Mexico

Mexico is located in the southern part of North America. The country is bordered by the United States to the north, Guatemala, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, the Gulf of Mexico to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the south and west. It is the 13th largest country in the world by area and the 10th most populous. Mexico is made up of 31 states and Mexico City, which is its capital city and largest metropolis. Its many coastlines rank Mexico among the best scuba diving in the world. The many public beaches along the coastlines also make it a popular beach destination. Some trendy resort areas are Cancun, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Playa del Carmen.
Mexico is among the top 10 most visited countries in the world and is very popular for dive travel.

Scuba Diving in Mexico

With its diverse seascapes, Mexico scuba diving caters to all levels of experience and interests. Liveaboards in Mexico are the best way to visit the most dive sites on the Pacific coast and Sea of Cortez. The Pacific coast is great for liveaboard diving in Mexico, particularly open water diving and safari diving. A peninsula protects and shelters the waters, keeping them relatively calm and warm with great visibility. The more popular liveaboards in Mexico diving spots along the Pacific coast are:

Socorro Island, a small volcanic island that is part of the Revillagigedo Islands. The island is renowned for its abundance of Pacific manta rays, which are large and playful. Liveaboard diving in Socorro Island can take divers to the four volcanic islands that comprise the Revillagigedo Archipelago. This is where divers can spot large pelagic species, including numerous species of dolphins, white tip sharks, silky sharks and humpback whales. This protected biosphere reserve is also where a large number of Pacific manta rays can be found. Some divers describe diving among the manta rays as an interactive experience.

Guadalupe Island is another volcanic island in the Pacific ideal for Mexico scuba diving. It is the perfect spot for great white shark cage diving. Mexico liveaboard diving excursions give divers plenty of opportunities to view the Guadalupe great white sharks. Some scuba diving vacations feature both submerged cage dives and surface cage encounters to get up close and personal with the Guadalupe great white sharks.

The Sea of Cortez, also called the Gulf of California, separates the Baja California Peninsula from mainland Mexico. This UNESCO World Heritage site has the most marine life, with over 800 fish species. It is particularly known for its very large schools of hammerhead sharks, gray whales, manta rays and dolphins. Sea of Cortez liveaboard diving also features interactions with friendly sea lions.

Mexico liveaboard diving also can include Cabo Pulmo, one of the few coral reefs on the coast. This vibrant reef attracts more than 6,000 marine species, making it an ideal underwater photography spot.

Dive Sites Galore
Besides the Pacific coast and the Sea of Cortez, Mexico has great diving in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. It also has one of the largest freshwater cave systems in the world. While the Pacific is known for its large pelagic species, the Gulf and Caribbean Sea are known for its coral reefs. Named as the best scuba diving in the world by Jacques Cousteau is Palancar Reef in Cozumel off the Yucatan Peninsula. It is part of the Great Maya Barrier Reef, the second largest reef system in the world. Divers can expect sightings of nurse sharks, eagle rays and plenty of tropical fish among the coral pinnacles. Cenotes, or deep sinkholes in limestone, lead to the longest submerged cave and cavern systems in the world just south of Playa del Carmen. Cave diving sites include Dos Ojos (translated: two eyes),which are two different cave systems that start and end in the same place. Sparkling stalagmites and stalactites make this a remarkable dive. The largest coral atoll in the western hemisphere can be found off the coast of Costa Maya. At the Banco Chinchorro, divers can spot crocodiles and view shipwrecks. The site features walls and vibrant coral reefs made of brain coral, black coral and huge barrel sponges. Nearby is the Xcalak Reef National Marine Park and its marvelous marine life. Dive to spot manatees, dolphins, sharks, giant tarpon fish and more.

Scuba diving in Mexico offers a wide range of underwater experiences thanks to its ocean, gulf and sea topography. Liveaboard diving in Mexico provides access to these remote islands and diving areas.

