Advice on what to dive in Playa area

[caz777]

Hey,

Enjoyed lurking in these helpful forums for a while, but never posted before.

The missus and myself are going to Yucatan for 16 days in the beginning of July. It will be our first time diving in Mexico.

We have 10 nights in Playa, where we expect to do at least two tanks in cenotes and 2/3 tanks in Cozumel, and then the rest in the Playa area (5 days probably). After this we go for one night in Pisté for Chichen Itza, before continueing to Isla de Holbox for 3 nights for relaxation and whale sharks.

So the question I hope you can help with is:

1) Are there any "do not miss" dives in the vicinity around Playa? It does not have to be from playa necessarily, since we are willing to go to nearby places if the right spots exist . I have read about schools of Eagle Rays on a wreck near Isla Mujeres?

2) As a lover of big animals are there any places especially we should go?

3) Are there topside acitvities you can recommend? We will def. visit Chichen Itza and probably also Tulum, but recommandations are most welcome.

Thanks in Advance

Casper

 

[grassgreen]

well i have been diving with a shop called Reef Quest divers, they are in the Blue Parrott . They are number one on Trip Advisor and for good reason!! I saw there newly certified divers and they were all really good, i also did my Advanced OW with the instructor there, his name is Marc from England. They have a good wreck dive,drift dive with loads of turtles and also do cenote dives which you shouldnt miss

 

[caz777]

Thanks for your reply, However we do have a dive Op there.

Which cenote is btw the best for diving in your opinions? From what I have read around the web it seems the Gran Cenote and Dos Ojos are favourites....

 

[yak]

I would suggest you include Tortugas, you'll most always find lots of turtles and a large school of tarpon. The Mama Vina wreck is a nice dive too.

Punta Venada, Barracuda, Sabalos are also nice dives, I'm continually impressed at how these reefs are growing more beautiful over the years.

Here's a link that shows some of the popular sites in PDC, just click on the red links on the map for a description. The menu bar also has links to some of the cenotes.

Playa del Carmen is one of the most popular tourist beach destinations in Mexico with phenomenal scuba diving in nearby Cozumel.

As far as cenotes, Dos Ojos is very decorated. It's beautiful, but very popular. Try to get there early before the crowds of divers and snorklers appear. Grand Cenote is nice, as is Taj Mahal. Every cenote has its own unique aspects. You might want to purchase Steve Gerrard's book, it's got lots of information on the cave systems and cenotes and is a great coffee table book:

Cenotes of the Riviera Maya Home, Table of Contents, Steve Gerrard

I highly recommend Dennis Weeks as a cavern diving guide. He's highly experienced, knowledgeable, and a real nice guy.

For Coz trips, Tank Ha runs their own boat drom PDC to Coz, so it can be the quickest out & back day trip, although I haven't tried it as the boat was out of the water for repairs when I was there last.

And do search this forum for "cenote" and you'll find plenty of reviews.

Have fun!
Jack

 

[midas6t6]

Xcaret is worth going to. The evening show is based loosely on Mayan culture and worth sticking around for.

 

[DandyDon]

I would suggest you include Tortugas, you'll most always find lots of turtles and a large school of tarpon. The Mama Vina wreck is a nice dive too.

I booked a few nights at PDC once specifically to dive Tortugas for the turtles. Did not see a one. Two divers hiring a private boat, but I suspect the operator took us where he wanted to.

3) Are there topside acitvities you can recommend? We will def. visit Chichen Itza and probably also Tulum, but recommandations are most welcome.

Coba ruins are on the way. Get there as early as you can, rent bikes, carry 2 quarts of water each in backpacks. A few hours there, then on to Piste. I preferred it to Tulum ruins, but glad we did both that day. Here is my slide show from that day. Scroll down to play Full Screen

click for lager ​

Ek Balam ruins are not far from Chichen Itza and many who have done both preferred Ek Balam. I'm doing both in August, same day ~ whew!

Ten nights in PDC with five days leftover there sounds unappealing to me, especially with so much more of the peninsula to see. I'd arrange the trip plan with less nights there, more elsewhere - maybe even overnighting at Coba. Sidestep.com is wonderful at shopping for hotels.

I don't know where you are coming from (not on your profile) but this page from the US State department is worth reading. Mexico Now, I don't take it all seriously either, but being informed helps.

Easyway is a very competitive rental car company. Nothing to brag about but they are cheap.

