Costa Maya is home to some of the best scuba diving to be enjoyed anywhere in the world and is, as of yet, virtually undiscovered and unexplored by tourists. In fact, many of the scuba diving spots to be found in Costa Maya are just now being named. Popular dive spots are secluded, pristine, and not accustomed to visitors of the human variety, which makes for great scuba diving. Here you can experience Mexico’s ocean life at its finest and most natural.

Costa Maya located between the Mexico Riviera, on the north, and the Belize border, to the south. It is an extremely laid back community with small fishing villages making up the bulk of civilization. Simple accommodations combined with open-air dining provide visitors with the sensation of leaving the real world and stepping back in time to enjoy nature at its peak of perfection.

The majority of scuba diving in Costa Maya takes place along a reef that is protected by the Mexican government. This 25 mile tract of reef makes up part of the second largest coral reef in the world and was established as a National Park in 1996. It is home to an abundance of natural resources and exotic coral beauty. In addition to viewing awe-inspiring and diverse wildlife, divers to this area also frequent many of the caves and wrecks to be found in the waters surrounding Costa Maya.

The tract of reef that can be accessed by scuba diving in Costa Maya is actually two reefs that run parallel to the coast of Costa Maya. The first reef starts off at the surface of the water and gradually slopes down to 50 feet before turning into a sandy platform. At the end of the sandy platform, the second reef starts at 50 feet below the surface and then slopes gradually until it meets a dramatic, vertical drop off.

The marine life, that can be found by divers while scuba diving in Costa Maya, is indeed worth the government’s protection. Here divers are delighted by the antics of diverse marine life such as sponges, gorgonians, star corals, crabs, octopus, moray eels, turtles, and eagle rays. Scuba diving the vertical wall also reveals huge sponges, overhangs of stony coral and numerous caves fit for exploration.

On select days, you may also be able to hire a dive operation to take you out on a boat to enjoy a scuba diving excursion to the Chinchorro Bank. This bank is nearly 19 miles from the mainland of Costa Maya and is a large coral atoll that is home to several wrecks and lush coral reefs.

The protected nature of the reef of Costa Maya ensures that you will be able to experience a magical underwater environment at its most pristine. The lack of public attention in this area has ensured that the park has remained virtually untouched and, in some places, unseen by man. All which makes for a scuba diving experience of a lifetime.

By: Layla Tusko