Paradise Reef

Paradise Reef is the shallow coral strip just south of Cozumel's cruise piers and the northernmost reef inside the island's national marine park. Three low ridges of sponges and gorgonians sit in 9 to 15 m of gentle drift, which makes it the standard Cozumel checkout dive and its most reliable night dive. After dark, torch beams pick out the splendid toadfish, a striped electric blue fish that lives nowhere on Earth but Cozumel, wedged under ledges and croaking from its burrow. Spotted eagle rays pass through in winter while octopus, banded coral shrimp and snapper work the reef once the sun drops.