Puerto Morelos Reef and Wreck Diving on the C-56 Mine Sweeper
In case you are thinking about diving on your next trip to the Riviera Maya, you may have heard about the coral barrier surrounding it. The Mesoamerican Reef System, also called the Great Maya reef, which extends from the north of Yucatan Peninsula to Honduras. Most of the divers jump into the waters from Cozumel (also a must see due to the clarity of its waters and its colorful corals) or from Playa del Carmen (where you could also see bull sharks during the winter season).
Now, we would like to introduce you to a true gem of the Mexican Caribbean, not so famous, but it is worth not to miss it on your trip to Mexico: Puerto Morelos National Park reef.
Located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, there’s Puerto Morelos: a small fishing village. And that’s the reason why local residents carefully and delicately preserve this reef that you find only a half kilometer from its coast. In fact, thanks to their efforts, it was declared a protected National Park in 1998.
What’s so special about diving in Puerto Morelos reef?
The main attraction is the area is not crowded (due to the proximity of other touristic cities). You can find an endless variety of corals, turtles, lobsters, rays, local fish and even nurse and bull sharks. In winter, the currents bring entire families of eagle rays that, if you have never had the chance to see, will make you desire to stop time and have a cylinder that lasts forever.
Another attraction is that the reef is quite shallow, allowing you to enjoy its colorful corals and fish, better. In addition, in case you are travelling with friends or family and they are not into diving, they can still see the extraordinary marine life by snorkeling. The area is only between 2-7m deep.
Puerto Murelos Dive Sites: Juan Escutia C-56 Shipwreck & the Reef
The tour includes 2 dives. The first one is a Deep dive in the shipwreck Juan Escutia C-56, a former minesweeper that belonged to the Mexican Army and was sunk on purpose to attract sea life and coral. The depth varies between 25-30 meters, and the current is mild, so it’s an advanced dive for experienced divers only.
The second will be a shallow dive, and can be any of the other dive sites of Puerto Morelos (Cuevones, Picudas, La Bocana, etc).
Tour Details
Come and meet us at our dive shops in Tulum, Playa or Cancun, early in the morning. From there, we will drive to Puerto Morelos (about half an hour from Playa and Cancun, and 1:15h from Tulum), so we are on the boat at 9am. In between dive sites we will have about 20 mins to have a snack.
Puerto Morelos Dive Tours |
Prices in USD |
Duration |
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2 dives Puerto Morelos: Reef & Shipwreck (from Tulum) |
$244 |
6:45am – 4pm |
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2 dives Puerto Morelos: Reef & Shipwreck (from Playa) |
$204 |
8am -3pm |
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2 dives Puerto Morelos: Reef & Shipwreck (from Cancun) |
$274 |
8am – 3pm |
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Advanced open water certification is required for the Shipwreck dive. In case you are not a certified advanced diver, both dives will be in shallow dive sites. A minimum of 2 people is required for booking.
Price includes:
Full dive equipment rental.
Roundtrip from our dive shop.
National Park Fee.
Local guide.
Lunch and drinks.