Cancun is a thriving metropolis with excellent cuisine and a thriving nightlife, and home to some of the best sea life anywhere. When you’re not diving, you can enjoy the sun and sand – but for now, let’s take a look at some of the area’s best dive sites.
Sleeping Sharks Cave – Isla Mujeres
Sharks are incredibly peaceful hunters and some of the most threatened species in the world due to overfishing and the cruel practice of finning. At one time, sleeping sharks cave was absolutely filled to capacity with sharks, however it is sometimes possible to dive here and see only a few. If you are lucky, you may see several napping sharks on this twenty meter dive.
The cave itself is fascinating, even when no sharks are present. There are freshwater bubbles that seep from beneath the surface, which provide a relaxing massage to the sharks and which feel great if you enter the cave while no sharks are in residence. Here, you could see lemon sharks or nurse sharks and you may even see a bull shark or a blacktip shark. Besides the sharks, the area is home to Amber Jacks and Manta Rays, as well as a variety of other fish. This site is best suited for advanced divers only due to the overhead environment.
Underwater Sculpture Park
If you can make only a single dive while in Cancun, this should be it. A spectacular sculpture gallery filled with people in various poses and representing different cultures and demographics from around the world, as well as other sculptures, such as animals and still life, awaits. This is a mesmerizing, otherworldly experience; here, blue shafts of light penetrate the surface and play across the features of the people below the water. Some joyful, some sad, some simply engaged in everyday life. Colorful fish swim by and coral sprouts from unexpected places. Ideal for all levels, and should not be missed!
Los Manchones
Los Manchones reef is located a short distance from the southwest point of Isla Mujeres, and includes some outstanding features. The Sleeping Sharks Cave dive site is part of this reef system, as is the Cruz de la Bahia, which is a massive bronze cross which has been erected underwater in memory of all the local people who have lost their lives in accidents at sea.
The reef itself is teeming with life, including lots of angelfish and parrotfish, plus plenty of juvenile reef fish, which tuck themselves into hiding spots among the beautiful brain and staghorn coral that grows here in profusion. With depths averaging ten to fifteen meters, this site is ideal for new divers as well as those with years of experience.
C58 or Navy Boat
The C58 wreck, sometimes referred to as the Navy boat dive, is part of an artificial reef made up of another minesweeper called the Barrera. The C58, which is also called Anaya, was sunk in 2000. The boat snapped in half and now rests in two equally intriguing pieces on the seabed, which is at just over thirty meters. The deck is accessible at about twenty-five meters, and the superstructure is home to swirling schools of fish.
This dive site is subject to almost constant current, which makes it the perfect place for pelagics, but not an ideal site for beginning divers. Advanced divers who visit the site will be treated to a view of schooling snapper and maybe even schooling eagle rays, which seem to be particularly attracted to the artificial reef here. The ship itself has already accumulated a wonderful coat of encrusting hard coral, as well as lots of soft coral. Sometimes sharks swim past, and it is not unusual to spot barracuda and the occasional manta ray here.
Manta Valley
Also referred to as Valle de Mantas or Bahia de las Mantas, Manta Valley is an excellent place to see giant manta rays, some with wingspans of twelve feet or more. Here, they lounge on the sandy bottom and fly overhead with the current. This dive site is suitable for advanced divers only, since the current that nourishes these massive manta rays is strong and steady. While the manta rays are happy to approach you and may even brush lightly against you, do not reach out to touch them, and never attempt to ride them. Besides the manta rays, you may see big eagle rays and larger fish here.
Punta Sur
Punta Sur is, as the name of the dive site suggests, at the southernmost end of Isla Mujeres. Here, the Gulf of Mexico merges with the Caribbean, resulting in strong, steady currents. The area is well known for its dolphin population, as well as the turtles and rays that visit the area. It is not uncommon to see eagle rays or even a manta ray or two gliding with the current as you approach an old shipwreck that lies in about forty feet of water. The wreck itself is teeming with fish, including large parrotfish and some larger reef fish. Look for schooling snapper and watch for sharks swimming past. You can also look for an anchor here, which is estimated to be four hundred years old! Although this dive is normally reserved for advanced divers, less experienced divers can accompany instructors when surface conditions are calm.
Media Luna
Media Luna is a diver’s paradise and underwater playground with something for everyone. The site is located on the Caribbean side of Isla Mujeres, and is quite shallow, with most features accessible between thirty and forty feet. Here, you will find beautiful coral formations, as well as rocky arches and ridges coated in hard encrusting coral and soft coral alike. Look for sea anemone and colorful sponges as you search for sea urchins and Caribbean lobster! Watch for moray eels peering out from rocky hiding places, and enjoy the sight of sharks and big groupers lurking in small caves that dot the reef here. Schools of jewelfish and snapper, as well as other reef fish, are in abundance – this is a great dive that can be enjoyed by all levels.
These are just a few of Cancun’s best dive sites – no matter which you choose, you are sure to have a relaxing, enjoyable visit.