Opposite Playa del Carmen beach in The Riviera Maya, is the idyllic island of Cozumel. An island with many charms but which stands out for one thing in particular: the Arrecifes National Park, or as it is more popularly known, “The Great Maya Reef”.
Situated off the southern coast of Cozumel, the Arrecifes National Park consists of the reefs – arrecife being the Spanish word for ‘reef’ – which have formed over thousands of years and which owe their apparition to the diverse underwater terraces on the edge of which they sit. These reefs provide a home to a quarter of all of the flora and fauna on the planet!
The beauty of the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park became known thanks to researcher Jacques Cousteau, and this led to divers from all over the world heading for this part of Mexico to discover a true paradise. It is a very delicate marine system, which is why in 1996 the Mexican authorities decided to protect it by imposing regulations to ensure respect of the reef.
Diving is the number one attraction in Cozumel; the water temperature ranges from 25°C to 32°C over the year, visibility can be just over 40 / 50 meters, and the diversity of flora and fauna has led to the island’s placing as one of the five best destinations in the world for practicing this activity. It is possible to practice continuous dives, and the visitor can enjoy the transparent waters, which are heaving with a wide range of marine life made up of hundreds of multicolored fish; branched red, coffee and yellow sponges, fragile starfish and black sea urchins. Explore holes in the coral plate and clusters of fire coral, brain coral, lettuce-leaf coral and elkhorn coral that cover vast surfaces of the seabed. The reef is a refuge zone for the protection of the marine flora and fauna, but this park is not only a marine park, as its on-land area is home to a total of 136 species of amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal. During seasonal nights, you can observe the nesting of turtles in the south of the island.
The Great Maya Reef is a space full of magic and underwater wonder, whose ecosystems must be preserved if we are to continue enjoying their beauty and the advantages they produce for ecology. If you are a fan of diving, this is a destination that you cannot miss!
“IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts has a5-star All-Inclusive hotel on the island of Cozumel. The IBEROSTAR Cozumel, situated right on the beach, has 306 bungalow rooms of different categories, where clients will find everything needed to feel right at home while on vacation. “
from our blog PassportTo...
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