Advice on Mexico Cave Diving

[hweijie]

A group of us are going for cave diving in mexico coming Dec. It is our first time there. We are wondering if going without guide will be possible? Will it be challenging to get to the site, as well as finding the main line?

Which are the sites that are easily accessible, popular, common, or that finding the main line is straightforward?

Thanks

 

[JohnnyC]

You can go without a guide, but with a guide it's much easier. Both from a cave knowledge aspect as well as having the ability to cart around gear. Most of them have trucks and such, without it's a pain. Most of the cenote entrances are a bit back off the highway.

Main lines are usually pushed back a bit due to the popularity of cavern divers and snorkelers. Some are easy to find, some less so.

There are lots of popular caves around Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Check here: CaveAtlas.com » Cave Systems in Mexico

 

[Oldbear]

A group of us are going for cave diving in mexico coming Dec. It is our first time there. We are wondering if going without guide will be possible? Will it be challenging to get to the site, as well as finding the main line?

Which are the sites that are easily accessible, popular, common, or that finding the main line is straightforward?

Thanks

I recommend getting a local guide. See how things are done your first trip, then decide if going alone is worth the effort.

I too too have that adventurous spirit. But every time I have gone to Mexico I have been very GRATEFUL I used local shops.

 

[Blue Life]

We will be more than glad to help you plan for your diving trip. Check us out at Cave Archives - Blue Life - Blue Life. Blue Life's owner Frank is an amazing cave and technical diving instructor and active cave explorer who can show you some really amazing places you may not be able to find on your own, there is nothing like local knowledge! For more information please email Frank atfrank@bluelife.com. Hope to dive with you soon!

 

[Peter Guy]

I wrote the following on a similar thread:

As you are new to these caves, I'd just plan on doing the "simple" ones and taking it slow and easy -- enjoy and learn one cave. So maybe hire a guide for a day to do Car Wash and Gran Cenote -- then come back and dive them to explore the numerous lines.

While most places you can squeak by without Spanish, the fact that my wife was fluent did help.

Some of the sites are hard to find, many are not (such as Grand and Car Wash). The great thing about those caves is that you can spend days just diving one cave and always finding something new.

 

[mzampino]

We plan on hiring a guide. So that raises another question. Any recommendation for hiring a private dive master?

Plus my original question was not answered: If you had to pick one Cenote, which one would it be? Assuming we had a guide leading us. If you had to pick one Ocean location, which one would it be?

Thanks again.

 

[JohnnyC]

Toro at Protec Playa, he's very good, but any of the shops mentioned so far will be able to provide an excellent guide.

Gran Cenote is a very nice dive. The circuit off the mainline, jump left at the first arrow after the circuit arrows is a nice, short dive, or you could stage and jump to Calimba. Ponderosa and Tajma Ha are nice easy dives too if you're a newer cave diver. They're both pretty popular training caves so very easy. Dos Ojos has some nice cave but you'll deal with a bunch of cavern divers along the way until you get into the cave. It's not much time though, that whole cavern line is doable on less than a 3rd on a single Al80, so you don't have to put up with them for long.

You didn't mention if you were diving in backmount or sidemount. If sidemount, Cenote Doggi is VERY cool. Lots of features. You can do the traverse from Doggi to Style if you want, that's a cool dive.

 

[hweijie]

Thanks for all the advices!

 

[Peter Guy]

Recommendation for Cenote -- My favorite, and almost always my first dive, is Gran Cenote. The facilities are very good, location is convenient, the cave is great -- even the cavern line is fun. You can just do the main line (with the gap) and be in awe of the decorations -- or start jumping off the line. It is very easy to spend days there and seeing something new each dive.

I really don't know enough people in the area to make a fair recommendation regarding a guide. I am personal friends with Natalie Gibb (in Akumal) and Ella Bertoni (Tulum) but have never hired either (OTOH, I've been diving with both). When in Puerto Aventuras, I use Dive Aventuras as my primary shop (OK, reality is that I use Zero Gravity as my primary CAVE shop and ALL of those guys are fabulous guides and I have hired them) and I know Nils and others at Dive Aventuras guide.

There really are so many wonderful instructors/guides in the area that unless you are REALLY into the community, I don't think it is fair to recommend one or another. I just happen to personally like Nat and Ella.

 

[Xta]

I second hiring Natalie Gibb, and her company Under the Jungle

We were in Mexico during the week of Labor day, and although she didn't take us. We were set up with her partner Vincent. He was great and we had a wonderful time!