Explore Cancun

Cancún is the tourist mecca of Mexico’s state of Quintana Roo and is located on the northeast tip of the Yucatán Peninsula. Cancún is popular among tourists from all over the world due to its warm weather all-year-round, sandy beaches, ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization, and stunning terrestrial and marine wildlife.

For divers, there are many top-notch dive sites that are just a short drive or boat ride from Cancún. The Underwater Contemporary Museum of Art, the island of Isla Mujeres, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef are definite must-sees. Isla Mujeres is an island about 13km offshore from Cancún that marks where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Caribbean Sea. Isla Mujeres is part of a National Marine Park that contains a portion of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef system, as well as the sculptures of the underwater museum.

Aside from the plentiful offshore dive sites, this region of Mexico boasts cenote-diving opportunities as well. Cenotes are underwater caves that are partially exposed to the air, and they are part of an underground, interconnected cave system. They are usually filled with brackish water (mixture of fresh groundwater and salty seawater) and are made of limestone bedrock. A cenote is created when weaknesses in the limestone bedrock lead to a cave collapsing, which forms a sinkhole and exposes the cave to the atmosphere. The freshwater of the cenote comes from filtered rainwater—its very few suspended particles make for very clear water, and great visibility. 

Impressive dive sites dot the eastern coast of Quintana Roo. Treat Cancún as your home base and make day trips down to Playa del Carmen, Cozumel Island, Cenote Dos Ojos, Tulum, and Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve to make the most of the diverse diving opportunities in this region! There are dive shops and dive resorts galore with experts that can show you the ins and outs of these gems. Liveaboard dive boats, however, are not common because all dive sites are accessible from shore or by boat.

Upcoming Events

    • Open Water Diver

    Open Water Diver

    Complete your SSI Open Water Diver certification in Cancun with professional instructors from Vision Oceanos. This program allows beginners with no previous diving experience to become certified scuba divers and explore the underwater world safely.The course combines SSI digital learning, confined water training, and four open water training dives conducted on the reefs near Cancun and Isla Mujeres. Training is organized in small groups to ensure personalized instruction and safety.Students begin by completing the SSI online theory, followed by practical skill development in shallow water. After the training sessions, participants complete four open water dives where they apply the techniques learned during the course.Typical scheduleDay 1 - Confined water training and skills practiceDay 2 - Two open water training divesDay 3 - Two additional open water dives and certificationIncluded- SSI Open Water Diver training program- Professional SSI instructor- Confined water training sessions- Four open water dives- Standard scuba equipment during training- Certification processingRequirementsMinimum age 10 years old. Participants must be comfortable in the water and complete a medical questionnaire before diving.Training is conducted in the clear Caribbean waters surrounding Cancun and Isla Mujeres, offering ideal conditions for beginner divers with warm water and excellent visibility.

    Vision Oceanos, Bulervar Kukulcan k.m.3.5, 77500, Cancun, QRO, MEX
    May 14, 2026 +22 More
    On Request
    Find Courses & Events

    Dive Activity

    Diving in Cancun

    Cancún is a short drive from world-class cenote-diving opportunities, such as “Cenote Dos Ojos”. There are many cenotes in this region, with some catering to novice divers, and others attracting experienced tec divers. If cave-diving is not your cup of tea, there are plentiful reef dives, since offshore from Cancún is the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, or second largest reef system in the world. Another popular attraction is to dive among the sculptures of the Underwater Contemporary Museum of Art, a truly unforgettable experience. Playa del Carmen and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve provide wreck-diving opportunities as well, at the “Mama Viña” site and “Banco Chinchorro” site, respectively.

    Diving is usually done through a local, reputable dive shop or dive resort (of which there are many), especially because some of the dive sites in protected areas require permits. If you are brand new to the scuba diving world or are in the process of completing your Open Water certification, there are many accredited dive shops that offer certification courses and can help get you where you want to be.

    Top Wildlife Sightings in Cancun

    In the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef ecosystem near Isla Mujeres, sightings of crabs, lobsters, stingrays, eagle rays, eels, groupers, angelfish, and damselfish are common. Green, Loggerhead, and Hawksbill sea turtles are also frequently spotted along the edge of the reef. In the wintertime, the cooler waters of this region are a hotspot for pelagic megafauna.

