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Diving in Banco Chinchorro is an amazing experience. Chinchorro is located 20 miles east off the coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Going diving is a ''must'' when visiting this magical place, surrounded by water up to 3000 feet deep. It is approximately 30 miles long by 9 miles wide.
This reef is formed by a total of three keys. 200 fishermen live in Centro Key in a camp of houses rising out from the water on stilts that they call palafitos. In Norte and Lobos keys wildlife is abundant, including alligators and many different birds. In the sea there are conches, lobsters, sharks, eels, barracudas, pig fish, sardines and a million shapes and sizes of coral.
Even though Chinchorro is relatively isolated from the modern world these days, it wasn't like that before. Centuries ago it was right in the way of the advancing Spanish Galleons, some of which weren't so lucky when sailing these waters. More than 18 shipwrecks have been found and some experts say that there could be more than 50 ships lying at the bottom of the sea.
A visit to Chinchorro takes at least a full day.
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