Dive Site: Moc Che (Shallow)
Level: Beginner
Depth: 12.5 meters maximum
Moc Che (shallow)
When we talk about the house reefs of Playa del Carmen, Moc Che is the northernmost of the shallow reef sections located directly in front of the city. With a boat ride of just under 10 minutes, the reef is quickly and easily accessible.
At the beginning of the reef, the boat anchors and divers enter the water. There is usually a light to moderate current here.
This dive site is ideally suited for beginners due to its rich underwater life, but also for our experienced divers.
The Reef Edge
Once submerged, the reef starts at a depth of 7-9 meters. Following the reef edge, you can often find lobsters, spotted morays, spider crabs, and shrimp, which hide under numerous rocks and in crevices. Further north, the reef edge continues to build up, reaching a height of about 3 meters. In small caves, you can repeatedly discover green giant morays or crabs. Besides many fish, Moc Che also hosts a large coral garden consisting of hard and soft corals and sponges, which often attracts turtles to Moc Che to feed on the corals.
Great View Through the Arch
After approximately 30 to 40 minutes, you reach an arch through which you can also swim. Filled with a school of yellowstripe grunt, it offers a great view through the arch. At this point, you are also at the deepest part of the dive, at 12.5 meters. After the arch, the reef continues north, and you can comfortably ascend into shallower water.
Surface Marker Buoy
As with all dives in Playa del Carmen, our boat accompanies us on the surface, thus avoiding long surface swims. Due to the usually moderate boat traffic, we definitely recommend using a surface marker buoy.