When diving in Mexico, you can encounter an incredible diversity of marine life, from small, colorful reef fish to impressive bull sharks 🦈
The species you’ll see depend heavily on the region, as well as the season, depth, and type of dive (reef, wreck, drift, cenote, etc.).
In the Mexican Caribbean, especially around Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Tulum, biodiversity is exceptional.
Sea turtles
The Riviera Maya is one of the best places in Mexico to see sea turtles while diving.
They’re present year round and are among the most common and most loved encounters for divers, whether beginners or experienced.
You can mainly encounter:
- The green sea turtle (first photo)
- The hawksbill sea turtle
- The loggerhead sea turtle (rarer)
While diving, turtles are generally very calm. They often let you get close (without ever touching them), keep feeding, or slowly surface to breathe before heading back down.
Rays
The Riviera Maya is also an excellent place to see different species of rays while diving.
They’re among the most loved encounters for divers and can be seen year round, depending on the dive sites and conditions.
You can mainly encounter:
- The stingray
- The spotted eagle ray
While diving, rays are generally calm. Stingrays often rest on sandy bottoms, sometimes partially buried, while spotted eagle rays look like they’re flying underwater.
Sharks
In the Riviera Maya, you can see two different types of sharks:
- Bull sharks
- Nurse sharks
Contrary to popular belief, these encounters take place under very safe conditions and are often a highlight for divers.
Between November and March, bull sharks come closer to the coast of Playa del Carmen.
These dives, done at a moderate depth, allow you to watch adult individuals moving freely in their natural environment.
Despite their reputation, they remain calm and indifferent to divers when they are respected.
Remoras
You can also spot a very unique fish in the Riviera Maya: the remora. Discreet but fascinating, it’s often seen on dives, especially near large marine animals like the bull shark.
Sometimes a curious remora may try to attach itself to a diver, usually on a fin or a tank. It’s a surprising experience, but completely harmless.
Moray eels
In Playa del Carmen, moray eels are often seen during dives. They hide in the crevices of the reefs. Their long bodies and their heads, often visible at the entrance of their shelter, make them easy to recognize.
In the Riviera Maya, you’ll mainly encounter green morays and spotted morays. They’re often still, but you can also see them moving along the reefs during the day.
They’re a classic sight on reef dives and add a touch of mystery to the experience.
Lobsters
More common in Cozumel, due to intensive fishing around Playa del Carmen, lobsters hide in crevices or under corals, often with their long antennae sticking out. They’re easy to spot for attentive divers.
They’re an important part of the Riviera Maya’s reef ecosystem and are a common sight on dives, for both beginner and experienced divers.
Crabs
Often hidden in reefs or tucked into the corners of wrecks, they can easily go unnoticed at first glance.
There’s a wide variety of species, from small reef crabs to larger ones, each playing a specific role in the marine ecosystem.
Their diversity of shapes, colors, and behaviors makes them especially interesting to observe for attentive divers.
Barracudas
Easily recognized by their sleek shape, barracudas are among the fish you regularly see while diving in the Riviera Maya and around Cozumel.
They’re often spotted hovering motionless in open water, as if watching their surroundings, before darting off with a quick, precise movement.
Barracudas sometimes move in small groups, especially at sites exposed to currents, creating spectacular scenes during drift dives. They can be seen frequently throughout the year, depending on conditions and the dive sites.
Fish
The Riviera Maya is home to a wide variety of tropical fish, visible on almost every dive. Their presence brings color and energy to the sites, making every dive unique.
You can often spot parrotfish, angelfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, and Caribbean sergeant majors swimming around corals and rocky structures.
What time of year can you see the most marine life in Mexico?
There isn’t one single best time to see marine life in Mexico, because every dive can offer different encounters.
Biodiversity is present year round, but some species are more visible at specific times depending on conditions.
In general, the best underwater visibility is from November to May, during the dry season. The sea is usually calmer, the water clearer, and conditions are ideal for diving.