Cozumel Reefs National Park

20° 17.6′ N · 87° 1.5′ W

Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel protects nearly 12,000 ha of reef and wall along Cozumel's southwest, south and part of its east coast - the reason the island is one of the world's great dive destinations.

Practical

Coordinate is the park's reference point on Wikipedia (20 17'37"N, 87 01'29"W). Decreed 19 July 1996 (11,987 ha); it begins just south of the International Pier and runs around the south tip to part of the east coast, out to the 100 m isobath (Wikipedia). Taking or touching marine life is prohibited inside the park. Since 2019 the park has rotated temporary closures of selected reefs to fight stony coral tissue loss disease - in 2019 Palancar Gardens to the south tip was closed 7 October-15 December - so check which sites are open. Most divers visit with licensed dive operators; the park entry fee was 255 pesos per person in April 2026, sometimes charged separately from tour prices (Riviera Maya News), and Wikivoyage notes it comes on top of dive prices. Snorkel tours to sites such as El Cielo must use CONANP-authorised vessels and agencies. A northbound current of 1-3 knots (average 1.5) sweeps the channel side, making most dives drifts. Other named park sites and typical depths (SSI; Island Life Mexico 2026): Tormentos 40-65 ft (beginner-friendly), Yucab 40-60 ft (current can be quick), Paso del Cedral 40-70 ft (training), San Francisco Wall 40-60 ft then a steep drop (strong current), Punta Tunich to 130 ft (strong drift). Individual entries now cover Villa Blanca Wall, Tormentos, Yucab, Punta Tunich, San Francisco Wall, Santa Rosa, Paso del Cedral, Punta Dalila, Palancar, Colombia, Punta Sur and Maracaibo; Barracuda reef at the north end lies outside the park.

Best for

Wall and drift diving on world-class reefs

Practical

Best for

Nearby