Punta Tunich

Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexicowall36 m maxintermediate

Conditions & tides

Channel site — tidal current funnels through here and can run fast, changing quickly with the tide. It is usually strongest around mid-tide and eases near the slack windows below. Dive with a local operator who knows the timing.

Punta TunichCozumel

Good · 5/5

conditions visualisation

Good5/5

Calm and diveable right now — best window today 7 AM–5 PM.

Wind7 kn NE

Current~1.2 kn N · model

Swell

0.1 m · 4s · SE

Water

29 °C

Max depth

36 m

Conditions through the day

6 AM6 PM

Calmest current near slack — 02:30 & 14:15 local

Sunrise 06:53 · Sunset 18:10 local

Show details

Tide · local

Outlook — select a day for full conditions

On-face swell 0.0 m — the component of the swell aimed at this site’s exposed face. Strong-current reef: plan a drift and enter near the slack windows above. Current is a regional model value (Copernicus, ~9 km grid) — a guide to the area, not a precise reef measurement. Imagery © Esri · not depth or visibility.

Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model

Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.

Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?

About this site

Punta Tunich is a wall and reef dive site on Cozumel, Mexico, whose name translates from Mayan as "Pointed Rock." The reef forms a ridge at the edge of a near-vertical wall that drops into open water, reaching depths of 12–36 m (40–120 ft). The northern end of the reef is considered the most interesting section, where the wall features numerous caves and crevices, and sand channels lead toward the adjacent Tormentos reef.

The site is best approached when a south-to-north current is running, which is the prevailing direction for most of the year. Currents are typically strong and turbulent, making good dive planning important; the site is rated intermediate level. Visibility is great, and water temperature ranges from 25.6–29°C (78–84°F). Year-round diving is possible.

Marine life at Punta Tunich includes nurse sharks, eagle rays, turtles, and barracudas gliding over the coral, along with large numbers of squirrelfish and pairs of angelfish. Large green moray eels are found along the reef, and turtles can also be spotted hiding in the seagrass. Seahorses occasionally appear at the site.

Read the full guide

Punta Tunich is well suited to drift diving given its reliable currents, and it is often done as a second dive. The strong and sometimes turbulent water movement is the primary hazard, and careful planning before the dive is recommended for anyone at the intermediate level.

AI-written site guide