Playa del Carmen Dive Sites

Name: Scuba Planet Mexico
Address: 146 Calle 24 Norte, Playa del Carmen, ROO, 77720, MX
Telephone: +529841650596

Dive with Scuba Planet Mexico

along the second largest barrier reef in the world

Barracuda

Max. depth: 50ft / 14m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: intermediate

Description: It can be pictured as a hand with five finger-like outcroppings. The small caverns and overhangs are filled with large schools of grunts and snappers, hiding treasures such as giant morays, tiny seahorses, and resting turtles.

Cerebros

Max. depth: 40ft / 12m

Current: none

Skill level: novice

Description: located north of Los Arcos Reef, in front of Tres Ríos, this is an easy and shallow dive site. It’s one of the least-dived reefs due to its distance from Playa. The reef is covered with large blocks of brain coral. As you zigzag around, you’ll find an abundance of lobsters, schools of grunts, and the occasional eagle ray sweeping gracefully over the reef.

Chunzumbul

Max. depth: 37ft / 11m

Current: moderate to none

Skill level: novice

Description: this reef, located in front of Coco Beach, offers one of the longest and shallowest dives in the area. You can encounter schools of fish, flounders, rays, shells, moray eels, and arrow crabs.

Cueva Pargo

Max. depth: 40ft / 12m

Current: moderate to none

Skill level: novice

Description: as the name indicates, this reef boasts a large circular overhang filled with schooling snappers. It’s a great dive to feel completely surrounded by marine life, with very little current and plenty of time to enjoy the underwater bustle.

Jardines

Max. depth: 37ft / 11m

Current: moderate to none

Skill level: novice

Description: this reef features garden-like vegetation, with the most vibrant colors found in its middle section and several small overhangs. The large schools of fish will impress even the most seasoned divers. Be sure to look under the many overhangs to spot moray eels, stingrays, shrimp, and lobsters.

Los Arcos

Max. depth: 99ft / 30m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: experienced

Description: located north of Pared Verde, this site offers schools of fish, turtles, stingrays, moray eels, groupers, and various crustaceans. This is one of the deeper dive sites for recreational diving in Playa del Carmen.

Mama Viña Wreck

Max. depth: 93ft / 28m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: experienced

Description: a shrimping boat sunk for divers in 1995, this shipwreck has quickly become a haven for many schooling fish. Schools of spadefish, jacks, and barracuda can often be spotted around the wreck, while inside the cabins you’ll be greeted by an aquarium-like scene of colorful reef fish, green morays, and intricate coral growth.

Moc Che Deep

Max. depth: 99ft / 30m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: experienced

Description: the first of the deeper wall dives, this long drift dive is rich with large coral formations, huge sea fans, and a wide variety of marine life.

Moc Che Shallow

Max. depth: 50ft / 14m

Current: moderate to none

Skill level: novice

Description: a shallow dive site with an abundance of small coral formations growing in front of the reef. Near the end of the dive, a small tunnel is home to a large green moray that grumpily greets divers as they swim through a school of grunts.

Pared Verde

Max. depth: 99ft / 30m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: experienced

Description: a famous wall located north of Moc-Che, featuring spectacular coral formations. The site is teeming with large and small marine life, including spiny lobsters, king crabs, turtles, stingrays, and sharks.

Punta Venado

Max. depth: 99ft / 30m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: experienced

Description: the southernmost reef, popular for its beautiful soft and hard corals. Eagle rays, nurse sharks, and large turtles are commonly seen on this drift dive.

Sabalos

Max. depth: 50ft / 14m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: intermediate

Description: located north of Barracuda, this dive site is home to large marine life enjoying the currents, including huge tarpon, schools of barracuda, and giant groupers, to name just a few.

Shangri La

Max. depth: 37ft / 11m

Current: moderate to none

Skill level: novice

Description: this site, located in front of Playa del Carmen, features a large variety of sponges, hard coral formations, and tropical fish. Turtles, snappers, stingrays, and lionfish are commonly seen here as well.

Shark Point

Max. depth: 82ft / 25m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: intermediate

Description: this is the place in Playa del Carmen where, every year from November to March, you can encounter Bull Sharks. Contact Scuba Planet Mexico to book this incredible dive!

Tortugas

Max. depth: 99ft / 30m

Current: moderate to strong

Skill level: intermediate

Description: this flat-bottom reef is rich with barrel sponges and hosts a plethora of larger marine animals, including barracuda, groupers, and tarpon.