When to Go

Scuba diving in Mexico is year round, thanks to the country’s two tropical zones formed by the Tropic of Cancer. Locations south of the Tropic of Cancer have constantly warm temperatures year round, while locations to the north have cool temperatures during the winter months. Southern temperatures range from 24 to 28 degrees C or 75 to 82 degrees F. Northern temperatures range from 20 to 24° C or 68 to 75° F, but the air is humid during summer months. Water temperatures range from 26 to 28° C (79 to 82° F) in winter and 27 to 29° C (81 to 84° F) in summer, with underwater visibility around 100 feet.

The ideal time for scuba diving vacations depends on the location in Mexico and divers’ interests. For Sea of Cortez diving, August to November offers a 27° C (81° F) water temperature and plenty of hammerhead shark sightings. August to October is also a good time for Guadalupe scuba diving. While the water temperature is cooler, from 19 to 22° C (66 to 72° F),visibility is perfect for viewing great white sharks. From November to May, Socorro Island has good visibility, with water temperatures ranging from 21 to 28° C (70 to 82° F). The sea is generally calm during this time, attracting humpback whales, whale sharks and manta rays.
Tropical storms and hurricane season runs from July to October, with the most activity in September and October.

Getting There

Mexico has 64 international airports, with Mexico City International Airport the busiest, followed by Cancun International Airport. Rounding out the top five busiest airports in Mexico are Guadalajara International Airport, Monterrey International Airport and Tijuana International Airport. The departure point of live aboard cruises generally dictates which airport is closest for getting there. Los Cabos International Airport is usually the best airport to connect to liveaboard diving in Socorro Island trips leaving from San Jose del Cabo or Cabo San Lucas in Baja California. 
Several dive travel cruises have departure ports that connect with Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City. It is not uncommon to fly into a U.S. airport for some Mexican live aboard cruises. For example, San Diego International Airport is the closest for liveaboard cruises to Guadalupe Island. Likewise, Arizona’s Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the closest connection to Sea of Cortez liveaboard diving trips.

Visas and Passports

Tourists from eligible countries do not need a tourist visa to enter Mexico. Instead, all visitors are required to have a Tourist Card, which is obtained by filling out an Entry Immigration Form. The information provided on the form is an official record of the foreigner’s visit to Mexico and is kept by the Mexican Immigration Authority.
 In order to obtain a free Tourist Card, the following information is required: a passport valid for at least 180 days after arriving in Mexico, contact information, flight information, and name or address of accommodations while in Mexico.
The Entry Immigration Form can be obtained upon arrival to Mexico or filled out online and printed before traveling. Visitors need to show their passport and Tourist Card when entering Mexico. Visitors from areas not on Mexico’s eligible countries list will need to apply for a Mexico Tourist Visa at a Mexican Embassy or Consulate at least four weeks prior to traveling.

Time Zone

There are four time zones in Mexico:
Southeast Zone (Zona Sureste) is used year round in the state of Quintana Roo. It is GMT-5.
Central Zone (Zona Centro) is used in the eastern three-fourths of Mexico. This includes Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. It is GMT-6.
Pacific Zone (Zona Pacifico) is used in Baja California Sur, Sonora, Nayarit, Chihuahua and Sinaloa. It is GMT-7.
Northwest Zone (Zona Noroeste) is used in the state of Baja California. It is GMT-8.

With the exceptions of the Southeast Zone and Sonora, the rest of Mexico observes daylight saving time.

Currency

w

Electricity

d

Language

Spanish, though not formally recognized as the national language, is spoken by most Mexicans.
Different varieties of Spanish, called Mexican Spanish, are also spoken throughout the various regions in the country. Mexico also has 364 indigenous languages recognized by the federal government.
The top most spoken indigenous languages are Nahuatl, Yucatec Maya, Tzeltal and Tzotzil, which are variants of the Mayan language, Mixtec and Zapotec. Although English is the commonly taught foreign language, only 5% of the population speak it fluently.