Cozumel · Mexico · Cave & cavern
Catedral
Sunlight streaking through a vaulted cavern ceiling
Area photo: Matthew T Rader · CC BY-SA 4.0
Catedral is a large vaulted cavern on Cozumel's reefs and one of the most impressive on the island, with several openings that make it easy to move through. It is an advanced dive, and the route carries on from it to a further set of caverns.
Also known as Cathedral.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Cozumel and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The dive runs between about 21 and 30 m (70 and 100 ft). Inside the cavern, streaks of sunlight filter down through cracks and crevices in the vaulted ceiling, and bright blue oval windows mark the openings ahead. After the exit, the route crosses to the next set of caverns, and eagle rays, turtles and nurse sharks may be seen cruising these waters on the way.
Marine life and season
- Eagle rays
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Cozumel: January–April is prime with December close behind; lighter trades keep the leeward side calm, though winter nortes can shut the port for a day. Peak hurricane risk falls in September and October.
Dive videos
Dive 3 - Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, Mexico - Punta Sur Cathedral · The Indefinite Journey Travel Company on YouTube
Sources
- Catedral – Scuba Du — Scuba Du
- Cozumel Scuba Diving Guide — Island Life Mexico
More dive sites in Cozumel
Drift
Reef sharks seen more often than anywhere else on Cozumel
A hull that was placed rather than lost, upright at 25 m
Wall
Coral gardens on the shelf, steep drops below to 27 m
Reef
Sheltered reef just off Chankanaab National Park
Reef
Giant coral pinnacles cut with caves, tunnels and caverns
Mild current in a protected pocket, 9 to 15 m
Reef
Permit cruising over coral heads on open sand
Wall
A deep drop-off from 29 m with a large arch through the wall
Similar dives elsewhere
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