Deep Water Diving in Mexico

With more Spanish speakers than Spain and more pyramids than Egypt, Mexico is full of surprises. And the diving is no different. From the colourful corals and azure cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula to the wild and rugged Revillagigedo Islands, and not to forget the show-stealing sea lions of the Sea of Cortez, Mexico caters to every diving preference. While there are plenty of sun-kissed shallow reefs to explore at leisure, there is also an abundance of deep water diving in Mexico. Depth junkies can get their nitrogen fix in each of Mexico’s prime diving spots, whether it’s exploring the bottom of a cenote, a submerged seamount or clinging to the side of a hammerhead cleaning station in the middle of the Pacific Ocean...

Yucatan Peninsula

The Riviera Maya is an ideal base for divers looking to enjoy deep water diving in Mexico, with access to Cozumel Island and the peninsula's mysterious cenotes.

Much of Cozumel's diving takes place off its western shore, yet those seeking deeper thrills should explore the sites towards the island's southern tip. One of the island's best deep dives, Punta Sur (Spanish for South Point), brings you to a famous swimthrough known as 'Devil's Throat.' This narrow, almost vertical passage begins in a chamber at 25 metres and spits you back out into the vast blue at 35 metres.

The Riviera Maya also allows easy access to the peninsula's famous cenotes. These natural sinkholes can be challenging for divers, but not all require full cave diving expertise. Cenote Angelita near Tulum, shaped like a well, allows a descent to 40 meters without overhead coverage. It features a picturesque circular sinkhole with vertical walls reaching 60 meters deep, and around 30 meters, a mysterious hydrogen sulphate layer creates a cloudy barrier with eerie tree trunks and branches poking through.

Baja California

South of the San Diego-Tijuana border, Baja California is a narrow, 760-mile-long peninsula flanked by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Sea of Cortez on the east.

The Sea of Cortez, praised by legendary oceanographer Jacques Cousteau as 'the aquarium of the world,' is one of the best places to dive with playful sea lions. At Los Islotes, you can swim with these playful pups in shallow water while gawking at boobies, pelicans and red-chested frigate birds during surface intervals.

Approximately eight miles from Los Islotes, the seamounts of El Bajo offer some of the best deep water diving in Mexico. This site is a magnet for schooling hammerheads in the deep, as well as green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles.

Socorro

Intrepid divers in search of Mexico's best deep water diving will be spoilt for choice in the Revillagigedo Archipelago. More commonly known by the name of its largest island, Socorro, this UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in the Pacific Ocean, is world-renowned for its epic hammerhead diving.

Aside from the schooling hammerheads, divers can mingle with friendly manta rays, playful dolphins, breaching humpback whales and at least six other shark species, including whale sharks. With deep, submerged seamounts as your backdrop, this is the best deep water diving in Mexico, if not the world.

Our team of dive travel specialists have explored Mexico's top dive destinations extensively and can curate your dream holiday itinerary to experience the best deep water diving in Mexico, with a slew of landlubbing adventures to boot.

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