The state of Quintana Roo, on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, hosts over 200 miles of Caribbean shore. The white sand beaches touch the turquoise waters and are backed by primal forests with the ever present ruins of the lost Mayan civilization. Offshore lies the second longest barrier reef in the world, extending the entire coastline. The reefs are adorned with a wide variety of hard and soft corals and sponge. Elkhorn, plate and brain corals thrive in the nutrient rich water and elephant ear and giant barrel sponge decorate the reefs. Angelfish, damsels, butterfly fish and wrasse are prolific and lobsters, moray eels barracuda, stingrays and even green sea turtles are common.
Cancun and Isla Mujeres
Cancun is well known as an international destination for vacationers, honeymooners, party animals and welcomes a barrage of college students on Spring break who turn the place upside down. Although Cancun is not a major hotspot for scuba divers, it hosts many beautiful reefs swarming with marine life. A short boat ride from Cancun is Isla Mujeres (Island of Women). In contrast to Cancun, Isla Mujeres has a laid back atmosphere, a strong Caribbean ambiance and the island’s reefs are pocked with caves that harbor the famous sleeping sharks
Cozumel
The island of Cozumel can boast some of the greatest scuba diving on the planet. The reefs, just offshore, are immense and being continually washed by nutrient rich currents are moving and alive. The diving norm in Cozumel is drift diving through an underwater fairyland of vibrant corals that are home to a vast variety of neon colored tropical fish, sea turtles, eagle rays, sharks and other large open ocean travelers. Cozumel’s reefs offer scuba divers a trip through inner-space along sheer walls that drop to abyssal depths.
Costa Maya
Resorts destinations along the mainland coast have sprung up in the last couple decades and the once sleepy villages of Playa del Carmen, Akumal and Tulum have rapidly grown into thriving tropical playgrounds. Hosting luxurious resorts, the Riviera Maya draws water sports enthusiasts from around the world and scuba divers are rewarded with endless dive sites just offshore. Costa Maya is the jumping off point for cave and cavern diving in the freshwater cenotes. These open wells have crystal clear water and staggering geological formations.
Chinchorro Banks
Jacques Cousteau proclaimed Banco Chinchorro to be the best scuba diving on earth. Chinchorro literally means net and this atoll has been netting ships for centuries. The atoll is 25 miles long and 10 miles wide, it has three islands in the interior lagoon and the on the seaward reef rests wrecks from Spanish galleons to modern cargo ships. Ancient cannons litter the bottom and divers can swim through a timeline of history. The banks are home to a spectacular diversity of marine life with an astounding array of tropical reef fish and barracuda, stingrays, eagle rays, sea turtles and even the rare goliath grouper abounds.
Sources:
Marine Life (http://www.tulum.co.uk/yucatan-marine-life/)
Quintana Roo (http://www.quintanaroomexico.biz/)