Xcalak, Mexico - Shipwrecks, Manatees, and More

Xcalak (pronounced shhh-ka-lak) is a sleepy fishing village nestled on the Southeastern edge of Quintana Roo, Mexico. As one would expect, the diving in this remote location is pristine, partly because the surrounding reefs are protected by a well-maintained marine park, and partly because relatively few people dive in Xcalak. I spent a few days in this diving haven, and was impressed with the variety of dive sites and the professionalism of the dive center (XTC Dive Center). If you have never heard of Xcalak before, your are in for a treat! Here are five reasons that Xcalak is one of Mexico's best kept diving secrets.

Many dive destinations have beautiful coral reefs, and Xcalak has these in abundance. What makes Xcalak different from other dive destinations is the reef structure. Divers will enjoy slowing ascending through huge vertical cracks at Hob Na dive site and exploring a spider's web of interconnected swim-throughs at a site called Scott's Playground. Every dive site is different, and the dives never become repetitive.

Banco Chinchorro is a coral atoll 22 miles from XTC dive center in Xcalak. Numerous ships, including Spanish galleons, have met their demise on the shallow reefs of Banco Chinchorro, making it a prime destination for wreck diving. No deep or technical diving certification is necessary to enjoy Banco Chinchorro's shipwrecks.

Just offshore lie shallow, easy reefs accessible to all divers – even student divers. Deeper sites, such as the giant coral cracks at Hob Nah and the deeper coral swim-throughs at La Chiminea (The Chimney) are appropriate for more advanced divers. The continental shelf is close by, and technical divers can enjoy deep, mixed-gas dives along this coral wall.

Xcalak's reefs are located in a marine park, and this is reflected in the variety and density of marine life. During my dives in Xcalak, curious fish swam right up to my mask, unafraid because they were unfamiliar with divers. I paused to point out a rough-head blenny only to notice that several cleaning gobies had mistaken me for a big fish and leaped from a coral head and onto my arm. During the summer, several dive sites shelter clouds of silver sides (tiny silver fish that school in huge groups). One dive site, La Posa, boasts a canyon sheltering a school of tarpon that hover, unimpressed, as divers swim among them. The clincher? Manatees inhabit the nearby mangroves. Lucky divers may make their surface intervals in the mangroves and catch a glimpse of these gentle giants. The manatees have even been spotted at the nearby shallow reefs.

I dived with XTC Dive Center and was pleasantly surprised by this organized, professional dive center. The guides made sure that the divers' gear was on the boat (set up if desired) before the divers arrived. The employees wash and store the divers' gear when the day is done. XTC Dive Center is a 5-Star PADI IDC Center and a PADI Tec Rec Center. The dive shop offers classes ranging from the ultimate beginner course – the Discover Scuba Diving Course – to instructor training programs and advanced technical dive training. The dive center mixes its own nitrox and trimix, rents both technical and recreational dive gear, and recently constructed a large, multi-depth training pool. There is even a small, boutique hotel operated by the dive shop, and the owner plans add a restaurant and lounge area in the near future. Until then, the friendly, approachable staff is happy to direct divers to local restaurants.

If you want to party in a big city after diving, Xcalak is not for you. However, if you aim to avoid hoards of spring-breakers and cruise-ship crowds and relax in a laid-back, tropical dive mecca, Xcalak is just your cup of tea. Xcalak is so hidden that fresh produce must be trucked in a few times a week and there are few casual visitors other than divers. At night, the small number of inhabitants run generators for electricity. This is part of Xcalak's charm and adds to it beauty. The beaches are nearly uninhabited and thousands of stars reflect in the ocean at night. Visiting and diving in Xcalak is like traveling thirty years into the past, before the invasion of mega-resorts and crowded cattle-boats of divers common in other areas of the Yucatan. This is the Caribbean the way it used to be.