Banco Chinchorro is the largest coral atoll in the Northern Hemisphere, sitting in the Caribbean Sea well offshore from Mahahual. All three sites in our database are reached by boat only, and the atoll is protected as a Biosphere Reserve. The diving here centres on wreck and reef combinations: Ginger Soul is a nineteenth-century steamer whose scattered machinery and propeller lie draped in coral, SS Far Star is a steel-hulled transport resting at shallow depth with visibility that can reach fifty metres, and Cayo Centro offers very shallow reef and seagrass suitable for beginners and snorkellers. Atlantic goliath grouper, nurse sharks, green sea turtles, gorgonians, and flying gurnards are among the recorded species. Water temperature is warm and stable throughout the year, peaking in late summer and early autumn.
Monthly water temperature across Banco Chinchorro's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water stays warm year-round with little seasonal variation, making a light wetsuit or skin suit suitable in all months. The calmest seas and therefore most reliable boat crossings occur from May through September, which is considered the best window for visiting the atoll. Visibility can be exceptional, particularly at the wreck sites, where it sometimes exceeds forty metres.
2 operators
Water temperature around Banco Chinchorro ranges from about 27°C in January to 30°C in August, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 27–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in Banco Chinchorro year-round.
Fin maps 3 sites in Banco Chinchorro (3 scuba diving sites and 2 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
3 more sites to explore
