Scuba Diving in Cancun [Underwater Museum]

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Scuba diving in Cancun, Mexico was my first experience under the water since receiving my Open Water Scuba Diver Certification in Key Largo, Florida.

Cancun turned out to be a great spot for a beginner because you can find plenty of easy, shallow dives. But there’s still plenty of aquatic beauty plus an underwater museum to satisfy even the most seasoned scuba diver.

Cancun Underwater Museum MUSA
Scuba Diving at the Cancun Underwater Museum. Image Credit: Scuba Diving Cancun

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Cancun Scuba Diving

Cancun is a great scuba diving destination. It’s easy to get to from most parts of the United States and it’s a great spot for beginners.

My Experience with Scuba Diving Cancun

Location: Blvd Kukulcan KM 3.5, Kukulcan Blvd, Zona Hotelera, 77520, Cancun Q.R. Mexico

Contact: [email protected] | scubadivingcancun.com

During my trip to Cancun, I booked 2 dives with Scuba Diving Cancun. The package I booked included one dive at the Cancun Underwater Museum and one at a nearby reef. The cost was $90 per person and included all equipment and wet suits.

Scuba Diving Cancun is located at the northern end of the Hotel Zone, so we hopped on a bus for only 10.5 MXN (about 50 cents USD) each and were on our way.

I had been emailing with Tony at Scuba Diving Cancun to set everything up. The communication went well and it was easy to schedule the dives.

Our dive boat was small, but there were only 7 other divers on board so it was fine. The crew set up all of our equipment which was really nice (I was stressing that I wouldn’t remember how to do it — this was one of my first dives). We had an enjoyable conversation with our dive guide on the short boat ride out to the Underwater Museum.

The dives were great and I’d be happy to dive with Scuba Diving Cancun again.

Scuba Diving Trips in Cancun, Mexico

There are lots of options for scuba diving near Cancun, Mexico. In addition to diving at the Underwater Museum (more information below), try out some of these dives:


Pro Tip: Parts of Mexico have banned certain types of sunscreen due to the damage they cause to coral reefs. So, when traveling to Mexico, be sure to bring along a reef-safe sunscreen.


Scuba Diving Cancun: Underwater Museum

The Cancun Underwater Museum (MUSA) is what you want to see when you’re scuba diving in this part of Mexico. It’s located off of the coast of Isla Mujeres near Cancun.

Scuba Diving Cancun Underwater Museum
Scuba diving at the Cancun Underwater Museum is unlike anything else. Image Credit: MUSA

MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) consists of 500 sculptures, mostly by a British sculptor named Jason Decaires Taylor. The museum also features 5 other Mexican artists.

The sculptures, which were completed in 2010, have turned into an artificial reef that is both eerie and breathtakingly beautiful at the same time.

There are 2 main areas in the Cancun Underwater Museum — Punta Nizuc and Manchones.

Punta Nizuc

Punta Nizuc is an area of the Underwater Museum that’s located at the southern tip of Cancun’s Hotel Zone. This area contains 33 sculptures.

It ranges from 2-4 meters deep (about 6-8 feet) so it’s recommended for snorkelers only.

Inheritance at Cancun Underwater Museum
“Inheritance” at the Punta Nizuc area of the Cancun Underwater Museum. Image Credit: MUSA

Manchones

Manchones is an area of the Cancun Underwater Museum located off the coast of Isla Mujeres. It’s 8-10 meters deep (24-30 feet) so it’s recommended for scuba diving. This is a great area for beginners since it’s an easy dive that’s relatively shallow. This part of the museum houses 473 sculptures.

For more information about diving in the Cancun Underwater Museum click here.

Silent Evolution II - Cancun Underwater Museum Scuba Diving
Manchones is the part of the Cancun Underwater Museum that’s great for scuba diving. Image Credit: MUSA

Scuba Diving in Cancun for Beginners

The Underwater Museum is a great scuba diving spot in Cancun for beginners because it’s an easy dive that’s very shallow (only about 24-30 feet deep). Plus there are plenty of other dive spots that are suitable for beginners. You can even find dives for total newbies that don’t require scuba certification!

Try out one of these Cancun dives for beginners (no certification needed):

Other Great Dive Spots in Mexico

Cenotes: If you are looking for some other cool dive spots, check out the Cenotes all around Mexico! Some are only suitable for swimming, but there are some that you will be able to dive in.

Cozumel: Cozumel is an island off the coast of Mexico to the south of Cancun. The diving in Cozumel is second to none! This area has some of the clearest water and the most colorful wildlife I have ever seen! It’s no wonder it’s one of the top dive destinations in the world.

Final Thoughts

Whether you choose to snorkel or scuba dive I would highly recommend checking out the amazing Cancun Underwater Museum (MUSA). It’s an incredible experience to see these amazing sculptures underwater.

It’s also worth taking a trip to nearby Cozumel to experience the diving there. It is one of my favorite dive spots so far!

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Scuba Diving in Cancun, Mexico | Scuba Diving Cancun Underwater Museum | Scuba Diving in Cancun for Beginners