Cozumel Island lays 19km east of the Yucatan Peninsula in mexico. The island is part of mexico and spanish is the prime language, although due to the large dive industry english will get you everything that you need. The peso is the official currency, but nearly all places will accept/convert US dollars at near the official exchange rate. Cozumel island is home to the mayan ruins of El Castillo Real and San Gervasio which lay within its jungle. San Miguel is the only town on the island and most of the accommodation is found at resorts that have been built up in a strip against the beach running south from San Miguel.

Diving on Cozumel is mainly done on the west side of the island, which is protected from rough conditions on the east side of the island. Current is an issue on Cozumel with anything up to a 3 Knot current running along the passage seperating Cozumel from the mainlaind. Many of the dives on cozumel are done as drift dives due to the current.

The basic underwater topography of the west side of the island is with the bottom sloping downward to a wall drop off. On top off the wall are sandy flats with coral reefs purched on these sandy flats. The wall then drops off into the depths of the ocean. The outer sides of the wall are littered with sponges and corals and in some places tunnels, swim throughs and caves penetrate the wall. The wall is often the first dive of the day with the reefs that sit on top of the wall a good second dive option.

Some of the shallow reefs that are ontop of the wall also provide access for snorkellers. For something different a dive in Beach Combers Cavern, a cave that penetrates into the island itself, is worth a dive for experienced cave divers.

What can be seen : huge basket sponges, fire coral, nurse sharks, black gropers, horse eye-jacks, eagle rays, plate coral, gorgonian sea fans, conch and huge sponges.