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Arriving on the island is simple, as it has its own international airport. Flights from Miami, Montreal, and Mexico City all arrive directly at the Cozumel International Airport and are usually only 2 to 5 hours long. Visitors can also board a 20-minute connecting flight from Cancun.

Cozumel is a year-round scuba diving destination off Mexico's eastern Caribbean coast. The island is known for gentle drift dives, excellent visibility, and reefs teeming with marine life including corals, sponges, turtles, nurse sharks, and small rays. 

Cozumel is also known for its variety of dive resorts, from budget to luxury, and many of the resorts are all-inclusive. With a list of land-based activities, Cozumel is a popular travel destination for scuba divers and non-divers alike. Cozumel’s peak season typically runs from November to April and the resorts can be quite busy.

Geographically, the island is 45 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide. The dive sites are all on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which runs past Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, and is the second largest barrier reef in the world. The Marine Park of Cozumel was established in 1996 and protects the southern area of the island. Diving in Cozumel is suitable for beginning divers with shallow sites and advanced divers with deeper drift dives along walls and swim-throughs. Water temperature is warm year-round. Many of the dive sites are perfectly suited to underwater photography and offer opportunities for both wide-angle and macro subjects. 

The reefs are home to more than 500 fish species and a wide variety of coral. Divers also encounter turtles, groupers, green moray eels, nurse sharks, the splendid toadfish and other colorful tropical fish. Shore diving from resorts offers macro critters on the artificial reefs and the sandy bottom. Currents are minimal at these sites, providing ample opportunity to shoot anemone shrimp, juvenile drumfish, spotted moray eels, stingrays, trumpetfish and more. Night dives bring out more critters, including curious squid. And while rarer, divers should always be on the lookout for seahorses.

Some of the best dive sites around Cozumel include:

·      Santa Rosa Wall, one of the most popular deep dive sites. The wall begins at around 15 meters and extends deep into the abyss. 

·      Colombia wall, over 30 meters high and is home to a stunning cave, tunnel and cavern systems. 

·      Palancar Reef is the perfect first dive site for individuals not confident in their skill set. The reef extends over 5 kilometers and is home to huge coral clusters. 

·      Palancar Horseshoe is named after the U-shaped protrusion on the wall. This site is home to tunnels and swim-throughs carved into the reef. 

·      Punta Tunich offers swift currents and drift dives. Diving this location starts at around 20 meters where the sand bottom leads to extended ridges of coral. 

·      Barracuda Reef offers divers crazy currents and abundant marine life including hammerheads, black-tip reef sharks, eagle rays and barracuda. This is a northern dive site and a limited number of dive shops travel there.

Many travelers visit Cozumel from Caribbean cruises, typically just for a day. However, divers often spend their entire vacation on the island. With warm temperatures year-round, it is almost always a great time to dive in Cozumel. May to September has the warmest, calmest waters that are perfect for any level of diver. November to March is most popular for those hoping to spot bull sharks. While the waters are generally calm, they do tend to get rougher in between seasons. However, the more advanced waters typically allow for sightings of sharks and eagle rays. The waters are usually full of colorful reef fish and corals, but stingrays, nurse sharks, lobsters, turtles, and groupers can also be seen by lucky divers. 

The island itself has a rich history that is kept alive by the Mayan ruins scattered throughout the island. Visitors often take tours to the areas due to their remote locations on the island, but the venture is worth it in order to be immersed into a world that once was. Some of the most popular historical sites include San Gervasio and Cedral. In addition to the ruins, the island has plenty of stunning natural structures to explore. The island has what is known as a karst topography due to its foundation being made of limestone. Guests can choose to explore this as the limestone base results in cenotes, which are sinkholes filled with water. These are usually done through tours as well. 

Exploring downtown is a great way to experience the culture in Cozumel. With countless restaurants and shops, there is so much to discover. By nightfall, all of the tourists visiting from cruises will be gone, and the nightlife begins to vibrantly take over the island. Since most visitors are gone by this time, nightlife in Cozumel is mostly spent with locals, taking away the touristy feel and replacing it with a more authentic vibe. There are plenty of bars along the coast of the island, and there is often plenty of live music to dance to. 

Cozumel is a unique, vibrant island that provides many experiences. No matter who is visiting, they will be able to fall in love with some part of the island. Whether it be its history, the sandy beaches, the lively Caribbean waters, or the unique landscape, there is truly something for everyone. 

The Kingston ship sunk after colliding with Shag Rock Reef — located just off the shore of North Stradbroke Island. No lives were lost in the wreck, and the ship sits around 10 to 20 meters deep. The wreck occurred in 1881 and has since grown into a stunning living reef teeming with marine life. Most notably are the sea turtles, pelagic fish, and schools of anthias. The wreck is sitting almost perfectly straight, making it a great opportunity for beginning divers to explore a wreck with ease.  Most visitors experience this wreck from liveaboards, but it can also be done on the second tank of a day trip.  Photo courtesy of oceanstopines.com.

