Cozumel Island - Diving Holiday Destination

Cozumel Island (Mexico)

Cozumel is the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean. It is also the most populated island in Mexico with an estimated population of around 90,000. Cozumel is situated near the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula in the State of Quintana Roo. The island is approximately 30 miles [48 km] long and 10 miles [16 km] wide. It is about 12 mi [20 km] from the mainland, and some 36 mi [60 km] south of Cancun.

Cozumel is a popular tourist destination renowned for its scuba diving. The main town on the island is San Miguel de Cozumel. Cozumel's limestone shore is surrounded by temperate, crystal clear waters, which range from stunning turquoise to deep indigo. With over 30 kilometers of reefs, water visibility to 200 feet, and over 200 species of tropical fish, Cozumel is considered by many as the finest dive destination in the Atlantic.

During the fifties, with the advent of modern scuba equipment divers started coming to Cozumel. World-famous explorer Jacques Cousteau and his team discovered the wall of reefs just off the island's shoreline in 1959 and declared them to be one of the most incredible diving destinations in the world. After that diving exploded on the island! Scuba diving is still Cozumel's primary draw, mainly due to the healthy coral reef marine communities. These coral reefs are protected from the open ocean by the island's natural geography. In 1996, the government of Mexico also established the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park. A huge protected area at the southern tip of the island includes Punta Celarain and its historical lighthouse, as well as the Colombia Lagoon, a shelter for many of the island's endemic species, as well as other endangered forms of life, such as marine turtles and their nesting areas.

With its beautiful beaches and exotic locale, Cozumel is an ideal destination

Climate

Average air temperature: 80°F [27°C]
July/August - High 80's to low 90's°F [32°C]
December/January - Mid 70's°F [24°C]

Winter Months: Cold fronts may create windy, cloudy and cooler weather. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, usually lasting for an hour.

Dive Facts

Water temperatures range from 77°-82°F [25°-28°C] throughout the year.

The diving technique most widely used in Cozumel is drift diving, whereby divers make use of the constant ocean currents to make their way through the reefs. With current speeds as fast as 1.5 feet knots, you'll find that you will be able to cover more distance on one tank of air then you might at other diving destinations.

Dive Attractions

As many as 250 different species of fish can be seen in Cozumel's waters; one of the most spectacular is the Queen Angelfish, possessing bright blue-and-yellow markings and the distinctive blue "crown" on the top of the head. You can even catch a glimpse of the Toad fish, found nowhere else in the world. Making it's home in the holes along the reef, this fish grows from 12 to 16 inches in length. It has the distinction of being one of the world's fastest eaters: it can capture and eat a whole fish in milliseconds- faster than the blink of an eye!

In addition to the colorful fish, Cozumel boasts some of the biggest and most spectacular sponge formations in the world. Fed by a continuous current bringing a steady supply of food to the reefs, some sponges, such as the Elephant Ear sponge, can grow as large as 12 feet across. Other sponges, like the Barrel sponge, gain considerable size as well.

Dive Sites Include:

Palancar Reef, Paradise Reef, Punta sur Reef/Wall Dive, plus lots more.

See our Dive Site Directory for more info: go to Dive Guide, Dive Sites Directory, Central America, Mexico, Cozumel.

Other

Language: Spanish, but most stores have English speaking staff.

Currency: Mexican peso, but all stores accept US dollars.

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