There is a reason why the Palancar reefs are known to be the favorites of J Y Cousteau. Consisting of Palancar Gardens, Palancar Horseshoe and Palancar Cave’s. Here you will find, enormous coral formations, hanging over the abyss, decorated with gigantic sponges. Everywhere you look you will find huge canyons and massive swim through’s piercing all the way along this Mesoamerican reef.

Marine life here is plentiful, from Nudibranch’s, Turtles, Sharks and colorful tropical fish dancing all over the reef crest

As you continue south from Palancar, the reef begins to merge into the Columbia reef system.

Columbia consists of two main reef’s. Columbia Ladrillos and Columbia Deep. Each of these reef’s are colossal in size.

Enormous canyons and tunnels carve their way through pinnacles, the size of three and four stores buildings. Gigantic sponges and reef fauna cover the reef from top to bottom. Turtles are usually a common sight, as well as Eagle Rays, Lobsters and Sharks

Paso Del Cedral, is comprised of two reef’s located at the beginning of the southern end of Cozumel.

The beginning of Cedral Wall 11 – 30m+ ( 36 – 100+ft), consists of rolling hills covered with soft corals and fauna. At the back end you will see large coral formations where it is possible to find large turtles, Green moray eel’s and sleeping Nurse Sharks.

Cedral Shallow 11 – 16m (36 – 52ft), is a photographer’s dream. Here you can find pretty much find everything. Various Species of Nudibranch, Seahorse, Scorpion Fish to the Splendid Toad Fish large Turtles, Barracuda, Eagle Rays and Nurse sharks.

The Cedral’s are by far the best dive sites for Cozumel’s tropical Caribbean marine life

The C53 Felipe Xicoténcatl was built in 1943 during World War II, and served as a US Navy mine sweeper in the battle of the Pacific.

Measuring 52m (184ft) long, 10m (33ft) wide and 12m (40ft) from keel to superstructure. Decommissioned in 1946, the C53 was sold to the Mexican Navy in 1962 and was converted into an Admiral-class gunboat. Named after General (Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl), the C53 patrolled the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean Sea for 37 years, until she was decommissioned permanently in 1999 and donated to the marine park of Cozumel.

Teeming with Grouper’s, barracuda, Morey Eel’s, Southern Sting Ray’s and tropical fish, the C53 is a greatest artificial reef Cozumel has to offer

Yucab is a fantastic low lying reef, typically dove as the second dive.With generally gentle currents, Yucab is great place to have a long and relaxing dive, where you can see various different marine life. This is a great place for macro diver’s looking for various different species of Nudibranch’s and Seahorse. Due the large population of Lobsters, Yucab also has a thriving population of Nurse sharks that love to dine here

Tormentos is another truly amazing dive site located just North of Yucab. Also typically dove as the second dive, the reef is formed as a series of separated coral heads, great for seeking protection from the current and observe various marine species dancing around the reef. Healthy hard and soft corals create a vibrance of color that will capture you dive after dive.

This is another great reef for the macro photographer, where Nudibranch’s, Long Snout Seahorse, Pigmy Pipe Seahorse and Pederson Shrimps can all be found