    Cenotes, on the other hand, are home to a completely different community of organisms due to its brackish water. Cichlids, catfish, molly fish, tetras, and shrimp can be found swimming among the stalagmites. Chara, a type of green marine algae, is the dominant plant life in cenotes. Do not be discouraged by the lack of aquatic life in some of these cenotes; after all, they are not the main attraction… the dramatic geologic formations are!

    Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 25

    iStock/Juliosanjuan
    Eagle Ray

    Eagle Ray
    147 Sightings
    J
    27
    F
    20
    M
    27
    A
    11
    M
    10
    J
    3
    J
    3
    A
    9
    S
    4
    O
    7
    N
    12
    D
    14

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 27

    iStock-Global_Pics
    Barracuda

    Barracuda
    85 Sightings
    J
    14
    F
    6
    M
    6
    A
    5
    M
    5
    J
    8
    J
    7
    A
    9
    S
    4
    O
    6
    N
    8
    D
    7

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 200

    Alamy-WaterFrame
    Moray Eel

    Moray Eel
    61 Sightings
    J
    10
    F
    5
    M
    5
    A
    7
    M
    4
    J
    4
    J
    7
    A
    3
    S
    5
    O
    5
    N
    6
    D
    0
    Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
    Green Turtle

    Green Turtle
    41 Sightings
    J
    9
    F
    2
    M
    3
    A
    2
    M
    0
    J
    10
    J
    4
    A
    3
    S
    0
    O
    3
    N
    0
    D
    5
    iStock-ShaneGross
    Loggerhead Turtle

    Loggerhead Turtle
    15 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    0
    M
    2
    A
    3
    M
    0
    J
    0
    J
    0
    A
    0
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    2
    O
    2
    N
    3
    D
    3
    Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
    Hawksbill Turtle

    Hawksbill Turtle
    8 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    1
    M
    2
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    0
    J
    3
    A
    0
    S
    2
    O
    0
    N
    0
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 12

    iStock/cinoby
    Lionfish

    Lionfish
    99 Sightings
    J
    15
    F
    6
    M
    5
    A
    9
    M
    5
    J
    7
    J
    9
    A
    10
    S
    10
    O
    11
    N
    8
    D
    4

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 90

    Shutterstock-Rich Carey
    Angelfish

    Angelfish
    73 Sightings
    J
    13
    F
    5
    M
    6
    A
    3
    M
    2
    J
    8
    J
    4
    A
    8
    S
    5
    O
    9
    N
    8
    D
    2

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 100

    iStock-burnsboxco
    Parrotfish

    Parrotfish
    69 Sightings
    J
    8
    F
    2
    M
    5
    A
    4
    M
    5
    J
    6
    J
    7
    A
    8
    S
    4
    O
    9
    N
    6
    D
    5

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 80

    iStock/Extreme-Photographer
    Stingrays

    Stingrays
    58 Sightings
    J
    12
    F
    5
    M
    2
    A
    2
    M
    6
    J
    0
    J
    10
    A
    6
    S
    3
    O
    7
    N
    3
    D
    2
    Show More

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 2

    AdobeStock-hakbak
    Nurse Shark

    Nurse Shark
    45 Sightings
    J
    3
    F
    4
    M
    9
    A
    3
    M
    5
    J
    4
    J
    3
    A
    0
    S
    3
    O
    3
    N
    4
    D
    4

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 130

    Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
    Butterfly Fish

    Butterfly Fish
    37 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    2
    M
    5
    A
    0
    M
    5
    J
    5
    J
    3
    A
    7
    S
    4
    O
    4
    N
    0
    D
    2

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 130

    AdobeStock-JirinaVFR
    Pufferfish

    Pufferfish
    36 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    2
    M
    4
    A
    3
    M
    3
    J
    6
    J
    5
    A
    6
    S
    0
    O
    0
    N
    4
    D
    3

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 85

    iStock-mirecca
    Surgeonfish

    Surgeonfish
    24 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    3
    M
    2
    A
    4
    M
    2
    J
    6
    J
    0
    A
    2
    S
    0
    O
    4
    N
    1
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 150

    Shutterstock-aquapix
    Sweetlips and Grunts

    Sweetlips and Grunts
    24 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    3
    M
    0
    A
    3
    M
    3
    J
    4
    J
    0
    A
    4
    S
    0
    O
    4
    N
    3
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 350

