>

Mexico

© iStock/ferrantraite

Explore Mexico

Diving in Mexico offers an extraordinary adventure that stands out in the Western Hemisphere. With its two contrasting coastlines, Mexico presents a diverse underwater world. On the Pacific side, divers are greeted by cooler waters teeming with majestic manta rays, great white sharks, whales, and playful sea lions. In contrast, the Caribbean side boasts warm, clear waters nurturing vibrant coral reefs and attracting both colorful fish and gentle giants like whale sharks and bull sharks, which are prominent attractions at some dive sites. Beyond the shores, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula reveals another diving marvel: the cenotes. These submerged freshwater caverns are a unique spectacle, offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience with their ethereal beauty and crystal-clear waters. Whether opting for shore dives, boat trips, or liveaboard excursions to remote islands like Socorro and Guadalupe, divers can explore an array of environments. With numerous dive centers throughout the country, enthusiasts can easily find professional guidance to embark on these underwater journeys, ensuring a safe and memorable dive holiday in Mexico.

Power Plug Type
A, B
Payment Method
VISA, MC, AMEX, DIS, Cir, Plus
Tipping
10–15% / Service Staff / Tipping is expected in restaurants, hotels, and for taxi drivers; small tips are also appreciated for bag handlers and gas station attendants.
Currency
MXN
Dial Code
+52
Electricity
127V / 60Hz
Time
UTC−8 to UTC−5

Places to explore

Courses and Events

ITC - Instructor Training Course

Curso intensivo diseñado para formar instructores competentes capaces de planificar, ejecutar y evaluar procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje en entornos presenciales y virtuales. Combina teoría pedagógica y técnicas prácticas para desarrollar habilidades comunicativas, didácticas y de gestión grupal.Objetivos:Dominar principios básicos de la pedagogía y el aprendizaje adulto.Diseñar planes de formación y materiales didácticos efectivos.Aplicar metodologías activas y recursos digitales para facilitar el aprendizaje.Gestionar dinámicas de grupo y resolver situaciones difíciles en el aula.Evaluar el desempeño de los participantes y retroalimentar de forma constructiva.Contenidos principales:Fundamentos de aprendizaje y estilos de enseñanza.Planificación de sesiones: objetivos, contenidos y cronograma.Técnicas de presentación y comunicación verbal/no verbal.Metodologías activas: aprendizaje por proyectos, role-play, estudio de casos.Uso de herramientas digitales y plataformas LMS.Diseño de materiales didácticos y recursos multimedia.Evaluación formativa y sumativa; rúbricas y retroalimentación.Manejo de grupos, motivación y resolución de conflictos.Normas de seguridad y ética profesional del instructor.Duración: Flexible según modalidad: sugerido 40 a 80 horas (intensivo o modular).Público objetivo: Profesionales, docentes, facilitadores y personas interesadas en desempeñarse como instructores en empresas, instituciones educativas y centros de formación.Requisitos: Nivel mínimo de educación secundaria completa; se valora experiencia previa en docencia o en el área temática a impartir.

April 14, 2026 +6 More
$3,200.00

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

Top Wildlife Sightings in Mexico

Great white sharks, the rulers of the oceanic food chain, can be found in abundance around Guadalupe Island, 250 kilometers off Mexico’s west coast. These giants use Guadalupe’s waters to hunt for sea lions, but they spend part of the day cruising calmly at a shallow depth. There are governmental rules and restrictions on chumming (putting fish in the water to attract sharks) in Guadalupe, for the good of both divers and sharks.

Oceanic manta rays are a dream of many divers, and Socorro island is famous for them. It’s often said that the mantas at Socorro, some reaching seven meters in wingspan, are the friendliest in the whole world. They tend to get close to divers, and often look them in the eye. Socorro and its neighboring islands in the Revillagigedo peninsula are hotspots for big wildlife. The list includes dolphins, whale sharks, humpback whales and hammerheads.

Bull sharks, a mighty and versatile tropical predator, can be seen in Caribbean Playa del Carmen. Female bull sharks use Playa’s shallow blue waters to breed from November to March. Bull shark dives are done without cages, so it’s important that divers stay calm, follow rules, and maintain good buoyancy.

