Cozumel · Mexico · Drift · Reef · Wall
Punta Tunich
Schools of grunts and porkfish inside tall sponge-covered reef heads
Area photo: Matthew T Rader · CC BY-SA 4.0
Punta Tunich is a low-profile reef off Cozumel, dived as a drift along a reef wall above a sandy flat. Its current is usually medium but waxes and wanes, which makes the drift lively and hard to predict, and the flow keeps the reef and its sponges healthy.
Also known as Punta Tunich Wall.
Where it is and how deep
20.4125° N, 87.0215° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The reef wall rises between 18 and 24 m (60 and 80 ft) above a sandy flat that runs down to 37 m (120 ft) before the drop-off. Reef heads stand 3 to 6 m (10 to 20 ft) tall, crowded with barrel and rope sponges, and inside them sit schools of porkfish, schoolmasters and French grunts.
The current carries the group along the coral ridges, where nurse sharks, eagle rays and the occasional barracuda hug the reef. Its strength waxes and wanes during the dive, so the pace can pick up or slacken from one stretch of reef to the next.
Marine life and season
- Eagle rays
- Barracuda
- Reef fish swarms
| 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.
Know before you go
- The current waxes and wanes through the dive, so the drift speed is hard to predict.
Dive videos
Punta Tunich 50ft Dive, Cozumel. · Cozumel Everyday on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What certification does Punta Tunich need?+
It is an intermediate dive in a medium current. The reef sits at 18 to 24 m, which Advanced Open Water covers; the sand below reaches 37 m.
Sources
- Punta Tunich – Scuba Du — Scuba Du
- 4 Thrilling Cozumel Drift Dives — Scuba Diving
- Punta Tunich — ScubaGo
- 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
Cave & cavern
Sunlight streaking through a vaulted cavern ceiling
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
Similar dives elsewhere
Drift
Nanton Point
Antigua · Antigua and Barbuda
Caribbean reef sharks on most dives
Snapper and jacks stacked over Turneffe's southern corner
Juvenile whitetips tucked into small caves along a drifting slope
A drift from a 4 m bay onto a steep wall, mantas Jan–Apr