DIVE SITE
PUNTA SUR

For scuba divers, Cozumel offers a whole new world to explore thanks to location along the Meso-American Reef, the second largest of its kind in the world. Dramatic coral formations, abundant marine life and excellent lighting conditions have made many dive sights around the small island of Cozumel some of the most attractive in this part of the world. Of the many great diving sites, one of the most celebrated is that of Punta Sur. For many divers, Punta Sur offers the types of experiences that are what enticed them into scuba diving in the first place.

Punta Sur is located in the south point of the reef itself, just a bit north of the Maracaibo Reef formation. There are many different caves of which many are big enough for a diver to enter and explore. Because of the almost cathedral-like environment of the caves in Punta Sur offers a very dramatic experience for scuba divers. It’s little wonder why it is such a popular place to visit.
There are essentially two parts to Punta Sur, the first is the reef itself which offers many places to swim through along with caves and a very large chamber called the “Cathedral”. This southern area is teeming with life and provides plenty of opportunities to swim around and explore the coral formations.
The northern area of Punta Sur features the “Devil’s Throat”, a rather infamous area that is a challenge for even experienced divers. Visiting both the northern and southern areas are difficult to do in one day, but the Devil’s Throat is on the way to the Cathedral if you want to take both of them in. Because of the popularity of the locations, you will not see too much in the way of marine life. Occasionally you may see a few sharks, but for the most part the marine life does not offer the variety of other diving sites in the area.
Overall, the experience of diving in both sections of Punta Sur has often been described as “mystical” and it is little wonder given the incredible experiences that it offers.

The overall depth of the dive averages from 15 to 27 meters with larger swim-through sections at 33 meters and below. The Devil’s Throat in particular is a spectacular diving experience and quite a scary one as well given the depths that must be achieved. At one point, the tunnel narrows to roughly 1,5 meters in circumference and you must dive down another 5 meters before it opens up again.
Because of the unpredictability of the currents, the tight spaces that some of the caves offer and the depth of the dive itself, it is highly recommended that only advanced divers explore the Punta Sur area. Those with experience in such coral formations will need to be very aware of the tricky currents so that they don’t get caught up in the pull or distracted by the many things to see around them.
Overall, Punta Sur is certainly one of the most spectacular places for experienced, advanced scuba divers to explore. Whether you choose the northern or southern areas, Punta Sur represents arguably the pinnacle of the Cozumel diving experience.