocodiles that live in shallow water. Amenities are minimal but the photos speak for themselves. You will be able to closely observe these predators in their natural habitat. These are done as skin dives and a special crocodile handler will make sure everyone's safety is guaranteed. In our Mexico Crocs & Cenotes trip report, you can read more in detail how it really is to dive with crocodiles. Besides the crocodiles, Banco Chinchorro has also some healthy colorful reefs, offers some fun drift dives and even can attract some wreck diving enthusiasts to explore its shipwrecks. 

6. Akumal - Home to abundant coral with spur and groove formations, rich marine life and a large turtle population. Akumal diving offers high chances to see turtles and get close to them. The bay is protected from heavy currents which make the dives relatively easy, but there are also some deeper dive sites for more advanced divers. 

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Diving Information 

MARINE LIFE AND ENVIRONMENT

Though the cenotes do not have much marine life, the rest of the diving in Yucatan is very colorful. An expansive coral reef system extending just off the coast is home to a dizzying array of marine life including colorful tropical fish, manta rays, dolphins, and whale sharks. 

Here is a list of some of the marine life you are likely to see when scuba diving in Riviera Maya: 

• Pufferfish
• Angelfish
• Parrotfish
• Groupers
• Turtles
• Rays
• Lobsters
• Shrimp
• Lionfish
• Trumpetfish
• Morays
• Barracudas
• Nurse Shark
• Seahorses
• Lobsters 
• Snappers

Watch this awesome video to give you a great feel for what it would be like to dive in Riviera Maya!

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Diving Conditions

Water Temperatures:

The water off Cozumel ranges from 75-85F (24-29C) depending on the season.  The angle of the sun shifts during the year, so different cenotes will benefit from different angles of light. For example, temperatures can be very hot during the summer, but that is when the sun is overhead and shines to the bottom of The Pit (391ft/119m), creating a very surreal experience. Along the Riviera Maya coastline, the water temperatures range from 77-82°F (25-28C) in winter and 81-85°F (27-29C) in summer.
• Visibility: 15 - 40m (49 - 131 ft)
• Depth Range: 10 - 40m (30 - 131 ft) 
• Weather: Air temperatures range from 18-32°C/65-90°F

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Travel Information 

How to Get There

Travel to the Yucatan is easy from the United States and major international hubs. Flying to Cancun (CUN) is easy thanks to all the visiting tourists. The Cancun International Airport is the main gate of entrance to Riviera Maya, and it is served by all major international airlines with direct or non-stop service from many places around the world.

From the airport, there are several transportation services like shuttles and taxis providing convenient and safe airport transfers to any location in the Riviera Maya. In the southeast corner of Terminal 2, there is a bus service from the airport to Playa del Carmen which is only a 45-minute drive. The bus departs every 30 minutes from 5:00 hrs to 1:00 hrs. The drive from the airport to the Isla Mujeres ferry is about 30 minutes and the ferries run every half hour during the day. You can also fly directly into Cozumel (CZM) and from Cozumel, you have the option to take a modern ferry to Playa del Carmen.

How to Dive Riviera Maya, Yucatan

There are plenty of dive resorts and dive centers you can choose from in Riviera Maya. There are facilities, instructors and equipment rentals at Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Xcaret, Paamul, Puerto Aventuras, Xpu-Ha, Kantenah, Chemuyil Xcacel and Akumal, known as a diver’s paradise. There is even liveaboard diving possible in the Yucatan Peninsula, the first liveaboard in the Mexican Caribbean called the Caribbean Kraken. This vessel can take you around Banco Chincorro, Los Picos & Alcaranes.  

Best Time to Dive Riviera Maya, Yucatan

The Yucatan is a year-round dive destination, although the specific marine life encounters are seasonal. If you want to see the whale sharks near Isla Mujeres, then the best time to visit is from June until mid-September. If you are interested in bull shark diving in Playa del Carmen, then the season starts around November until March. 

The rainy season is from May through October and the dry season is November through April. May and June have the highest humidity. June through October is hurricane season.

Topside & Non-Diving Activities

The Yucatan has many non-diving activities, making it a fun destination for divers as well as groups and those who aren't divers. Resort and hotel accommodation is abundant, whether quiet and romantic or large and all-inclusive. Whale sharks are a snorkeling activity, and several of the cenotes offer snorkeling in addition to scuba diving (including Dos Ojos and Eden). Visitors can tour Mayan ruins, visit postcard-perfect white sand beaches, shop, or participate in the vibrant nightlife of Cancun. Playa Del Rey offers a more quiet scene.

Here are some of the top non-diving activities you can do in Riviera Maya: 

• Swim by the archeological site located by the Sea, Tulum
• Visit one of the world’s most amazing theme parks in Xcaret
• Snorkeling in the world’s largest natural aquarium: Xel-Ha
• Experience Akumal’s silky beaches
• Explore the Mayan caves in Aktun Chen
• Visit bars, shops, and restaurants in Playa del Carmen
• Tour around Mayan villages
• Visit the Biosphere Reserve of Sia Ka’an to see one of the greatest biodiversity in the world
• Experience the Mayan spa treatment
• Enjoy a cosmopolitan and exciting nightlife with a wide range of restaurants
• Enjoy great shopping experience at modern shopping malls or traditional and colorful markets

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Other Useful Information 

Practical Information

• Currency: Mexican Peso (MXN)
• Language: Spanish is the official language in Mexico but most people today learn English as a second language
• Main Airport Code: CUN
• Time Zone: UTC-5
• Electricity: 127 V 60 Hz

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