El Tunel
Protected Area
Costa Occ. de I. Mujeres, Pta. Cancún y Pta. Nizuc
Why dive here
With 177+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, bull sharks, dolphins, eagle rays and nurse sharks - El Tunel offers some of Cozumel's richest cave diving. Water ranges 27-30°C, warmest August, September, October.
El Tunel on Cozumel is exactly what the name suggests: a long, narrow swim-through. It’s a good option for divers comfortable in enclosed spaces, with the exit often visible from the entrance. You'll likely see schooling grunts and snapper taking shelter within, occasionally a green moray eel. The currents here can be robust, making it a drift dive best suited for intermediate divers.
Typical El Tunel Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Depth of 20m - Advanced Open Water certification recommended.
Overhead environment - never enter without proper cave/cavern training, redundant equipment, and a guideline.
Strong currents typical this month (avg 79 cm/s). Good buoyancy control essential.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
Nearest Dive Centres to El Tunel
Dive shops near El Tunel
Solo Buceo
Vision Oceanos Dive Center
Aquaworld
Manta Divers SA de CV
Scuba Total
Squalo Divers
Reviews for El Tunel
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for El Tunel
El Tunel Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for El Tunel, sourced from NOAA NDBC + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Yucatan Basin - 120 NM ESE of Cozumel, MX (227km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
30°C
85°F · Range: 28.7–32.3°C
Air Temperature
29°C
84°F
Current Speed
78.6 cm/s
Direction: NE (36.7°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.046 mg/m³
Very clear (oligotrophic)
Salinity
35.99 PSU
Wave Height
1.1m
6.7s period
Wind Speed
5.5 m/s
10.7 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1010.7 hPa
Visibility
24.1 nmi
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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