The island of Cozumel rests just a few miles off the coast of the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. A home for cruise ships from around the world, Cozumel is one of the most beautiful places to dive. Cozumel Scuba diving is just one of many things to do on the island. For more ideas, you can read our post 11 Exciting Things to Do in Cozumel.
We went on our first dive in Cozumel with Eduardo of Cozumel Sports and had a wonderful time. Cozumel Sports has a lot of instructors, so we can’t speak about the other ones. However, Eduardo was fantastic and offered a wonderful introductory dive as we had members of our party who were not certified by PADI.
Since then, Scuba diving in Cozumel has been one of our favorite activities. We hope to answer a few questions here about diving, offer our recommendations, and help you have the best time possible exploring the world around the island.
Why Dive in Cozumel?
Cozumel is home to a portion of the Mesoamerican Reef System, the second-largest reef system in the world. Although cruise ships, development, climate change, and pollution have certainly harmed the reef, it is in relatively healthy condition.
In the waters just off the shore, you can find thriving reefs, hundreds of different fish, lobster, sea turtles, sharks, and more. As the reef is so close to the island itself, it is one of the most accessible places to Scuba dive along the reef.
As a general rule, the price of diving in Cozumel will run somewhere around 75-100 USD a person for a one-tank dive. The second tank is often just an additional 20-30 USD. Although it is not cheap, the cost of Scuba here is cheaper than many other places around the world.
As a hub for diving in Mexico, you can find diving packages for beginners, experienced divers, and those not yet certified. The island is littered with dive shops, and the diving community is alive and active.
Diving for Beginners
Diving in Cozumel isn’t just for experts or those who already hold certifications from PADI (the Professional Association of Diving Instructors). Beginners can get certified if they wish in Cozumel, or go on one of many introductory dives.
During an beginner’s dive, the instructor will offer a brief look at Scuba. You will get instruction, have a brief test in the water, and be helped through the process with a certified dive instructor. If you’ve never been diving before, or are not certified, this is an ideal way to investigate.
If you want to do a Beginner’s dive, we recommend checking out THIS ONE. Equipment is good, the instructors are wonderful, and lunch is included!
Scuba Packages and Dive Tours
For those with more experience or who want a more in-depth diving experience, there are quite a few options. It can be overwhelming with all of the different dive shops, the different prices of diving in Cozumel, and all the different places to visit on the reef.
There are many options for diving in Cozumel. You can find great tours and dive instructors like this 2 Tank Dive for only $85 a person. This company offers great instructors and tend to take people to the best spots. With their knowledge of the area, they will know where the best places on the reef will be given the weather of the day.
Another great option is to head to Chankanaab, a popular park on the island of Cozumel. Chankanaab has a ton of different activities and ways to enjoy the nature of the island, but their Scuba tours are definitely a shining star.
Snorkeling
If Scuba diving isn’t for you, there is pretty amazing snorkeling on the island. It made our list of the Best Snorkeling in Mexico. There are places you can snorkel right off the shore, but we recommend checking out a professional snorkeling tour like THIS TOUR. This way, you can see reefs like El Cielo, Palancar, and other thriving scenes.
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