ABOUT THE COZUMEL WATERS

Cozumel has more than 30 chartered reefs stretching 32 km, off the coast and hosting the world s second largest reef.  With the multitude of reefs, divers will have to return again and again to explore even a small portion of what is offered.  The famous Palancar Reef alone, with visibility of up to 86 meters, offers about 40 dive spots, each providing a different experience.  One can select from novice dives to challenging dives recommended for experienced divers only.  There is San Francisco Reef covered with huge coral formations for shallow wall-dives.  And there is Colombia Reef with canyons and ravines offering deep wall dives for the experienced. For advanced divers, Santa Rosa Wall is a renowned spot for deep and drift dives, offering a sudden  drop-off, dramatic overhanging corals, tunnels and caves. Divers interested in underwater photography can jump down to Tormentos Reef a favorite spot for photographers.  For something different, some dive operators offer strictly cave and cavern dives.  Visit the page Reefs for a map of the island and reef locations.  

The waters off of Cozumel are not only for scuba divers.  Snorkeling is the second most popular sport on the island. For novice snorklers, there is no need to swim far distances or take a boat trip to take advantage of the reefs.  Great snorkeling opportunities await even at hotel beaches.  Check out the Hotel Guide for beachfront hotels. Fish feeding is a common activity at some beaches.  Also, 100 meters off of La Ceiba pier is a sunken 40-passenger plane serving as a reef to all sorts of colourful marine life, with a visibility of 30 meters.  Impressive snorkeling can be also found at shallow reefs at Chankanaab National Park and Playa San Francisco.  For adventurous snorkelers and beginner divers, the Chankanaab caves and reef offer large underground caverns filled with sea creatures.  

Visitors interested in diving can choose from more than 100 dive shops.  Dive shops offer everything from introductory courses to advanced courses at the master s level.  Specialty dive shops include cave and cavern diving and diving with Nitrox.  Dive shops and operators offer both snorkel and dive trips.  Dive shops provide all equipment, guide and transportation.  Many shops also offer hotel/dive packages.  Dive shops should be affiliated with one of the recompression chambers available on the island.  In addition, many dive shops are members of ANOAAT.  This identifies members associated with The Cozumel WaterSports and Tourism Association.  The ANOAAT Safety Committee helps to preserve the reefs and ensure safety through the development and maintenance of safety and quality standards.  Divers should also inquire about free accident coverage the operators are responsible for.  

Visitors should take care and help preserve the coral reefs.  Divers and snorkelers should keep a safe 3 feet distance from coral, prevent from kicking and breaking coral and hold back the impulse to touch or remove anything from the marine environment.  Simply touching coral will kill it. In addition, touching coral can be a painful experience.  

Cozumel isn't just for experienced divers but also for beginners and snorkelers. The warm, calm waters with easy access to exciting marine life makes Cozumel an ideal place for families with children. Cozumel offers an underwater paradise, access to all the necessary safe diving equipment and safety programs for divers and swimmers alike.  And when you need a break from water sports, there are endless sights to see and activities to do just by taking the ferry across to the Yucatan Peninsula.  There is no doubt why Cozumel is one of the world's favorite diving and sun destinations.