SS Carnatic, Abu Nuhas Reef, Egypt

Abu Nuhas reef is home to the famous Ship Graveyard, consisting of seven different ship shipwrecks in 1869. Perhaps one of the most notable wrecks is the SS Carnatic. The ship is located on the northern side of the reef and broke in half as it sunk. The ship has become entirely encrusted with hard and soft corals and is most known for its stories of buried treasure. Legend has it that the ship was carrying gold and copper that would eventually sink with it, and anyone who disturbs this lost treasure leaves the wreck cursed. Photo: Shutterstock

Salem Express, Hyndman Reef, Egypt 

One of the most recent, and most emotional, wrecks of the Red Sea is the Salem Express. The ship sunk in 1991 after colliding with Hyndman Reef. This caused the ship to take on great amounts of water, and it quickly sunk after a few minutes. Although the exact number of lives lost is disputed, it is possible that 1,600 people could have died on board the Salem Express. Nearly 700 of these people are believed to have been pilgrims who had just visited Mecca. There is not much marine life or corals growing on the ship, but divers often see items such as passenger’s suitcases in the surrounding areas of the wreck. The inside of the ship is sealed out of respect for every life that was lost on board. Photo: Shutterstock

Aida, Big Brother Island, Egypt

SS Thistlegorm, Ras Muhammad, Egypt

Any list of the best wrecks in the Red Sea would be incomplete without mentioning the SS Thistlegorm. As one of the most famous ships to live in the Red Sea, the ship has sat for 80 years and is now teeming with marine life such as common reef fish, batfish, and barracudas. The ship once served the British Navy before it sank as the result of German bombs. Divers are able to find remnants of the past such as sunken ammo, motorcycles, rifles, Jeeps, and more. The wreck is easily accessed by boat and is typically a day-long dive due to the large size of the ship. The waters have a visibility of 25-30 meters and are ideal for advanced divers who are able to navigate the strong currents. Photo: Shutterstock

Located in the province of Negros Oriental, Dauin is ideal for photographers and lovers of macro life. Underwater creatures often seen include seahorses, pipefish, nudibranchs, blue-ring octopuses, mandarin fish, and more. Not only that, but there is a unique collection of experiences that will be sure to excite any visitor such as muck diving and pristine coral reefs. Diving in Dauin is great all year long with the dry season lasting from December to May and the wet season lasting from June to November. Dauin is famous for its often cheap, always luxurious beachfront resorts. Photo courtesy of Dumaguete.com

Puerto Galera

As a vibrant town with diverse waters, Puerto Galera is perfect for any level of diver. The diving experience can vary greatly — ranging from canyons to wrecks to muck diving and just about everything in between. The location is also perfect for macro and wide-angle photographers alike due to the coral reefs’ rich biodiversity. Some of the reefs are even considered to have the most biodiversity in all of Asia. The town is also home to plenty of dive schools that are perfect for beginnings and advanced divers looking to expand their skills. Guests have just as much to explore on land as they do in the water as there are stunning mountains and waterfalls to explore. Guests are often able to see creatures such as nudibranchs, frogfish, seahorses, cardinalfish, and more. Photo courtesy of Asia Divers.

Subic Bay, Luzon 

Nestled just about 100 kilometers away from Manila Bay is Subic Bay on Luzon Island. The bay has a history of serving as one of the largest US Naval Bases in Asia and is thus home to more than 20 interesting shipwrecks. These wrecks are unique due to the volcano Mount Pinatubo that has coated the wrecks in ash. The USS New York is perhaps one of the most well-known wrecks in Subic Bay due to its pristine condition and canons. The ship is only available to explore during select times due to its proximity to the pier. For technical divers and divers experienced in deep water diving, the F-4 Phantom wreck is a dream. At 45 meters deep, the plane is often teeming with fish in the calm waters. Diving in the bay is great all year round but is ideal during the November to May dry season for greatest visibility. Photo courtesy of Arizona Dive Shop, Philippines.

Tubbataha Reef

World Heritage Site

With the most biodiversity in Asia, divers can encounter 600 species of fish and 360 species of coral in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. Tubbataha is the largest marine park in the Philippines at 970 square kilometers. Guests can only experience the lively waters on a liveaboard during the calmer months of March to June. Diving experiences often include wall diving as well as exploration of the two atolls, Jessie Beazley Reef, lagoons, and coral cays. Perhaps the most exciting experience from exploring the park is the chance to see large marine life such as whale sharks, tiger sharks, and manta rays. Photo courtesy of Philippine Tourism USA.

Anilao, Batangas

Famous for its muck diving and blackwater diving, Anilao is an ideal destination for those looking to get up close and personal with the smallest of critters. Macro photographers will love swimming through the pinnacles, walls, and coral gardens to get the perfect shot. Some of the critters include elusive subjects such as the Ambon scorpionfish, Bobbit worms, and stargazers. The best time to dive in Anilao is from October to June, and April and May are considered to be the peak of the season. However, diving is available all year long with colder temperatures from December to March and rainier weather from July to September. The location is extremely convenient as it is just two hours away from Manila and has access to all of the dive sites from Balayan Bay, Batangas Bay, and Maricaban Island. Photo courtesy of Mike Batrick / Crystal Blue Resort.

Bohol, Central Visayas

• Jan 14th to July 8th, 2021: was $5495 now $3795 p.p
• From July 8th to Dec 31st, 2021: was $5696 now $3995 p.p

• 01 - 08 March 2021   7 Days  Was $6150, now $4305 USD
• 08 - 15 March 2021   7 Days  Was $6150, now $4305 USD
• 15 - 22 March 2021   7 Days  Was $6150, now $4305 USD
• 22 March - 01 April 2021   10 days Was $7820, now $5474 USD

• Marine Park & Port Fees: $100 USD Galapagos National Park Fees (upon your arrival in the San Cristóbal)
• Tourist Card: $25 USD (before boarding your domestic flights to the Galapagos visit the INGALA booth at Guayaquil airport)
• Chamber Support Fee: $35 USD

Departure Dates:  

• November 7, 2020
• December 19-26, 2020
• January 2, 2021
• January 30, 2021