There are few better places on earth to explore underwater life than Mexico's lagoons, coastal waters and rivers. It's difficult to imagine just how rich in natural beauty these waters are until you get under the surface. For pros, diving in Mexico is paradise. if you're a beginner, rest assured you can arrive at just about any diving center in Mexico to train and gain certification under internationally recognized PADI standards.
Discover the stunning coral reefs of the Parque Marino Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel, part of the world's second largest coral reef and home to an important ecological sanctuary in the Caribbean. Jacques Cousteau famously called the Sea of Cortez the aquarium of the world. Honouring its name, the wide variety of marine life there has drawn researchers, and those who simply want to marvel, from all over the world. For the more intrepid, the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific offer divers the chance to visit sunken ships.
In Santiaguillo, close to Veracruz, a lighthouse built atop a coral island offers a spectacular destination for those who wish to explore marine life intensively. Although Veracruz doesn't have the best reputation for diving because of its cloudy waters, in Santiaguillo the water surrounding the coral is as clear as you will find anywhere, outdone only by the Caribbean. Just around the corner from the Caribbean sea, the island of Holbox offers visitors the chance to dive alongside the beautiful –and harmless– whale shark, a unique experience that will stay with you for years to come. In the Yucatan, famed for its 196,850 feet of subterranean cenotes or waterholes, you can really take the plunge with some spectacular underground diving.
