PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Cozumel
Ready to breathe underwater? Our PADI Discover Scuba Diving Cozumel experience is the perfect “try diving” program for non-certified travelers and cruise passengers looking to explore the world-famous Mesoamerican Reef. Whether you choose a quick shore dive or a full two-tank boat trip, you’ll learn the basics from expert instructors in a safe, fun, and stress-free environment. No experience is necessary, just a desire for adventure in the crystal-clear waters of Cozumel!
Book Your Dive Today
What Divers Are Saying
With over 30 years in Cozumel and a track record of guests returning trip after trip, Pelagic Ventures’ reviews consistently point to the same things: small groups, patient instructors, and a genuinely local feel rather than a cruise-line-branded operation.
Course at a Glance
Certification Required
None – this is for non-certified divers
Minimum Age
10 years old
Hours of Operation
7:00 AM – 7:00 PM, daily (Monday–Sunday)
Duration
Half day (shore dive) or full boat trip (two tanks)
What's Included
All gear, instructor supervision, Marine Park fee (boat trip)
Price
Shore dive (one tank): $95 USD | Two-tank boat trip: $165 USD
Supervision
Direct PADI Instructor supervision throughout – maximum depth 12 metres / 40 feet
Instructor Ratio
Maximum 4 participants to 1 PADI Instructor — tighter than the standard certification-course ratio
Who It's For
First-time divers, cruise passengers, certified divers wanting a skills review
Is Discover Scuba Diving Right for You?
Can’t swim competitively? No problem, you just need to be comfortable in water, not an athlete.
Bringing a 10–12 year old? They’re welcome. The same 12m/40ft depth limit and instructor supervision apply to every participant, regardless of age.
Worried about a health condition? You’ll complete a short PADI medical questionnaire before your dive. Most guests answer “no” to every question and are cleared to dive the same day — no doctor visit needed.
Try Diving Before You Commit
A Discover Scuba experience is exactly what the name suggests. You learn the basics, you get in the water with an instructor alongside you the entire time, and you see what scuba diving in Cozumel looks like from underwater. If it does not suit you, you have lost half a day. If it does and most people find that it does you will want to come back certified.
No prior experience is needed. No certification is required. You do not need to be a strong swimmer, though basic comfort in the water is important. The instructor stays with you from the first breath on the regulator to the surface at the end of the dive.
If you decide to continue after your Discover dive, the time you’ve already spent underwater can count toward your Open Water certification, ask Paulino or Mary about crediting your dive when you book.
Discover Cozumel’s Best Beginner Dive Sites
Whether it’s your very first time breathing underwater or you are taking your first steps toward certification, we handpick the safest, shallowest, and most breathtaking spots on the island. Experience the absolute magic of scuba diving in Cozumel at these crystal-clear, beginner-friendly coral reefs:
Cozumel’s most famous reef system. We visit the beautiful, shallow garden areas perfect for your very first ocean breaths.
All Levels / Beginner Friendly
Your Discover dive here takes place in a shallow, sheltered section of the reef system capped at the PADI 12m/40ft beginner limit distinct from the deeper Cedral Pass/Wall dive our certified divers explore on regular fun-dive trips. All Levels / Beginner Friendly.
All Levels / Beginner Friendly
A gentle, shallow paradise offering incredible visibility, stunning brain corals, and thousands of colorful reef fish.
Shore Dive vs Boat Trip - Which to Choose
| Shore Dive | Two-Tank Boat Trip |
Price | $95 USD | $165 USD |
Dives | 1 tank | 2 tanks, 2 sites |
Time in water | 30–45 minutes | Significantly more, two dives plus surface interval |
Best for | Cruise passengers with limited port time; genuinely unsure if diving is for you | Anyone considering certification later; travelers with a full free day |
Shore dive - $95
A single-tank dive conducted from shore. Shorter time commitment ideal if you are on a cruise ship with limited time ashore or if you are genuinely unsure whether diving is for you. The shore site allows skills practice in very shallow water before descending to the reef. Total time in the water is typically 30 to 45 minutes.
Two-tank boat trip - $165
Two dives on the reef, conducted from the boat. This option gives you the full Cozumel experience the boat trip to the site, two dives at two different locations, the surface interval, and considerably more time in the water. If you have any interest in returning as a certified diver, the boat trip is the better option because it shows you exactly what regular two-tank diving looks like.
Certified divers in the same group pay the standard two-tank rate ($115 USD) . If you are travelling with certified friends or family, you can all be on the same boat.
What to Expect
- Before you book → Contact Paulino and Mary directly; confirm shore or boat option and, if applicable, your hotel pickup or cruise-ship timing.
- Arrival → Meet at Marina Cozumel ASIPONA (or your resort pickup point, weather permitting).
- Briefing → Your PADI Instructor covers five key skills: breathing from the regulator, equalizing your ears, clearing your mask, signaling underwater, and controlling your ascent.
- Skills practice → These are practiced in shallow water first, before the dive proper begins.
- The dive → Once skills are comfortable, you move to the reef. Your instructor stays alongside you throughout — not leading, not trailing behind — at a maximum 4:1 ratio. Max depth 12m/40ft.
- Return → Back to the marina (or your resort), with time built in around cruise-ship “all aboard” schedules if relevant.
Meet Our Team
All of our team members have many years experience working in the Cozumel diving business. They’ve seen it all and can show you the best Cozumel has to offer.
TROY RUHR
Founder
PAULINO CASTILLO
PADI Instructor
HUGO GARCIA
Captain
Your Safety, in Plain Terms
Every Discover Scuba participant completes a short PADI medical questionnaire before entering the water. It’s a simple yes/no screening:
- Answer “no” to every question, and you’re cleared to dive the same day, no doctor visit required.
- A “yes” answer doesn’t automatically disqualify you. It just means your physician needs to sign off first, commonly flagged items include asthma or breathing issues in the last 12 months, heart conditions or heart medication, recent surgery, or ongoing ear/sinus problems.
- If you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant, PADI standards require sitting this one out, no exceptions.
We recommend reviewing this before you travel, so it doesn’t affect your trip.
Every boat carries oxygen and a first aid kit, and our crew is trained in emergency first response. Boats have dual outboards, cushioned and shaded seating, and water and snacks provided throughout your trip.
What's Included in Your Price
What's Always Included
- All gear appropriate to your Discover Scuba dive
- PADI Instructor supervision throughout
- Marine Park fee — always included, never an extra charge at the dock
Payment
- Cash accepted in USD or Mexican pesos
- Credit card accepted with a 5% card surcharge
A Note on Group Rates
Certified divers joining a Discover Scuba group pay the standard two-tank boat rate and dive alongside you on the same trip useful if you’re traveling with a mixed group of certified and non-certified divers.
For Certified Divers-Skills Review
The Discover Scuba option also works as a skills review for certified divers who have not dived in some time. Pelagic Ventures recommends a refresher if it has been more than a year since your last dive not as a rule, but as good sense. The shore dive format allows skills practice in controlled conditions before joining the regular boat trip schedule.
If you are a certified diver returning after a long break, contact Pelagic Ventures before booking. Paulino and Mary will recommend the appropriate option based on how long it has been and your prior experience.
Is a Discover Scuba Experience the Same as Being Certified?
No. A Discover Scuba experience is a supervised, introductory dive you are under direct instructor supervision at all times and can only dive to 12 metres / 40 feet. It does not result in a certification and does not allow you to dive independently or join regular certified fun dives. To dive independently, the Open Water certification is required. A Discover Scuba experience can be applied as credit toward our full range of Scuba Diving Courses in Cozumel if you decide to continue, ask your PADI Professional about this when booking.
Cruise Passengers
Discover Scuba is the most practical diving option for cruise passengers visiting Cozumel for the day. The shore dive can be completed in a half-day window, leaving time for other island activities. The two-tank boat trip is better suited to passengers whose ship docks early and departs late check your port schedule before booking the boat option.
Pelagic Ventures will give you specific instructions on how to get to the marina from the cruise piers. The taxi ride from any pier to ASIPONA marina is short Pelagic Ventures will provide directions with your booking confirmation.
Our shop is open 7:00 AM–7:00 PM daily, so we can typically accommodate early-arrival ship schedules mention your ship’s dock and departure time when booking and Paulino or Mary will confirm the right slot.
Resort Pickup Available
Our boat picks up guests directly from most resorts on the south side of the island, weather permitting
Casa del Mar
El Cid/La Ceiba
Grand Park Royal
El Presidente
The Landmark
Fiesta Americana
Secrets
Dreams
Reef Residencias
Allegro
Occidental
Iberostar
Pickup isn’t available at hotels north of Casa del Mar. Traveling in a group of 5 or more? We can often extend pickup range ask when booking. Some resorts charge their own pier-use fee, so check with your hotel.
Not staying at a pickup resort? Simply meet us at the shop at Marina Cozumel ASIPONA
Cancellation & Booking Policy
24 hours’ notice gets a full refund for schedule changes or cancellations.
Less than 24 hours’ notice: refunded only if we can fill your spot.
Same-day cancellations and no-shows: non-refundable.
Booked a two-tank trip but only want to dive one tank? No partial refund unless arranged with us in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Basic comfort in the water is required. You do not need to be a strong or competitive swimmer, but you should be comfortable floating and moving in water. If you have concerns about your swimming ability, mention this when booking.
Yes. The minimum age is 10 years old. Children aged 10 and above can participate with direct instructor supervision. Depth is limited to 12 metres / 40 feet for all Discover Scuba participants regardless of age.
Your Discover Scuba dive can count as credit toward the Open Water certification course. If you decide during or after your experience that you want to continue to full certification, speak to the instructor the dives already done can be applied to the course requirements.
PADI medical questionnaire before diving. Most guests answer "no" to every question and are cleared immediately. A "yes" answer to something like asthma, a heart condition, or recent surgery just means a quick physician sign-off is needed — we recommend checking this before you travel.
Yes, for most resorts on the south side of the island, weather permitting. See our full pickup list above — groups of 5+ can often arrange extended pickup range.
We're open 7:00 AM–7:00 PM, daily, seven days a week.
Full refund with 24 hours' notice. Inside 24 hours, we'll refund you only if your spot can be filled. Same-day cancellations and no-shows aren't refundable.
Ready to book a Discover Scuba experience?
Contact Paulino and Mary Cozumel’s most experienced small-group dive operation since 1994. Marine Park fee always included. Gear rental included in course price.
- info@pelagicventuresscuba.com
- Phone (From US & Canada)
- Open daily, 7:00 AM–7:00 PM.