    Alamy-Andre Seal
    Damselfish

    Damselfish
    23 Sightings
    J
    3
    F
    1
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    2
    J
    2
    J
    4
    A
    2
    S
    0
    O
    5
    N
    4
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 55

    Shutterstock-RLS Photo
    Lobster

    Lobster
    22 Sightings
    J
    5
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    4
    J
    2
    J
    0
    A
    2
    S
    5
    O
    4
    N
    0
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 90

    Shutterstock-Levent Konuk
    Goatfish

    Goatfish
    20 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    4
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    2
    J
    2
    J
    3
    A
    3
    S
    2
    O
    4
    N
    0
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 60

    iStock-Global_Pics
    Spiny Lobster

    Spiny Lobster
    15 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    1
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    0
    J
    0
    A
    3
    S
    2
    O
    5
    N
    4
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 25

    AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel
    Boxfish

    Boxfish
    14 Sightings
    J
    3
    F
    1
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    2
    J
    3
    A
    0
    S
    0
    O
    4
    N
    1
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 7000

    iStock-Michael Zeigler
    Crab

    Crab
    14 Sightings
    J
    4
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    2
    J
    0
    J
    3
    A
    2
    S
    2
    O
    0
    N
    1
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 110

    iStock-Rainer von Brandis
    Snapper

    Snapper
    11 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    1
    M
    3
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    2
    J
    0
    A
    0
    S
    2
    O
    2
    N
    1
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 28

    Udo Kefrig
    Clownfish

    Clownfish
    10 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    1
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    0
    J
    0
    A
    2
    S
    5
    O
    2
    N
    0
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 40

    iStock-Hoatzinexp
    Jackfish

    Jackfish
    9 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    3
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    0
    J
    3
    A
    0
    S
    0
    O
    0
    N
    3
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 60

    iStock-Global_Pics
    Squirrelfish

    Squirrelfish
    9 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    2
    J
    0
    A
    0
    S
    0
    O
    5
    N
    2
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 8

    Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl
    Bannerfish

    Bannerfish
    9 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    1
    M
    0
    A
    4
    M
    0
    J
    2
    J
    0
    A
    2
    S
    0
    O
    0
    N
    0
    D
    0

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 3

    Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo
    Trumpetfish

    Trumpetfish
    8 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    2
    J
    0
    A
    0
    S
    0
    O
    4
    N
    2
    D
    0

    The best Months to dive in Cancun

    There is great diving in Cancún all year round due to constant warm water temperatures, with only slight cooling in the winter months. Temperatures can range from 25°C/78°F in the winter to 28°C/82°F in the summer months.

    May through November is the best time to visit if cenote-diving is your main objective. This is the time of year that visibility is best, and that sunlight illuminates the caves in the most photogenic way. Within this window, from June to September, is when whale shark sightings are most common near the island of Isla Mujeres. Keep in mind that this window overlaps with hurricane season, which has cut short or cancelled many a trip to this region of Mexico.

    Dive Centers

    Riviera Maya Diving Adventures

    Riviera Maya Diving Adventures

    Km 16.5 Zona Hotelera Cancun, 77500 Cancun, QR - Mexico
    Solo Buceo, La Mar Oceano S.A. de C.V.

    Solo Buceo, La Mar Oceano S.A. de C.V.

    ZONA HOTELERA KM 5.5 INT HOTEL REAL INN C.P. 77500, 77500 Cancun, QR - Mexico
    Vision Oceanos

    Vision Oceanos

    Bulervar Kukulcan k.m.3.5, 77500 Cancun, QRO - Mexico

    Dive Sites

    Cassie K. (#3005537)
    C-58 Anaya (Wreck) <span class="text-color-primary text-sm"> (★4.5)</span>

    C-58 Anaya (Wreck) (★4.5)

    The C-58 USS Harlequin (AM 365)site. There is a confusion with the A08 boat now, “Aldebaran,“ a school ship, and the C-58, but the only General Anaya was sunk in Cancun for scuba diving purposes.
    Grzegorz K. (#3017018)
    Herradura <span class="text-color-primary text-sm"> (★4.4)</span>

    Herradura (★4.4)

    Herradura Reef offers calm conditions, making it ideal for beginner and intermediate divers. Expect to see colorful tropical fish, coral structures, and occasional rays.