Scuba diving locations in Mexico:

• Cozumel has 10 kms of reefs, 200 species of tropical fish and an underwater visibility of over 100 feet.
• Cabo San Lucas has over 850 species of tropical fish and other mammals such as whales, porpoise, manta rays and hammerhead sharks.
• The Cenotes cave system, found in the Yucatán Peninsula, is a system of sinkholes containing groundwater usually and often provide access to extensive underwater cave systems where you can dive between stalactites and stalagmites. There are hundreds of cenotes spread over Caribbean Mexico, and best accessed from Playa del Carmen or around Tulum.
• The Great Maya reef is a chain of shallow patch reefs, drop offs and coral gardens.

When to scuba dive in Mexico:

The water is warmest from July to September, at around 28°C, but rarely drops below 25°C at any time of year. On the coast of the Pacific Ocean, plankton blooming from March to July means the best time to dive is between August to February. From December through to March, Scammon's Lagoon is the site to see huge numbers of grey whales.

Local standards for gear:

The best scuba diving spots in Mexico:

• At the Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, you can see Sand Falls and Gordo Banks.
• San Carlos in Sonora.
• Cozumel Island has numerous beautiful reef and cave dives, such as Maracaibo Reef, Santa Rosa Wall, Paraiso Paradise Reef, San Francisco La Francesa and Palancar Gardens.
• Cenote Angelita, Tulum, accessed by a short walk through the jungle, the cenote goes straight down 200 feet. The first half is freshwater, so has perfect visibility, and the saltwater half is separated by a layer of hydrogen sulphate, which appears as a dense cloud from the top and astrange coloured hue from the bottom.
• The Gran Cenote has perfect visibility with a special configuration of stalactite and stalagmites that looks like a big cathedral.

The best spots to snorkel in Mexico:

• Cozumel has an amazing variety of spots in close proximity.
• La Paz, Baja California Sur, has beautiful calm waters and plenty of colour.

Fun scuba facts:

Country data:

Administrative details

• Currency: peso (MXN)
• Population: is about 112,000,000 (2010)
• Time Zone: varies by location from (GMT-8) to (GMT-6), Summer varies by location from (GMT-7) to (GMT-5)
• Main languages spoken: Spansih, numerous native languages ## Diveable overseas territories:

Mexican diving federations:

FEDERACION MEXICANA DE ACTIVIDADES SUBACUATICAS A.C. (FMAS) is a member of Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS)

Local diving laws and regulations (and PADI-equivalent certifications):