The riches of the Great Mayan Reef
The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef extends for more than 1,000 km from the northern Yucatán Peninsula to the Bay Islands in Honduras, and off the coast of Belize and Guatemala. It is the largest coral reef system in the Northern Hemisphere and the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The so-called "Great Mayan Reef" is a natural barrier that protects the coast from hurricanes and acts against erosion. The coral reef is part of a whole coastal ecosystem composed of mangroves, estuaries, marshes, lagoons and dunes. The Mesoamerican Reef is home to 66 species of coral, 30 species of mollusks and over 500 species of fish. Beyond this great biodiversity, it is estimated that more than 2 million people depend on its marine resources for their livelihood, between fishing and tourism.
Dives for all tastes at Quintana Roo
Whether you are a beginner or more experienced, the Yucatan Peninsula offers unforgettable dives all year round. Several sites are perfect for beginners or simply to discover the sea bed with fins, mask and snorkel (PMT). Many of the centres are run by French speakers, or have French-speaking instructors. Here are some of the best spots on the Mesoamerican barrier reef.
Around Cancún. There are about twenty easy access sites, such as Punta Nizuc, Playa Tortugas, Punta Cancún, Manchones, La Bandera, or El Tunnel. For an original dive, don't miss the Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), between Cancún and Isla Mujeres. With more than 500 anthropomorphic sculptures placed at the bottom of the sea, it is the largest underwater museum in the world!
Isla Mujeres. Opposite Cancún, this small island is known for its sailfish and whale sharks that come to feed at certain times of the year off its coast, nearIsla Contoy. The former, with their tapered rostrum and sail-like dorsal fin, are there from mid-January to late February. The fastest fish in the world come by the dozen to feed on the schools of sardines. You can swim with them but only in PMT (no diving, the fish are close to the surface). The sea can be rough at this time of the year, you need to be a good swimmer. As for the whale shark, the biggest fish in the world (it can reach 20 meters and 30 tons), it lands between mid-June and mid-September to feed on plankton. Here again, we swim with them in snorkeling for very strong moments! Outside these periods, beginners will enjoy diving among tropical fish, but more experienced divers will prefer Playa del Carmen or Cozumel.
Playa del Carmen. Its geographical location makes it a good base for a diving trip. It is in front of Cozumel and not far from the cenotes of Tulum (where all agencies offer dives). In Playa itself, about fifteen sites await divers of all levels. You can explore a wreck, the shrimp boat Mama Viña, at a depth of 27 meters. But the main attraction of Playa is the presence of bulldog sharks, between November and February. They can be observed with basic safety precautions, only 10 minutes from the coast.
Cozumel. This large island offers some of the best scuba diving on the planet, and it was Commander Cousteau who said so! A must-see then. There are about twenty very varied spots, most of them located in the southwest of the island. Visibility is excellent, which allows you to appreciate an abundance of fauna: turtles, sharks, rays, groupers... There are about a hundred species of coral, colourful sponges, tower-like formations of tens of metres, faults, canyons, caves, and spectacular drop-offs. The most beautiful spots offer drift dives that are suitable for experienced divers. Palancar is the most famous, but other sites are just as exceptional: Santa Rosa, Colombia, San Francisco, Punta Sur, Maracaibo, Yucab..
Mahahual and Banco Chinchorro. A quiet seaside resort, Mahahual offers good conditions for snorkeling and scuba diving. It is the main access point to the Banco Chinchorro biosphere reserve. An aquarium to discover by diving or snorkeling, with magnificent corals and interesting fauna: sharks (reef, hammerhead, nurse...), groupers, moray eels, rays, turtles... Banco Chinchorro is also known for its forty or so shipwrecks which lie close to the reef. Most of them are boats sunk during the colonial era. Do they still preserve treasures?
Xcalac. This isolated fishing village, close to Belize, offers diving off the beaten track. The Arrecifes de Xcalac National Park is home to beautiful coral formations and typical Caribbean species: parrotfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, surgeonfish, barracuda... La Posa is a must for its schools of tarpons!
For long-lasting diving
Millions of tourists enjoy the peninsula's beaches and seabed every year. But tourism (and the coastal development that accompanies it) directly threatens the very resource that gave birth to it, endangering ecosystems already weakened by other evils: warming and acidification of the oceans, hurricanes, overfishing, deforestation and agricultural activities, pollution (sewage, urban waste, deballasting of ships...), invasive species such as lionfish, etc. It is therefore essential that divers, who are the first to benefit from this magnificent garden, are irreproachable in the practice of their activity: leave with responsible agencies, do not touch the corals or feed the fish, prefer the anti-UV t-shirt to the sun cream (harmful for the ecosystems), recover waste during his sea trips, engage in actions of environmental protection... All these small gestures can make the difference to safeguard the health of the reef and the life of the communities which depend on it.
