Playa del Carmen + Cozumel?

[Bookworm11]

Cozumel is worlds above anything you will see along the Riviera Maya. My advice: go stay on Cozumel and dive at least 2 days there, preferably three. It's easy to take the ferry, and then stay at a cheap hotel in town. No, you don't need an AOW cert, BUT buoyancy is critical, especially in some of them. If you are planning to do more than 2, I would get it.

 

[Cebolla]

Most places to stay in Coz don't have great beaches. I have stayed at least 3 times at the Casa Mexicana downtown, it was great and downtown is awesome. Plus, you can access diving boats via a dock a few meters away.

 

[skalalaz]

I'm looking to dive a cenote (particularly something that will give me a taste of cavern diving) near Playa del Carmen and get some reef diving in somewhere as well. I heard you can take a quick ferry out to Cozumel but I was wondering if it's worth it to make the journey out there or if i should stay near Playa del Carmen and dive the reefs there?

I was also told it'd be good to get my advanced open water cert before diving a cenote, what's the consensus on that?

You definitely do not need AOW to dive in the cenotes, however, going in the caverns is a different story. Again it's not necessary for you to have AOW, but the added confidence that you will have will definitely serve you well. You should contact tank-ha Pablo is their cave diving expert. I have been on several cavern dives with him and he is exceptionally good

 

[rongoodman]

Whether or not you have AOW, if you're going into the cenotes you need to have your buoyancy and trim dialed in.

 

[skalalaz]

Whether or not you have AOW, if you're going into the cenotes you need to have your buoyancy and trim dialed in.

Could not agree more. I have been with groups who's buoyancy control was..ahem.. questionable

 

[halocline]

You definitely do not need AOW to dive in the cenotes, however, going in the caverns is a different story. Again it's not necessary for you to have AOW, but the added confidence that you will have will definitely serve you well. You should contact tank-ha Pablo is their cave diving expert. I have been on several cavern dives with him and he is exceptionally good

When people refer to diving in the cenotes, they are talking about cavern diving. Nobody puts on tanks and just swims around in the open water of the cenotes, unless they are doing so to learn skills as part of a course. When you sign up for a guided cenote dive tour, you are doing so specifically to dive in the cavern zone.

 

[Torontonian]

I'm looking to dive a cenote (particularly something that will give me a taste of cavern diving) near Playa del Carmen and get some reef diving in somewhere as well. I heard you can take a quick ferry out to Cozumel but I was wondering if it's worth it to make the journey out there or if i should stay near Playa del Carmen and dive the reefs there?

I was also told it'd be good to get my advanced open water cert before diving a cenote, what's the consensus on that?

It's not a "quick" ferry to Cozumel to dive. It's doable, but it'd be a long day, with several arrangements in place (transport to ferry terminal, ferry to Cozumel, transport to dive op, boat dive out. Get picked up and finish at a different place (it's drift dive, to different places). Then transport to ferry terminal... Cozumel drift/reef diving is very good, worth staying a few days.

Cenote diving is quite different than other dives. When arranging, do tell the DM you are a new OW diver. They often take a few people out on dives and if most of them are very experienced and go to more difficult dives, it won't be suitable for you to join those groups. Once you begin the dives and go some ways, it's not easy to cut short to take someone back.

Some people may not realize they react different in dark confined places. Some feel claustrophobic in small space and feel uncomfortable or even panic. If you are fine, that's good.

A few people mentioned the need for buoyancy control, more than having AOW. That's quite true. It's not open space above and below, and without good buoyancy control, one can float up to hit/touch the wall/rock about, or sink down to hit/touch rock below.

The water won't be cold, a 3mm long wetsuit is often good. The instructor/guide I went with for a few days, wore 7mm long, because he was often guiding more than 2 dives in the day. Cenote diving can be fun, but be prepared it's quite different.