Explore Puerto Morelos

The section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef near Puerto Morelos is the closest to land compared to any of the other sections, which means that it is easily accessible from shore and by boat. Due to its status as a marine park, this part of the reef is teeming with life. There is plenty to see as a novice diver, since a lot of the reef is shallow. Visibility is great as well, ranging from 20–40 meters/66–131 feet year round.

Dive sites at other renowned scuba diving hubs such as Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, and Akumal are just a short boat or car ride away as well.

Upcoming Events

Dive Activity

Diving in Puerto Morelos

Diving at Puerto Morelos can be geared towards beginners and advanced divers alike. The reef dives are definitely suitable for novice divers, while the deep, drift, wreck, and cave dives are geared towards more experienced divers. Another diving environment meant for more advanced divers is the cenotes, or partially exposed underwater caves. Cenotes are known for their extremely good visibility and marvelous cave features.

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

The best Months to dive in Puerto Morelos

Due to its marine park designation, the biodiversity of wildlife just offshore from Puerto Morelos is stunning. Countless species of tropical fish, barracuda, eels, stingrays, eagle rays, nurse sharks, crabs, lobsters, and Green and Loggerhead sea turtles are some of the marine fauna types that divers will come across.

If you have time to travel a little farther, you might get lucky and see whale sharks at Isla Mujeres (June-September) or bull sharks at Playa del Carmen (November-March).

Top Wildlife Sightings in Puerto Morelos

Due to its marine park designation, the biodiversity of wildlife just offshore from Puerto Morelos is stunning. Countless species of tropical fish, barracuda, eels, stingrays, eagle rays, nurse sharks, crabs, lobsters, and Green and Loggerhead sea turtles are some of the marine fauna types that divers will come across.

If you have time to travel a little farther, you might get lucky and see whale sharks at Isla Mujeres (June-September) or bull sharks at Playa del Carmen (November-March).

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.: 27

Barracuda

Barracuda

778 Sightings
J
84
F
88
M
57
A
77
M
65
J
50
J
58
A
82
S
32
O
51
N
73
D
61

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

Total number of species approx.: 200

Moray Eel

Moray Eel

419 Sightings
J
40
F
47
M
43
A
50
M
41
J
35
J
23
A
26
S
26
O
11
N
26
D
51

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

Total number of species approx.: 25

Eagle Ray

Eagle Ray

374 Sightings
J
49
F
47
M
35
A
45
M
35
J
18
J
15
A
22
S
8
O
32
N
22
D
46

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

Total number of species approx.: 600

Wrasse

Wrasse

73 Sightings
J
15
F
16
M
4
A
5
M
1
J
0
J
5
A
2
S
2
O
0
N
20
D
3
Green Turtle

Green Turtle

63 Sightings
J
6
F
4
M
11
A
18
M
1
J
4
J
3
A
8
S
1
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.: 300

Octopus

Octopus

35 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
11
A
0
M
6
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
6
N
7
D
5

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

Total number of species approx.: 100

Parrotfish

Parrotfish

925 Sightings
J
76
F
89
M
78
A
70
M
81
J
70
J
111
A
93
S
49
O
52
N
78
D
78

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

Angelfish

859 Sightings
J
81
F
94
M
52
A
68
M
73
J
54
J
81
A
94
S
41
O
47
N
87
D
87

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

Total number of species approx.: 130

Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish

523 Sightings
J
47
F
61
M
32
A
37
M
56
J
18
J
50
A
39
S
30
O
30
N
70
D
53

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

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

Pufferfish

487 Sightings
J
36
F
26
M
36
A
42
M
49
J
60
J
65
A
47
S
29
O
34
N
27
D
36

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

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

482 Sightings
J
52
F
51
M
19
A
35
M
44
J
39
J
38
A
40
S
35
O
21
N
47
D
61

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

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

Stingrays

463 Sightings
J
44
F
34
M
25
A
69
M
58
J
31
J
37
A
36
S
21
O
20
N
34
D
54

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

Total number of species approx.: 12

Lionfish

Lionfish

463 Sightings
J
39
F
43
M
20
A
55
M
42
J
22
J
26
A
39
S
33
O
34
N
63
D
47

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

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

Snapper

313 Sightings
J
42
F
41
M
20
A
10
M
22
J
22
J
35
A
29
S
6
O
8
N
42
D
36

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

Total number of species approx.: 3

Trumpetfish

Trumpetfish

269 Sightings
J
38
F
37
M
18
A
18
M
22
J
8
J
10
A
17
S
6
O
10
N
45
D
40

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

Total number of species approx.: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

Sweetlips and Grunts

264 Sightings
J
46
F
54
M
5
A
20
M
23
J
8
J
8
A
11
S
11
O
14
N
35
D
29

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

Total number of species approx.: 25

Boxfish

Boxfish

206 Sightings
J
35
F
17
M
21
A
26
M
28
J
8
J
16
A
15
S
3
O
7
N
25
D
5

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

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

Damselfish

197 Sightings
J
33
F
31
M
7
A
13
M
22
J
6
J
4
A
6
S
6
O
12
N
40
D
17

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

Total number of species approx.: 250

Grouper/Basslets

Grouper/Basslets

193 Sightings
J
39
F
22
M
8
A
13
M
20
J
5
J
7
A
9
S
5
O
8
N
35
D
22

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Soldierfish

Soldierfish

179 Sightings
J
23
F
1
M
14
A
16
M
26
J
12
J
15
A
20
S
5
O
0
N
20
D
27

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

Total number of species approx.: 55

Lobster

Lobster

177 Sightings
J
14
F
36
M
23
A
14
M
9
J
13
J
16
A
7
S
5
O
0
N
21
D
19

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Spiny Lobster

Spiny Lobster

157 Sightings
J
16
F
11
M
16
A
28
M
23
J
17
J
12
A
4
S
6
O
13
N
3
D
8

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

Total number of species approx.: 2

Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

155 Sightings
J
14
F
5
M
10
A
23
M
22
J
5
J
18
A
19
S
7
O
4
N
10
D
18

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

Goatfish

110 Sightings
J
4
F
7
M
3
A
10
M
24
J
5
J
3
A
2
S
4
O
9
N
14
D
25

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

Total number of species approx.: 40

Triggerfish

Triggerfish

101 Sightings
J
18
F
1
M
5
A
6
M
12
J
3
J
5
A
3
S
12
O
6
N
15
D
15

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

Total number of species approx.: 20

Porcupinefish

Porcupinefish

99 Sightings
J
23
F
17
M
4
A
6
M
2
J
0
J
0
A
4
S
0
O
7
N
22
D
14

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

Total number of species approx.: 40

Jackfish

Jackfish

91 Sightings
J
16
F
23
M
2
A
9
M
5
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
1
O
2
N
18
D
12

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Squirrelfish

Squirrelfish

78 Sightings
J
13
F
11
M
0
A
10
M
16
J
0
J
3
A
3
S
3
O
0
N
8
D
11

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

Total number of species approx.: 7000

Crab

Crab

77 Sightings
J
10
F
19
M
4
A
9
M
0
J
4
J
2
A
12
S
9
O
0
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.: 3400

Shrimp

Shrimp

35 Sightings
J
2
F
15
M
6
A
4
M
2
J
0
J
4
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.: 28

Clownfish

Clownfish

29 Sightings
J
4
F
1
M
9
A
3
M
3
J
0
J
0
A
1
S
1
O
0
N
5
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 8

Bannerfish

Bannerfish

25 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
6
M
7
J
0
J
0
A
1
S
3
O
0
N
6
D
2

Curated by Interest

Events by Lifestyle Category

Underwater Beginner