Shangri La - Playa del Carmen - Cozumel

Three Kings isn't one site, it’s a whole neighbourhood of Taveuni diving condensed into one spot. We're talking three distinct areas – Coral Awegasm, The Pass, and Garden of Eden – all within a short swim of each other. Our favourite way to dive it is to start deep, cruising along the archways and peering into the caverns, where massive gorgonian sea fans unfurl like ancient tapestries. The light plays incredible tricks here, filtering through the water and painting the coral walls in shifting shades. Then, as we shallow out, the hard coral colonies come into their own. They’re absolutely buzzing with life, thick schools of yellowstriped cardinalfish hanging in the water, and we’ve often seen bristlet-toothed surgeonfish darting in and out. For the macro lovers, it’s a field day – nudibranchs are everywhere if you take your time, and we've spotted some surprisingly colourful dotted wrasses. The average 13m visibility might not sound like much, but it often enhances that intimate, cave-like feel. This is a site for those who love variety, who want to explore different topographies and aren't afraid to go slow and look for the small stuff. It’s also great for photographers.

Location
Cozumel, Mexico, North America
Coordinates
20.628300, -87.062600
Type
cave

Marine Protected Area: Caribe Mexicano

Best Time to Dive in Cozumel

The warmest water temperatures in Cozumel occur in September, averaging 29.8°C (up to 32.1°C). The coolest conditions are in February at 26.9°C.

The calmest sea conditions are typically in September with average wave heights of 0.70m. Average current speed: 95.0 cm/s.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 27.2°C (air: 26.2°C)
  • February: 26.9°C (air: 26.4°C)
  • March: 27.0°C (air: 26.5°C)
  • April: 27.5°C (air: 27.4°C)
  • May: 28.4°C (air: 28.2°C)
  • June: 29.0°C (air: 28.8°C)
  • July: 29.4°C (air: 29.4°C)
  • August: 29.6°C (air: 29.5°C)
  • September: 29.8°C (air: 29.5°C)
  • October: 29.6°C (air: 29.0°C)
  • November: 28.8°C (air: 27.9°C)
  • December: 27.9°C (air: 26.8°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Cozumel

Nearest Dive Centres to Shangri La - Playa del Carmen

Marine Life in Cozumel

Home to 181 recorded species including 140 reef fish, 15 hard corals, 9 other, 7 sharks & rays, 3 seagrass & algae, 2 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Shangri La - Playa del Carmen

Based on average water temperature of 28.4°C, visibility 23 nmi, currents 87 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins (stiff blade recommended for strong currents)
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories