Playa del Carmen dive site · Open Water and Advanced
Moc Che comes in two flavours. A shallow reef full of macro life and juvenile fish at 8 to 14 metres, and a deeper section where the reef steps down towards 30 metres. That flexibility is why it appears on so many of our mornings: an easy second dive for Open Water divers, a deep first dive for Advanced divers, and in winter the deep side occasionally gets a fly by from the season’s most famous residents, the bull sharks.
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The experience
What you see at Moc Che
The shallow reef is a nursery. Juvenile fish shelter in the coral heads, morays and lobsters hide in the ledges, and the small stuff that macro photographers travel for, from blennies to shrimp, lives in the cracks. Parrotfish, grunts and snapper move over the reef in the bright light, and southern stingrays rest on the sand patches between the coral.
The deep section is a different dive. The reef steps down towards 30 metres in ridges and sand channels, the fish get bigger and the blue gets closer. From November to February the bull sharks that gather off Playa del Carmen sometimes pass along the deep side, which turns a normal reef dive into the story of the trip. Read the bull shark diving guide for how the season works.
The dive
Which Moc Che you dive depends on the morning. For Open Water divers and second dives, the group drifts gently along the shallow reef at 8 to 14 metres with long bottom time and easy navigation, the boat following the surface marker. For Advanced divers, Moc Che deep is a first dive: descend to the deep section, follow the ridges at 25 to 30 metres with a depth limit set at the briefing, then work up the reef for the safety stop.
Both versions end the same way, with the boat coming to the group. No surface swims and no fighting the current.
Who Moc Che is for
- Open Water divers who want a colourful, easy reef with plenty to see
- Advanced Open Water divers who want a deep first dive with a chance of something big in winter
- Macro photographers: the shallow reef has the densest small life on the coast
- Mixed groups, because the site works for both levels on the same morning
Not certified yet? The Open Water course finishes with dives on reefs like the shallow side of Moc Che. Want the deep side? The Advanced Open Water course gets you there in three days.
Conditions and what to bring
- Your certification card and dive computer
- A 3 mm wetsuit is enough most of the year; we advise on thickness for the winter months
- Reef safe sunscreen applied after the dives, not before
- Towel, swimwear and a dry change of clothes
In bull shark season we can pair Moc Che with a bull shark observation dive at Shark Point for a full shark morning. The best time to dive Playa del Carmen guide covers the seasons month by month.
Key details
Moc Che at a glance
- Location
- Off Playa del Carmen, a short boat ride from the beach
- Depth
- Shallow section 8 to 14 metres. Deep section 25 to 30 metres
- Dive type
- Reef dive, usually a gentle drift
- Current
- Mild to moderate
- Level
- Open Water for the shallow section, Advanced Open Water for the deep section
- Marine life
- Juvenile fish, macro life and morays on the shallow reef, rays and larger reef fish on the deep side, bull sharks passing in winter
- Price
- Two tank reef dive 2,200 MXN per diver, including two dives and drinking water
- Season
- Year round. Bull shark season November to February. Water 25 to 29 °C
Good to know
Moc Che diving questions
What divers ask us before they book this site.
Is Moc Che suitable for beginners?
The shallow side is, yes. At 8 to 14 metres with mild current and plenty of life, it is one of the two sites we recommend for newly certified divers, along with Jardines.
How deep is Moc Che?
The shallow reef sits at 8 to 14 metres. The deep section steps down to 25 to 30 metres and is dived as a first dive by Advanced Open Water divers.
Can I see bull sharks at Moc Che?
Sometimes, from November to February, when the sharks that gather off Playa del Carmen pass along the deep side. It is a bonus rather than a promise. For a dedicated shark dive, book the observation dive at Shark Point.
Do I need Advanced Open Water for Moc Che?
Only for the deep section. Open Water divers dive the shallow reef, which is where most of the macro life is anyway.
Is Moc Che a drift dive?
Usually a gentle one. The boat follows the group’s surface marker and picks everyone up at the end, so there is no swimming back.
What does a Moc Che dive cost?
Moc Che is part of the two tank reef morning at 2,200 MXN per diver, which includes two dives and drinking water. Rental equipment and Nitrox are available at an extra cost.
Next step
Ready to dive Moc Che?
Send us your dates, certification level and recent experience and we will confirm availability, the meeting time and everything included.
Keep exploring
More Playa del Carmen dive sites
Moc Che is the flexible one on a coast full of specialists: Tortugas for turtles, the Mama Viña wreck and Pared Verde for Advanced divers, and Jardines for the easiest reef of all. The best dive sites in Playa del Carmen guide covers them all.
Dive siteTortugasThe turtle highway: a relaxed drift at 18 to 25 metres with resident turtles, nurse sharks and rays.
Dive siteJardinesThe easy reef: shallow coral gardens with morays, rays and long relaxed bottom times.
Dive sitePared VerdeThe green wall: a proper drop off with gorgonians, sponges and eagle rays in the cooler months.