Whale sharks, the biggest fish in the ocean, can be found in abundance near the island of Isla Mujeres off the coast of Cancun. These gentle giants gather every year to feast on the spawn of local fish species. Diving with them is not allowed, but snorkeling is just as good, if not better. The sharks skim the surface with their gaping mouths, and without heavy gear and tanks, snorkelers can more easily swim alongside them.

Saltwater crocodiles are gaining popularity as truly special marine creatures to encounter underwater. These animals are powerful, ancient predators, and snorkeling with them requires caution and guidance from trained operators. However, more and more divers are craving the awe of getting close to these reptiles’ armored bodies and huge jaws. Banco Chinchorro is the place to snorkel with saltwater crocodiles, as they live in the atoll’s mangrove forests and forage in its seagrass beds.

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.: 200

Moray Eel

19k Sightings
J
2.1k
F
1.7k
M
1.9k
A
1.3k
M
1.2k
J
1.3k
J
1.6k
A
1.4k
S
1.1k
O
1.5k
N
2k
D
2k

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

Total number of species approx.: 27

Barracuda

15k Sightings
J
1.5k
F
1.4k
M
1.8k
A
1.2k
M
1.1k
J
1.3k
J
1.4k
A
1.1k
S
771
O
1k
N
1.2k
D
1.4k

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

10k Sightings
J
1.9k
F
1.7k
M
1.7k
A
644
M
322
J
229
J
405
A
339
S
251
O
289
N
872
D
1.6k

Green Turtle

7.1k Sightings
J
740
F
563
M
749
A
423
M
531
J
558
J
697
A
579
S
373
O
540
N
711
D
653

Hawksbill Turtle

6.8k Sightings
J
623
F
623
M
747
A
487
M
518
J
527
J
705
A
539
S
388
O
559
N
558
D
505

Loggerhead Turtle

5.5k Sightings
J
461
F
411
M
735
A
500
M
576
J
563
J
540
A
385
S
245
O
325
N
387
D
386

Bull Shark

3.5k Sightings
J
684
F
455
M
225
A
61
M
59
J
49
J
45
A
71
S
41
O
121
N
918
D
803

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

Total number of species approx.: 7

Sea Lion

3.4k Sightings
J
212
F
233
M
217
A
150
M
213
J
94
J
155
A
196
S
360
O
546
N
625
D
351

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

Total number of species approx.: 600

Wrasse

3.1k Sightings
J
258
F
291
M
471
A
148
M
225
J
224
J
229
A
312
S
149
O
205
N
295
D
289

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

Total number of species approx.: 300

Octopus

2.6k Sightings
J
266
F
195
M
309
A
146
M
199
J
193
J
337
A
231
S
135
O
192
N
205
D
233

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

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

22k Sightings
J
2.6k
F
2.3k
M
2.5k
A
1.4k
M
1.4k
J
1.6k
J
1.9k
A
1.6k
S
1.1k
O
1.3k
N
2.1k
D
2.3k

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

22k Sightings
J
2k
F
1.9k
M
2.3k
A
1.5k
M
1.4k
J
1.8k
J
1.9k
A
1.9k
S
1.4k
O
1.6k
N
2k
D
2.1k

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

Total number of species approx.: 100

Parrotfish

19k Sightings
J
1.8k
F
1.7k
M
2.1k
A
1.4k
M
1.3k
J
1.5k
J
1.6k
A
1.6k
S
1.1k
O
1.5k
N
1.8k
D
1.9k

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

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

14k Sightings
J
1.4k
F
1.2k
M
1.6k
A
1k
M
924
J
1k
J
1.2k
A
1.1k
S
845
O
1.1k
N
1.4k
D
1.4k

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

13k Sightings
J
1.3k
F
1.1k
M
1.4k
A
916
M
846
J
979
J
1.2k
A
1.2k
S
763
O
945
N
1.2k
D
1.3k

