Punta Nizuc Reef

If Punta Cancun is the top corner of the hotel zone's "7", Punta Nizuc is the foot. It is the southern point of Cancun Island, where the long beach of the hotel zone meets the channel into Nichupté Lagoon, and it marks the southern limit of the Parque Nacional Costa Occidental de Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún y Punta Nizuc. The reef here is the first piece of the long reef line that runs south along the coast towards Puerto Morelos.

Where it is

The reef lies just off the point, close enough to shore that you can see the hotels from the boat. Many trips leave from marinas on Nichupté Lagoon, run down the lagoon and out through the channel at Punta Nizuc, so the boat ride is short and mostly in sheltered water. The point blocks much of the swell from the south-east, which helps keep the water calm on the inside.

The reef

Punta Nizuc is shallow. Operators generally describe dives at around 6 to 10 m, and the snorkelling areas are much shallower. The reef is a mix of coral heads, sea fans and sponges over sand and rubble, with patches of boulder and brain coral. Like other shallow reefs in the area, it was hit hard by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and, more recently, by coral disease and seasonal sargassum. Coral cover is patchy, but the fish life and turtles keep it popular.

Being so shallow, dives here are long and bright. It is easy to keep the group together, and it is a sensible place for skills practice, refreshers and the first ocean dives of a course.

Divers and snorkellers

Punta Nizuc is one of Cancun's busiest snorkelling spots. Tour boats, including the "jungle tour" speedboats from the lagoon, bring snorkellers here through the day. MUSA, the underwater museum, also has a small, shallow gallery at Punta Nizuc that is visited mainly by snorkellers. Divers share the area with a lot of people, so early trips are quieter, and your guide will plan the route to avoid the busiest snorkel zones.

The flip side is that the reef is under pressure. The park regulates use of Punta Nizuc with limits on the number of authorised boats and passengers, and access arrangements can change. Ask your operator what the current ones are.

Marine life at Punta Nizuc reef

Turtles are the reason many people come. Green turtles graze the seagrass and hawksbills feed on sponges on the reef. You will also see sergeant majors, blue tangs, parrotfish, grunts, snappers, angelfish and barracuda, with stingrays on the sand. Look in the crevices for lobsters, moray eels and the occasional octopus. Our Cancun marine life guide has more on what lives on these reefs.

Park rules at Punta Nizuc

• Dive and snorkel only with licensed operators, and pay the park fee, usually through your shop.
• No touching, standing on the reef, gloves or feeding.
• The park restricts sunscreen in the water. Wear a rash guard, wetsuit or hat, and check the current rule with your operator.
• Stay inside the area your guide shows you. Boat traffic in the channel is heavy.

Who Punta Nizuc reef suits

New divers, try divers, families with a mix of divers and snorkellers, and anyone getting back into the water after a break. Experienced divers usually prefer the deeper reefs and wrecks, but Punta Nizuc is a pleasant shallow second dive, and a good choice on a windy day when the outer sites are closed.

Depths vary along the reef, and park access arrangements at Punta Nizuc can change. Check with your operator before you book.