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.

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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.

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: 27

Barracuda

544 Sightings
J
62
F
56
M
34
A
52
M
46
J
36
J
28
A
57
S
23
O
43
N
56
D
51

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

Total number of species: 200

Moray Eel

242 Sightings
J
30
F
19
M
21
A
35
M
31
J
19
J
6
A
2
S
16
O
11
N
18
D
34

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

Total number of species: 25

Eagle Ray

241 Sightings
J
37
F
23
M
19
A
24
M
27
J
11
J
12
A
8
S
8
O
25
N
14
D
33

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

Total number of species: 600

Wrasse

79 Sightings
J
18
F
16
M
1
A
4
M
4
J
0
J
5
A
1
S
4
O
0
N
23
D
3

Green Turtle

63 Sightings
J
6
F
3
M
9
A
18
M
4
J
4
J
3
A
8
S
1
O
0
N
3
D
4

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

Total number of species: 300

Octopus

39 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
10
A
3
M
6
J
0
J
1
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: 90

Angelfish

636 Sightings
J
60
F
63
M
41
A
49
M
54
J
34
J
56
A
67
S
27
O
46
N
73
D
66

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

Total number of species: 100

Parrotfish

531 Sightings
J
52
F
49
M
32
A
52
M
46
J
27
J
48
A
45
S
31
O
44
N
56
D
49

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

Total number of species: 130

Butterfly Fish

369 Sightings
J
36
F
40
M
20
A
30
M
40
J
8
J
20
A
26
S
17
O
30
N
53
D
49

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

Total number of species: 12

Lionfish

308 Sightings
J
24
F
34
M
7
A
36
M
27
J
16
J
11
A
24
S
18
O
34
N
46
D
31

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

Total number of species: 80

Stingrays

277 Sightings
J
32
F
26
M
17
A
37
M
41
J
12
J
12
A
19
S
10
O
13
N
23
D
35

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

Total number of species: 85

Surgeonfish

265 Sightings
J
36
F
26
M
5
A
24
M
30
J
16
J
9
A
11
S
19
O
16
N
37
D
36

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

Total number of species: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

226 Sightings
J
46
F
36
M
4
A
19
M
17
J
8
J
6
A
6
S
11
O
13
N
34
D
26

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

Total number of species: 130

Pufferfish

181 Sightings
J
18
F
8
M
13
A
23
M
25
J
13
J
16
A
9
S
7
O
23
N
11
D
15

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

Total number of species: 3

Trumpetfish

181 Sightings
J
24
F
22
M
13
A
12
M
14
J
2
J
9
A
6
S
6
O
9
N
37
D
27

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

Total number of species: 350

Damselfish

178 Sightings
J
36
F
29
M
3
A
12
M
17
J
5
J
3
A
5
S
6
O
12
N
33
D
17

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

Total number of species: 250

Grouper/Basslets

159 Sightings
J
26
F
26
M
5
A
7
M
16
J
3
J
0
A
8
S
5
O
7
N
36
D
20

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

Total number of species: 25

Boxfish

159 Sightings
J
26
F
9
M
16
A
27
M
17
J
7
J
14
A
10
S
3
O
7
N
18
D
5

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

Total number of species: 110

Snapper

139 Sightings
J
22
F
19
M
5
A
8
M
8
J
2
J
5
A
6
S
8
O
8
N
30
D
18

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

Total number of species: 60

Spiny Lobster

113 Sightings
J
16
F
10
M
11
A
17
M
20
J
7
J
6
A
1
S
6
O
13
N
1
D
5

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

Total number of species: 2

Nurse Shark

108 Sightings
J
15
F
7
M
5
A
21
M
6
J
5
J
6
A
7
S
6
O
3
N
9
D
18

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

Total number of species: 20

Porcupinefish

104 Sightings
J
25
F
17
M
4
A
8
M
3
J
0
J
0
A
4
S
1
O
7
N
21
D
14

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

Total number of species: 90

Goatfish

98 Sightings
J
9
F
6
M
3
A
12
M
24
J
5
J
2
A
2
S
5
O
8
N
5
D
17

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

Total number of species: 40

Jackfish

91 Sightings
J
19
F
18
M
1
A
10
M
5
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
1
O
2
N
19
D
14

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

Total number of species: 55

Lobster

81 Sightings
J
14
F
19
M
10
A
3
M
2
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
5
O
0
N
13
D
12

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

Total number of species: 40

Triggerfish

76 Sightings
J
21
F
1
M
0
A
8
M
8
J
3
J
0
A
0
S
12
O
6
N
4
D
13

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

Total number of species: 60

Soldierfish

67 Sightings
J
12
F
2
M
0
A
8
M
14
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
5
O
0
N
11
D
15

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

Total number of species: 60

Squirrelfish

59 Sightings
J
7
F
10
M
0
A
9
M
8
J
0
J
3
A
1
S
3
O
0
N
7
D
11

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

Total number of species: 7000

Crab

48 Sightings
J
13
F
8
M
3
A
10
M
2
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
1
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: 3400

Shrimp

33 Sightings
J
2
F
15
M
5
A
4
M
2
J
0
J
4
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

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).

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