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

13k Sightings
J
1.5k
F
1.2k
M
1.4k
A
951
M
898
J
882
J
1.1k
A
896
S
644
O
947
N
1.1k
D
1.2k

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

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

9.7k Sightings
J
983
F
757
M
939
A
673
M
639
J
752
J
957
A
884
S
666
O
630
N
972
D
862

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

Total number of species approx.: 40

Triggerfish

8.7k Sightings
J
910
F
771
M
1.1k
A
658
M
574
J
720
J
690
A
670
S
541
O
527
N
764
D
784

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

Total number of species approx.: 25

Boxfish

8k Sightings
J
848
F
786
M
948
A
622
M
463
J
518
J
668
A
763
S
381
O
498
N
735
D
775

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

7.6k Sightings
J
759
F
817
M
994
A
478
M
443
J
468
J
629
A
600
S
431
O
548
N
720
D
754

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

Total number of species approx.: 7000

Crab

7.6k Sightings
J
772
F
758
M
992
A
533
M
445
J
573
J
560
A
511
S
459
O
534
N
681
D
772

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

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

7.3k Sightings
J
764
F
589
M
825
A
492
M
461
J
583
J
671
A
711
S
463
O
449
N
656
D
650

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

Total number of species approx.: 55

Lobster

7.1k Sightings
J
696
F
732
M
900
A
497
M
461
J
639
J
607
A
438
S
336
O
557
N
575
D
707

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

6.7k Sightings
J
634
F
530
M
624
A
462
M
416
J
641
J
598
A
642
S
345
O
431
N
696
D
633

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

Total number of species approx.: 3

Trumpetfish

6.2k Sightings
J
744
F
555
M
677
A
381
M
278
J
385
J
448
A
492
S
379
O
509
N
725
D
671

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

Total number of species approx.: 12

Lionfish

6.2k Sightings
J
636
F
533
M
462
A
298
M
271
J
454
J
666
A
574
S
381
O
544
N
802
D
546

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

5.9k Sightings
J
575
F
528
M
583
A
368
M
413
J
450
J
440
A
489
S
318
O
434
N
720
D
598

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

5.4k Sightings
J
553
F
469
M
571
A
386
M
329
J
398
J
436
A
559
S
318
O
409
N
471
D
454

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

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

5.2k Sightings
J
539
F
460
M
575
A
357
M
299
J
405
J
454
A
452
S
276
O
340
N
573
D
514

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

Total number of species approx.: 20

Porcupinefish

5k Sightings
J
580
F
473
M
639
A
308
M
329
J
256
J
375
A
347
S
302
O
341
N
532
D
541

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

Total number of species approx.: 40

Jackfish

4k Sightings
J
458
F
383
M
487
A
240
M
223
J
288
J
263
A
388
S
172
O
289
N
437
D
383

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

Total number of species approx.: 120

Flounder

3.2k Sightings
J
404
F
296
M
436
A
203
M
230
J
214
J
249
A
251
S
187
O
137
N
276
D
321

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Soldierfish

3.1k Sightings
J
399
F
242
M
419
A
236
M
186
J
212
J
292
A
267
S
123
O
87
N
324
D
292

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Squirrelfish

2.8k Sightings
J
358
F
218
M
383
A
194
M
101
J
211
J
195
A
187
S
173
O
158
N
281
D
315

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

Total number of species approx.: 3400

Shrimp

1.5k Sightings
J
156
F
188
M
218
A
106
M
98
J
80
J
120
A
99
S
36
O
75
N
148
D
147

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

Total number of species approx.: 250

Scorpionfish

1.4k Sightings
J
140
F
124
M
176
A
76
M
108
J
40
J
184
A
140
S
61
O
71
N
168
D
93

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

Total number of species approx.: 8

Bannerfish

1.3k Sightings
J
124
F
105
M
171
A
87
M
73
J
94
J
107
A
179
S
62
O
87
N
104
D
88

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

Total number of species approx.: 30

Sand Eel

1.2k Sightings
J
166
F
95
M
119
A
52
M
86
J
54
J
108
A
128
S
69
O
48
N
137
D
117