Are you flying in and out of Cancun? Maps from Can-do are very informative, including the Mayan Experience, and be sure to request the free airport map. In case it's not clear, you cannot exit the toll road for Holbox; you have to take the free road between Cancun and Valladoldid.

Holbox is a delightful village. Take a faster private boat instead of the ferry. Prices are negotiable, much cheaper 30 minutes before the ferry leaves, much higher after the last ferry runs as we learned once. I'd add a night there to see more of that area along with a couple of days snorkeling with the Dominoes. Care to see my video from that?

[vimeo]3783470[/vimeo]​

 

[caz777]

Sorry for not getting back to you before now (crappy busy job ).

@yak
Thanks for the book link. Will look into that. At what time does the resort crowds generally start showing up? Both for Cenotes but also for the Maya ruins? 9am?

@midas6t6
thanks, I checked their webpage...Am I correct in understanding that it is a combination of Zoo/water-park/theme-park/Maya-ruin-thing?

I am a little worried if it is too "tourist-trap"-like for me...But the missus might get the final say on that

@DandyDon
We are flying in from Denmark.

Have been looking at both Coba and Ek Balam and both looks appealing. Will have to make a smart plan. How is it to drive in Mexico (compared to "western countries", i.e. the US, Europe) in regards to finding one's way around, road conditions etc?.

I am considering if it might be feasible (both economically and comfort-wise) to rent a car for a few days when doing topside stuff, including going from PDC to CI and from there to Holbox (and then just drop off the car in Cancun for instance).

That is one very nice video btw! Is it "normal" that the whalesharks outswims the snorkelers quite fast? Or do they ever just hang around?

 

[DandyDon]

Sorry for not getting back to you before now (crappy busy job ).

@yak
Thanks for the book link. Will look into that. At what time does the resort crowds generally start showing up? Both for Cenotes but also for the Maya ruins? 9am?

If I may comment on that one, it depends on how far the tour buses have to travel for the ruins. Like for Chichen Itza, the buses from Canun and the coast arrive around 11am, so we want to be there at 8am.

@midas6t6
thanks, I checked their webpage...Am I correct in understanding that it is a combination of Zoo/water-park/theme-park/Maya-ruin-thing?

I am a little worried if it is too "tourist-trap"-like for me...But the missus might get the final say on that

That's why I skipped it, but many enjoy it.

@DandyDon
We are flying in from Denmark.

Have been looking at both Coba and Ek Balam and both looks appealing. Will have to make a smart plan. How is it to drive in Mexico (compared to "western countries", i.e. the US, Europe) in regards to finding one's way around, road conditions etc?.

I am considering if it might be feasible (both economically and comfort-wise) to rent a car for a few days when doing topside stuff, including going from PDC to CI and from there to Holbox (and then just drop off the car in Cancun for instance).

That is one very nice video btw! Is it "normal" that the whalesharks outswims the snorkelers quite fast? Or do they ever just hang around?

Driving is comfortable to me. Learn some of the Spanish words used on the hiway, but the signs are easy to understand. Speed limits are a good idea, but I don't take them very seriously. Topa/speed bumps you want to slow down for and some roads have many, especially the roads to Holbox as you can't use the freeway for it, and as you head north you encounter frequent potholes too! :shocked2: I just drove around them, in the dark first time after getting lost without the map suggested above.

Easyway has the best rates for rental cars I can find, no charge for dropping in Cancun, cheapest on Full Insurance - which you want! I took a standard shift once, as I learned how to drive on one when I was like 10 yo etc, but after the Topa and potholes, never again. Auto trans!

Yeah the Dominoes are busy feeding, which is accomplished by swimming briskly thru the water as filter feeds, and - I was not in great shape, but yeah - you are chasing them all the way. No one lasted much longer than me. Wonder experience!

 

[caz777]

Good to know about CI time...I assumed they started coming in at 10am'ish , We will spend one night nearby, to allow an early start before the crowds come rolling, before moving on the Holbox.

You guessed my next question regarding insurance etc., which seems to be almost the bigger portion of renting the car , but also quite usefull. Being european I am used to driving with a stick though, so no problem there...however either will do.

 

[midas6t6]

Xcaret is a little touristy but nothing like a Disneyworld. The only thing like a water park last I was there was the underground river, sort of a shallow cenote you can snorkle thru. You'll enjoy it. The evening show, while based on Mayan culture, is jazzed up for the tourists.