Mexico is perhaps the best destination in the world for an introduction to cave diving. This is due to its system of flooded freshwater caves, locally called cenotes. When staying in the Yucatan Peninsula, you’ll have your choice of several, but one cenote stands out as the best dive in the region. That is Cenote Dos Ojos. It is among the best dive sites in Mexico. Dos Ojos, which in Spanish translates to “Two Eyes”, is part of a flooded cave located north of Tulum, on the Caribbean coast, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The name is derived from two closeby sinkholes connected by a corridor that runs about 400 meters long. Natural light is abundant in this particular area and the visibility underwater is unbelievable.

Dos Ojos Cenote diving is an unforgettably gorgeous experience that will surpass all of your expectations. This cave reaches more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) and offers several dive paths through its many passages and rooms. As one of the most popular dives in Mexico, don’t expect to be the only diver underwater. To dive in here, you should have Intermediate to Advanced.

Location: Yucatan, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: May to September.

Guadalupe Island is one of only four places on the planet you can dive with Great White Sharks along with South Africa, California, and Australia. Come face-to-face with these amazing giants in some of the best cage diving in the world. This spine-tingling experience is heightened tenfold by crystal-clear water (visibility often soars beyond 30m). Dive with huge predators protected by a cage for an up-close view. An estimated 270 Great Whites visit Guadalupe Island each year so if it's multiple encounters you're after, you're in luck. During surface intervals, you'll likely spot playful fur seals and elephant seals which attract the bounty of sharks to the island. Cage diving at Guadalupe is open to divers and non-divers - for any level, it is fiercely spectacular.

Location: Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: July to November.

San Blas is among the best dive sites in Mexico. In the Golfo de San Blas, you will find one of the most untouched coral reefs by mankind. The reef holds its beauty for decades now since people do not pollute the waters around it. Unfortunately, the Kuna Indians who control the area around the San Blas Islands will not allow people to scuba dive in their waters. Because the Kuna Indians live from the sea and hunt on it. They hunt the reefs and sandbanks by using simple snorkeling gear and do not overfish their own waters because they only take what is needed to stay alive. They are scared that scuba dives will kill the great schools of fish and leave the Kuna without food to survive. They will preserve the coral reef for future generations this way.

In San Blas, scuba diving might be a hell of an adventure and can bring you to deeper levels than snorkeling. Because most of the reefs in San Blas are pretty shallow and just beneath the sea surface you’re still able to experience the beauty of the coral reef by gearing up in simple snorkeling gear. The rich sea life and the crystal clear water will give you plenty enough time to drift away from the world above water. One of the easy places to get in touch with this sea life is the shipwreck near Isla Perro. This place is perfect for people not used to snorkeling or scuba diving but also gives people that have done it before a nice challenge to spot all the sea life around the ship. Don’t forget to bring your underwater camera because spotting a wild turtle, shark or octopus isn’t a rare sight in the waters around the San Blas Islands.

Location: Nayarit, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: From September through the middle of November.

Another best dive site in Mexico is Veracruz. Not yet as famous as its neighbors, Veracruz holds unknown diving potential. Among its secrets: an eight-platform reef system that is ripe for exploration and five major wrecks - several of which are United State military ships. The seabeds of this naval port are blessed with a spectacle of sunken ships so wreck diving in Veracruz draws divers of all experience levels. Some vessels lie in as little as 10m of water and are great for fine-tuning your skills.

Location: Veracruz, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: May and November.

Diving on Mujeres Island is suitable for all levels. Many of the sites are shallow reefs with little to no current. For those with an advanced certification, a few deep wrecks await. There are arches, ledges, and even a few caves ripe for exploration. If you’re staying in Isla Mujeres for a good length of time, most dive operators are able to arrange trips to the mainland for diving in Cenotes or near Cancun. Almost all of the dive sites around Isla Mujeres are accessible through a short speedboat ride.

There is no bad time to dive into Mujeres Island. In fact, the water temperatures remain constant year-round and cool only slightly during the winter months, meaning it’s possible to dive approximately 300 days each year. December to April is considered the best time to visit Mexico and therefore is the most popular time to dive in the Caribbean. These are the months in which you will find a great balance between topside and underwater conditions. Because the winter months constitute the high season, you should make sure to book as early as possible in order to secure the best rate. June to September in particular is the best season for whale sharks near this island.

Location: Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: June to September.

Puerto Morelos is a famous dive site in the Yucatán Peninsula and also is one of the best dive sites in Mexico. Thanks to the work of local environmental activists, Puerto Morelos is home to the best-preserved section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. This piece of the second largest barrier reef in the world is also closer to land in Puerto Morelos than anywhere else in Mexico. Puerto Morelos is conveniently located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, so you’ll have access to the amazing dive sites in both of these destinations as well as those of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.

Green sea turtles, Loggerhead sea turtles, barracuda, eels, and rays. Nurse sharks hang out in dark swim-throughs, and various species of crabs and lobsters scuttle along the bottom.

Location: Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: June to September.

Socorro Island is one of the best dive sites in Mexico. Diving on Socorro Island is a pelagic lover's paradise. As a lonely seamount far offshore, the island attracts a number of sociable species. Among them are large groups of giant manta rays (possibly the world's friendliest) who love to swim beside you often less than a meter away.

Play an epic game of pelagic bingo while diving on Socorro Island. Wild bottlenose dolphins seek you out to join them in their antics. Rather than swim away at the sight of divers, these dolphins are known to approach you and remain for several minutes. Watch humpback whales breach the surface, or nestle into boulders to observe seven shark species - including the whale shark. Strong currents make diving in Socorro suitable for advanced divers only, but the rewards are immense.

Location: Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: January to March.

A destination thrumming with biodiversity, San Carlos offers some of the best diving in Mexico. Easy reefs skirting the southern shores are ideal for beginners; more experienced divers head to Isla San Pedro for schooling hammerheads.

Diving in San Carlos has the magical combination of warm, clear water and an assortment of cute critters. Encounters with sea lion pups, dolphins, sea horses, morays, and gorgeous tropical fish will no doubt be a highlight of your trip. Underwater photographers, this is your chance to shine. Thanks to the protected location of San Carlos, visitors from the open ocean cruise through during winter (sperm whales so big they put away a ton of squid a day). To witness these giants breaching at sunrise is one of the most exciting experiences a diver can have.

Location: San Carlos, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: August and November.

Topside, Baja's cactus-studded mountains, and earthy landscapes are a stark contrast to the lush realm thrumming with life below the surface. Fin-to-fin encounters with megafauna are what makes diving in Baja California special, with most of the action taking place in the Sea of Cortez. This strip of water nicknamed "the world's aquarium" by Jacques Cousteau - is accessed via a pair of islands an hour offshore. It's a treat - but not uncommon - to spot orcas, dolphins, or whales from the boat before you even reach the dive site.

Besides, super friendly Californian sea lions are the highlight of most dives. Pups love to play with divers and pose for the camera so it's a fun excuse to sharpen your underwater photography skills.

Location: Baja California, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: June to October

Referring to the Yucatán Peninsula, it is impossible not to mention Tulum, it is also one of the best dive sites in Mexico. Tulum is Yucatán Peninsula. Diving in Tulum is a unique mix of cenotes and reefs, with easy access to inland and open sea dives. For ocean diving in Tulum, a short speedboat ride from town will grant you access to mind-blowing reefs. Step off the ladder into a world of cobalt water, elkhorn coral, and a lively circus of marine life. Turtles, manta rays, lobsters, eels, reef fish, and the occasional whale shark can be sighted in Tulum's underwater realm.

To experience the best cenote diving in Tulum, you hop in a truck and head inland - some of the best cenotes are just a few minutes outside of town. Tulum's extensive subterranean waterways are ideal for experimenting with cavern diving. Underwater photographers from all over the world descend into these cool blue waters seeking fossils and secret rooms lit by sun rays.

Location: Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

Best Time To Dive: June to September.